Scenario 589-Taming the Tigers. A PBEM AAR

[Aeraaa]

Turns 23-end



To the north, things have calmed since the first 20 turns. There are only sporadic advances by lone infantry squads, and heavy artillery barrages. Soviet infantry does suffer significant losses from the German artillery, but they cannot be dislodged from their positions and even gain back several blocks inside Szydlow. German scouts are quite active and infiltrate the Soviet lines. One scout team finds the Soviet 120mm mortars at (1) and engages them. Soviet mortarmen pick up their SMGs and repel the attack, but they receive German artillery fire and they are disrupted.

Towards the center, Soviets decide to advance. One IS-2 platoon and one T34/85 platoon advance towards (2), with a find the enemy and engage them type of mission. They find that the hill is abandoned, apart from a lone 76mm AT gun that receives a ton of tank fire and is neutralized. The problem is that apart from the FO team and one surviving AT gun crew, there is no infantry to protect them. That proves to be fatal, as German scout teams ambush and destroy one IS-2 and one T34/85. One more T34/85 is knocked out by King Tigers from (3) and one IS-2 is immobilized. German scouts are spotted and eliminated, but this advance proved why it is suicide to advance with armor not having adequate infantry support.

To the south, Soviet infantry that has consolidated in the woods receives mortar fire and HMG fire and suffers losses. It also gives to German scouts more opportunities to infiltrate the Soviet positions and knock out one more IS-2 at (4). While the German scout teams suffer heavy losses, they do disproportionate damage and the reason is that in this sector, Soviet infantry is quite weak. At (5), Soviet T34/76s advance, with a couple of tank rider teams. German StuGIVs are spotted and in a brief point blank duel, one StugIV is knocked out. However, the King Tigers at (3) spot and destroy two T34/76s. Soviets reply with T34/85 and 122mm artillery fire, which force the Germans to displace. Soviet T34/85s also flank from the south (6) and engage more spotted StuGs at (7). They open fire and knock out one more Stug. The Stug platoon receives 122mm fire, pops smoke and retreats. With neither side able to advance much more, the fight dies out.