(FoW) NKVD vs RjP4, free for all (engl, kuvia)
Lähetetty: Ti 02.03.2010 01:02
NKVD border guards (soviet guards motostrelkovy bataljon) vs. Finnish jalkaväki company
1500 pts
Mission: Free for all
Mid-war, east front
Ranks of soviet soldiers stood in attention in the forest clearing. Battalion commissar Vorobyov rose standing hood of the parked BA-10M armored car. He looked at the gathered NKVD border guards.
”Soldiers of Soviet union! Comrades in arms!
”Now it’s time for the nation of workers and peasants rise like a storm! We will arise, and scatter the finnish bandits defiling our soil like leaves before the wind. Today we will engage them in battle and destroy them with will and courage, with flame and shell, with sword and shield. Because the sword and shield you truly are, comrades of NKVD, the sword and shield of the communist party!
”What would be more appropriate, than that it’s the brave chekists of the ministry of the internal affairs, who will deliver this blow to the Hitler’s lackeys? For they are just bandits, plain and simple, bandits who want to steal the wealth that we have! Bandits, who will flee before our might!
”How can I be so sure, you ask! Well, you do not see what I see – ranks of socialist worker-soldiers, fire of vengeance in their eyes, weapons in their hands! When I see this, I know that for us there can only be victory!
”For Motherland! For Stalin – hurrah!”
Situation:
April 1942, Karelia, between lakes Ladoga and Onega, southern side of river Syväri (Svir). It’s spring – time for love, nature’s rebirth and soviet counteroffensive…
The aim of soviet offensive was to recapture the southern bank of mighty river Syväri, and if possible, to push some bridgeheads in the northern bank. Offensive was to be spearheaded by NKVD border troops of 7th army border detachments because of their knowledge of infiltration tactics. The offensive smashed through the first lines of finnish defence. Finns recovered quickly, though, and dispatched from reserve a border unit of their own to blunt the soviet spearhead. The battalions collided heads on near Kägösenkylä village…
Notes:
The game was again a very friendly and informal game. The aim was to have fun and we did :) I have written this in (mostly) narrative style, because I feel that it’s nice if the game tells a story. I have tried to be so clear, however, that one can also to follow game mechanically what’s happening. In this battlereport one picture is not necessarily one turn. All the pictures are not necessarily in exactly chronological order because so many things may be happening at the same time all over the battlefield.
We had beforehand agreed to play this scenario and to use just lightly armed forces. No KV’s or T-34’s in this game!
Forces:
Soviet
NKVD border guard battalion, 73rd border guard detachment
(Guards motostrelkovy battalion)
led by tough but fair lieutenant colonel of state security Kuznetsov
NOTE: In this game the motostrelkovy companies are referred as NKVD border guard companies
Battalion HQ
1st Motostrelkovy company (rifle/mg platoon + smg platoon)
+ maxim team + commissar
2nd Motostrelkovy company (rifle/mg platoon + smg platoon)
+ maxim team + commissar
Machine-gun company (2 mg platoons)
Mortar company (2 mortar sections)
+ spotter
Mortar company (2 mortar sections)
+ spotter
Anti-tank rifle company (2 atr platoons)
Light armored car platoon (5 x BA-10M)
Total = 1500
Finnish
1. komppania, Rajajääkäripataljoona 4. (1st co., 4th border guard battalion of Pohjois-Karjala)
(jalkaväkikomppania)
led by working-class captain Taisto Halme
Company HQ
2 x Lahti-panssarintorjuntakivääri
Jalkaväki plt 1 (full)
Jalkaväki plt 2 (full)
Jääkäri plt (full) + smgs
MG plt (full)
Mortar plt (full)
3 x BT-42
A-T plt, 2 x 45 PstK/35
Heavy mortar plt (full)
TOTAL: 1495pts
Overview:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... efield.jpg
Here’s overview of the battlefield looking from west to east. Soviet forces are set up in south, finns in north.
Objectives are marked with red circles (one is almost out of photo on the Ämmälänvaara hill).
Yellow arrows mark the soviet infantry thrusts towards the objectives.
Battlefield contains the following named places, around which battle was about ro rage: Kägösenkylä village, Peltosuo marsh, Ämmälänvaara hill.
