Major Cherninsky faces the German Hordes

Belarus 1944

Things weren´t well for Major Cherninsky. He had left the hospital where he was recovering from his wounds when he heard that the Germans had broken through the sector. The forces in his command didn´t make him feel much better.

The largest element was a company of naval infantry. The boys in black were good stuff. The tanks weren´t that bad also. Two platoons of three T-34/85 each, things that would make it difficult for the German panzers. And each tank has his share of tank riders. He knew that brought a fast element, able to reach the positions assigned fast and stay there steady.

The Soviet Naval Infantry in action.

He also counted on two additional platoons of riflemen mounted in American Halftracks. That would provide a fast fire brigade. And he also counted with a battery of 82mm mortars, one of the favourite weapons of the Soviet Commanders.

The mission assigned was to occupy a serie of positions, before they caught in hands of the Germans, and defend them. He expected a strong enemy. The military intelligence informed Cherninsky that the leader of the German Kampfgruppe was a Sudetenland officer and battle hardened veteran. He expected he could match his cunning plans. This, or Cherninsky´s next assignment would be a penal battallion, cleaning minefields.

Deployment

The three objectivers formed a vertical line. The enemy was expected to be as far as the Soviet force was from that. So the choice of fast forces proved good.

The southern and central objectives would be our priority. A platoon of tanks and Mech would try to take each hex and defend it against the oncoming. Then, the armor would flank the German forces expected in the north flank. Supported by a Mech Platoon, to be replaced in the defensive line by the naval infantry, they would take it.

Turn 1 and 2

The advance went smooth, until lieutenant Rabinovich targeted two PzIVs near the Central objectives. The tankodsantniki left the tank and covered it with smoke, while the two other tanks prepared to attack the Germans. The rest of forces had no news.

Then, one of the tanks in the center place was hit. The 1st platoon of tanks, under lieutenant Rabinovich, had a moving pillbox. Not bad, things could have been be worse and the Germans knew he was lucky. Another one moved and tries to kill another fascist tank, but it´s hit and the gun is disabled again. That left Rabinovich as the main ATAT - Anti-Tank [ENG]
asset around. Things do not look well in the center...

The Victory objectives south are seized by tankodesantniki and the tank of sergeant Philischuk, that scores the first kill of the day destroying a Pz IVh. It looks like my Southern Flank is secured, but the arch of German tanks moving around the perimeter didn´t make Cherninsky feel comfortable about them. Soon the mortars would start firing against that trap.

Fascist tank Pz IVh

The north remained calm. The Cossacks were closing, but Cherninsky thought it would be better to move the Mech Infantry platoon to the north. under the cover of a serie of hills. There, he could take the objective that was laying in the middle of a forest and get strong there.

The Soviet forces couldn´t feel comfortable. Too many panzers around...