This game sees the first of 'game four' in our Chain of Command campaign as the Germans attempt to capture Spa in Belgium
In the first three games the SS commanded by Matt made short work of the American platoon commanded by Elliot. In the Centre the Soviets ably commanded by Neil repulsed the initial attack by Chris's German Heer platoon and continued to push them back towards the start line. In the south a bitter series of actions took place on the outskirts of Meiz with the British finally pushing back Frazer's Panzergrenadiers
Prior to this weeks (game four), campaign game was played. There were two requests for redeployment, the first by the Americans was held up at HQ and the second was accepted by the German commander and pulled the battered Heer platoon to a quieter sector. The unstoppable advance of the SS was to meet a delaying action by the Soviets under the command of Neil.
The soviets were holding a tree line in the west and the SS were advancing down the road from the farm in the east.
The battlefield
The Germans start deploying along the road
The soviets try to push the Germans back hard and fast with armour but a long range shot from the panzershrek team knock out the KV-1
A few points of shock start to build on the lead German squad.
The HE fire from the T34 forces the lead squad to fall back - unfortunately they run through the 'shrek team and dump 5 points of shock causing them to fall back as well
As SS reserves arrive the German commander calls up his Flammpanzer to shift the Soviets that are arriving to support the T34
The Germans lob smoke grenades to cover their position as a second squad arrives to move up the left flank
A hasty barrage lands amid the soviet position, fortunately for the Russians most of the their units are unaffected but the reduced LOS prevents the T34 from causing much trouble
The soviets are wisely holding the line waiting for the SS to cover the open killing ground
The SS move into the wheat field trying to get a base of fire going
Fanatical the SS are, suicidal they are not and they hold position waiting for the Forward Observer to shift the barrage onto the soviet infantry
Morale in the Soviet postion is still remarkably high
The Flammpanzer gets into range and prepares to fire
Unconcerned the reds swig vodka and shout rude words at the SS
Whoosh! The first time a flame tank has been in action a timely use of a CoC dice for the SS
The results are horrific and the morale takes a big knock dropping to 5
With the KV-1 burning it is up to the T34 commander to take action
Having slowly edge to the flank the commander is now in a position to take a shot
Lucky for the Soviets it's a good shot and the Flammpanzer is knocked out.
The German moral was on 10 with the soviets on 5 and it looked like trouble for the Russians. Neil was fortunate to get 3 turns in a row and remove most of the shock from the burning squad before they fled the table and the moral affected the command dice. With reluctance the SS withdraw. Whilst their morale is still high the casualties are mounting and another battle is just over the horizon
The seemingly unstoppable advance by the SS towards Spa has been stopped for the time being.
Will the soviets dig in or counter attack? The British have the same choice to make before they fight battle 4 and the Americans are on the attack for the first time since the campaign started. Casualties are starting to have an impact on the other German and American platoons.
