Red Factories Homebrew - I survived Stalingrad and all I got was this lousy LP

[Jobbo_Fett]

Day 1, Part 12


The story so far:

Almost every rally fails this turn, and one Russian squad even suffers a casualty reduction in the process. Desperation starts to set in for the Russians, but fortune favors the bold on occasion. A pair of attacks strike the German troops well enough to break their morale, and a lucky shot kills a leader. Sadly, however, the Russians are so depleted that they can't make any effective use of reduced return fire. Artillery continues to rain down, injuring the unnamed Russian hero and breaking his accompanying squad. Axis tanks continue to pour fire into the houses in and around H9, to no avail. Return fire claims a number of broken squads but nothing else of note happens.


Losses
Germans [Lost 29 CVP]
Rifle Company A (3 squads - 6 CVP) + 8-0(x1 - 1 CVP)
Rifle Company B (4 squads - 8 CVP) + MTR(x1)
Sturm Company A (3 squads - 6 CVP) +9-1(1x - 2 CVP)
HW Platoon A (1 crew - 2 CVP)
Panzer III Ausf H Platoon A (1 Vehicle - 4 CVP)


Russians [Lost 50 CVP]
Militia Company A (8 squads - 16 CVP) + 8-1(x1 - 2 CVP) + LMG(x1) + ATR(x1)
Militia Company B (3 squads - 6 CVP) + MTR(x1)
Rifle Company A (5 squads - 10 CVP) + MMG(x1)
Rifle Company B (2 squads - 4 CVP)
SMG Company A (5 squads - 10 CVP)
AT Gun Crew(x1 - 2 CVP)


Victory Conditions
Germans control 11 of 15 Stone Locations required to win.


Special Units
Softnum [Russian Leader] 7-0
Petachiok [Russian Leader] 9-2
Unnamed Russian Hero


State of the board at the end of Part 12

State of MAP control at the end of Part 12 [Colourized]

What actually happened that day? (According to Stalingrad Battle Atlas, Vol II - by Anton Joly)

Weather: Partly Cloudy, Cold.

Germans capture the southern portion (completing their control) of the Red Barricades factory. 300 to 400 prisoners were captured, as well as equipment. A directive by Hitler instructs the Army to begin preparations for a defensive line in the coming months.

Since September 13 (the beginning of the offensive on Stalingrad), the Germans report that they have captured 18000 prisoners, destroyed or immobilized 233 tanks, and captured or destroyed 302 guns. Another 5600 prisoners, 616 tanks destroyed, and 87 guns destroyed/captured further north of the city. 670 enemy planes were shot down over Stalingrad, with AA artillery and ground troops claiming an additional 88 planes.

German losses so far have been 2500 dead, 10300 wounded, and 300 missing. Numbers for planes and tanks are not present.

German losses for October 16th, 1942 in Stalingrad are reported as: 299 wounded, 61 killed, 21 missing.



---Do keep in mind that these numbers are not complete, as some data was lost in the intervening years, and accurate counts are difficult to ascertain in the best of conditions. The nature of the fighting at Stalingrad also made it hard for the Russians, especially, to keep accurate numbers on losses. That, or they are not yet documented and have not been mentioned in the Atlas for this particular day.

 

[Jobbo_Fett]

Day 1, Part 13


The story so far:

Artillery falls in the area of M6, and breaks a Russian conscript squad, and they suffer disruption afterwards too! A lucky shot frees up a little space on the western flank, but the lack of rallied troops on the German side should prevent a breakthrough there. A firegroup sends as much lead as they have towards the 9-2 Leader in H8, but he and his compatriots aren't the least bit shaken from this. However, a second German firegroup fires at them from a different side and catches the squad unawares, breaking them in the process. If that wasn't bad enough, the Leader became pinned down as well. Mortars begin to open fire, and a critical hit is scored on Soviet MMG in P6, eliminating the squad. Back to the western flank, a bold move by the Germans sees them move up a MMG into a good defensive position, and a Sturm Coy running into the building complex at C13. Not everything goes smoothly for the Germans, as some squads are either pinned down or broken as they attempt to secure more locations.


Losses
Germans [Lost 29 CVP]
Rifle Company A (3 squads - 6 CVP) + 8-0(x1 - 1 CVP)
Rifle Company B (4 squads - 8 CVP) + MTR(x1)
Sturm Company A (3 squads - 6 CVP) +9-1(1x - 2 CVP)
HW Platoon A (1 crew - 2 CVP)
Panzer III Ausf H Platoon A (1 Vehicle - 4 CVP)


Russians [Lost 50 CVP]
Militia Company A (8 squads - 16 CVP) + 8-1(x1 - 2 CVP) + LMG(x1) + ATR(x1)
Militia Company B (3 squads - 6 CVP) + MTR(x1)
Rifle Company A (5 squads - 10 CVP) + MMG(x1)
Rifle Company B (3 squads - 6 CVP)
SMG Company A (5 squads - 10 CVP)
AT Gun Crew(x1 - 2 CVP)


Victory Conditions
Germans control 16 of 15 Stone Locations required to win.


Special Units
Softnum [Russian Leader] 7-0
Petachiok [Russian Leader] 9-2
Unnamed Russian Hero


State of the board at the end of Part 13

State of MAP control at the end of Part 13 [Colourized]

What actually happened that day? (According to Stalingrad Battle Atlas, Vol II - by Anton Joly)

Weather: Partly Cloudy, Cold.

Germans capture the southern portion (completing their control) of the Red Barricades factory. 300 to 400 prisoners were captured, as well as equipment. A directive by Hitler instructs the Army to begin preparations for a defensive line in the coming months.