Finns move first, and begin to furiously dig in.
Soviet west flank:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... tflank.jpg
Soviet 2nd NKVD border guard company (capt. Talgayev) in positions near Ämmälänvaara. 2nd company is accompanied by battalion 2iC, major of state security Samakhvalov.
Soviet center line:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... center.jpg
Soviet MG co. (capt. Volosin), BA-10 armored car platoon (Lt. Korovyev) and 1st NKVD border guard company (capt. Nazaryan). MG company is accompanied by battalion commissar Vorobyov and the 1st company by battalion commander Kuznetsov.
Soviet west flank advances:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... ance-1.jpg
The chekists of 2nd NKVD border guard company move out to cross the Peltosuo marsh. Soviet mortars open fire, and finnish jääkäri hiding in woods take the first casualties of the battle.
Soviet east flank advances:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... dvance.jpg
In the eastern flank, the 1st company quickly begins to close the Kägösenkylä village. The village is bristling with finns, and the advance soon degenerates into firefight waged across the road.
Soviet west flank - - incoming!
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... barded.jpg
Also the 2nd company runs in trouble – the finnish artillery opens up with excellent accuracy! NKVD soldiers are showered with 114mm shells from BT-42’s and 81mm and 120mm mortar shells. Shells also hit the BA-10’s advancing in company’s side. Khaki grey dead litter the murky water of Peltosuo. Company commander, captain Nazaryan was among the first fallen, as was the BA-10 platoon leader Lt. Korovjev. 2iC, major Samakhvalov assumed the lead of 2nd company and quickly appointed new leader to BA-10 platoon. ”Serzhant Zabegayev, you are now in charge!”
Jääkäri counterattack:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... JkriCC.jpg
Silently, the jääkäri platoon supporting the company has moved to position near the 2nd NKVD border guards. When the artillery fire lifts, they surge forward smg’s blazing! ”Hakkaa päälle!” The attacking group is not big, but they strike with a force of legion. For a moment a confused brawl flows back and forth. At first, one soviet soldier turned to flee. Instantly, several others followed. Commissar Antonov rose his revolver, and fired at traitors, but there was no stopping the flight…
Soviet west flank beaten back:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... kfails.jpg
At the southern side of Peltosuo, major Samakhvalov and commissar Antonov were able to stop the rout of the 2nd NKVD company. The company had taken bad mauling, and was just a shadow of itself… Commissar Antonov gritted his teeth. He can not allow this to happen again. He begin to reload his revolver.
The attacking jääkäri platoon had done it’s job, though suffered heavy casualties. The Jääkäri faded silently back to forest, taking no more part in this battle.
Mortar strike:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... strike.jpg
The soviet fire caused to finns all the time small casualties. Most of the shots were just pinning, however. The bullets and 82mm mortars lacked punch to dig the finns from their foxholes. But still, the volume of fire meant that slowly the casualites added up. Maybe too slowly, though…
And another one down, and another one down, and another one BA-10 bites the dust…
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... barded.jpg
The BA-10’s tried to move away from the killing field and to take cover between the hills. However, the finnish artillery began again a deadly bombardment. When the dust cleared, two more BA-10’s were blazing wrecks, including serzhant Zabegayev’s.
Meanwhile, in the eastern front:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... ystuck.jpg
The 1st NKVD company had got stuck in a prolonged firefight with the finnish defenders of Kägösenkylä village. In order to reduce the casualties, battalion commander Kuznetsov gave to 1st company order to dig in. Order was carried out extremely efficiently. The soviet attack had stalled in both flanks. Now for them there would just be a task to defend the strategic points in their own side.
Last stand of 2nd NKVD company:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... f2ndco.jpg
The marsh of Peltosuo offered scarce protection from finnish mg bursts. Slowly and steadily the 2nd company was whittled away. When someone rose to flee, commissar Antonov ended the flight with well aimed shot.
Mg’s ceased firing. Carefully Antonov peeked around, trying to get a respond from company’s soldiers. All he could see, was dead floating in the stil water… He was alone, 2nd company had fallen to the last man.
Antonov looked at the smoking gun in his hand. Was there only one way out from this dishonor?
