WWIII: The bridgehead at Dinnersdorf (2)

The silence is broken with incoming mortar and artillery rounds into the Russian columns.

Driving through the indirect fire the leading Soviet MR battalions hit the direct fire of the dug-in WG paratroopers (top of picture) in the "woods" i.e. green felt.

Reconnaissance by contact in the middle.

Red smoke indicates a kill, while the explosion counters represents a suppression (in the rules two suppressions equal a kill, although getting a second suppression can be hard). The Soviets were taken aback by the hail of Milan fire from the hills behind the Anna River. Cumulatively these pesky Milans (on motorised carts started) start taking a toll of Soviet tanks and APC infantry.

However the attack is pressed home (below).

The attack is pressed to the left (below) with Soviet regimental FOO's finally in place (can you spot him in the built up area?), bringing in an unhealthy barrage of 122mm eggs in danger close. A risky tactic which [in this case] killed more defending WG paratroopers than Soviet attackers.

With the left hand side Soviet flank battalion taking "soaking fire" but importantly shielding the centre attack from distracting hits the wood (above) is assaulted. The Soviet supported central battalion finally gets into deadly close combat where despite its losses numbers tell on the now beleaguered WG paratroopers.

Soviet success and NATO disaster looms on the Soviet right flank.

The NATO paratroopers are stubborn but are eventually overwhelmed (see above). The mathematics of defending with two companies against an attack of two battalions mean that the WG are forced to pull back as a motley gaggle of survivors. The three fresh MR battalions (out of the original six) remain and are deemed to take back and eventually clear Dinnersdorf (held only by NATO regimental support units rather than front-line infantry) well before the 'blessed' NATO relief column appears on the horizon.

Follow on Game:
This sets up an interesting follow on game with a NATO armoured column finally appearing and making an attack against a Soviet defensive bridgehead.

Forces: A WG Panzer Brigade (with the remnants of the WG paratroopers) attacking the remnants of the two Soviet MR regiments that are being reinforced by the BMP regiment and a Tank regiment (if I can paint then in time).

I think NATO/Soviet air-strikes and XX artillery may play a part too.