15 Sept - Night Turn 1
Not a lot of Russian pressure in the North. The Sdkfz 10/5 will likely die in the next RU turn, but the GE troops have done a good job, or I should say the dr have not been in the S? favour. Most of the Advance S? in the 9th of January Square were dummies, and what did activate was easily swept aside, besides the aforementioned RU stacks about to eliminate the Sdkfz 10/5. The 10-3 (originally in M10) is now moving around trying to activate the GE MMC.
A bit further south, amongst the stone blockhouses, a dreaded T34 shows up, with a 628 tagging along. The squad is quickly dealt with, but the nearby 50L AT PANIC's at the sudden appearance, and so the T34 is in a threatening position for the Germans. However, on the subsequent GE PFPh, the AT gun finds its nerves, swings the gun around, and nails two quick shots into the side of the T34, with an APCR round that eliminates the AFV. Meanwhile, the Russian 447 in a cellar pocket beneath the GE stack (K23), and the two RU Stacks adjacent are unable to cause a lot of damage to the GE stack, though they do break two 467 squad
In the centre, good DFPh has eliminated more dummy S? and dealt with any Russians that got too close. The commissar with the 458/447 advancing towards the GE strongpoint could be threatening, but the German Assault Engineers and a FT break that attack before it can build. The German PFPh (L30) illuminates its hex, and the RU 82* MTR capitalizes on it, breaking one of the squads. In hindsight, I clearly should of had the Assault Engineers and FT IVO the pillbox/Nail Factory. They would have been more effective there, and now are out of position, though I didn't anticipate the 2 AC and low number of advancing RU MMC.
The tensest moment for the Germans, has to be the fight IVO the Nail Factory. A 458/447 with a .50 cal HMG and a 9-2 (in M37) is proving very deadly, and is breaking any German MMC in range. While the nearby German MMC survive the Russian PFPh/AFPh (do to concealment) they crumble in the RU DFPh during the GE turn (36FP +3 DRM), and retreat out of the fortified building location to K36. Luckily, they broke the ground floor advancing Russians, so they might have time to rally before they are pushed out of the block completely. However most damaging to the German line, has to be the adjacent RU squads to K44, and the German stack there. The 8-1 leader and a Squad roll PANIC, and their DFF manages to break the 447 approaching with the 426, however the PANIC, and loss of concealment for firing leaves them vulnerable for a potential CCPh, which sure enough, the 426/447 pass their TC to advance into the combat. (The 447 started the scenario in a pocket in the cellar of L44, moved up in the MPh and then advanced in). Engaging the ambushed Germans in H-to-H they manage to kill a HS in the RU Turn, and wipe out the Germans in the GE Turn's CCPh without losing a man.
The situation in the South.
More and more German units are gaining Freedom of Movement so they should be able to deal with the low number of assaulting Russians, but the loss of 3x468 and the 8-1 really hurt.
Tallies
CVP:
GE 25
RU 10
VP:
GE 11
RU 0
S? Activations:
Dummy 35 (34 Advance, 1 Hold)
Successful 23 (20 Advance, 3 Hold)