Since September 13 (the beginning of the offensive on Stalingrad), the Germans report that they have captured 18000 prisoners, destroyed or immobilized 233 tanks, and captured or destroyed 302 guns. Another 5600 prisoners, 616 tanks destroyed, and 87 guns destroyed/captured further north of the city. 670 enemy planes were shot down over Stalingrad, with AA artillery and ground troops claiming an additional 88 planes.

German losses so far have been 2500 dead, 10300 wounded, and 300 missing. Numbers for planes and tanks are not present.

German losses for October 16th, 1942 in Stalingrad are reported as: 299 wounded, 61 killed, 21 missing.



---Do keep in mind that these numbers are not complete, as some data was lost in the intervening years, and accurate counts are difficult to ascertain in the best of conditions. The nature of the fighting at Stalingrad also made it hard for the Russians, especially, to keep accurate numbers on losses. That, or they are not yet documented and have not been mentioned in the Atlas for this particular day.

 

[Jobbo_Fett]

Day 1, Part 14


The story so far:

Several squads recomposed themselves and get back into the fight. Alas, the Germans are still having issues recovering the large group of men on the Western side. As fire starts to pour out and into German positions, it becomes clear that the Soviets are desperately trying to break or dislodge as many German squads as possible, in order to prepare for movement or advances later on. [If they can reduce their number of controlled locations, the Soviets may end up with a win.] Sadly, the lack of firepower, as well as a lack of strong squads up front forces at least several Leaders, and accompanying squads, to seek shelter outside of line of sight of the enemy. After all, Leaders have no firepower and its always a good idea to save them. Of note is the 9-2 Leader who begun to retreat away from H8 only to be shot at by the German tank nearby. Despite the impressive accuracy on display, the Leaders ability to stay composed, and in cover, was enough to ensure he escaped unscathed. In all the commotion, a Soviet half-squad surrenders to a German squad. [I should have done this last turn, as per Disruption surrender rules.] [Disruption here wouldn't apply because of No Quarter]


Losses
Germans [Lost 29 CVP][+2 for Crew that was missed]
Rifle Company A (3 squads - 6 CVP) + 8-0(x1 - 1 CVP)
Rifle Company B (4 squads - 8 CVP) + MTR(x1)
Sturm Company A (3 squads - 6 CVP) +9-1(1x - 2 CVP)
HW Platoon A (1 crew - 2 CVP)
Panzer III Ausf H Platoon A (1 Vehicle - 4 CVP)


Russians [Lost 50 CVP]
Militia Company A (8 squads - 16 CVP) + 8-1(x1 - 2 CVP) + LMG(x1) + ATR(x1)
Militia Company B (3 squads - 6 CVP) + MTR(x1)
Rifle Company A (5 squads - 10 CVP) + MMG(x1)
Rifle Company B (3 squads - 6 CVP)
SMG Company A (5 squads - 10 CVP)
AT Gun Crew(x1 - 2 CVP)


Victory Conditions
Germans control 16 of 15 Stone Locations required to win.


Special Units
Softnum [Russian Leader] 7-0
Petachiok [Russian Leader] 9-2
Unnamed Russian Hero


State of the board at the end of Part 14

State of MAP control at the end of Part 14 [Colourized]

What actually happened that day? (According to Stalingrad Battle Atlas, Vol II - by Anton Joly)

Weather: Partly Cloudy, Cold.

Germans capture the southern portion (completing their control) of the Red Barricades factory. 300 to 400 prisoners were captured, as well as equipment. A directive by Hitler instructs the Army to begin preparations for a defensive line in the coming months.

Since September 13 (the beginning of the offensive on Stalingrad), the Germans report that they have captured 18000 prisoners, destroyed or immobilized 233 tanks, and captured or destroyed 302 guns. Another 5600 prisoners, 616 tanks destroyed, and 87 guns destroyed/captured further north of the city. 670 enemy planes were shot down over Stalingrad, with AA artillery and ground troops claiming an additional 88 planes.

German losses so far have been 2500 dead, 10300 wounded, and 300 missing. Numbers for planes and tanks are not present.

German losses for October 16th, 1942 in Stalingrad are reported as: 299 wounded, 61 killed, 21 missing.



---Do keep in mind that these numbers are not complete, as some data was lost in the intervening years, and accurate counts are difficult to ascertain in the best of conditions. The nature of the fighting at Stalingrad also made it hard for the Russians, especially, to keep accurate numbers on losses. That, or they are not yet documented and have not been mentioned in the Atlas for this particular day.

 

[Jobbo_Fett]

October 18th, 1942
Day 2, Part 1


The story so far:

The weather takes a turn during the period between the 17th and the 18th; It is now overcast, denying access to air support, which the Germans have spent some valuable points on. Should the weather not clear up, it will mean that the planes will be in the skies above tomorrow. German vehicles prepare to move on-board from the D column of hexes, with the intention to spread out south and east as space permits. The German infantry coming from offboard are set to reinforce the southern push, with some units being diverted east as spacing permits. On the opposite face of all this, the Russians are coming from the far east portion of the map, with tons of ground to cover, they are all set up in order to maximize the distance they can cover as quickly as possible.

To note, the day's reinforcements are the following:

Germans
Stukas Dive Bomber Air Support
Rifle Company C
StuG IIIB Platoon A
PSW Platoon A


Russian
T-70 Platoon A
Rifle Company C
Guards Rifle Company A

The opening moves see the Germans take a cautious stance with units already on the map, breaking a few Russian squads. This opens up some potential moves, especially on the southwestern portion of the front, but Stalingrad is a difficult map to move around quickly if you don't want to be shot while doing so. Poor planning also leads to some vehicles not getting as far as they'd like on turn 1 for the Germans. A determined assault into the building/rubble hexes near and around H9 is partially thwarted when a squad and its accompanying leader are broken and pinned, respectively. By the end of the first German turn, two squads are eliminated in brutal close combat fighting.

