There is a line in the sand... I mean in the snow... and I can see it very clearly now that I am crossing it. Ouch!
Turns 34-36. The battle increases in intensity as I am approaching the objectives. Let's start with the left, or northern flank, where I amassed two platoons to assault the hilltop by the left edge of the map. My opponent is ready for that: I know he knows. This is a difficult place to attack, because LOS is blocked by the woods and I can't bring in support. But I have a TRP, and that's something Titan does not know (but may guess). Hoping to strike his defenders, probably significant numbers standing ready on the other side of the hill, two mortars pound the area for about 90 seconds. I wanted one more minute, but from the vanishing contact icons the fire seemed effective, and at the same time one shell fell 50 meters short, on the heads of my own troops. Three casualties plus one lightly wounded:
Considering that the next shell could be worse, I ended the fire mission early and ordered an assault of the crest of the hill. I ran into a hornet's nest, as expected. I only had a few seconds to observe, but I counted 5 enemy casualties probably due to the mortar fire, including a Panzerschreck team. My troops added 4 more and lost 4 of their own in a sudden exchange of gunfire. The fight has only started - I think I have the strength to push through but I don't know what Titan still has in store. Much is at stake here. I immediately order more point target mortar missions on the now identified enemy positions.
Center: the 50mm mortars eventually arrive on the hilltop but it takes them too long. Before it happens, my guys get picked off in the woods by the unseen enemies from the hilltop. The regulars run and get shot in the back as they expose themselves. The veterans stare into the woods and get picked off one by one. Losses are heavy, but then the 50mm mortars pound the hilltop and the enemy is silenced. One survivor is seen pulling back. Now I have to probe to see if anyone else is left up there - and to prevent them from returning.
Another team arrives next to the bunker and throws more grenades. Again, no effect. They continue in a firefight with some Germans covering the bunker from the crossroads. At least this is going well, one enemy team is taken out.
Right: Titan doggedly defends the abandoned support halftrack. The tank contact from behind fires smoke shells - the sound of the gun and the fact it is smoke tells me that it is probably a Pz IV or a StuG, not a Panther. Meanwhile, two German teams mount a counterattack to protect the flank of the halftrack, eliminating one of my teams and pushing the rest back. I only manage to put two or three more AT rifle shots into it. The Pz IV then circles around and challenges the T-34 to a facing duel at ~350 meters. Two seconds before the end of Turn 36, the T-34 sees the target first - or at least it looks that way. It has fired on some infantry in the area, so it should be well ranged in - good chance for a first hit. But my opponent will have certainly noticed that the turret has moved. He will pull back. The smoke screen complicates visibility. Will he be fast enough? Or will he stand his ground and fight it out? Will my tank miss the target, will the smoke obscure it, and in the next round the Pz IV will see me first? Will the trees intervene again? We will know when the next turn arrives.
Finally, on the right edge of the map, some depleted MG teams - one or two man strong - defend the area. But as long as there is one man, it is a deployed HMG and as such very dangerous to attack. I am hitting them with my forces from a base of fire position with another T-34, BA-64 armored cars, mortars and machineguns. I may be able to advance here soon if the duel plays out well. If not, I may be in trouble here. There are too many troops with minimal cover and no means of defending themselves against a tank. Much is at stake here, too.
68 casualties taken so far. Titan's confirmed losses are at one hundred.
Turns 34-36. The battle increases in intensity as I am approaching the objectives. Let's start with the left, or northern flank, where I amassed two platoons to assault the hilltop by the left edge of the map. My opponent is ready for that: I know he knows. This is a difficult place to attack, because LOS is blocked by the woods and I can't bring in support. But I have a TRP, and that's something Titan does not know (but may guess). Hoping to strike his defenders, probably significant numbers standing ready on the other side of the hill, two mortars pound the area for about 90 seconds. I wanted one more minute, but from the vanishing contact icons the fire seemed effective, and at the same time one shell fell 50 meters short, on the heads of my own troops. Three casualties plus one lightly wounded:
Considering that the next shell could be worse, I ended the fire mission early and ordered an assault of the crest of the hill. I ran into a hornet's nest, as expected. I only had a few seconds to observe, but I counted 5 enemy casualties probably due to the mortar fire, including a Panzerschreck team. My troops added 4 more and lost 4 of their own in a sudden exchange of gunfire. The fight has only started - I think I have the strength to push through but I don't know what Titan still has in store. Much is at stake here. I immediately order more point target mortar missions on the now identified enemy positions.
Center: the 50mm mortars eventually arrive on the hilltop but it takes them too long. Before it happens, my guys get picked off in the woods by the unseen enemies from the hilltop. The regulars run and get shot in the back as they expose themselves. The veterans stare into the woods and get picked off one by one. Losses are heavy, but then the 50mm mortars pound the hilltop and the enemy is silenced. One survivor is seen pulling back. Now I have to probe to see if anyone else is left up there - and to prevent them from returning.
Another team arrives next to the bunker and throws more grenades. Again, no effect. They continue in a firefight with some Germans covering the bunker from the crossroads. At least this is going well, one enemy team is taken out.
Right: Titan doggedly defends the abandoned support halftrack. The tank contact from behind fires smoke shells - the sound of the gun and the fact it is smoke tells me that it is probably a Pz IV or a StuG, not a Panther. Meanwhile, two German teams mount a counterattack to protect the flank of the halftrack, eliminating one of my teams and pushing the rest back. I only manage to put two or three more AT rifle shots into it. The Pz IV then circles around and challenges the T-34 to a facing duel at ~350 meters. Two seconds before the end of Turn 36, the T-34 sees the target first - or at least it looks that way. It has fired on some infantry in the area, so it should be well ranged in - good chance for a first hit. But my opponent will have certainly noticed that the turret has moved. He will pull back. The smoke screen complicates visibility. Will he be fast enough? Or will he stand his ground and fight it out? Will my tank miss the target, will the smoke obscure it, and in the next round the Pz IV will see me first? Will the trees intervene again? We will know when the next turn arrives.
Finally, on the right edge of the map, some depleted MG teams - one or two man strong - defend the area. But as long as there is one man, it is a deployed HMG and as such very dangerous to attack. I am hitting them with my forces from a base of fire position with another T-34, BA-64 armored cars, mortars and machineguns. I may be able to advance here soon if the duel plays out well. If not, I may be in trouble here. There are too many troops with minimal cover and no means of defending themselves against a tank. Much is at stake here, too.
68 casualties taken so far. Titan's confirmed losses are at one hundred.
