In the Panzers Path AAR ( long)

[Smersh]

the breifing tells you that your an un-prepared rifle battalion about to be assaulted by "a panzer avalanche". This is very true, when the mission started, I noticed I had barely any AT capability. I did notice I was provided with a few 122mm Hwtzrs being moved by horse-limbers. I had to decide whether to use them as ad-hoc AT guns, or as artillery. I decided I would use a few as artillery and place any left in key positions, overlooking the victory hexes (3 in the front, and 3 areas in the rear).

I made some small moves, moving some infantry units here and there, and the 2 t-28s where going to move north, to give at support to the northern most strong point.
The enemy arrived a few turns later, the north was suddenly stormed by 11men sized squads of motorcycle-troops. I put up stubborn resistance with my rifle-men but did began to take losses, and Armored cars where also trickling in, my men fell back, under the cover of trees. The T-28s made it to the north strong point, and stood there (in a flanking position on the road, like 2 fortresses.

I slowly began to knock out the armored cars, one by one with relatively heavy armored t-28s, and my rifle troops did what ever they could to push back and supress the still maurading motorcycle-sqauds. by this time, the my feeble attempt to bolster the north with some 37mm guns had failed (the armored cars tore threw them before they could be moved into good positions).

meanwhile, A supporting t-26 company arrived. They would be spilt into 2 groups, 7 going to the center strong point victory hexes, and 3 going to the southern strongpoint. by this time, most of my 122 hwtrs had been moved into position, I had great hope of doing alot of damage with them. The t-26s also moved into flanking positions, some in some woods, and others behind buildings.

Now, the center began to fill with dozens of various armoured vehicles mostly panzer IIIhs and Panzer IIs, with a few supporting "halftracks". I was suddenly incredibly outnumbered, and with too few AT weapons. I was given a few infantry guns, maybe 4 or 5. not counting the t-26s these were my only other AT weapons ! to face maybe 30 tanks!

The south was guarded by a company of rifle-men, and 2 45mm AT guns. I managed to destroy a few recon-armored cars, before German fighter-bombers destroyed one of the guns, and badly damaged another one. (these planes would be a big nuisance right up to the end of the mission). Now, the south too was being stormed by maybe 20 or so panzers, and I had nothing to stop them but a 3 t-26 tanks and one badly damaged 45mm gun. (one of the 122mm canon I moved into position managed to take out one or 2 tanks before being blown up).

Back in the center, I began pommelling the center road (covered in tanks) with as much artillery as I could fire. bombardment after bombardment was taking a toll on their advance, it had slowed to a crawl, and most of the "half-track" were blown up with top hits. Now, they had finally gotten within range of my 7 t-26 tanks (in numerous angles). immediately they blew up 2 of my tanks, the poor accuracy and lack of training of my tank crew-men was showing. I fell back, and went into more conservative hidden positions, (I couldn't be "bold" with my tanks).

In the North, the T-28s finally maybe around turn 10-13 drove out and destroyed the last of the armored cars. The crews where so unskilled, they had used up all their AP ammunition in the fight. I moved them up and recaptured the northern hexes, which had been held by the enemy since turn 1 or 2. I put the tanks in the woods to the east, and ready to repel any counter attacks. the infantry with great difficulty and some tank HE support mopped up and pushed most of the motor-cycle troops out of the area (some drove south to aide their attacking comrades in the center, this caused alot of trouble).

By this time, my center defense was a skeleton, nearly all the infantry guns where destroyed or retreating. And the Panzers "wave" was passing out of my "break-water". The t-26 tanks destroyed tank after tank, but where gradually worn down and destroyed (one or 2 survived, one with a working main gun, they became very important when it came time to recapture the lost hexes). I was also suprised at how ineffective my big 122m cannon had been, they got off a few poorly aimed shots, and where then quickly blown up by enemy tank fire. After heavy losses and intense battle, I counted maybe still a dozen or more surviving Panzers.

The south was immedialty over-run by dozens of panzer tanks. I managed to knock out a few before they captured the hexes. I needed to preserve my infantry, so they fell back and "vanished". The 3 t-26 tanks and wounded 45mm in flanking, intersecting fire, held out for quite a while, destroyed another 8 or so tanks before being overwhelmed. this left maybe another 8 or so in the area. My front defensive positions where breaking and falling back everywhere accept in the north (because they had only dealt with armored cars).

I noticed now, that the German tanks realizing their success in the center, some peeled off and went to recapture the north, a convenient road led them right up. I few badly mauled infantry units acted as tiny en effective speed bumps to their advance.

My northern company was now maybe at 50%-60% strength. But I was not going to give up those victory hexes again, it our territory. in the absence of any at capability, I attacked the 2 panzers with rifle fire and gernades, squad after sqaud fall upon the tanks. finally some close assualts finished them off, and the crewmen were shot. This was a great success, It showed I could use blistering mass infantry fire to fight tanks! It wasn't without its cost, many men died in the assault.

I was wearing down the center too, but I had nothing left to stop the remaining panzers from waltzing through and taking everything, the center-middle hexes, then attacking my almost unguarded rear (hexes). But the lesson I learned in the north showed a way out (still, I did not think I could succeed). some 122mm hwtrs took pot shots at the advancing tanks, knocking out a few, each one was a small victory. then as they (the panzers) reached the next set of victory points in the middle, I made vicious close assaults, with any surviving men and cossack scouts! ( they were all waiting in the rear till now), even my motor-cycle recon joined in the melee.

The South two was marked by vicious fighting, but nearly constant artillery bombardment had tremonusly slowed down the panzers. I did whatever I could do to close assault and suppress the tanks, but it was much less effective here in the south then in the north. The souther company too was severelly depleted, but I made sure to keep a almost full strength platoon in hiding and reserve. These men would recapture the south, when the tanks had passed.

another few, panzers attempted to take the north, but stuttborn assaults where not enough, and they had some infantry support. My north company took more casualties, before finally, forcing the tank crewman out with gernades.The north would be safe the rest of the mission.

In the center, I was completely spent, the panzers where already upto my H.Q., (fighting was maybe 100-200 meters away). I began attacking the tanks with squad level 50mm mortars, this managed to immobilize a Panzer II, and it was finally destroyed by close assault. a few other tanks where blown up with close assaults and vicious rifle and gernade fire. finally, the lone surviving t-26 tank (the only one with a working gun left in the whole company), drove out of its panzer carcass cage and fired into the rear of the surviving panzers. I couldn't beleive it I had survived the panzer avalanche.

During this whole time, from around turn 20 to the end at 30. my hiding infantry sqauds slowly one hex at a time, crawled forward. we were going to recapture everything taken by the facist invaders. the surviving southern panzers where overpowered with the might of infantry, and destroyed and routed. the infantry advanced passed dozens of burning panzer hulks. The center in particular was covered by nearly 30 tanks in a tightly confined area. I was sure to find as many surviving crewmen as possible and "take-care" of them.

It had been nearly impossible, I was severely lacking in any AT weapons, and had no AA capability what so ever. But with sttuborn resistance, and a good use of hiding, and brave close assault, I had not only destroyed the entire German force ! but took back every single victory hex! Artillery was a great help in slowing and in some cases stopping the tanks.

on turn 29, the game ended. and I had to my extreme suprise gotten a decisive victory!
I had suffered 381 casualties, the Facists 687. I lost 8 AFVs ( the t-26s tanks) and the enemy 52 AFVs (panzer IIIs and IIs, some armored cars)and 13 APCs ("half-tracks")