WW2 Reconnaissance in Strength: Part 1 - Mini Campaign Introduction

Back to WW2 and a long-awaited mini-campaign involving the Soviets.

I recommend checking my previous post under this label for background information relating to the campaign. The rules used will be Blitzkrieg Commander 4. Figures and vehicles are a mix of Heroics & Ros, 2D6 Wargaming and GHQ.

The action will be reported on the blog from a Russian perspective with the Germans controlled by AI. 

Orders of battle have been changed from the book increasing them in size. 

The Scenario

Russians

The force commander has been instructed to reconnoitre a mountain pass preparatory to a new Russian offensive. Not expecting any material opposition, Russian High Command believe they are incredibly generous allocating a reinforced motorised infantry regiment to complete the task. 

His task is to establish what, if any, German forces are occupying the pass and aggressively drive them out if he is confident of success. Which of course the High Command have no doubt that this is precisely what he will do!

The Russian commander despairs of the largely clapped out early model T34's making up his armoured support and the addition of a naval infantry battalion does not assuage his concerns. Its all very well believing there will be little opposition but the narrow steep-sided pass could prove to be a killing ground to a well organised defence. 

Germans

Several Fallschirmjager and SS units have been sent to a mountain pass, ostensibly to rest having been heavily committed in the fighting, but to hold it should the Russians foolishly attempt to find a way through. Their victory condition is simple to prevent the Russians from taking the valley.

This is the map from the book. I have recreated these to take account of my terrain which you will find below.

Continued - 

The Russian Orbats are included but the Germans will be left until the final posting. You, the reader, will in this way be in the same position as the Russians. Not knowing what is ahead!

The orbats are in BKC4 format:

Russian Order of March

Initially move along road unless indicated otherwise.

1. Recce Battalion across width of battlefield

2. 1st Motorised Inf Bn

3. Medium tank Bn on flanks of 1^st Mot Bn

4. Sniper teams (anywhere on table)

5. Motorised Inf Regt CO

6. Mortar Bn

7. 2nd Motorised Inf Bn

8. CinC

9. Anti tank Coy

10. Artillery Bn

11. Regimental Engineer Coy

12. 3rd Motorised Inf Bn

13. Anti Tank Bn

14. Regt Inf Gun Coy

15. Naval Inf Bn

16. Naval Inf Support

The maps below represent those provided to the Russian commander. They are not 100% accurate and only contain the most basic of detail.

Each map is 3' x 3' on the tabletop. The Russians will start on Map 1 moving north to Map 2. Maps 3 to 9 are selected at random before finally arriving at Map 10. 

Most of the valley sides are steep and rocky making them inaccessible. That is not universal though and some areas will allow troops to gain the high ground flanking the valley.

The game will be played on a 4' 6" x 3' table allowing for 1.5 map areas to be included simultaneously. As the Russians move to a new map they are shunted along half a map at a time. Any troops that are on the part of the tabletop that is removed have their positions marked off on a map with calculations made when they will physically reappear. 

MAP 10

MAP 9

MAP 8

MAP 7

MAP 6

MAP 5

MAP 4

MAP 3

MAP 2

MAP 1

I will aim to create a separate blog update for each map as the Russians advance. 

One further note before I conclude this section - I have deviated somewhat from the original scenario which includes intelligence gathering of German troop dispositions. Hence 'Reconnaissance' in Strength. I have left this aspect out assuming that such intelligence will automatically be relayed back to Army HQ and concentrated on the action instead.

The next post will include the Russians arrival on Map 1 at the southern end.