The Russian moves for Turn 1 involve lots of reinforcements making their way northwest, and lead being slung towards any German invaders unlucky enough to be sighted. Another German squad perishes in the fighting, and yet another will get swarmed by red squads clambering into I11 to assist with an on-going melee. Later, the 9-2 from earlier is pinned once again and unable to run away, and will eventually get ambushed in I9. A valuable loss for the Germans at this junction. A couple of Soviet squads are thinned out or eliminated by the end of their 2nd turn, and the situation in the South-West is dire for the Communists. Without reinforcements, hopefully in the form of tanks, soon, they will not hold out.

Notably, German sniper presence was non-existent in these four turns.


Losses
Germans [Lost 14 CVP today]
Rifle Coy A (2.5 Squads - 5 CVP)
Rifle Coy B (1 Squad - 2 CVP) + 9-2(x1 - 3 CVP)
Sturm Coy A (1 Squad - 2 CVP)
HW Plt A (1 Crew - 2 CVP) + 1xHMG


Russians [Lost 5 CVP today]
Rifle Coy A (2 Squads - 4 CVP)
Militia Coy B (0.5 Squads - 1 CVP)


Victory Conditions
Germans control 16 of 24 Stone Locations required to win.


Special Units
Softnum [Russian Leader] 7-0
Petachiok [Russian Leader] 9-2


State of the board at the end of Part 1

State of MAP control at the end of Part 1 [Colourized]

What actually happened that day? (According to Stalingrad Battle Atlas, Vol II - by Anton Joly)
October 18, 1942
Weather: Partly Cloudy, Clear, Dry.

Weak aviation from both sides due to poor weather. The German assault on Stalingrad continues, with the general objective to capture more ground after clearing current controlled locations. There is back and forth fighting at the Gun Factory, with ground being exchanged several times. German forces regroup around the Barricades Factory and proceed to storm it. Their result is less than impressive, only succeeding in capturing a dozen or so meters into the factory. German units attacking the Brick Factory encounter the same fate, with little ground captured and ferocious counterattacks occurring over every inch of ground.

V.S Grossman (Soviet War Correspondent) reports that the Germans bombarded the Soviet positions at the Barrikady Factory for 80 consecutive hours, filling the air with fire and smoke. The war diary for the 62nd Army claims that 18 enemy tanks are destroyed on this day; the southern edge of the Barrikady is lost to the Germans, but the factory itself remains solidly in Soviet hands.


German losses for October 17th, 1942 in Stalingrad are reported as: 369 men wounded, 87 killed, and 8 missing.

The Germans reported captured or killed: 860 prisoners (including 103 defectors), 2 guns, 25 ATGs, 4 mortars, 2 aircraft, 1 tugboat.


---Do keep in mind that these numbers are not complete, as some data was lost in the intervening years, and accurate counts are difficult to ascertain in the best of conditions. The nature of the fighting at Stalingrad also made it hard for the Russians, especially, to keep accurate numbers on losses. That, or they are not yet documented and have not been mentioned in the Atlas for this particular day.

 

[Jobbo_Fett]

October 18th, 1942
Day 2, Part 2


The story so far:

After some initial losses to the Russians, the Germans redouble their efforts in an attempt at gaining more ground before any Russian reinforcements can show themselves. I was a little too eager on the smoke rules and dispersed/drifted it too soon, I'll have to remember that for next time. Regardless, the placement of the smoke only affected one group anyways. The Germans manage to secure the fortified location at M6, thanks to a great shot while being adjacent. In the southwest, the Germans continue to advance, with tanks straddling buildings in order to open the path for infantry. A single Soviet squad manages to break a German squad carrying a DC, along with pinning another two. Other German squads begin to move towards to Foundry Hall (Hall 5), first capturing the northern set of houses just west of the Factory. A miscalculation of the abilities of Armored Cars forces them to turn around and attempt to get around the Soviets by the O5 road, but the AT gun is still watching over that area, and the Germans are reluctant to face it.

In the South, another setback hits the Soviets hard when a 9-1 leader and the accompanying squad is eliminated due to failure to rout. A close quarters combat nearby nearly sees a 2-2-7 heroically kill two incoming German squads. As the final half-squad starts to make its way out of the Garages at C19, the T-70s begin to arrive, but neither of the two that make it are in any position to start shooting at the StuG III nearby. Meanwhile, the 3rd T-70 makes it to S3 and can now sort of lock down that road by helping the AT gun with any incursions. As a bonus, they can also prevent infantry from coming in through the open ground at O2 and the surrounding area. The turn ends with the Russian reinforcements in sight of the factories under attack. Their comrades will have to hold out for a few more turns before help well and truly arrives!


Losses
Germans [Lost 16 CVP today]
Rifle Coy A (2.5 Squads - 5 CVP)
Rifle Coy B (1 Squad - 2 CVP) + 9-2(x1 - 3 CVP)
Sturm Coy A (1 Squad - 2 CVP)
HW Plt A (2 Crew - 4 CVP) + 1xHMG


Russians [Lost 11 CVP today]
Rifle Coy A (2 Squads - 4 CVP)
Militia Coy B (1.5 Squads - 3 CVP) + 1xLMG
SMG Coy A (0.5 Squads - 2 CVP) + 9-1(x1 - 2 CVP)


Victory Conditions
Germans control 24 of 24 Stone Locations required to win.


Special Units
Softnum [Russian Leader] 7-0
Petachiok [Russian Leader] 9-2


State of the board at the end of Part 2

State of MAP control at the end of Part 2 [Colourized]

What actually happened that day? (According to Stalingrad Battle Atlas, Vol II - by Anton Joly)
October 18, 1942
Weather: Partly Cloudy, Clear, Dry.