Ämmälänvaara bombarded:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... nvaara.jpg
Soviet mortar platoon was taking the worst of it in the top of Ämmälänvaara hill. They had a great field of fire from the hill – but it works both ways and the were nor dug in and casualties began to mount quickly. Captain Ivanov kept his soldiers steadily in line despite heavy bombardment.
What was worse, they could hear clatter of tank tracks from distance. Finnish tanks were coming.
For motherland! For Stalin!
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... BT-42s.jpg
Major Samakhvalov had moved close to survivors of BA-10 platoon. (one ok, one bailed) Crawling in finnish mg fire, he shouted to young corporal peeking unsurely from the turret hatch:
”Yfreitor, what’s your name?”
”Uh, yfreitor Sokolov, comrade major!”
”Listen yfreitor Sokolov, you are now the platoon leader of this platoon - - ”
Explosion shook the ground, as the bailed BA-10 exploded in finnish mg fire.
”- - you are the only armored car in this platoon! Turn it around and go to stop the fascist tanks heading to Ämmälänvaara hill! Understood?”
The last BA-10 lurched around, and climbed over the hill. Yfreitor Sokolov saw clearly the boxy shapes of finnish assault guns moving towerds the hill. ”Fire!”
One BT-42 exploded in a ball of fire. Inside the BA-10, Sokolov's crew cheered.
As a response, then the finnish artillery opened fire once again, targetting the lone BA-10. When firing ceased, the last armored car was one more flaming wreck.
Ämmälänvaara last stand:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... tstand.jpg
In Ämmälänvaara hilltop there were just two men standing anymore, captain Ivanov of mortar platoon and his aide.
”Comrade captain, the fascist tanks are coming. Shall we retreat?”
”No. There will be no retreat. I know no better place to die.”
BT-42’s overrun:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... verrun.jpg
The finnish assault guns closed the distance fast. They crawled up the hillside, towards the upturned carriage where last of the soviet soldiers were seen. BT-42’s crashed in to carriage with sickening crunch. Then it was all over. Finns dominated the the strategic Ämmälänvaara hill and there was no NKVD troops to take it back. The soviet western flank had went down fighting, but it was destroyed to the last men. The soviet offensive could not continue.
The remaining NKVD troops began to pull back. They would have to regroup and try again in other time.
Result: finnish victory
1500 pts
Mission: Free for all
Mid-war, east front
Ranks of soviet soldiers stood in attention in the forest clearing. Battalion commissar Vorobyov rose standing hood of the parked BA-10M armored car. He looked at the gathered NKVD border guards.
”Soldiers of Soviet union! Comrades in arms!
”Now it’s time for the nation of workers and peasants rise like a storm! We will arise, and scatter the finnish bandits defiling our soil like leaves before the wind. Today we will engage them in battle and destroy them with will and courage, with flame and shell, with sword and shield. Because the sword and shield you truly are, comrades of NKVD, the sword and shield of the communist party!
”What would be more appropriate, than that it’s the brave chekists of the ministry of the internal affairs, who will deliver this blow to the Hitler’s lackeys? For they are just bandits, plain and simple, bandits who want to steal the wealth that we have! Bandits, who will flee before our might!
”How can I be so sure, you ask! Well, you do not see what I see – ranks of socialist worker-soldiers, fire of vengeance in their eyes, weapons in their hands! When I see this, I know that for us there can only be victory!
”For Motherland! For Stalin – hurrah!”
Situation:
April 1942, Karelia, between lakes Ladoga and Onega, southern side of river Syväri (Svir). It’s spring – time for love, nature’s rebirth and soviet counteroffensive…
The aim of soviet offensive was to recapture the southern bank of mighty river Syväri, and if possible, to push some bridgeheads in the northern bank. Offensive was to be spearheaded by NKVD border troops of 7th army border detachments because of their knowledge of infiltration tactics. The offensive smashed through the first lines of finnish defence. Finns recovered quickly, though, and dispatched from reserve a border unit of their own to blunt the soviet spearhead. The battalions collided heads on near Kägösenkylä village…
Notes:
The game was again a very friendly and informal game. The aim was to have fun and we did :) I have written this in (mostly) narrative style, because I feel that it’s nice if the game tells a story. I have tried to be so clear, however, that one can also to follow game mechanically what’s happening. In this battlereport one picture is not necessarily one turn. All the pictures are not necessarily in exactly chronological order because so many things may be happening at the same time all over the battlefield.
