Crossing the Werra River: 15mm Battlegroup Modern and the Battle of Laubach PART II

I got to play a few rounds of the Werra River scenario and things are really heating up!  Gerry has proven himself mightily resilient even for TA and the ATGMs claimed some kills already.  Through the battle, the Soviet advance column commander switched tactics and tried a new approach towards Laubach...

T-72s approach Laubach

 The Soviets roll a "3" and put 3 T-72s on the road.  The lead elements approached the wooded area next the road and open fire on the TA infantry hunkered down in the ruins next to the bridge.  Following the shots,  a T-72 explodes into a fireball as a HOT missile slices through its frontal armor.  The track has fallen victim to a Jaguar on "Ambush" orders.  The second shot at the trail T-72 is a miss.

The T-72 platoon deploys on the road

 The German FO in the church tower calls the mortar section and relays the coordinates.  The 81mm mortar opens up but fails to stop any of Ivan's thick-skinned tanks.

"Back up!  Back up!  I can't see them but I know they're out there!"  Last words of Senior Serzhant Simonov

"Scratch One Ivan - those HOT missiles are worth every pfennig!"

The next turn, the infantry arrives.  The TC in another T-72 calls to the driver "There's infantry up ahead with missiles.  GET OFF THE ROAD"

 The BTR80s tuck into a culvert along the roadway as German Jaguar gunners scan for more targets.

A T-72 enters the cornfield and another BTR moves in behind the leader.

 The Soviet commander on scene decides it's suicide to move all the tracks and vehicles in so he orders the infantry to dismount along their left in the trees and approach the ruins on foot.  The plan is to assault the ruins with foot troops and then provide fire support to them while they cross the bridge.  Simple enough?

The flanking column arrives.  2 BTRs from another company show up and head down the Waldmeister's trail.

 The lead infantry elements reach the tree-line and open fire on the TA infantry which they spot no problem.

 A firefight breaks out with the Soviet RPD gunner and his number 2 gunner pouring rounds into the rubble pile.  The Landsers are pinned!

Soviet dismounts enter the woods

There they are Sergei!  Open fire!!

The Soviets pin the Germans down in the rubble

Meanwhile on the German left, 2 BTRs cautiously approach from the trail.  They will have an unpleasant surprise waiting for them.

The T-72 in the cornfield spots a Jaguar and opens fire!  It's curtains for this ATGM section

 No side has a decided advantage as of yet and the action is still heating up.  Casualties are mounting but we're still far from our mutual breakpoints of 28.

 A German turn sees an "open fire" order with the dug-in infantry squad.  Their MG-3, G-3 rifles, and the Carl Gustav do wonders, pinning and eventually routing the Soviet infantry squad.  There's still another one out there but if they can rout the next squad, this battle could go alot easier.

The Soviets still have 122mm on stand-by however and the FO just arrived this turn...

We beat them!  Hold tight boys - this fight is just starting.