We rolled a die: I got the Germans.
Since the Soviets had a supporting T34/76 and the German's only AT capability were 2 satchel charges, my plan was to lure the T34 close enough to a jump-off point to spring an ambush with a full Chain of Command dice. Although betting on having a full Chain of Command dice is risky, I learned from our previous game. Also I would probably have to spend the first one on ending the turn because the Soviets laid down a pre-game barrage which gave me a 50-50 chance to deploy my troops until the end of the first turn.
Patrol phase went well for the Germans
The T34 spearheaded the Soviet attack.
My first attempts to deploy fail due to the pre-game barrage, but I am buidling up Chain of Command points. Normally I would hold back deployment when defending to deny the enemy targets and wait form him to commit his force, but with the uncertainty of the duration of the pre-game barrage I'd like to have at least some troops on the table. So when the opportunity presents itself I deploy two squads and a sniper team. A dice roll of three sixes ends the turn. I can use my Chain of Command points for the T34 ambush!
The German sniper wounds a Soviet junior leader. He's out for the remainder of the turn.
A Soviet squad is however approaching the house where the sniper is located.
I completely forget my ambush plan and deploy my last squad in the sniper house to fire on the Soviet squad.
The Soviets assault and close combat ensues.
Although the defending German team (including their senior leader!) is wiped out, they've killed more Soviets during the fight so the Soviet remnants are repulsed losing also their junior leader.
Meanwhile the Soviet squad under fire by the sniper is bolstered by a second Soviet squad.
Again the German sniper succeeds in wounding the Soviet junior leader.
Soviet force morale is now dropping fast.
The Germans try to push the Soviet force morale further down by firing on the remnants of the Soviet squad that survived close combat.
My opponent intervenes and brings up his last Soviet squad and the T34.
Although ambush was no longer possible since I already deployed this squad, they still had their two satchel charges. So the German gefreiter sends Soldat Pauli der Panzerknacker to take out the T34.
Pauli runs to the rear of the T34 and throws the charge on top of the engine compartment.
While Pauli runs for cover the charge explodes: 3 net hits.
The loss of the T34 reduces Soviet force morale to zero and the Germans hold on to the village.
The firefight on the other side of the table had chipped away at the German squad over there to the point that they were pinned. My opponent was planning to charge them before his sudden force morale collapse so we decided to go ahead with the charge to see the outcome.
The Soviets won the charge and broke the German squad, knocking German force morale down to two, but not zero.
Indeed a desperate defense.
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