Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 9:42 am Post subject: The Assault on Brest-Litovsk Fort, June 22, 1944
This one is a medium battle covering the Brest-Litovsk area on 22 June 1944, aka Siege of Brest-Litovsk. The battle saw many urban fighting, river crossing, and one of the most terrible artillery shelling (not barrage, note!) I've ever witnessed.
Ok, let's start. In this one-off battle I take the German side whilst my adversary is of course, the Rote Armee, the Soviets.
Most of the map consisted of many open steppes on the western side with some wooded area. River Bug crossing through the NW
to the SE and spread to three branches. The map is relatively flat. The Brest-Litovsk city I was going to exploit is divided
by three parts: The Western Island, Northern Island, and the Citadel (Fort). To get through the Western Island, we need to
cross one single bridge over the river. And to get over the Northern Island, we need to first cross the river to the area
just west of the northern island, then cross again another "child river" to get to the inner Northern Island, so there will
be two river battle. The whole city of Brest-Litovsk is crowded with stone buildings, except at the Western Island where
there's some open and wooded spaces on the northern part. As for the fort (Citadel), it is separated from the West island but
connected by a bridge.
--------------------
THE PLAN: ++
--------------------
Ok, let's get to the General's tabletop. Just as the overall terrain suggested, there must be first river crossing phase,
then, breakthrough, and the last, urban warfare inside the city itself. As the city is divided by two, there'll also be force
diverging. I divide my force into two sectors; the northern sector (for the North Island) and the southern sector (for the
western Island) so don't expect a cohessive force. My fortune here is that all my infantry forces are equipped with small
Stormboot (inflatable assault boat), and beside that, I have superior artillery and air support over the Russkys. The entire
plan is as follows:
Northern sector forces: B Platoon, M Platoon, L4 squad from K company, X Company (Y platoon and AA platoon (as reserve)).
Southern sector forces: K company (L & N platoon), platoon V & W from A company, and Z platoon from X company as reserve.
As for southern sector, I'm going to plot heavy arty and air strike mission on the russian's bridgehead. Then position the V
& W platoon to the building on my bridgehead to cover the K, L, and N platoon advancing through the bridge. Once K, L, and N
platoon reached the other side of the river, they'll have to establish a foothold and defend it until the V & W platoon cross
the bridge. Once I have put the entire infantry forces on the bridgehead, then a breakout is launched. For the ensuing
advance, the L and W platoon will have to scourge the central road and be the main axis of advance. K and V platoon advance
north from the bridgehead to capture Victory Locations on the north and establish a firing position to cover the second river
crossing by the northern sector. The N platoon is going to advance behind L & W Platoon then turn south to capture VL there
and to advance via the road behind the soviet line to capture more VL. To keep the momentum in advancing throuh the southern
sector is of great improtance.
For the northern sector, there would be small arty strike on the russkys' bridgehead. The advance will be lead by B platoon
whilst M platoon give covering fire. Once there, B should create a foothold and then M platoon advance followed by X company.
All of them will have to make a breakout; the X company should advance northward to capture high ground and prepare for
bridge crossing into North Island, while B and M platoon are going to advance along the river and prepare for a river
crossing via sturmboot into north island. If the B n M platoon successfully crossed the river under the covering fire from K,
V platoon and X company, then they'll have to strike northward to catch the northern bridge's defenders unprepared (and to
create a foothold on the other side of the river, so that X company could advance savely). Once the entire force on northern
sector savely landed on North island, they'll go inland and create havoc to the ill defended city. Commitment to coordination
and advance is the key in succeeding northern sector.
--------------------
THE BATTLE: ++
--------------------
The battle opened by a "horrible" artillery and air support shelling to the southern sector just east of the bridge. My 15 cm
schwereFeldHaubitze 18 really crushed the soviet's defending position, from house to house, street to street, pillbox to
pillbox. Some Ju-88 Junker and Ju-87 stukas dropped their ordnance quite unprecisely, some dropped near the assembly area of
V platoon, but they do really creating horrible damage to the city. I wonder if the russkys are crying and moaning for their
mother, father, whatsoever. While the bombardment took place, I moved V and W Platoon toward the building just west of the
bridge while the K and L platoon advancing. This one is quite unfortunate as one russky pillbox opened fire toward the
advancing platoon, they got suppressed. The river crossing is just so horrible that the building west of the bridge became a
"meat-show" for the soviets. Hundreds of soldiers huddled in one small place. The V and W platoon keep giving covering fire
toward the pillboxes accross the river. This show on the west bank cause some casualty to the platoons. They got themselves
pinned down by a single pillbox just straightforward the eye. After some pending on the assault (and for the arty to quit),
the K and L platoon finally advanced, only to get cut by another pillbox on the south. The platoon leader ordered a massive
smoke cover to break the pillbox LOS. Finally the K platoon reached the first straightforward pillbox and give suppressing
fire from the rear and side of it whilst the V, w, and N platoon advancing.
