Classic Squad Leader #2: The Tractor Works!

Oh yeah! Iconic Cover, here we come!

This is a direct follow on from my previous post - it just took a *lot* longer for me to continue moving forward than I thought.  No excuses... just real life stuff.  But once I got a chance to set it up, I was *salivating* to get back into it with "The Tractor Works"!  Took a while to trim the counters, also. To show my dedication, I did take them on vacation and DID manage to trim a bunch of them, altho not actually play any of the game.

For you poor unfortunate unknowing, Scenario #2 is another classic, with the Germans trying to clear out a large building "The Tractor Works" while the Russians try to relieve the German siege of said building, breaking through the perimeter the Germans have made. For this, the Russkies have a whopping 40 squads, and the Germans have only 20, but 6 are Assault Engineers with flamethrowers and demo charges!

Obviously, the building in the center is the Tractor Works.  Germans must clear and hold 2/3 of it, or 6 hexes. The real tractor works was a massive, sprawling complex bigger than most towns!

SOLO BONUS! To add some spice to my gaming, I took the role of the Engineers making the assault, and the Russkies relieving the building. Therefore their opponents, the Russkies in the building and the Germans on the perimeter, I put into stacks with Concealment Counters, made some likely selections, and then randomly deployed them.  This made it harder to know what and where everything was.  In my mind, I was the Russkie relievers and the German engineers.  Builds some suspense, eh?

This scenario features rules for Concealment, as well as flamethrowers and demo charges.  On the right and left are elements of the 389 Inf Div: the Co A Engineers and Kampfgruppe Tienham to the right and to the left Kampfgruppe Stahler under a lot of "?" Concealment Counters.  At center are the Russkie 308 Rifle Div fanatics in the Tractor Works under "?" also. The relieving Russkies from the 295th ID on the left.

My initial process to decrease total knowledge about the Concealed units worked well, so altho I had some good ideas what was where, I had to do some preliminary attacking to get the Concealment counters [?] removed. As they did so, it became clear that some of the units should fight back rather than keep the Concealed benefits.

The Engineer attack on the Tractor Works cleared two hexes and whacked several squads on the edge. Most importantly, I double-broke the 9-1 Leader, the only Sov Leader in the Tractor Works!  Now, no Sov squad could rally, and I hadn't broken through from the West yet. 

Despite this great start, I couldn't see any 'good' way to attack the cleared building hexes and avoid nasty close range fire, so I eventually compromised and did a flank attack from the north, which was initially successful. Through the Smoke, the Engineers attacked a corner in close combat, and [I thought very clever] a mobile force with a 9-2 Leader, 2 Squads and 2 LMGs occupied the North side. This left just one stack to deal with, so I felt I was eating the elephant a bite at a time.  Unfortunately, the Sovs got a good shot on the Regular Squads, and broke them all.  This put the clever flanking maneuver in doubt!

Clearly, I had to turn the heat up from the south, and managed to trash a Sov stack with an HMG, clearing an avenue of approach from the South.  To the West, the Sovs made some progress and occupied part of the T4 building and threatened the T7 building with significant numbers.  Russkie Prep Fire whittled away at the Germans who had to Rout to safety and look for a leader.

End of German Turn 3, most of the Works was in German hands, with a Berserk squad in Close Combat with the German regulars in the north, and several Broken squads to the West - these unable to rally without a Leader.  German building U2 was proving very solid, and T4 was holding out against a larger force led by the Russkie 9-1 Leader.  Shaky, but still accomplishing their mission.

In the south, building T7 wilted under 20 Firepower Factors of Russians, despite cause a few of them to Break. The Germans retreated with their only Leader farther back, hoping to rally before it was too late!

End of Russkie Turn 4. To the West, a mutual hammering resulted in U2 holding out and breaking most of the opposing Russians [at a cost].  The Sovs secured T4.

To the south The Germans successfully diverted a 10-2 leader and a few squads, which completely turn the tide, killing and Routing enough Russkies to not only hold T7, but set up an HMG to block the road completely in Row U, preventing the Russians from even attempting a relief of the Tractor Works.

In the works themselves, the Germans forced all the Broken Russkies to Rout out of the building to their doom, as there was no way to do so without crossing German lanes of fire - about 5 squads were removed this way. There being no Sovs in the building, and the relief force having no push left, This was a clear win for the Germans.

Overall, I may have been able to play the Russkies in the Tractor Works a bit better if I checked what they had under the ? counters, but the doubt was interesting and did waste several attacks by the Germas, including some 2 and 3 Morale Checks in stacks that had nothing or nearly nothing under them.  This delayed the German assault. However, I think the Tractor Works themselves need a second leader of any quality, even a 7-0, just so they can rally. Losing the 9-1 early on permanently handicapped the Russians.

As an alternative to the blind setup, I could - knowingly - place the 9-1 in the center of the building, and randomly spread the rest of the Russian stacks out, thus insuring more prolonged resistance to the German attack.

A tense, exciting game that I can't wait to play again!