Weak aviation from both sides due to poor weather. The German assault on Stalingrad continues, with the general objective to capture more ground after clearing current controlled locations. There is back and forth fighting at the Gun Factory, with ground being exchanged several times. German forces regroup around the Barricades Factory and proceed to storm it. Their result is less than impressive, only succeeding in capturing a dozen or so meters into the factory. German units attacking the Brick Factory encounter the same fate, with little ground captured and ferocious counterattacks occurring over every inch of ground.

V.S Grossman (Soviet War Correspondent) reports that the Germans bombarded the Soviet positions at the Barrikady Factory for 80 consecutive hours, filling the air with fire and smoke. The war diary for the 62nd Army claims that 18 enemy tanks are destroyed on this day; the southern edge of the Barrikady is lost to the Germans, but the factory itself remains solidly in Soviet hands.


German losses for October 17th, 1942 in Stalingrad are reported as: 369 men wounded, 87 killed, and 8 missing.

The Germans reported captured or killed: 860 prisoners (including 103 defectors), 2 guns, 25 ATGs, 4 mortars, 2 aircraft, 1 tugboat.


---Do keep in mind that these numbers are not complete, as some data was lost in the intervening years, and accurate counts are difficult to ascertain in the best of conditions. The nature of the fighting at Stalingrad also made it hard for the Russians, especially, to keep accurate numbers on losses. That, or they are not yet documented and have not been mentioned in the Atlas for this particular day.

 

[Jobbo_Fett]

October 18th, 1942
Day 2, Part 3

The story so far:

As turn 4 starts, the Russians get a nice series of rallies, including a leader that goes berserk, along with one squad. This may mean certain death however, as running towards enemies as Berserk units is never something done cautiously. The Germans include them as a target during some preparatory fire for the turn but fail to do any meaningful damage. The lone half-squad in C20 misses both his shots and now will have an impossible time trying to extricate himself from that spot. A duel between a T-70 and a StuG IIIB occurs on the west edge of the map, but neither side scores any hits. A second tank battle takes place between a T-70 and a PzIII Ausf.L, but this one ends swiftly by a lucky shot from the Panzer. Movement takes place as the Germans prepare to take Hall 6a, aided by smoke enveloping the front of the factory.

As the Russians take their turn to move, the Germans lose a malfunctioned 80mm mortar as it broke during a repair attempt. Many shots hit German positions, but it proves futile. As a result, and to reduce casualties to a minimum, the Soviets give up the front half of Hall 6a, to force the Germans to risk entering the factory with some unattractive modifiers. Reinforcements from the East finally start to arrive at their prescribed locations, but they'll probably need yet one more turn to truly be able to start affecting the course of the battle. Predictably, the berserked units perish when the squad rolls boxcars and the leader finds himself at a 1-9 combat ratio against two good German squads.

Turn 5 sees yet another T-70 destroyed, (mostly due to bad play on my part, didn't try for motion/smoke, etc.) but those 6+1 tank leaders really did a number on their own. The Germans make their way into Hall 5 (Foundry Hall), but not without casualties. Two separate heroes are generated for the Germans as a result of shots by the Soviets, while the T-70 in A26 scores a critical hit and blows up the StuG IIIB it was dueling. The turn closes out with the Germans having a foothold in the northern Foundry Hall, units making good progress in the south-west, but still looking at Hall 6a from afar.


Losses
Germans [Lost 21 CVP today]
Rifle Coy A (2.5 Squads - 5 CVP)
Rifle Coy B (1 Squad - 2 CVP) + 9-2(x1 - 3 CVP)
Sturm Coy A (1.5 Squads - 3 CVP)
HW Plt A (2 Crew - 4 CVP) + 1xHMG + 1xMTR
StuG IIIB Plt A (1 Vehicle - 6 CVP)


Russians [Lost 34 CVP today]
Rifle Coy A (2 Squads - 4 CVP)
Rifle Coy B (2 Squads - 4 CVP) + 8-0(x1 - 1 CVP)
Militia Coy B (2.5 Squads - 5 CVP) + 1xLMG
SMG Coy A (2.5 Squads - 5 CVP) + 9-1(x1 - 2 CVP)
T-70 Plt A (2 Vehicles - 12 CVP) + 6+1(x2 - 2 CVP)


Victory Conditions
Germans control 24 of 24 Stone Locations required to win.


Special Units
Softnum [Russian Leader] 7-0
Petachiok [Russian Leader] 9-2


State of the board at the end of Part 3

State of MAP control at the end of Part 3 [Colourized]

What actually happened that day? (According to Stalingrad Battle Atlas, Vol II - by Anton Joly)
October 18, 1942
Weather: Partly Cloudy, Clear, Dry.

Weak aviation from both sides due to poor weather. The German assault on Stalingrad continues, with the general objective to capture more ground after clearing current controlled locations. There is back and forth fighting at the Gun Factory, with ground being exchanged several times. German forces regroup around the Barricades Factory and proceed to storm it. Their result is less than impressive, only succeeding in capturing a dozen or so meters into the factory. German units attacking the Brick Factory encounter the same fate, with little ground captured and ferocious counterattacks occurring over every inch of ground.

V.S Grossman (Soviet War Correspondent) reports that the Germans bombarded the Soviet positions at the Barrikady Factory for 80 consecutive hours, filling the air with fire and smoke. The war diary for the 62nd Army claims that 18 enemy tanks are destroyed on this day; the southern edge of the Barrikady is lost to the Germans, but the factory itself remains solidly in Soviet hands.


German losses for October 17th, 1942 in Stalingrad are reported as: 369 men wounded, 87 killed, and 8 missing.

The Germans reported captured or killed: 860 prisoners (including 103 defectors), 2 guns, 25 ATGs, 4 mortars, 2 aircraft, 1 tugboat.


