Race to the Weser Campaign Continued (FFT3 Moderns)

I'm still in the process of playing the first turn of this campaign using Bryan Barnard.

 The first battle was on the Northern Route of advance and a resounding defeat for the Warsaw Pact with the 55th Gds Tank Rgt. taking very heavy losses when they tried to push though a Panzer Battalion and Panzer Grenadier battalion with an Excellent Quality rating.

This is a brief report on the second battle, also on the Northern Route, pitting the 79th Gds. Tank Rgt. against a German force.

The Soviets were rated Marginal.

The Germans consisted of a Panzer Battlion consisting of 2 full companies of Leopard II's and one company with 2 platoons instead of three, and a Panzer Grenadier battalion.   These two battalions were supported by a company of Roland SAM's and a company of Jagpanzer Rakettes.    The Germans also had a battalion of M109's in direct support.

The Soviets had 6 airstrikes in addition to their regular artillery support consisting of a battalion of 2S3's in direct support.   But due to the fact that the WP troop quality was only Marginal versus the German Excellent it was going to be a very tough fight for the WP.

I played the Germans.  The WP was commanded by "guest" General Aleksandr Aimetteakov.  (Alex A.)

The Soviets advanced onto the table with 3 tank battalions abreast (T-80's) but chose to send the  mechanized infantry battalion (BMP-2's) on a flank march around the Nato right flank.

The weather was light rain and maximum visibility was 3000 meters (30").

The objective was a highway cross roads.  The WP could also score VP's by exiting combat units off the NATO table edge.

Here is a view of the initial  German deployment

The Soviets advance:

T-80's and recon  in a hull down position with another tank battalion advancing behind

The fire from the Leopards took a heavy toll on the advancing T-80's.   The only bright spot for the WP were the air strikes which featured a number of SU-25 sorties armed with guided bombs. These destroyed an entire platoon of Leopard II's.

The Soviet Mechanized Infantry battalion came in on the NATO right flank and attacked the town, overwhelming the Panzer Grenadier company defending it. 

This allowed the Mech. Infantry Battalion to move off the NATO table edge.  The WP was also able to exit one of the Tank battalions off the NATO side.

At the end NATO had scored 4 VP to the Soviet 3, with the Soviets losing the better part of two Tank battalions. 

So far the campaign has not gone well for the Soviets, losing both battles on the Northern axis of advance.  The next fights will be on the Southern axis.