The “Monster” – A Crossfire Scenario

A Crossfire scenario based on a Scenario in the iPad version of Battle Academy 2: Eastern Front. It is 1941 and an isolated KV-2, the “Monster”, is preventing vital supplies reaching the advancing German panzers.

KV-2 "Monster" Front
KV-2 “Monster” Front


Mission

Setting: Eastern Front; June 1941

It is June 1941 and a Soviet force has broken through into the rear of advancing German columns. A KV-2, the “Monster”, is blocking a supply road and preventing vital supplies reaching the panzers at the front.


Map/Terrain

The table is long and thin (8′ x 3′) with the Germans advancing down the length of the table.

Table for Monster Scenario
Table for Monster Scenario

Key features are:

  • A village where the “Monster” lurks
  • Woods, rough ground
  • A windy road. The map deliberately shows the road with sharp corners to highlight the number of bends and straights road segments. There are 16 bends and 17 road segments from the western to eastern table edge. For a speed 2 truck that is a minimum of 9 German initiatives to traverse the table.
  • Three sectors in the Russian deployment area (Village, Forest, Junction) and the Clearing sector to the west.

Pre-game preparation

Soviets deploy hidden.


Russian Player (Defending)

Objective

Prevent the German supply convoy crossing the board.

Forces Available

Defender Order of Battle

  • Deployed in the Village sector
    • 1 x Rifle Platoon:
      • 1 x PC (+1/0)1
      • 3 x Rifle Squads
      • 1 x Rifle Squad with ATR
      • 1 x HMG
    • 1 x Combat Engineer Squad2
    • 1 x KV-2 the “Monster”
  • Deployed in the Forest sector
    • 1 x Rifle Platoon:
      • 1 x PC (+1/0)1
      • 3 x Rifle Squads
      • 1 x Rifle Squad with ATR
      • 1 x HMG
    • 1 x Combat Engineer Squad2
    • 1 x on-table 50 mm Mortar (12 FM)
    • 1 x 45mm Anti-tank gun
  • Deployed in the Junction sector
    • 1 x CC (+1)
    • 1 x Rifle Platoon:
      • 1 x PC (+1/0)1
      • 3 x Rifle Squads
      • 1 x Rifle Squad with ATR
      • 1 x HMG
    • 2 x T-26
  • Entrenchments 3
  • Command & Control: Poor2
  • Morale: Regular

Notes:
(1) Russian PCs get +1 for close combat but not for rallying.
(2) The combat engineers have Good Command & Control so can move around without a PC.
(3) The Soviets can deploy any infantry (PC, Rifle Squad, HMG, ATG, Mortar) initially deployed in the open inside an entrenchment. Other troops cannot have entrenchments.

Deployment

Deploys first, hidden, east of line A-A. Different elements are deployed in each of the sectors (Village, Forest, Junction).

The KV-2 (“Monster”) must deploy in the Village Sector and east of the objective within the sector.

Reinforcements

Although all Soviet forces start on table, they activate incrementally by sector (Village, Forest, Junction). All Soviet stands within a sector immediately activate once any friendly stand within the same sector gets LOS to any German stand. Effectively Soviet stands are immobile until the troops in a particular sector have spotted Germans.


German Player (Attacking)

Begins scenario with initiative.

Objective

Open the road and get the convoy across the table.

Forces Available

Attacker Order of Battle

  • 1 x Weak Rifle Company
    • 1 x CC (+2)
    • 2 x HMG
    • 1 x on-table 50 mm Mortar (12 FM)
    • 1 x Rifle Platoons: PC (+2); 3 x Rifle Squads; one Squad has an anti-tank rifle
    • 1 x Rifle Platoons: PC (+1); 3 x Rifle Squads; one Squad has an anti-tank rifle
  • 2 x 37mm Pak 35/36 with tow
  • 1 x FO for off-table 75 mm Infantry Gun (12 FM)
  • 1 x SdKfz 221 Armoured Car (MG)
  • Command & Control: Good
  • Morale: Regular

Deployment

On the first initiative, start arriving on the western table edge:

  • If no Soviets have been spotted so far, enter at the point where the road enters the table
  • If any Soviets have been spotted, enter anywhere on the western table edge.

If they wish, the German player can hold initial troops off table. This means they can send troops on table to find the Soviets, and then commit the rest with the benefit of arriving anywhere on the western table edge.

Reinforcements

The Germans get three sets of reinforcements: Pak 38, 88mm Flak and Convoy. All German reinforcements arrive anywhere on the western table edge.

Reinforcement 0900: 50mm Pak 38

At 0900 hours, at the start of the German initiative, the Germans get their first reinforcements.

Reinforcement 0900
  • 2 x 50mm Pak 38 with tow
  • 1 x Rifle Platoon: PC (+1); 3 x Rifle Squads; one Squad has an anti-tank rifle

Reinforcement 1000: 88mm Flak

At 1000 hours, at the start of the German initiative, the Germans get more serious anti-tank capability.