---Do keep in mind that these numbers are not complete, as some data was lost in the intervening years, and accurate counts are difficult to ascertain in the best of conditions. The nature of the fighting at Stalingrad also made it hard for the Russians, especially, to keep accurate numbers on losses. That, or they are not yet documented and have not been mentioned in the Atlas for this particular day.

 

[Jobbo_Fett]

October 18th, 1942
Day 2, Part 4


The story so far:

The Soviets try to recompose themselves, but many of their shots fizzle out. At least they break the squad that entered O6, and broke a nice stack in L10, but activating two snipers at once did not help their odds of success... [I messed up the sniper result, the 9-2 Leader should have died, not wounded.] Reinforcements are moved to the west edge of Hall 4 in order to limit any German movement in the factory across the road. The Construction Hall is also occupied by Russians in the meantime. The lone survivor T-70 attempts to move out, breaks a squad involuntarily, and whiffs a point blank shot against a 2nd squad. The fascists retaliate by shooting at broken squads and doing their best to hold whatever ground they've gained in the factories.

On the next turn, a Soviet squad battle hardens during the Rally Phase, avoiding a berserk result thanks to having nobody in sight. Shots ring out from German positions, but nothing manages to find its mark. This is noted by a dud, followed by a critical hit, followed by a casualty MC (Boxcars, Snake Eyes, Boxcars). So far, it has proved particularly useless to get on the roof of a factory. Snipers activate, the Germans generate another Hero. Things are getting pretty crazy in terms of dice rolls... Vehicles move forward in an attempt to surround the factories, but there's no way to apply encirclement to anyone, and their guns aren't particularly strong. The Germans are properly infesting Hall 5 [Foundry Hall] by this point, with about 7 squads in or next to it, versus 3 Soviet squads. The end of German turn 6 is punctuated by an ambush by a Hero-led squad that eliminates a Soviet conscript squad.

Despite some good opportunities, the German morale checks save the day as they only pin while under fire in the Manufacturing Hall. The last T-70 is blown up by a Panzer IIIL, some Soviet troops are shot to pieces, and the snipers do little to even the score. Unlucky rolls lead to two more Soviet squads being eliminated in Close Combat. Mercifully, the Soviets roll a 1 at the end of their turn and Day 2 comes to a close.



Losses
Germans [Lost 23 CVP today]
Rifle Coy A (2.5 Squads - 5 CVP)
Rifle Coy B (1 Squad - 2 CVP) + 9-2(x1 - 3 CVP)
Sturm Coy A (1.5 Squads - 3 CVP)
HW Plt A (2 Crews - 4 CVP) + 1xHMG + 1xMTR
StuG IIIB Plt A (1 Vehicle - 6 CVP)


Russians [Lost 53 CVP today]
Rifle Coy A (4 Squads - 8 CVP) + 1xMtr
Rifle Coy B (3.5 Squads - 7 CVP) + 8-0(x1 - 1 CVP)
Rifle Coy C (1 Squad - 2 CVP)
Guards Rifle Coy A (0.5 Squads - 1 CVP)
Militia Coy B (2.5 Squads - 5 CVP) + 1xLMG
SMG Coy A (2.5 Squads - 5 CVP) + 9-1(x1 - 2 CVP)
T-70 Plt A (3 Vehicles - 18 CVP) + 6+1(x3 - 3 CVP)


Victory Conditions
Germans control 24 of 24 Stone Locations required to win.


Special Units
Softnum [Russian Leader] 7-0
Petachiok [Russian Leader] 9-2


State of the board at the end of Day 2

State of MAP control at the end of Day [Colourized]

What actually happened that day? (According to Stalingrad Battle Atlas, Vol II - by Anton Joly)
October 18, 1942
Weather: Partly Cloudy, Clear, Dry.

Weak aviation from both sides due to poor weather. The German assault on Stalingrad continues, with the general objective to capture more ground after clearing current controlled locations. There is back and forth fighting at the Gun Factory, with ground being exchanged several times. German forces regroup around the Barricades Factory and proceed to storm it. Their result is less than impressive, only succeeding in capturing a dozen or so meters into the factory. German units attacking the Brick Factory encounter the same fate, with little ground captured and ferocious counterattacks occurring over every inch of ground.

V.S Grossman (Soviet War Correspondent) reports that the Germans bombarded the Soviet positions at the Barrikady Factory for 80 consecutive hours, filling the air with fire and smoke. The war diary for the 62nd Army claims that 18 enemy tanks are destroyed on this day; the southern edge of the Barrikady is lost to the Germans, but the factory itself remains solidly in Soviet hands.


German losses for October 17th, 1942 in Stalingrad are reported as: 369 men wounded, 87 killed, and 8 missing.

The Germans reported captured or killed: 860 prisoners (including 103 defectors), 2 guns, 25 ATGs, 4 mortars, 2 aircraft, 1 tugboat.


---Do keep in mind that these numbers are not complete, as some data was lost in the intervening years, and accurate counts are difficult to ascertain in the best of conditions. The nature of the fighting at Stalingrad also made it hard for the Russians, especially, to keep accurate numbers on losses. That, or they are not yet documented and have not been mentioned in the Atlas for this particular day.

 

[Jobbo_Fett]

October 19th, 1942
Day 3, Part 1


The story so far:

The Russians are suffering from manpower shortfalls and are desperate to get as many men as they can into the front lines. The Germans, on the other hand, are paying the price in blood for its advance further into Stalingrad. The weather has already been on the Russian's side, preventing the use of Air Support by the Germans.