We had beforehand agreed to play this scenario and to use just lightly armed forces. No KV’s or T-34’s in this game!
Forces:
Soviet
NKVD border guard battalion, 73rd border guard detachment
(Guards motostrelkovy battalion)
led by tough but fair lieutenant colonel of state security Kuznetsov
NOTE: In this game the motostrelkovy companies are referred as NKVD border guard companies
Battalion HQ
1st Motostrelkovy company (rifle/mg platoon + smg platoon)
+ maxim team + commissar
2nd Motostrelkovy company (rifle/mg platoon + smg platoon)
+ maxim team + commissar
Machine-gun company (2 mg platoons)
Mortar company (2 mortar sections)
+ spotter
Mortar company (2 mortar sections)
+ spotter
Anti-tank rifle company (2 atr platoons)
Light armored car platoon (5 x BA-10M)
Total = 1500
Finnish
1. komppania, Rajajääkäripataljoona 4. (1st co., 4th border guard battalion of Pohjois-Karjala)
(jalkaväkikomppania)
led by working-class captain Taisto Halme
Company HQ
2 x Lahti-panssarintorjuntakivääri
Jalkaväki plt 1 (full)
Jalkaväki plt 2 (full)
Jääkäri plt (full) + smgs
MG plt (full)
Mortar plt (full)
3 x BT-42
A-T plt, 2 x 45 PstK/35
Heavy mortar plt (full)
TOTAL: 1495pts
Overview:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... efield.jpg
Here’s overview of the battlefield looking from west to east. Soviet forces are set up in south, finns in north.
Objectives are marked with red circles (one is almost out of photo on the Ämmälänvaara hill).
Yellow arrows mark the soviet infantry thrusts towards the objectives.
Battlefield contains the following named places, around which battle was about ro rage: Kägösenkylä village, Peltosuo marsh, Ämmälänvaara hill.
Finns move first, and begin to furiously dig in.
Soviet west flank:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... tflank.jpg
Soviet 2nd NKVD border guard company (capt. Talgayev) in positions near Ämmälänvaara. 2nd company is accompanied by battalion 2iC, major of state security Samakhvalov.
Soviet center line:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... center.jpg
Soviet MG co. (capt. Volosin), BA-10 armored car platoon (Lt. Korovyev) and 1st NKVD border guard company (capt. Nazaryan). MG company is accompanied by battalion commissar Vorobyov and the 1st company by battalion commander Kuznetsov.
Soviet west flank advances:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... ance-1.jpg
The chekists of 2nd NKVD border guard company move out to cross the Peltosuo marsh. Soviet mortars open fire, and finnish jääkäri hiding in woods take the first casualties of the battle.
Soviet east flank advances:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... dvance.jpg
In the eastern flank, the 1st company quickly begins to close the Kägösenkylä village. The village is bristling with finns, and the advance soon degenerates into firefight waged across the road.
Soviet west flank - - incoming!
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... barded.jpg
Also the 2nd company runs in trouble – the finnish artillery opens up with excellent accuracy! NKVD soldiers are showered with 114mm shells from BT-42’s and 81mm and 120mm mortar shells. Shells also hit the BA-10’s advancing in company’s side. Khaki grey dead litter the murky water of Peltosuo. Company commander, captain Nazaryan was among the first fallen, as was the BA-10 platoon leader Lt. Korovjev. 2iC, major Samakhvalov assumed the lead of 2nd company and quickly appointed new leader to BA-10 platoon. ”Serzhant Zabegayev, you are now in charge!”
Jääkäri counterattack:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... JkriCC.jpg
Silently, the jääkäri platoon supporting the company has moved to position near the 2nd NKVD border guards. When the artillery fire lifts, they surge forward smg’s blazing! ”Hakkaa päälle!” The attacking group is not big, but they strike with a force of legion. For a moment a confused brawl flows back and forth. At first, one soviet soldier turned to flee. Instantly, several others followed. Commissar Antonov rose his revolver, and fired at traitors, but there was no stopping the flight…
Soviet west flank beaten back:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... kfails.jpg
At the southern side of Peltosuo, major Samakhvalov and commissar Antonov were able to stop the rout of the 2nd NKVD company. The company had taken bad mauling, and was just a shadow of itself… Commissar Antonov gritted his teeth. He can not allow this to happen again. He begin to reload his revolver.
