Defender's of the Fatherland - Scenario 1 WaW Compendium

Defenders of the Fatherland

This is a solitaire battle report of Arrigo Velicogna's scenario Defenders of the Fatherland from the Battles Within Battles expansion.

The scenario takes place in the upper right most corner of the Blood & Bridges map. A West German reserve M-48 tank company, and a light infantry grunts with milan ATGM, company are tasked with buying time for reqard units to prepare to halt the Soviets at the Rhine. The T-80's, BMP-2's and assorted cats and dogs of the Soviet 93rd Reconaissance Battalion is tasked with getting to the Rhine by exiting at least 6 units of the west map edge with six turns and control a cross road at Hex AA7. Both the West Germans and Russians both have two artillary barrages, while the WG also have an attached 81mm mortar platoon.

The specific play area is B&B Map east of Column X and north of Row 11.

I chose to try to meet the Soviet advance with the tank company forward, concealed in Faulbach, while the light infantry would be further back amongst the wooded areas north and south of the MSR leading from Faulbach to the western map edge with longer fields of fire for their potent milan anti-tank missiles. It was about here that the WG plan was fatally flawed for this run through.

Turn 1: The light vehicles of the recon battalion enter the board on a relatively broad front. The BRDM2 platoon on the road to Faulbach are is engaged by a tank platoon in Faulbach which causes reduction. The other BRDM2 and BRDM2-AT platoons took a covered approach in an attempt a bypass of Faulbach to the southern wooded hills.

The T-80 Tank company comes on board using moving-fire in order to support the two platoons of mechanized infantry as they moved up in an attempt to conduct a dismounted assault on Faulbach.

After a short and violent exchange with the T-80's, the M48's decide they have had enough and began a fighting withdrawal that lasted the next four turns.

Turn 2: While the two platoons of dismounts secure Faulbach with their inherent BMP2 providing support, the company of empty BMP2s skirt south of Faulbach. The T-80 company also now attempts to flank Faulbach to the south. The Soviet main effort is now determined by the grenadiers to be along the southern map edge, threating to bypass the light infantry company weighted to defend the high speed avenue of approach.

Turns 3-4: It is here where the poor movement capability of the M48 tanks, and the black cadillac's of the light infantry leave them relatively exposed. A northenmost Milan team does account well for itself with essentially enfilade fire at the maneuvering Soviets. One infantry platoon with their inherent Anti-tank capabilities took a toll of some lighter Soviet units as they past south of the southernmost woods.

By Turn 5, the WG positions were bypassed. The crossroads was taken and held as more than enough Soviet units cross the tributary river/canal and exits the map edge at Hex Column X.

Losses: 1x T-80, 1x BMP-2, 1x BRDM-AT, 1x M48.

Reduced: 1x BRDM-2, 1x Sov Infantry, 2x BMP-2, 1x M48, and 93rd Recon Bn HQ.

Lessons Learned: M48 Tank platoons, as has been pointed out previously are extremely slow.

Leg infantry can quickly be bypassed if there is enough room for maneuver.

Good note that the counters are "scuff-proof" as at the start of one turn I tossed all the formation chits in a drink cup, luckily there was very little seltzer left in the bottom, all dried quickly and well.

One note, it has been a couple of months since I broke out B&B and in some areas the map graphic is separating from the actual map board along some of the edges. I'll have to find a way to re-attach it without causing anymore damage.