Return of Joe Vandeleur: The Relief of Kassel, Part One

To pick up where we left off in the World War III Scenario set immediately after World War Two, American counterattacks near where the Soviets broke the US defensive line have stabilized the front, while elsewhere, Soviet attacks have failed to breach other sections of the US line. The Soviets have also invaded China in support of the Communists, as well as South Korea. With the front around Kassel in a stalemate, both sides rush reserves to make more progress. On the Capitalist side, a large tank force under Joe Vandeleur, supported by elements of the 9th Armored Division are leading the attack into Soviet positions, encountering two Hero Tankovy Battalions! A small force is brought up from the rear to distract one of the battalions, while Joe's tanks engage the other one just outside Kassel. Joe's tanks, however, have outrun the infantry support. If Joe can defeat the first battalion with time to spare, the supporting infantry will be able to move in to defend the secured ground from the second battalion, allowing Joe's tanks to withdraw and await reinforcements for the final push to Kassel. If Joe's tanks are defeated, however, the Soviet spearhead will crush the infantry currently rushing to catch up to Joe, and will be able to lead a breakthrough into West Germany.

British List:

Compulsory Armoured Squadron HQ (Guards Armoured Division) (p.103) - CinC Sherman V, 2iC Sherman V (170 pts)
- 1x Sherman V (160 pts)
- Warrior Joe Vandeleur (in a Sherman) (50 pts)

Compulsory Armoured Platoon (Guards Armoured Division) (p.103) - Command Sherman V, Sherman V, 2x Firefly VC (435 pts)

Compulsory Armoured Platoon (Guards Armoured Division) (p.103) - Command Sherman V, Sherman V, 2x Firefly VC (435 pts)

Armoured Platoon (Guards Armoured Division) (p.103) - Command Sherman V, Sherman V, 2x Firefly VC (435 pts)

Anti-tank Platoon (SP), Royal Artillery (p.136) - Command M10C 17pdr SP, M10C 17pdr SP (185 pts)

Medium Battery, Royal Artillery (p.139) - Command Rifle, Staff, Command Rifle, Observer Rifle, OP Carrier, 4x BL 5.5” gun (310 pts) (Off-board)


2180 Points, 6 Platoons 

Soviet List:

Compulsory Hero Tankovy Brigada HQ (Guards) (p.39) - CinC T-34/85 obr 1944 (95 pts)

Compulsory Hero Tankovy Company (Guards) (p.39) - Command T-34/85 obr 1944, 2x T-34/85 obr 1944 (280 pts)

Compulsory Hero Tankovy Company (Guards) (p.39) - Command T-34/85 obr 1944, 2x T-34/85 obr 1944 (280 pts)

Hero Tankovy Company (Guards) (p.39) - Command T-34/85 obr 1944, 2x T-34/85 obr 1944 (280 pts)

Guards Hero Heavy Tank Company (p.52) - Command IS-2 obr 1944, 2x IS-2 obr 1944 (450 pts)

Hero Medium Assault Gun Company (Guards) (p.51) - Command SU-100, 2x SU-100 (360 pts)

Hero Sapper Company (Guards) (p.54) - Command Rifle, 6x Pioneer Rifle (155 pts)

Air Support (p.31) - Priority Il-2M Tip 3M Shturmovik (290 pts)


2190 Points, 6 Platoons  

Dispositions before the battle (White squares are objectives). The Brits have the first turn. Joe's tank is proxied with a Cromwell, and the VCs are proxied with 76mm Shermans

British Turn 1:

Company HQ moves up to face the pioneers.

 

 Joe and the rest of the force moves to the edge of town to occupy the open area on the left flank.

 

Skillful British gunnery claims all of the SU-100s, and the artillery nails a T-34/85.

 

Soviet Turn 1:
One plane shows up, and the communist armor plows ahead.

The pioneers on the Soviet right dig in. The lone plane manages to destroy a Sherman V, but otherwise, the Reds score nothing but bails.


British Turn 2
Both the M-10 and the Sherman decide to get back in. The Sherman platoon on the far right moves to secure the town.

The HQ Shermans move up to put more pressure on the pioneers.


























Lots of whiffing occurs, but two tanks of the JS-2 platoon are bailed out by fire from the Sherman Fireflies and more artillery strikes.

After suffering another loss, the 1st Tankovy Company runs from the field. The Shermans are unable to hit the pioneers, who have spent all this time hiding.

Soviet Turn 2
One plane arrives again, and the horde takes positions in the town. One T-34 bogs on a wall in the town. The JS-2s, having stayed put and remounted, concentrate their fire on the tanks in the center, and knock out another Firefly, while the plane bails a Sherman V.

JS-2s just chillin'

The redeployment of the Soviet tanks to the center pays off, and the sheer firepower manages to score a Firefly.
 

British Turn 3
Reeling from steady losses, the far right Shermans take cover in the town, and Joe moves to reinforce them.


The HQ moves into position to assault the pioneers.


The firefly in the town only manages a bail on a T-34, but the other Shermans and Joe chalk up a kill.


Yet again, the Brits cannot pass firepower, and cause another bail on the JS-2s. The T-34 platoon with the bogged tank sticks around, but the pioneers are forced to cede the objective to the Shermans in an assault.


Soviet Turn 3
The plane fails to sow, but the pioneers unpin and prepare to assault. The two bailed T-34s remount, and the one on the far right pivots to support the pioneers.

The Soviet boys in the center dispatch a Sherman and bail the last Firefly. Joe steadies the Shermans, and they decide to fight on.


The JS-2s do nothing, and the last T-34 of 3rd platoon fails to provide a much needed kill or bail to support the pioneers. The pioneers go in and make quick work of a Sherman, but suffer heavy casualties in the counterattack and are routed off the board.


British Turn 4
The Firefly in the center fails to remount, so the HQ Shermans risk their lives in a daring gamble to prevent the Shermans in the center from losing the town, and thus stop the Soviets from achieving a breakthrough to the objective.


All the firepower concentrated on the JS-2s doesn't scratch them, but the flanking Shermans manage to get a kill and a bail on the T-34s in the town, and Joe's tank lights up another.

Saved!

This forces two checks, but the Reds pass both.

Soviet Turn 4
One plane shows up, and the Soviets in the center redeploy to counter the threat from the HQ Shermans. Yes, that one guy bogged on the wall still hasn't remounted.

The plane and the flanking T-34s miss, but in a stroke of huge misfortune for the Brits, their beloved Joe is obliterated by the persistent Communist tanks. The JS-2s finally do something, and they wipe the floor with the far left Sherman platoon.



British Turn 5
The Brits capitalize on the failure of the T-34s, and the flanking game continues. The center Shermans move up (one bogs on the wall) and the Firefly remounts.
 

With Joe dead and most of the Company strength gone, the situation seems rather hopeless for the disheartened Brits. But then...


All but one T-34/85 remains operational in the center, after a scathing round of British shooting. The Soviet Battalion Commander is among the dead, and the Communists are now below half strength, forcing them to withdraw.

As the Brits mourn the loss of their hero, a shady figure limps out of one of the tanks in the center, revealing himself to be the one and only Joe Vandeleur, having survived by the skin of his pants. The victorious British tankers are ordered to withdraw for time to rest and refit, while a company of armored rifles comes to take their place and hold the town against the imminent assault of the 2nd Soviet Battalion. Will the Soviets finally earn a resounding victory and crush the remnants of Joe's tanks while they are unprepared, paving the way for the Soviets into West Germany, or will the Armored Rifles hold back the Communist tide? Find out later this week, in The Relief of Kassel: Part Two!