Following on from the successful retreat from Hof Captain Townley's battered force lagered up overnight just west of some football fields near Highway 15. Pulling a pair of replacement ITV's from an infantry company that had been mauled earlier in the day they were also reinforced by their 3rd platoon of M1s (that had also been loaned out to the same infantry company).
With plenty of ground to cover the force was split up with the Mech Platoon, the ITVs and a platoon of Abrams covering a small cross roads whilst the rest of the Team took overwatch positions nearby covering a gap in the lines. The first day of combat had resulted in plenty of confusion as some units retreated faster than others making the defensive lines longer than they needed to be.
Early reports indicated that they would be facing the same Soviet commander that had mauled them only a few hours earlier and his force had been reinforced with fresh reserves. Plenty of T-72 tanks and BMP-2s would coming straight down the Highway sooner or later.
With the sound of incoming enemy armour the M1 Abrams platoon commander quickly called up the FOO on the battalion net "gimme FASCAM at pre-planned sites A through D now, the neighbours are getting noisy!"
I deployed some small minefields across the road hoping to slow down Wayne's army in case he pushed up the middle. He drove one company of T-72s through the mines whilst the 2nd company managed to follow some BMPs that had completed a spearhead move up one flank. I moved my M1s out of their ambush position only to watch their 105's bounce. Luckily for me Wayne's dice were just as bad and thanks to the night rules I was able to keep in the fight far longer than I expected. The battle pushed back and forth as we traded rounds, each of out forces slowly being ground down.
Luckily on turn 5 I managed to pull in both of my remaining tank platoons (1 platoon + the HQ) giving me another 6 tanks to counter-attack and finally break the two tank companies and push Wayne back. Running out of steam Wayne's Soviets made a final push at the objective but the timely intervention of the Cobra and VADS gunned down the remaining infantry.
Thanks guys. Wayne was a little limited in his lines of advance thanks to the terrain and the minefields.
Nice batrep and atmospheric table:)
Cool pictures
Yeah, hey-diddle-diddle straight up the middle doesn’t so well when you have ambush units and mines. I´m thinking some of those burning tanks were from mines, right? I´m really liking night games against the Soviets. I helps even out the weaker Abrams main gun. Now you´re getting more shots at better odd while their odds just sink. I love thermals!
sounds like a very interesting game, I have to ask, did any tanks die when attempting to cross the minefield? 😀
Was there any unit on either side that could be considered a MVP unit?