Turn 2 : Final of the bloody affair that was the Probe on the Kornilowskaya depot.

Turn 2 : Final of bloody affair that was Probe on the Kornilowskaya depot.

First part of this review and the first turn of the battle

As I remember that day German first phase finished the Turn 1 and gave bastards follow up phase in turn 2. So they pressed initiative and pressed onwards with a [11344] - if number is in [X] it means command die with this number.
Not a bad roll. It allowed German side to deploy Squad of Panzergrenadiers (Proxy squad 2) and Proxy squad 1 (You can combine lover scoring dies – excluding 5 and 6s) to create one bigger activation die so Germans added two [1]s to create [2]. Die with 1 allow to deploy or activate only a separate team (i could deploy mortar or panzershreck team but decided to left them out for now and deploy second squad (Proxy Squad 1). On 4 i could deploy senior commander but lack of senior leader makes deploying further troops more difficult so I decided that for now i want him at the back organizing defense. 

No sixes at all meant that next phase was Russian. [33246.]

Very good roll. Russians deployed two squads of infantry (Xardasow and 3^rd squad) and rushed Rozvedka to a bush cowered hill. They like Germans decided its not yet time for Lieutenant so [4] was unused. Single six meant that initiative returned to German side.

[11436] was rolled. Proxy squad 2 took position in nearby building and fired on Rozviedniks killing one [1+1]. Proxy squad 3 was deployed (on [3] so sergeant was able to activate them and fire on the same turn). And with most of his forces on the table dreaded Lieutenant Gruber of the SS arrived on the site [4] (only panzershreck team and mortar were still left uncommitted). 

Russians rolled [66441]. That meant that they are on the roll and will take next phase too. Za Rodinu ! Za Stalina !. Die with [1] let one team of Rozviedniks to shot the Germans in the barn with little effect, and [4] to deploy Lejtnant Wrorblov. 

Deployment of the men could be made in two different ways.

On a die roll of [1] or [2] – you deploy or activate an unit of soldiers as a whole body. That let them do simple tasks like moving and firing.

On a die roll of [3] or [4] you activate not an unit but units commander. 

Each commander has a number of command points with whom he might activate unit or teams in unit in a standard way or force them to do more complex things, like go into overwatch or throw a grenade. Some of these actions (like ordering unit to fire of move) are normal activations for a unit.  But unit could be activated only once per phase. Some commander actions: like rallying (removing shock) splitting or throwing a grenade do not require an activation of the unit so they let you do more complicated things. Ex: You may activate Senior leader to force unit to throw grenade, and then activate it to charge the unit that was attacked with grenade.

This makes chain of command a game of sergeants.

Lets return to the fray.

Deploying commander on [4] (or squad leader on [3]) let him to use his action in the phase he arrives.He could do anything except of moving. Woroblov used his initiative to move squad of Xardasw and attack barn, and activated second team of Rozwiedka to do the same (he could activate whole squad, but first team don its actions already) .

Next phase was also soviet and they got [33356]. So 3 squad leaders activations [3] and one [5] for CoC die (made 4 CoC points so only 2 to full die). Russians decided to go bold. With support of Xardasow section [3] Rozviedniks advanced to the barn and sprayed inside with their PPShas and to add insult thrown a grenade inside (but missed) [3]. That drop two Germans dead and placed 4 shock markers on the unit.

Shock markers are measure of how effective unit actions are under the test of fire. They reduce fire effectiveness. Also unit with more markers than living members is pinned, cannot move and shoot with reduced efficiency but gains cover as soldiers try to hide or dug in. Unit with more than twice markers goes broken.

4 shock markers on a then 8 man squad was not enough to shake the bastards so position of Rozviedka were exposed and risky!.
Last activation let 3^rd squad to move from right flank where it deployed in the direction of attack.

Angered  Germans go again with [66322]. Next phase will be German and plenty of activations -glorious roll. Squad leader of Proxy squad 3 spread his men[3]. One team is moving to support the barn with MG 42 and second put fire on the Xardasovs hill but is highly inefficient. Then Squad in the barn shots their 2 MG42 into Rozviedka [2]. But thanks to elite skills of the scouts and the cover of the large pine tree only one drops dead, but unit is shocked for 2.  Last action is movement of Proxy squad 1 from far left flank where it blocked whole corner of the field closer to actual combat [2].