The attacking jääkäri platoon had done it’s job, though suffered heavy casualties. The Jääkäri faded silently back to forest, taking no more part in this battle.
Mortar strike:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... strike.jpg
The soviet fire caused to finns all the time small casualties. Most of the shots were just pinning, however. The bullets and 82mm mortars lacked punch to dig the finns from their foxholes. But still, the volume of fire meant that slowly the casualites added up. Maybe too slowly, though…
And another one down, and another one down, and another one BA-10 bites the dust…
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... barded.jpg
The BA-10’s tried to move away from the killing field and to take cover between the hills. However, the finnish artillery began again a deadly bombardment. When the dust cleared, two more BA-10’s were blazing wrecks, including serzhant Zabegayev’s.
Meanwhile, in the eastern front:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... ystuck.jpg
The 1st NKVD company had got stuck in a prolonged firefight with the finnish defenders of Kägösenkylä village. In order to reduce the casualties, battalion commander Kuznetsov gave to 1st company order to dig in. Order was carried out extremely efficiently. The soviet attack had stalled in both flanks. Now for them there would just be a task to defend the strategic points in their own side.
Last stand of 2nd NKVD company:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... f2ndco.jpg
The marsh of Peltosuo offered scarce protection from finnish mg bursts. Slowly and steadily the 2nd company was whittled away. When someone rose to flee, commissar Antonov ended the flight with well aimed shot.
Mg’s ceased firing. Carefully Antonov peeked around, trying to get a respond from company’s soldiers. All he could see, was dead floating in the stil water… He was alone, 2nd company had fallen to the last man.
Antonov looked at the smoking gun in his hand. Was there only one way out from this dishonor?
Ämmälänvaara bombarded:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... nvaara.jpg
Soviet mortar platoon was taking the worst of it in the top of Ämmälänvaara hill. They had a great field of fire from the hill – but it works both ways and the were nor dug in and casualties began to mount quickly. Captain Ivanov kept his soldiers steadily in line despite heavy bombardment.
What was worse, they could hear clatter of tank tracks from distance. Finnish tanks were coming.
For motherland! For Stalin!
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... BT-42s.jpg
Major Samakhvalov had moved close to survivors of BA-10 platoon. (one ok, one bailed) Crawling in finnish mg fire, he shouted to young corporal peeking unsurely from the turret hatch:
”Yfreitor, what’s your name?”
”Uh, yfreitor Sokolov, comrade major!”
”Listen yfreitor Sokolov, you are now the platoon leader of this platoon - - ”
Explosion shook the ground, as the bailed BA-10 exploded in finnish mg fire.
”- - you are the only armored car in this platoon! Turn it around and go to stop the fascist tanks heading to Ämmälänvaara hill! Understood?”
The last BA-10 lurched around, and climbed over the hill. Yfreitor Sokolov saw clearly the boxy shapes of finnish assault guns moving towerds the hill. ”Fire!”
One BT-42 exploded in a ball of fire. Inside the BA-10, Sokolov's crew cheered.
As a response, then the finnish artillery opened fire once again, targetting the lone BA-10. When firing ceased, the last armored car was one more flaming wreck.
Ämmälänvaara last stand:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... tstand.jpg
In Ämmälänvaara hilltop there were just two men standing anymore, captain Ivanov of mortar platoon and his aide.
”Comrade captain, the fascist tanks are coming. Shall we retreat?”
”No. There will be no retreat. I know no better place to die.”
BT-42’s overrun:
http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx23 ... verrun.jpg
The finnish assault guns closed the distance fast. They crawled up the hillside, towards the upturned carriage where last of the soviet soldiers were seen. BT-42’s crashed in to carriage with sickening crunch. Then it was all over. Finns dominated the the strategic Ämmälänvaara hill and there was no NKVD troops to take it back. The soviet western flank had went down fighting, but it was destroyed to the last men. The soviet offensive could not continue.
The remaining NKVD troops began to pull back. They would have to regroup and try again in other time.
Result: finnish victory