The northern sector advance was little unfortunate. After a little bit artillery shelling, I advance the assaulting platoon.
The B platoon come under Maxim HMGs fire all accross the river, on the building north of the river. There were heavy
casualties on the advancing platoon. All of a sudden, two soviet BA-6 appeared. One was KOd by 37mm PaK and sunk in the mud
while the other appeared from the smoke on the center of the bridge and killed high number of troops attempting to assault
the bridgehead. The B platoon was undoubtedly overwhelmed. Most were killed while the other dispersed. The crossfire from the
HMGs were so heavy that once you got your head up, say good bye. The entire northern sector come to a halt. Not even crossing
the river yet! I noticed that the crossfire also comes from a pillbox somewhere on the southern sector. I realized the
situation will only got worse if i still attempting my troops to cross the bridge. Finally, I gave the order for the entire
northern sector to cross the river via sturmboot. I use the shadow of the bridge to cover my crossing, my troops advance from
the left side. The initial amphibious assault was a success, and some of the men already on the other bank of the river
despite some small fire from HMGs. But upon the 5th landing, the HMGs seemed to increase the rate of fire that 2 assault
boats were drowned. But the rest of the northern sector forces landed savely eventually.
Back to the southern sector, the entire forces were now huddling together again in a small crossroad. I have taken the
initiative to advance though the artillery was still raining. The straightforward pillbox was still raining MG bullets over
the forces on the previous bridgehead, so the L2 squad commanded by Petersbach (forgot his rank) take the initiative to
demolish this rubbish stone building using a handful of Sprengladung. The southern sector was just being halted by three
soviet rifle squads. But suddenly two soviet T-26 appeared on the central road and spread havoc to the sector. The southern
sector come to a halt. The whole soldiers fired at two T-26 but unable to get close to demolish them because the constant MG
fire from both the tanks and the riflemen. I called for the arty strike to come and hit the T-26 hoping that atleast their
crew demoralized and leaping out. But the arty seemed to be blind and my two soldiers got killed, a shameful death on the
gate of Operation Barbarossa. Fortunately one of the arty hit one T-26 and their demolished crew bailed out in terror. Now
there's only one T-26, buttoned. The brave men from N2 squad got close under covering fire by L platoon and one private threw
a GeballteLadung which finally wrecked the entire armor: A breakthrough achieved. I now noticed that there's real difference
in plotting the arty using Forward Observer unit with LOS, and the other command team out of LOS.
As the entire northern sector forces were already off the river, I managed to secure the other end of the bridge from soviet
Maxim HMGs. After a small firefight against these "satan" HMGs, I can be able to secure the area using X company mainly. Now
my forces trudging through the destroyed soviet buildings to capture a VL just inside a large stone building (maybe this is
Communist HQ Office, heh). I deployed B and M platoon to scour the southern area and X company to go to the building and
capture the VL. As the X company marched eastward, one of its squad, the "Y0", suddenly fired upon by a strongpoint building
ahead. "Y0" has been so foolish to march through the road; they're just too exposed. Much of the men were killed and as a
last resort of effort, they cover their retreat using some smoke grenades. The B and M platoon soon took the job of
destroying this annoying building. They crept the garden just south of the strongpoint and took an assault attack toward it.
It finally destroyed though some men were killed and wounded in this action. The X company advance on the northern part was
much halted by another HMGs firing from the office's windows. The "X0" squad, the HQ squad of X company had been so foolish
to step on open field just to get cut to ribbon by those soviets. The rest gave quick response by pouring hot bullets to the
windows as a suppressing fire followed by some two squads moving forward to get some defensive position. These two squads too
been trapped in a fire building while being attacked by a squad of soviet riflemen just inside the office building. The fire
building really got them demoralized; one of the soldiers even cried "I'll never get to this hell anymore!" but some brave
men from these squads still managed to kill those soviet belligerents, and they did it! The "X0" squad was so much destroyed
that it can't take part significantly on the battlefield anymore. After a hard and horrible firefight against the HMGs inside
the office, finally they can move again; those HMGs routed in terror. And it's just a matter of time before the northern
sector captured the VL inside this Commies HQ office.
Back to southern sector again, after a brave action from "N2" squad to demolish the T-26, it is now time for L,W, and N
platoon advancing through the main axis of advance. They're advancing under the "cover" of the still-raining artillery (yes,
it mean really cover:using blind arty strike just 50 meters ahead, the chance of friendly arty incoming was high). I was
hesitating to cancel the arty mission 'coz i thought the shelling would really help bail the soviets out of the building. As
a consequences of this, another 2 men were killed, this time from the L Platoon. The advance for the southern sector was so
slow. But, fortunately, phew, the promised reinforcement of 3 StuGIII finally arrived though some cannon fire from a pillbox
200 metres away while crossing the bridge. This reinforcement was really helpful on such a heavy front like this. The lead
squads on the front were fighting their way forward against 3 soviet rifle squads. Upon the StuGs' presence this could be
neutralized quickly (the soviets were throwing F1 grenade against these "Bull", what a vain effort!). These bull were really
a helping hand. But their role wasn't long lasting in such a heavy urban warfare. As they moved forward, suddenly another
T-26 (but this time another version, probably T-26 1937) already dug in, attacked and destroyed two of them, all so sudden!