To note, the day's reinforcements are the following:

Germans
Sturm Company B
Battalion 80mm Mortar + Offboard Observer
Battalion 80mm Mortar


Russian
SMG Company B
Rifle Company D
AT Gun Section A
Battalion 70mm Mortar
Battalion 80mm Mortar


The Germans continue their advance into Hall 5, with sporadic fire taking place between a large number of Germans and 1.5 Soviet squads, of which one half-squad goes berserk. More Germans reinforce the area southwest of Hall 5, slowly making their way further south, and some towards Hall 6 and 7. The mass of Russians occupying P6 hold out, throwing lead at any approaching German, but the smoke makes it difficult to secure any kills. Movement by the Germans is further complicated by some units breaking, as they get adjacent to their foes.

As tanks and other vehicles move forward with the infantry, Russian AT guns make their presence felt when one gets a critical hit versus a Pz III Ausf. L. The resulting explosion alights the vehicle, with the burning wreck threatening to spread towards the nearby buildings. A second Panzer III soon suffers the same fate. In the advancing fire, the Russians in P6 show their first sign of weakness when a lucky shot pins a squad. Deadly melee combat erupts shortly thereafter, but no clear winner is immediately established.

Later, an armoured car suffers at the hands of the AT Gun section, with another nearly suffering the same fate. Russian troops enter from the Volga and run to shorten the time it takes to get to their assigned positions. Fighting in and around P6 breaks both Germans and Russians. Artillery falls on Hall 4, but no effect is registered. A sniper shot rings out, and the 10-0 Commissar attached to the Guards Rifle Company falls to the ground, dead. As an AT gun breaks down from the intensity of combat, the Germans are afforded an avenue to move in behind some Russian forces.

[As the last turn is played out...] Russians take to the sewers, more Germans die, and Soviet troops are still enroute to their positions in the factories. In the ensuing shoots, the Germans score two snake eyes in a row, killing two combined squads. A melee L18 concludes with both sides being eliminated, too few soldiers remaining alive to form any sort of cohesive unit, on either side. This is closely followed by Soviet troops emerging from the sewers and massacring a German half-squad.


Losses
Germans [Lost 23 CVP today]
Sturm Coy A (1.5 Squads - 3 CVP)
Rifle Coy A (1 Squad - 2 CVP) + 1xATR
Rifle Coy B (0.5 Squads - 1 CVP)
Pz III Ausf. L Plt A (2 Vehicles - 8 CVP) + (2x Crews - 4 CVP)
PSW 222(L) Plt A (1 Vehicles - 3 CVP) + (1x Crews - 2 CVP)


Russians [Lost 10 CVP today]
Guards Rifle Coy A (1.5 Squads - 3 CVP) + 10-0(1x - 1 CVP) + 1xMtr
Rifle Coy A (1.5 Squads - 3 CVP)
Rifle Coy B (1 Squad - 2 CVP)
AT Gun Section A (1 Gun - 2 CVP)


Victory Conditions
Germans control 24 of 24 Stone Locations required to win.


Special Units
Softnum [Russian Leader] 7-0
Petachiok [Russian Leader] 9-2


State of the board at the end of Part 1

State of MAP control at the end of Part 1 [Colourized]

-----------------------------------

What actually happened that day? (According to Stalingrad Battle Atlas, Vol II - by Anton Joly)
October 19, 1942
Weather: Overcast, heavy rains, windy.

Recognizing the difficulties of urban and close quarters combat, German High Command requests reports from all corps involved on the details and new experiences involving such combat.

German troops occupy the northern part of the Gun Factory, although enemy nests of resistance appear once more. North of Stalingrad, 40-70 enemy tanks are reportedly seen. The adverse weather grounds air support for the Germans. The rain (and snow) create terrible conditions for vehicles, and combat is less intense than previous days of fighting.


V.S Grossman (Soviet War Correspondent) reports that the fight for Stalingrad is scarcely measure in meters. Every inch of ground is doggedly contested, with control exchanging sides multiple times in a day. There would be no surrender for the men inhabiting the dilapidated husks of the Volga Factories. The men would either stop the Germans, or die trying.


German losses for October 18th, 1942 in Stalingrad are reported as: 166 men wounded, 45 killed, and 4 missing.

The Germans reported captured or killed: 537 prisoners (including 10 defectors).


---Do keep in mind that these numbers are not complete, as some data was lost in the intervening years, and accurate counts are difficult to ascertain in the best of conditions. The nature of the fighting at Stalingrad also made it hard for the Russians, especially, to keep accurate numbers on losses. That, or they are not yet documented and have not been mentioned in the Atlas for this particular day.

 

[Honza]

Why are you putting Russian defenders so far back behind the front line? They should be where they are needed.

 

[Jobbo_Fett]

Why are you putting Russian defenders so far back behind the front line? They should be where they are needed.

You mean the guys east of X-column? Those are all making their way west, but it takes time

 

[Honza]

You mean the guys east of X-column? Those are all making their way west, but it takes time

Ahaa reinforcements.

 

[Jobbo_Fett]

October 19th, 1942
Day 3, Part 2


The story so far:

As a new series of turns begins, a German squad self-rallies with a heat of battle, and even have a leader rise up through the ranks, receiving a battlefield commission. A couple of other German units rally, and a MMG turns out to have malfunctioned so badly it broke during a repair attempt. A Commissar regains his senses and manages to rally his subordinates. Artillery falls on the Assembly Hall, but no results are achieved, an ongoing problem for the Germans. Tracers fly across the street dividing the Assembly Hall and its adjacent factories (such as the Foundry Hall) as both sides attempt to dislodge their opponent, but the thick factory walls prevent any significant damage from occurring. In the South, having accomplished its goal of destroying German vehicles, the AT gun in D34 breaks down from intensive fire, leaving the crew vulnerable to the advancing German infantry.

