In this mission, half of VVS10 is put in ground vechicles as part of the ground
offensive. This is VVS10-ground launching from v47, our home base. From left
to right: Scotch, me (Brooke, as GL), Hawco, HB555 (as FL), and Rompa. We are
racing to v48 along the railroad tracks in M3's (half-track troop carriers)
at about 50 mph. (t=14:03:04)
Our strategic map of Finland. VVS10-ground is part of Army Group Center (AGC).
I am assigned to lead AGC. AGC consists of VVS10-ground (based at v47), VVS03-ground
(based at v48), and VVS09-ground (based at v35). Our objectives are to capture
v49 and then a56. VVS03-ground launches all in T-34 tanks straight at v49. VVS10-ground
and VVS09-ground launches in M3's (for travelling speed). Once at v48, if there
are enemies at 49, HB and I will stay in M3's, and others will take T-34's.
On my way, I pass under a bridge, clip a portion of it with my M3, and roll
the vehicle. Fortunately, when it's done rolling, it lands right-side up. Whew.
That was close. (It looked like there was enough room.) I continue on.
As we travel closer to 49, I see enemy aircraft coming in. It is a couple of
formations of Ju 88's and a Hurricane. I veer off the tracks and head for the
nearest clump of trees for cover, calling out on a warning on the radio. HB555
and Hawco come roaring in behind me for some cover.
By the time we make it to 49, VVS03-ground has prepared it and secured it. I
send HB in with troops while I hang back in the trees. That way, if he gets
hit by something we don't know about, I am a backup. As he travels in, some
enemy aircraft fly over, but some of our fighters are in the area and clear
it out. HB releases troops and takes the base. Good job, HB! (t=14:23)
Next, AGC rolls on to a56's map-room area. The tankers clear it out, and this
time, I release troops. This is the moment of capture, when the troops have
destroyed the map room. Steel327 and HB555 are to my left and right in T-34's.
(t=14:53:51)
AGC has accomplished its objectives of taking 49 and 56. Command now tells us
to head to 57 and join up with AGN, whose objective is to take 57 and 58. As
we get into the 57 area, I wait a while in safety (trees or inside the indestructible
hangar) for the tankers to take out all the reinforced tents and the acks. When
they call it clear and it's double checked, I move up to the map room and start
releasing my troops. I get about 4-5 of them out when I am killed by a tank
round. The above is a picture just before that moment. (t=14:57:52)
What we didn't see: a Finnish Panzer on a hill across the water from v57. He
saw me, though. It is driven by Sneffens.
Now I have a long journey back to the rest of AGN/AGC, as I have to start from
v47. On my way back to 57, I roll my M3 again! This time, I clipped a little
bit of a hill. Again, I am very lucky, as the M3 ends its rolling right-side
up. By the time I catch up, 57 is long since captured.
Now it's time for 58, but the Finns have blown the bridges from 57 to 58. At
57, I grab an LVTA2 (an amphibious vehicle with troops). Here, I splash across
a stream that is unfortunately for us too wide for the tanks and M3's to cross.
I get to a second bridge near 58 and wait there for the bridge to come back
up so that tanks can go with me. As I wait, forces that got across before the
bridge was blown capture the base.
I get an M3 at 58 and head toward 59. Here is picture of me zooming across the
bridge to 59 with the bulk of AGN/AGC close behind. From left to right: ndy,
DHawk, croduh, TG12, Mag1c, Bboop, Kermit, SKZooty, jededi, SKJohn, a couple
I can't make out, Hacksaw, and Mystic2.
I hold up along with other M3's so that the tanks can go in and clear it out.
We hang out in tree lines. When the base is ready for us, several of us come
roaring in. Schatzi is in the lead followed by Bboop (center) and me (right).
I hold up in the indestructible hangar, and Schatzi releases troops and gets
the capture at 59.
Next up is 66. Again, it's Schatzi, Bboop (left), and me (center) roaring in
in M3's. I veer off for the indestructible hangar while Schatzi and Bboop go
in for the capture. Schatzi gets the capture at 66.
Next up is 69. We fanned out to find a way across the river and found the bridge.
This is a picture of AGN/AGC crossing the bridge to 66. From front to back:
Krusty1, me, Mystic2, Hawco, and Kermit; Mato and Rompa (who can't be seen as
they are on the approach ramp); Schatzi, and Mag1c.
At 69, the tanks prepare it, but enemy fighters are circling freely above the
base, searching out the M3's. I call out the situation on the radio and ask
for help repeatedly, but our fighter forces are not near this area. The M3's
are trying their best to hide in the trees. Eventually, the enemy fighters find
and kill all M3's but one (Schatzi). Here, a Bf 109G2, after circling for a
few minutes, finally finds me and kills me. (t=16:41:52)
A picture of the Bf 109 as it shoots me. What are the odds? -- it is Sneffens.
After this, I respawn at v47, but I am very far from the northernmost action,
and the frame is almost over. However, it turns out v54 is under attack. So,
I launch in an M3, drive to 48 then 49, get into a T-34, and head toward 54.
Then I consider that an M3 is much faster and that the enemies will have destroyed
all the acks and fortified tents, so if there are aircraft or tanks to keep
them busy, I could recapture it with an M3. I turn back toward 49 to get an
M3 but notice an M3 coming toward me out of 49. I turn back around and head
to 54. Time is running out, though. About that time, AVN/AVC captured 71. I
keep driving, but I am not able to get to 54 before the end of the frame. This
sacrifices one T-34 lost (as I didn't get it to a base by the end), but 54 was
too important not to try.
I ended the frame with two deaths and one base capture. I lost my last ride (a T-34) because I didn't get back to a base in time (was trying for 54).
The ground action was very hectic, and it was fun. Hawco got two kills, HB got a kill, an assist, and a base capture, Rompa got several assists and a large number of base buildings, Scotch destroyed some base buildings. VVS10-ground lost 7 T-34's overall. In the air, GypsyB destroyed 3 VH's and had no deaths, Skech destroyed 3 VH's and had 2 deaths, Grimm destroyed three VH's and had two deaths, and Monday destroyed a VH and had no deaths. So, VVS10-air destroyed 10 VH's and lost 4 Boston formations overall. Good work, VVS10, both air and ground!
AGN/AGC did an excellent job carving out the purple path shown in the tactical map. Unfortunately, since the Finns recaptured v54, many of the captured bases will revert to Finnish control for frame 4 because of supply line rules. Still, at the end of frame 3, although the Russians will lose 56, 57, 58, 59, 66, 69, and 71 due to supply, we will get 53, 54, and 72. Also, we held 55. So, at the end of frame 3, we have two of four of the bases we need for victory.
by Brooke P. Anderson
e-mail: brooke@electraforge.com
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