Bolt Action - Game Report 20

Meeting Engagement – Operation Southern Cross II 1946

Introduction

After a very slow drive from home to the BIC for the event, I arrived barely in time to start the second day. First up was another battle with a Gurkha force, this time led by Mike – who eventually won the competition!

Situation

Despite the lack of success in the initial phases of the operation to throw the British out of Iran and bring the region into Soviet influence, the Army Commander was adamant that we needed to press on. The lines had stabilised and the 1075th Rifle Regiment was now holding a tenuous line in contact with the enemy forces. Despite this the Regiment had been given the task of breaking through to allow the armoured forces to exploit. The initial objective for the Regiment was the factory complex.

Enemy Forces

The enemy forces remained British colonial troops. There was some evidence form the scouts that they had been reinforced with light armour and transport for mobility.

Friendly Forces

Capt Paskarov 4th Coy, 1075 Rifle Regt retained command despite his previous failure. He had under command Senior Lieutenant Alexey Nofkirov commanding 1st Pl, whose core troops from his platoon were in three sections made up from conscripts with no battle experience. 4th Coy was supported by a T34-85 with its tank rider squad, a scout car for recon, a ZIS-3, a sniper team, three tank hunter teams, and a battalion mortar for support. The Artillery Battalion provided an observer. Division had placed the Scout Squad under his command for the operation.

Mission

4th Coy is to destroy the enemy in front in order to punch a hole in the enemy position to allow the commitment of 2nd echelon forces.

Execution

Captain Paskarov decided to lead off with Lt Nofirov’s platoon. Their objective was to rapidly reinforce the Scout Squad that had infiltrated over night to secure the factory. His leadership skills would allow him to motivate these inexperienced troops to move quickly and achieve their objective. The armour would support with a flanking move on the left.

Battle Report

The game started with an initial bombardment. Our offensive fire was partially effective in disrupting the enemy forces. The defensive bombardment we received inflicted significant disruption on our leading troops, and the unfortunate wounding of Lt Nofkirov who was casevaced and took no further part in the battle. His inexperienced troops then remained leaderless and incapable of achieving their objective.

The Scout Squad secured the factory successfully, but they were overran by the enemy and were massacred to a man by the Gurkhas. This placed our forward deployed tank hunters in grave danger.

The enemy used their light armour very aggressively and brought it forward through the wood to engage my Zis-3 to disable it. Our armour support was late arriving and proved ineffective!

Captain Paskarov arrived to lead the troops forward. The inspiration of the SMG squad allowed the other troops to try and follow them. Despite their valiant efforts they were all massacred at knifepoint by these fierce colonial warriors.

The Scout Car with its HMG managed to outflank the light armour to attack it in the rear. But the light tank brushed away the hail of AP rounds from the HMG to survive. Only for the Squad Car to be overwhelmed by another colonial squad.

Outcome

A loss for the Soviets, a very painful and extensive loss for the Soviets. The success of the defensive initial bombardment in eliminating Nofkirov and disrupting his infantry, the loss of the Scout Squad, and the failure of the T34 to arrive until it was much too late certainly didn’t help our cause.