Camp Cromwell 05/02/08

Isdonisgrad Campaign turn 4 battle in hex I4

While last week's battle was being fought in J5 there was a simultaneous action in I4 where the Motostrelk Batt made a pinning attack to prevent the Axis from reinforcing J5. The rule is that to successfully pin you cannot retreat until turn 3, so the Moto Batt had to take 2 rounds of artillery & mortar fire and one round of tank fire before they could retire. The Russian artillery was pinned down from the start and did not reply. The Russians lost 1 gun & 6 infantry. The Germans lost nothing.

Isdonisgrad Campaign turn 5 battle in hex J5

Having finished the last turn 4 action quickly we did the start of the turn 5 sequence. The Axis attacked Isdonisgrad again and also made a pinning attack on J5 with their Panzergrendadiers. Nick did not have his staff with him, & besides the decision on what to do in Isdonisgrad is too vital to rush, so we put that hex on ice for the moment. But we decided to fight the pinning action in J5 as we had the time available to do it.

The Germans here had more sting than the Moto in I4, but then the Russians had their two best Coys there so there was no way they could win. Steve did his cute Marder shuffle with the Marders & popped a KV. Jim tried the same with the SPAA v. the T70s but only got a bail. One Marder and 1 AA got destroyed but the rest got away. The Germans were content to trade them for a KV.

Isdonisgrad campaign

These little pinning actions are usually one sided, but they are a necessary part of the big picture and do have their moments. Losses in them are seldom decisive, but they do add up.

The Campaign is at a critical stage. The Axis are attacking Isdonisgrad with 2 Infantry Coys with possibly 2 Panzer Coys in support. The Russian defence has 2 Militia Battaions defending it with 1 Moto Battalion in support - all of them with significant casualties. Their best Battalions cannot be drawn in as support (being pinned at J5). They have the choice of fighting for it & relying on the terrain to hold the line, or conceding the prize hoping to take it back with a counterattack next turn. Big decision.