Progress Report 1/12/13 The Red Barricades Project

Greetings ASL Fans;

Our January meeting of The Red Barricades Project drew four members, with me and Jim Cotugno as the Russians facing Dan Plachta and Geoff Coward as the Germans.

We resumed the action with the Russian (bottom) part of turn 3 of what is shaping up to be the bloodiest CG date yet in the campaign. The Russians made some limited counter-attacks against the Germans in the west side factories, while in the defensive fire phase Dan’s Germans consolidated their gains along the rail line buildings by shooting down 5 Russian squads who had tried to retreat towards the Bread Factory. On the east flank, Jim brought some Russian tanks down the river while consolidating his gains around the Commissar’s House.

The Germans resumed their powerful west flank assault on turn 4, repulsing the Russians in the factory. Then the Germans pushed out from the buildings along the rail line. Dan sent several 447’s forward and along the gully beside the Bread Factory. Seeing no fire, the 10-3 and his two 548’s with LMG’s moved forward, into the single open space hex in front of them. But I had a Russian HMG with a 9-2 leader HIP at first level near the Bread Factory, and I opened up with the shot I had been waiting for the entire game; 6 down 4, and I rolled a 4. The 10-3 and two Sturm squads were KIA. Dan took that loss with surprising stoicism, (I would have whined like a 3-year old.) He later said though that he was crying on the inside. . On the east flank, Geoff sent his one PZ III to engage the Russians tank attack, and succeeded in stopping it. On the bottom of turn 4 my Russians on the west flank pretty much got out of the way of the German kill stacks. On the east side, Jim moved several Russians HMG kill stacks into upper level locations in preparation for more blood-letting along the river on turn 5.

We played a total of 3 player turns, wrapping up at the start of turn 5. 9 more Russians squads died in that period, and 6 more German. Total dead after four complete game turns: 30 Russian squads and 18 German squads. Although the Russians are barely keeping ahead of the 2/1 kill ratio necessary for the Germans to win, the real story is the degradation of the German force, particularly among its leaders. They have lost the 10-3, and six -1 leaders and an 8-0, plus two 9-2’s that are wounded. The Russians have lost two 9-0 commissars, a 9-1 and an 8-0. With both ELR’s at 0 the Sturm squads have had a very bad time of it; though we’ve lot track at least 7 have dropped to 447’s.

The carnage will resume next month with German turn 5.