1943 Battle of Voronezh

Deployment: For this game we are refighting part of the 1943 battle of Voronezh. Soviet forces have taken the city east of the river, but must now push across to claim the west bank. They are aided by the river being frozen, making it passable though dangerous for infantry to cross. The germans have a company north of the bridge, another one south of it and a third in reserve. The soviets have one company south of the bridge and two north, with a fourth company ready to advance from the bridge once it is cleared. 

Turn 1: The soviets deploy five platoons to occupy the buildings on the east bank. The germans push forward patrols to keep an eye on the bridge whilst deploying a platoon with an attached machine gun to anchor their southern flank. 



Turn 2: Advancing from the safety of the buildings, soviet forces all along the line reach the eastern bank. The confident commander deploys a platoon onto the bridge whilst in the far south another platoon makes a dash over the ice, covered by deadly sniper fire pinning down the german MG team. 

Turn 3: The german artillery spotter can scarcely believe his fortune, as he sees the russian infantry clumped around the bridge. The battalion mortars are zeroed in and they rain down shells as fast as they can, pulverising three platoons. The men on the bridge bravely try to escape the bombardment by advancing through it, but they plough straight into a german minefield  and suffer appalling casualties. 

Turn 4: More soviet forces cross the frozen river, but are soon pinned down on the far bank by german troops in the buildings beyond. The mortars maintain their bombardment, wreaking further havoc in the centre of the line. On the northern edge of the battlefield, a lone tiger tank rumbles forwards towards the fight.

Turn 5: Desperate to escape the slaughter on the ice, a soviet platoon with attached MG team assault the northern german held building. They fight heroically, but their situation is hopeless and they are soon driven off. 

Turn 6: Their sacrifice is not in vain, as it buys their comrades in the reserve company time to advance to the ruined plane. In the north the germans deploy an infantry gun in the factory, and together with the tiger begin shelling the soviet held buildings on the east bank. 

Turn 7: Spraying submachine gun rounds into the building, a soviet platoon smash into the german flank and send them tumbling back across the road. The soviets have claimed their first foothold west of the river!

Turn 8: The tiger turns it turret towards the now soviet held building, and blows apart its lower floors, forcing the soviet smg platoon to relinquish their prize and retreat back to the river. 

Turn 9: Another soviet platoon advances back into the building. Though they sensibly take shelter on the far side away from the enemy tank, they are soon pinned down by a german platoon concealed in the factory. All along the river bank the soviet advance seems to have stalled, stuck exchanging an indecisive fusilade with german forces in the buildings. On the southern edge of the battlefield they bring up a pioneer platoon equipped with flamethrowers to flush the germans out, but first they must make a dash through the parkland.

Turn 10: In the frozen air the terrifying whine of an engine has all eyes looking skyward. The soviets try to squirm their way into the river bank as a luftwaffe fighter bomber strafes their position, gunning down the exposed men on the ice all along the line. Desperate to turn the tide, the soviets deploy a woefully inadequate 57mm anti tank gun in an attempt to deal with the enemy tiger. 

Turn 11: With the tiger distracted the soviet infantry in the north can pin down the germans across the road. The soviet smg platoon seize their chance and dash forwards, forcing the germans to retreat and claiming a second building on the west bank.

Turn 12: In the south the soviet pioneer platoon suffer horrendous casualties from incessant mg42 fire and they are forced to pull back across the river. But as they make a run for it the ice breaks! The survivors are swallowed up by the frozen water. With cracks in the ice spreading upriver the soviet commander decides he cannot risk any more of his men and calls off the attack. Germans win!