Reinforcement 1000
  • 1 x 88mm Flak with tow
  • 1 x Combat Engineer

Reinforcement 1030: Convoy

At 1030 hours, at the start of the German initiative, the German convoy arrives on table. They have four hours to get across the table.

Reinforcement 1030
  • 5 x Supply trucks

Victory Conditions

The game begins at 0800 hours and ends at 1430 hours.

The Germans get victory points (VP) for capturing the road and exiting the supply convoy.

+1 VP for control of each Soviet sector of the road (up to 3 i.e. Village, forest and Junction)
+1 VP for each supply truck exited via the road off the eastern table edge (up to 5)

There are three terrain objective flags on the road, one each in the Village, Forest and Junction sectors. Capturing a flag symbolises control of the road in that sector. A player controls a segment of the road containing an objective flag if their stand occupies the segment or was the last to occupy it, and the segment is/was not physically contested by the enemy. Note: Of the 17 road segments on the table, only three have objective flags.

At 1030 hours, the German supply convoy arrives on the western table edge with five vehicles. Each supply truck that exits the eastern table edge gives a victory point to the Germans.

The Germans can score between 0 and 8 VP. They need 5 VP to win. That would be capturing the three road sectors and exiting two trucks or exiting five trucks even if the road closes behind them. Or anything in between.


Scenario Special Rules

  • HTD Special Rule 4: The Moving Clock is in use. The Scenario begins at 0800 hours and ends 1430 hours. The clock advances 30 minutes on 5+ at the end of each defender initiative.
  • The “Monster” is at risk of throwing a track and become permanently immobilised. Each move action throw 1d6: on a 3+ the tank is immobilised for the rest of the game. Throwing a track loses the initiative. When immobilised the turret can still rotate and the vehicle can still fire.
  • A vehicle driving down the road is not blocked by terrain that it partially crosses. Vehicles off road cannot enter buildings, woods, or rough ground. No squeezing between features either; even if the vehicle is partially in terrain then it is blocked. This includes the Monster, T26s, German tows, German supply trucks, everything.
  • Special anti-tanks rules
    • Light guns (50mm or less) are more manoeuvrable than heavier guns. Light guns can performn two types of action per initiative: manual move, towed move, limber, unlimber, or fire. So, for example, a light gun would limber, then take two towed move actions, in the same initiative. This would not be possible for a heavier gun.
    • German Paks of the same type can form a “fire group”, e.g the two 37 mm Pak35/36 can shoot together if within a stand width. Similarly for the two 50 mm Pak38. These weapons can also group move together.
  • German supply trucks:
    • Supply Trucks move speed 2 on road and speed 1 off road.
    • Supply Trucks can group move on the road. This rule means only the lead vehicle is limited by the bends in the road hence the column as a whole can move faster. The front of the column is the group move leader. Following vehicles in the column must be within 1 stand side of the vehicle immediately ahead to group move. All vehicles in the group move must be on the road for the entire move action. The group move leader makes a normal Crossfire move action along the road (pivot plus move straight ahead). Following vehicles are assume to following slavishly and end up in the same formation and one stand width from the vehicle in front. If any vehicle is stopped by reactive fire, then all following vehicle halt their movement early as well, one stand width from the vehicle in front, as normal.
    • Soviets shoot at a supply truck as at infantry. It can be PINNED, SUPPRESSED or KILLED.

Weapon stats

Type When ARM ACC PEN MG HE/EFF Smoke HD Spd CC Comment
Anti-Tank Rifle -1 -3 0
45 mm ATG +1 -1 1/1 1 -2
KV-2 5/3 0 +1 4 5/3 No 1 +3 Traverse slow or impossible
T26 2/1 -1 -2 4 2/1 Yes 2 +3 2 man turret
SdKfz 221 Armoured Car 1/1 3 Yes 3 +3 Recon. Poor off road
37 mm Pak35/36 +1 -3 1/1 1 -2
50 mm Pak38 +1 -1 2/1 1 -2
88 mm Flak +1 +2 5/2 4 -2

Notes

None.


References

Battle Academy 2: Eastern Front

3 thoughts on “The “Monster” – A Crossfire Scenario”

  1. This is great – now I have to figure out how to modify it for my US/German/Japanese/Korean War kit. In reading the special rules I get the impression that the Russians can win by blocking the road in the town with “The Monster”. Unless there is enough room between road and buildings for vehicles to pass through. Am I missing something?
    DIck Bryant

    Reply
    • The Russians could block the road with the Monster when it is alive but not once knocked out. In terms of alive/dead, I play vehicles in CF exactly like infantry. So they disappear when killed. Admittedly I leave the smoking vehicle on table for aesthetics but it has no game effect.

      So the Germans clear the road by killing the Monster.

      Reply

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