This is really my mistake 'coz I advance them all by themselves, without inf. support. But fortune was on the last StuGIII,
he didn't get any damage. I soon ordered the forward infantry inside a building to give suppressing fire against this soviet
"hulk". And finally the last StuG can revenge his toasted comrades throuh the 3rd shots (1st and 2nd shots were missed,
porbably 'coz the gunner was so shocked and terrified). And the advance went on. At this time, most of my forces on the
southern sector occupied buildings on the left side of the road, while the soviets on the right. The forces involved in main
axis of advance were so stretched from the forward position to the rear position.
The northern sector continued to advance. After the fall of the strongpoint and the defenders at Commies HQ, these platoons
were able to secure the VL and get readied for another river crossing to the North Island. As planned, the B and M platoon
positioned themselves at the buildings just on the riverbank to get cross the river. But under all expectation, the soviet
have massed all their forces on the other side of the river and the entire sector got stucked. All they need right now was
the promised support unit consisted of 1 StuGIII, 1 sIG (schwere Infanterie Geschuetz), and 2 PanzerAbwehrKanone (PaK). The
arrival of these unit was so critical regarding the situation on the front being stalled by Soviet Infantrymen. Once these
armor could arrive, the forward position can possibly create another breakthrough. But, luck wasn't on their side. These
vehicles never arrived due to the previous bridge on the west was still being defended by 2 pillboxes 1 km away (on the
southern sector), these annoying structure couldn't be destroyed till platoon K and V arrived. They (K and V) soon take a
position to give suppressing fire for the ongoing river crossing by B and M platoon. These platoon (K and V) had been little
resisted by the Red Army on the road to this ridge position, though some AAMG and snipers gave casualties to them. Now, this
is the only cohessive part of the entire forces; southern sector helping northern sector via suppressing fire. But,
unfortunately, the entire northern sector came to a halt. I managed to cross some unit through the southernmost of this part
of the river using sturmboot, but what I didn't expected that they're too on the firing range of the defending soviet forces
on the riverside, and they got destroyed suddenly, just like a turkeyshoot. The only surviving support unit for the northern
sector were the PaK. They positioned themselves at the high ground captured by X company, but unfortunately one russian T-18,
coming from nowhere, knocked one of them before the T-18 itself was destroyed by the rest of the PaK.
The entire northern sector was really come to a halt. The overall northern sector operation was just marked by small
firefight, some counter sniper fire, etc. It's all come to stop. No river crossing.
Now, it's better to look for the southern sector. After the outstretched position advanced slowly to gain some more
buildings, then suddenly, all of a sudden, a massive soviet counterattack launched on the flank of this position. The
outstrethced forces suddenly overwhelmed, most of the entire front collapsed, main axis of advance stopped. Moreover, the
now-used reserve platoon, the Z platoon, were being bombarded by enemy 50mm mortar from the wooded are north. They were
pinned down, suppressed. Even, some of them were fleeing to re-cross the bridge. Soon I ordered all sector to be in position
of defence till reinforcement could arrive. What I mean reinforcement here is the men from K and V platoon on the north, and
the now-coming AC company PanzerGrenadiere Grupp. I also called for another arty strike, a more massive one, plotted on the
soviet side (right side of the road), this one would last till the time's up.
Until some time after defending long enough, the intended support from K and V platoon arrived, as they sweeped southward to
destroy some mortar position on the woods. Another support from PZGren Grupp also arrived crossing the river south of the
city instead of crossing the bridge. As the AC Company advanced northward, the intended arty strike was coming. It really
hamper the "great-looking" Soviet Counterattack. The entire soviet counterattack forces were drawing. But, unfortunate for
them, as they pull eastward, my AC company already waited for them to be chewed up. Finally, the support forces from K and V
platoon trudged forward to take another VL.
I managed to counterstrike the soviet assault to achieve the gate to the citadel, but unfortunately, the time is up. It's
been a great urban fighting. I've never played such a massive battle with river crossings, urban warfare, and arty barrage.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum You cannot attach files in this forum You can download files in this forum
In August of 2004, Zappi, Homba, Bambam887, RedScorpion and MOOXE all pitched
in to create this Close Combat site. I would to thank all the people who have visited
and found this site to thier liking. I hope you had time to check out some
of the great Close Combat mods and our forums. I'd also like to thank
all the members of our volunteer staff that have helped over
the years, and all our users that contributed to this site!
. Commanding subordinate squads.
