War on the Eastern Front - Campaign Game 2

Having played out the opening salvo of the Eastern Front Campaign last week, time to up the anti.

I picked up a copy of "At the Sharp End" the Too Fat Lardies Campaign suppliment, this should add a little colour to the games, The setting is Koslin in early 1945.

The Russians have captured Bublitz and after a few days of build up are on the move again, looking to break thin German defences. Following the Ladder Campaign structure and having won the initial Patrol Game, we pushed on to Scenario 2 - "The Probe"

After the narrowest of victories last week, we moved north towards the village of Goldbeck, the Panzer Grenadiers had pulled back but were still strong in number they were sure to be blocking the highway, the most logical of stop gaps before Goldbeck.

Having experienced the amount of fire the Germans can lay down with their MG34's I opted to push through the Orchard on the left flank having managed to secure a Jump off point very close to the German base line.

The Germans once again deployed early occupying the brick built houses over looking the road, but I am confident we can break them having drafted an additional section into my platoon for this operation.

I decide to lead my comrades in person, sending two sections through the wood, killing many of the German defenders and pinning the remainder. Confidence was high.

We pressed on but the Germans were tougher than we first thought, they had entrenchments and were greater in number than our scouts had reported.

I ordered the men back deeper into the orchard, to tend to our wounded, victory had been so close.

With my troops broken and running for cover on the left flank, I saw a chance to still win this encounter and break through the German lines, I sent 3rd section off on wide flanking move.

The Facists can only summon a solitary team to block our path, we can still be victorious.

However luck was not on our side, the Germans rolled 6's and gained two turns they rush troops from the centre and flank my section, MG34's ripped through my men who took to their heels.

My force morale is shattered -3 to the Germans 9.

Defeat...

We fall back towards Bublitz my men's opinion of me is not great (German -2, Russian -3) and my force's morale is now -1 for all future operations, speaking with my commander he is far from happy but has given me a chance to redeem myself in the next encounter (Russian -1, German +2) whilst my German counter part is likely to receive both reinforcements and extra supports if things continue.

I will also have to make do with 6 men fewer... War in the East is tough.