After the 21st Army's lines had been broken through the army's commander, General Gordov, asked permission to withdraw the 63rd Rifle Corps to the relative safety of Gomel. Stalin refused. By 16 August, the 63rd and 67th Rifle Corps lay cut off in a pocket on the eastern bank of the Dnepr, Gordov ordered remnants of his army to withdraw southward to the area around Gomel proper. Workers' battalions were formed to bolster the vital city's defenses. On 19 August, the 2. Armee reached the northern outskirts. At 17:05, the German assault commenced. Infantry with the help of Sturmgeschutze quickly overran Russian positions outside the city.
Teaching game. Even the best plans fail if you can't win a 2-1 CC in 6 tries.
2015-02-16
(A) Paolo Cariolato
vs
Mauro Crestini
German win
Very interesting scenario, it went down to the last die roll in CC and the German won.
2014-02-11
(A) X von Marwitz
vs
Alex Koestler
German win
I had the attacking Germans in this one. My battle plan was as follows: Avoid the center due to an attack via the J3 Rowhouses being likely slow and perilous due to the obligatory bypass in OG. Try to glimpse the Roadblock from the start by placing a unit at 2nd level in the D2 building. Use the main force in the south to overwhelm the first line of resistance around J8 quickly and to cut rout paths by an aggressive attack supported by sD and VBM freeze. Send a small force along the northern flank to reach the N2 building for the later envelopment of the victory building. Have the StuGs survive to use them later to create breach in possible Fortified Building Locations and to place SMOKE to help with the final attack.
Well, the plan got busted with the first DRs... One StuG had no SMOKE, the second one gacked the sD, a squad to draw some fire was pinned on the street, the following killer stack of 10-2 plus 2 squads and LMG ALL broke and I did not discern any roadblock... Except one leader and one squad my "strong" southern force was a shambles. On the good side, I had a toehold in J10 and my VBM freezing StuG survived CC due to a Conscript failing its +1PAATC.
I tried to avoid the J2, J4, and J6 streets like the plague for the fear of the 4xMG and gun. Luckily, my advance with what remained went well and I managed to reach L1/M2 safely in the North while cutting through the conscripts in the K9 area like butter by either disrupting them and accepting their surrender or capturing them in CC. But it became apparent, that time would be a major problem for the attacking Germans. I arrived in the N2 and Q9 area and managed to pull around a StuG to T6 where is was promptly killed by the gun in fortified P6 after turning 180° and retaining ROF. My 2nd StuG in the south in M8 was stared down by the Russian tank in N6. Both could not hurt each other until the Russian malfed his MA opening the way for the StuG's charge into P8 breaching it and binding gun + 447+MMG by target selection limits. Under time pressure, I advanced out in the street to O7 with 10-2+467+LMG to face an 8+1 by the adjacent tank's CMG which pinned the squad. To make things worse, the AA MGs opened up from N5 keeping ROF. I did survive due to it having to turn and the hindrance of the tank with a broken sqd + pinned 10-2 now unable to save the StuG in CC... In the north I began to sneak adjacent to P4 taking some losses but dishing out as well. My northern StuG ran into the obivous place for the AT-Mines in O3 with the Roadblock being placed in N3 and was wrecked with crew surviving.
Then I managed to get a toehold in the victory building being able to enter and suvive in the two stairwell hexes but facing returning Russiand from the central Rowhouse area. I had the victory building pretty much surrounded but with numerous units broken and the GO reminder in the building looking at a tough time holding it. A successful Rally Phase in turn 6 gave me back some units for the final push. I was able to get 4 squad equivalents, a vehicular crew and two leaders (the 10-2 being crushed beneath the enemy's tank tracks in the meantime)along with a StuG into the building handicapped by guarding 3.5 enemy squads vs. one russian 447 and two 228 crews. It was impossible for the Russian to win on CC for it having two infantry units and the StuG in it. In the other Melee, the Russian needed to kill all of my units (127, 247, 467) with his 447, 228 which required a 3 or less which he did not roll. Thus the German won. With the bad start which had cost me a ton of time and many opportunities, and forced some unplanned audacity on me for some later moves. It was to my advantage, that his guns weren't presented with the opportunity to deal out serious punishment (albeit killing a StuG in his back and preparing the demise of my 10-2). Still, I was pretty sure that I had no chance to turn this one after the disaster in the initial turn. Well, old ASL wisdom: Never give up! Altogether, it is a nice scenario.