Almost a dozen squads make their way to the Martin Electrofurnace Hall, or its surrounding buildings. The Soviets, having little in the way of manpower to defend, must make the most of the situation and pick their shots carefully. A few German squads falter and break, but it is not enough to stop the wave of bodies from approaching further. As some Russians attack a PSW 222(L) in V7, return fire from the armored car deals a crushing blow to the unprotected squad and crew. To make matters worse, a sniper in the vicinity struck the fanatic squad holding out in M16, breaking their morale. A nearby StuG moves up to Hall 6a to help break the last defenders up north. While its shot doesn't accomplish anything, the main benefit is to prevent any Russians from trying to rout outside to safety.

The Germans luck out again with a second Heat of Battle result, battle hardening a half-squad who would otherwise have gone berserk (and drawn fire!) There's not much in terms of prep fire from the Soviet troops, if only because of all of the blocked LOS. Several units re-position themselves to hold the northern side of Hall 4. The various movements take a turn for the worse when a squad breaks and drops their MMG, a weapon the Russians can ill afford to lose at the moment. The turn ends with the Germans winning yet another Close Combat...


!!!:siren:!!!

Concealment is now in effect. Yes, I've been omitting this for some time, but its appropriate to add it at some point, especially considering that concealment can really help out the defender (It halves all firepower against it, minus a few exceptions) and isn't lost unless certain conditions are met, such as suffering a PTC or greater, or moving out in open ground while in view of the enemy.

Artillery shells continue to rain down on Hall 4, and a squad breaks from the intense shelling. There isn't enough of a break in the line to properly exploit, however. This gives the Germans a false sense of security and attempt to storm the factory from the West, but a duo of squads lay down absolutely devastating fields of fire and break at least 3 fascist squads. Suffice the say that, while more bodies can be thrown at the problem, the large number of broken squads delayed any possibility of capturing the factory by at least 2 turns. As the initiative goes to the Soviets, they manage to beat back some Germans attempting to access the Gun Construction Hall; this too, is sure to disrupt their plans of attack. Annoyingly, troops appear to be getting lost in the sewers quite frequently...

As the turn closes out, the Red reinforcements finally arrive near the front and begin setting up inside the various factories, ready to protect them with their lives.


Losses
Germans [Lost 27 CVP today]
Sturm Coy A (1.5 Squads - 3 CVP) + 1xMMG
Rifle Coy A (1.5 Squads - 3 CVP) + 1xATR
Rifle Coy B (0.5 Squads - 1 CVP)
Rifle Coy C (1.5 Squads - 3 CVP)
Pz III Ausf. L Plt A (2 Vehicles - 8 CVP) + (2x Crews - 4 CVP)
PSW 222(L) Plt A (1 Vehicles - 3 CVP) + (1x Crews - 2 CVP)


Russians [Lost 26 CVP today]
Guards Rifle Coy A (2.5 Squads - 5 CVP) + 10-0(1x - 1 CVP) + 1xMtr
Rifle Coy A (3 Squads - 6 CVP) + 8-1(x1 - 2 CVP)
Rifle Coy B (2 Squads - 4 CVP)
Rifle Coy C (1 Squad - 2 CVP)
AT Gun Section A (2 Guns - 4 CVP) + (2x Crews - 4 CVP)


Victory Conditions
Germans control 24 of 24 Stone Locations required to win.


Special Units
Softnum [Russian Leader] 7-0
Petachiok [Russian Leader] 9-2


State of the board at the end of Part 2

State of MAP control at the end of Part 2 [Colourized]

-----------------------------------

What actually happened that day? (According to Stalingrad Battle Atlas, Vol II - by Anton Joly)
October 19, 1942
Weather: Overcast, heavy rains, windy.

Recognizing the difficulties of urban and close quarters combat, German High Command requests reports from all corps involved on the details and new experiences involving such combat.

German troops occupy the northern part of the Gun Factory, although enemy nests of resistance appear once more. North of Stalingrad, 40-70 enemy tanks are reportedly seen. The adverse weather grounds air support for the Germans. The rain (and snow) create terrible conditions for vehicles, and combat is less intense than previous days of fighting.


V.S Grossman (Soviet War Correspondent) reports that the fight for Stalingrad is scarcely measure in meters. Every inch of ground is doggedly contested, with control exchanging sides multiple times in a day. There would be no surrender for the men inhabiting the dilapidated husks of the Volga Factories. The men would either stop the Germans, or die trying.


German losses for October 18th, 1942 in Stalingrad are reported as: 166 men wounded, 45 killed, and 4 missing.

The Germans reported captured or killed: 537 prisoners (including 10 defectors).


---Do keep in mind that these numbers are not complete, as some data was lost in the intervening years, and accurate counts are difficult to ascertain in the best of conditions. The nature of the fighting at Stalingrad also made it hard for the Russians, especially, to keep accurate numbers on losses. That, or they are not yet documented and have not been mentioned in the Atlas for this particular day.

 

[Jobbo_Fett]

October 19th, 1942
Day 3, Part 3

The story so far:

The Germans continue their push to capture Hall 4, and score a great success immediately when Petachiok, the Soviet 9-2 leader, breaks from a well placed shot by the StuG IIIB. While he isn't dead, the loss of a great leader, as well as a squad with a machine gun, does limit how much firepower can be thrown at anyone attempting to break into the factory. Soon after, the Germans do just that, forcing their way into Hall 4. It's not all rosy as shots are taken at any incoming aggressors, with some pinning, some breaking, and others dying. In the process of defending the motherland, at least one Soviet squad breaks in final protective fire. A sneaky PSW 222(L) makes its way behind the red frontline and gets a very lucky hit against a due of broken squads, reducing one of them.

Down south, the Germans progress towards Hall 6e and along the Stalnaya boulevard, but goings are slow as nobody wants to expose themselves to even slightly dangerous fire from the factory. The Martin Electrofurnace, however, may very well be forfeited after the two Russian squads inside roll boxcars. Residual alone will not protect the factory! To make matters worse, the Germans decide to breach one of the inside walls in the Martin factory, killing half a squad with the resulting explosion! The advancing fire phase yields no spectacular results, but the close combat phase sees a Soviet squad ambush a German half-squad, eliminate it, and generate a leader in the process! By the end of German turn 5, the Germans have a foothold in Hall 4, and the Martin Electrofurnace factory is nearly under their control.

