Chain of Command Kursk PSC Scenario 1: Eyes Down!

With the New Year starting, I thought it was high time that I started a new Chain of Command campaign. I bought the Storming the Citadel pint-sized campaign from the Too Fat Lardies and thought I would tackle this one. It's an interesting set up, with the Germans attacking on the Kursk salient in 1943. The Germans begin the campaign with three platoons facing a single Soviet platoon and used Platoon A for this game, led by Unterfeldwebel Hans Muller, a 20 year old aristocrat. The Soviet platoon is led by Leytenant Alexander Ivonov a 24 year old party member. The Soviets will be reinforced during the third day of the campaign, which is going to be the sixth game, or there abouts. The first game was an attempt by the Germans to dislodge the Soviet OPs on the 4th of July. 

I set my board up and it looked pretty open. Both sides rolled for their support options and the Germans took an extra unnamed Senior Leader, whilst the Soviets opted for a section of marsh and two entrenchments for two of their sections. 

The Germans took the initiative and deployed two sections, trying to cover the Soviet Jumping off points and making a bee-line for the Soviet OP. The Soviets had taken a marsh as part of their support options and this was used to block the German line of advance in an attempt to funnel them to the right. 

Retaining the phase meant that the Germans were able to deploy another section along with a senior leader whom they had taken as a support option. If they could keep up this momentum, there may be a chance of a quick victory...

However, the Soviets reacted quickly and deployed two sections that were dug in in the scrub. 

Their heavy fire immediately caused casualties on the Germans who were caught in the open. Their return fire caused a single Soviet casualty. 

However, the Soviet fire kept coming and more and more Germans fell. 

Taking heavy casualties was not part of the German plan, so they began to withdraw under fire. A single junior leader was wounded and couldn't keep up with the retreating men so was inevitably cut down by more Soviet firing!

The game was over almost as quickly as it began. The Germans failed to make any ground, they lost 15 casualties, including a senior leader and a junior leader in the failed attempt. It was not a glorious start to the campaign for the attackers. 

This encounter was filmed as well, and you can watch the AAR here on Youtube: