Battlegroup Sniper

We wanted a straight forward infantry fight in a urban landscape, 1943 lists we used but no specific scenario.

The goal was to have a long battle over two nights.

Soviet 400 point army List (me)

• FHQ, NKVD Team, Forward Aid Post
• Rifle Company with 4 Anti Tank rifle Teams
• 4 Sniper teams and 2 foot Patrols

Fascist List (Willie, JP and after turn 6 Sparky each with a platoon)

• FHQ
• 3 Rifle Platoons 1 medic
• 1 Tripod MG34
• 2 82mm Mortars

In the town square we placed Willie's destroyed Panzer IV, a nice piece of work, we entered from an opposite  board corner each, with the Soviets getting the first move on a dice off.

I deployed my First Aid Post right in my corner, the table was laid out with JPs destroyed buildings, the next two shots show it, these building have been used repeatedly in our WW2 battles.  Inside I placed the sole battle chit I got in the first six turns.

This is my twelfth urban fight with the Soviets. I had a prepared plan based on the management of the 2D6 with six officers and not using the "Ura Ura" rule which has ended in massive casualties in the past. The snipers to fight the firefight their ability to hit targets early on with long range fire critical.  The rifle company to provide the attacking push with fire and move tactics once within 10".

Turn One was devoted to getting the Snipers in position protected by the scouts and to move a platoon of infantry over onto a flank.  I rolled high and was able to get a second platoon too.  I had an outstanding start. The Fascists were able to get two platoons moving and set up a pair of mortars.

The tone of the first 6 turns was set with German squads suffering sniper casualties and being pinned down.  this slowed their advance tremendously. 

Getting too cocky this team advanced and was spotted 

Female Sniper Nina and Spotter Vera

She was shooting over 30"

By that stage I had moved a whole platoon onto the right flank of the battle bumping one German platoon spearheaded by a sniper team and a foot patrol.  One German squad was wiped out but my " Patriotic factory workers"  ended up pinned down in cover unable to push further forward.  The building in the picture below was contested by Willie's platoon all the way to the end of the game but I had committed the bulk all of my Rifle Platoon to either fire or movement it drew in some of the German reserves as well'




Action in the centre of the table wasn't as good,  the focus for me was the Sniper battle two teams firing on JP and one on Willie.  The key position for me was the Church on the plaza.  Holding was proviiding security for the rifle company, but the sniper team in the tower had been spotted early and killed by JPs machine gun fire.  The foot patrol had crossed the plaza but were spotted by Willie and wiped out close to the Panzer IV.

Willie made an attempt to widen the assault but couldn't get my "factory workers" cleaned out in time.  JP went to ground waiting to return fire and then advance after the NKVD team had been finished by him and my cocky snipers. on top of this the third German platoon was spread out to support Willie flank attack their tripod MG had been set up in a second storey building specifically to kill those snipers.  The last six turns saw less intelligent play from me as I had strayed off the plan.  based on 1943 it was a good battle.

The hated Fascists advancing under sniper fire

The battle resulted in a Fascist victory on battle rating in had drawn four 4 BR chits but my total was 31 to a mere 23 for the Germans. The German lost most of the BR to sniper fire with a lot of tactical co ordination from Willie to keep the lead squads in the fight and stopping the steam roller of the Rifle Company.