Guards Counter Attack-Or is the Germans?

[David Pvt. Reese Porzio]

Squad Leader scenario 1, THE GUARDS COUNTERATTACK  has been played countless times by enumerable opponents. Yet it’s allure pulls us back time and again as the scenario we all cut our proverbial squad leader teeth on. The Russians appear to be a formidable force with almost too many Guard Squads to count and a robust 10-2 leader that victory seems almost a foregone conclusion. Yet the Germans  with their penetrating and lethal MG fire covering every open street and alley manage to cut to ribbons the Russian onslaught and make it a back and forth battle that hangs in the balance with seemingly each roll of the dice. So as I enter into what is just my second SL game in lo these many decades I and my opponent Santiago take on TGCA with the vigor of our first match, eagerly awaiting the 1,2 die rolls that will seal our enemies fate. I took the side of the Wermacht while he took the Russian with plans to reverse in our next match. Here we see our initial setup. Immediately my eyes were drawn to the Russian setup in the N4 building with no forces covering the Germans across the street in the L6 building.

After an ineffectual Russian turn 1 PFPh, the German DFPh broke the 9-1 Ldr and single Squad in the J2 Hex as well as 2 of the 6-2-8 guards who were forced to rout behind the G4 building to Rally. I saw the N4 building as one that could be contested and the F5 building as one that could be reinforced by the “stack” in I7 during the GT1. Moving the 9-2 leader to the J5 building and bringing up the HMG from the M9 bldg to reinforce the L6 building. 

This is how things looked at the end of the GT1 PFPh and MPh (PF on the Guards was ineffectual).

The Russian DFPh was able to break the 9-2 leader in the J4 bldg as well as one of the squads who charged the N4 building. The German units that reinforced the F5 building withstood the DFPh and created two Beserk 6-2-8 squads with their own AFPh. The 9-2 leader and broken 4-6-7 squad routed back to the safety of the L6 building while the two German 4-6-7’s continued to contest the N4 building by entering into CC with a platoon of Russian regulars. The Germans failed in their CC roll while the Russians wisely divided their forces and eliminated 1 German squad. 

As RT2 began the Russians were able to rally the broken leader and squad and move them back to J2, while the German 9-2 Ldr rallied under DM as did the 467 squad with the help of the 8-1 Ldr. The Russian PFPh was more effective under the direction of the 10-2 leader breaking two of the 467 squads in F5 as well as two in the J4 building. The two beserk 628 squads went charging headlong into the street and withering German DF mowed down those crazy Russians eliminating the threat. No other DF was effective. 

The Russians then preceded to APh a Platoon of 628’s into the street in E5 and a platoon of 447’s into the street at C5. The Russians eliminated the last German 467 in CC but the German squad did what he came to do and took out an entire platoon of Russians with a miracle 1,2 roll. This is how things looked as we started GT2.

German PF broke two of the 628 squads in the street but failed to damage the 10-2 leader and his platoon in spite of a MC2 result on the IFT. German squads once again crossed the street to contest the N4 building given the success of the CC result and the new crack in the Russian eastern flank. Russian DF broke two more squads in F5 as the force of the 36 +3 on the IFT was too much to bear. The Germans then fell back leaving a Platoon of 467’s in the F5 building tucked in the SW corner while the Russians and Germans engage in a game of Chicken for the N5 hex as whoever attempts to take it will have to survive at least a 24+3 IFT attack.

So although the Germans are in a "defensive posture" in this scenario, I think exploiting an opportunity to counterattack when not expected has given the Fuhrer's forces the advantage.

[David Pvt. Reese Porzio]

Russian turn 3 started with the Germans in control of the F, J and N buildings. Although the grip on F and J were tenuous at best. The Russians managed to Rally the Guards and effectively break the lone German squad in J4. This opened the street between the E and F building and the Guards cam rushing across unopposed. 

The Germans tried in vain to repulse the oncoming Guards but only managed to create a Beserk unit.

The Russians now advanced their masses in their typical human wave placing massing troops on the beleaguered broken squad in J4.

The Germans defense now crumbling could do very little than break one Russian Guard squad with turn 3 prep fire as the Russians forced their way into the J building uncontested.

Russian Defensive fire continue to shatter all German resistance as they broke the only defenders left in H7.

Now it was simply a matter of time before the remaining German forces succumbed to the overwhelming number of Russian troops.

Having secured the J building the Russians turned their attention in turn 4 to crushing the decimated German ranks in the F building and retaking the N building.

The meager Germans Defensive fire was only effective at creating additional berserk Russians who could now smell blood in the water.

By the end of Russian turn 4 the outcome was no longer in doubt. Although initially caught off guard by the initial German counter strike in the N building and a misguided German attempt to bolster the J and F building defenses, the Russian Hordes once again were able to envelope and swallow seemingly whole the German defenders; spitting out their gnawed bones into the graveyard streets of Stalingrad.

Congratulations go to Santiago for his ultimate victory.