Another German phase goes with good roll [13346]. On the [1] mortar deploys behind the barn. On first [3] Proxy Squad no 3 shots Rozviedka killing one and placing shock. On last [3] squad in the barn kills two Rozwiedniks and almost breaking them, Rozwiedka sergeant gets wounded! That’s Forces soviets to test morale and they loose 2 points reaching 8 morale! Rozwiedka is now pinned and one point of shock (or one dead) from breaking.
On [4] Gruber removes 2 points of shock from the unit in the barn and orders a grenade at the Rozwiedniks but fortunately it missed.

Soviets answer with [24556] (two fives add up to 6 CoC points so giving them one Chain of Command die - that will be soon explained) but [2] and [4] in this situation is a bit tricky ! First on the [2] Xardasovs squad sprayed the barn with fire killing one and pinning the Germans inside. Woroblov decides to risk his life for a country [4] and moves to Rozviedka squad and removing 1 shock un pins the unit and ordering grenade to be thrown into the barn killing one and shocking the rest what is enough to break the unit !! Whole squad immediately rout 11 inches to the back and clears the barn ! Now Germans have to test force morale and they lost 2 points too (dropping to dangerous 6)! [Here is one thing i played wrongly, I dont thing he could unpin squad before turn end but it was played in same manner for both sides]

German phase starts with [23456] (their CoC die rise to 3). Gruber moves[4] and starts to rally Proxy squad 2 but they are still pinned. Proxy squad 1 recaptures the barn [3] and the last die is wasted as Proxy squad 3 is spread to much to be activated as a whole section !

At the end of the phase Russians decided to act !

As I mentioned Chain of Command die is very precious resource. It lets you do many things. End a turn when it favours you, move jump off point, ambush your enemies, avoid testing morale, move a sniper or interrupts enemy phase to move of shot. So did the Russians. They Interrupted German phase to move Xardasov section forward!

And as Xardasov run Russian phase started, [12346]. Obviously Xardasov moved further and shot the Germans on the hill [2]. Woroblov [4] rallied Rozwiedniks and ordered them to advance to support Xardasov and they pinned Germans with their fire.  And soviet squad 3 moved further near the hill [2].

German preceded to counter with [23456] (CoC rises to 4) Gruber [4] rallies Squad 2 and orders stranded team from Squad 3 to join parent unit on the hill. Proxy squad 1 mans the windows and attack Soviet squad in the field [2]. And Proxy squad 3 attack Xardasov pinning his unit [3] 

Soviets act with [13345] (CoC rises to 1).Lejtnant moves to support endangered Xardasov and moves Squad 3 near the entrance to the barn[4]  Fromholdov squad deploys [2] near the burning T34. And pinned Xardasov [3] and surviving Rozwiedka team [1] sprays the hill killing two and adding shock 

Germans roll [12234]. [1] let mortar to start shelling Xardasov but with a little effect! But pinned Squad from the hill [2] is able to kill 2 man and break Rozwiedka (Soviet Force morale drops to 6). Squad 2 still rallies on sergeants [3] and Gruber [4] activations finally unpinning and Squad one moves in shadowy bowels of the barn [2] and surprisingly attacks Soviet squad 3 near the pine tree killing 4 and pinning it to the ground.

Soviets felt victory in their grasp but a lot had to be done: [23456] (CoC =2). Woroblov [4] moved and started to rally Xardasovs section un pinnig it [again wrongly by the rules -its not that easy] . Fromholdov squad moved and sprayed the hill killing one German [2]. Then promptly Xardasov activated on [3] thrown grenade shocking Germans and then sprayed the hill with lead breaking German squad. It routed bringing German Morale to merely 4 (and so removing one command die from their rolls).

Germans now rolled only four dies getting [1225]  That let them advance rallied [yet again unpinned wrongly]  Proxy squad 2 and shots Xardasov but completely ineffective. And [2] let to charge with proxy squad 1 into pinned and shocked Soviet 3^rd section: routing and breaking it outright (But Soviet morale remained stonewall solid). Then Germans drunk in a temporary success made mistake and decided to occupy pine tree position. Mortar was again ineffective [1].

In the last turn with [12453] Fromholdov sprayed unwary Germans from Proxy squad 1 killing 5 and wounding their leader [2]  (Morale dropped to 2)  Lejtnant Woroblov [4] accompanied with Xardasovs men rushed to their objective – opponent table edge winning the game.

Victory for the Red Army !

Final score
Soviets 6 morale – 17 KIA           

vs  

Germans 2 morale - 13 KIA (would be 8 if not Fromholdov last salvo!).

Panzershreck team uncommitted.


Played with correct unpining on turn end rules would change game in few diffrent ways, but hey that was learning game afterr all ! :) Final thought and system summary due to size of this report will be in part 3