During the Soviet rally phase, Petachiok regains his senses and becomes better than ever, battle hardening to become a 10-2! Sadly, this is almost immediately followed up by DOUBLE BOXCARS, killing off a squad-equivalent of units. With fighting now erupting inside Hall 4, there is little some can do but shoot at any targets they can see, as retreat would only serve to expose their backs to an all-too-eager enemy. The shots by the defenders miss their mark, unfortunately, but the same happens to the Germans. Underneath the factories, another squad loses its way [And VASL seriously doesn't have a SEWER - LOST counter?!]. Meanwhile, plenty of Russian troops manage to enter the Gun Construction Hall right before the Germans can do anything about it, and a frontline is quickly established. As the turn continues to play out, a German sniper lines up a shot on Softnum, the only other named leader, and his wounds require him to be pulled out of service. 1.5 German Squads are eliminated in CC to no Russian losses.

As the turn order goes back to the Germans, their mortar artillery manages to break a unit, oh happy day! Double snake eyes are rolled, one for a great attack, the other to turn a Russian squad berserk in their morale check. There aren't enough German troops about to safely attempt getting into the Gun Construction Hall, and as such will refrain from doing so for now. Snipers abound, with one German squad getting pinned, while the axis sniper finds a lovely stack in P18 ripe for shooting. More men enter Hall 4; if they can't drown the enemy in lead, they'll do it in blood! A great shot from an ATR from the upper floor of Hall 6e to G38 reminds the user that even 1 FP isn't something to always scoff at! Later, the Russian AT gun section claims yet another Armored Car, and even gets a kill in the Close Combat phase! History will surely remember this small group of men in Pavlov's Rubble!

The combat doesn't let up in Hall 4, with several German squads breaking. A sniper takes aim the hero and fanatic squad he is with and lets loose several rounds, managing to both kill the unnamed hero and breaking his friends! Following up on this success, the Russians try to guarantee they'll kill the fanatic squad, but their greed gets the best of them and they break after taking fire from an MMG twice in a row. The Russian berserk squad runs into O12 under a hail of bullets, survives, and even takes out a half-squad in TPF. Artillery further down claims another broken squad. The snipers act again, this time narrowly missing Petachiok and killing a half-squad nearby. As men begin to rout away, a squad and leader are eliminated as they were practically surrounded. [Looking it over later, I probably should have had them enter the sewers...]

The sound of death and destruction dies out slowly as the day comes to an end.


Losses
Germans [Lost 41 CVP today]
Sturm Coy A (1.5 Squads - 3 CVP) + 1xMMG + 1xLMG
Sturm Coy B (1 Squad - 2 CVP)
Rifle Coy A (3.5 Squads - 7 CVP) + 1xATR
Rifle Coy B (1.5 Squads - 3 CVP)
Rifle Coy C (2.5 Squads - 5 CVP)
Pz III Ausf. L Plt A (2 Vehicles - 8 CVP) + (2x Crews - 4 CVP)
PSW 222(L) Plt A (2 Vehicles - 5 CVP) + (2x Crews - 4 CVP) [One PSW's gun was Malfunctioned, -1 CVP]


Russians [Lost 40 CVP today]
Guards Rifle Coy A (3.5 Squads - 7 CVP) + 10-0(1x - 1 CVP) + 1xMtr
Militia Coy B (1 Squad - 2 CVP) + 8-0(x2 - 2 CVP)
Rifle Coy A (3 Squads - 6 CVP) + 8-1(x1 - 2 CVP)
Rifle Coy B (3 Squads - 6 CVP)
Rifle Coy C (2.5 Squads - 5 CVP)
SMG Coy B (0.5 Squads - 1 CVP)
AT Gun Section A (2 Guns - 4 CVP) + (2x Crews - 4 CVP)


Victory Conditions
Germans control 24 of 24 Stone Locations required to win.


Special Units
Softnum [Russian Leader] 8-0 [Wounded In Action - Oct 19th]
Petachiok [Russian Leader] 10-2


State of the board at the end of Part 3

State of MAP control at the end of Part 3 [Colourized]

-----------------------------------

What actually happened that day? (According to Stalingrad Battle Atlas, Vol II - by Anton Joly)
October 19, 1942
Weather: Overcast, heavy rains, windy.

Recognizing the difficulties of urban and close quarters combat, German High Command requests reports from all corps involved on the details and new experiences involving such combat.

German troops occupy the northern part of the Gun Factory, although enemy nests of resistance appear once more. North of Stalingrad, 40-70 enemy tanks are reportedly seen. The adverse weather grounds air support for the Germans. The rain (and snow) create terrible conditions for vehicles, and combat is less intense than previous days of fighting.


V.S Grossman (Soviet War Correspondent) reports that the fight for Stalingrad is scarcely measure in meters. Every inch of ground is doggedly contested, with control exchanging sides multiple times in a day. There would be no surrender for the men inhabiting the dilapidated husks of the Volga Factories. The men would either stop the Germans, or die trying.


German losses for October 18th, 1942 in Stalingrad are reported as: 166 men wounded, 45 killed, and 4 missing.

The Germans reported captured or killed: 537 prisoners (including 10 defectors).


---Do keep in mind that these numbers are not complete, as some data was lost in the intervening years, and accurate counts are difficult to ascertain in the best of conditions. The nature of the fighting at Stalingrad also made it hard for the Russians, especially, to keep accurate numbers on losses. That, or they are not yet documented and have not been mentioned in the Atlas for this particular day.