Just when things look like they are going my way.....

With the Soviet opposition begining to fade, its time to start advancing again.

My personal leader along with a rifle section and LMG team will hold the woods by wrecked half-track while the still mobile parts of my force north of farm (E) and flanks it. An 8-1 leader, rifle section and LMG team in woods (L) will provide a fixed firebase to combat any enemy infantry that pop up to harass this advance.

The situation at 12:10 PM

So, with a plan in place, things get rolling. And as it always seems to happen, things start to go wrong......

As I was pounding farm (E) engaging the soviet infantry there with my personal leader and my mobile units advancing down the road to the North, a 45mm AT gun activates in the eastern woods bordering field (M).  Considering the state of this German early war armor, a 45 AT is enough to do some damage if it can hit.

The plan starts to go wrong.....

Luckily, my attack has not progressed too far out on that flank, and my tanks and APC withdraw behind the western woods bordering field (M). Let the mortar and infantry in woods (L) take out that gun !

Unfortunately, Soviet infantry begins to filter forward (event of "infiltration" which refreshes some of the areas already free of "?" markers), while an HMG appears in woods (J), an ATR and some rifles begin moving forward from farm (E) and a BA-6 armored car and a BT-7 tank activate on the far edge of the board, south of field (K). Things are heating up again- even before my advance get get underway again.

Time is my biggest enemy at the moment- I have to clear the board in 30 minutes to win this scenario and I am over 1/3 of the way there.....

My infantry in (L) which was trying to pound the AT gun in woods (J) is brought under long distance fire from the BA-6. Luckily, the soviets don't hit too well, but being unable to respond, that half-squad skulks back out of any effective Line of Sight. My mortar starts scoring hits on the AT gun, immobilizing it and killing one of the crew and pinning the survivors.

But the Soviets are not just passively sitting and firing back. The BT-7 begins to head towards Farm (E), while soviet riflemen help to re-crew the AT. Also, an ATR and some infantry has skulked forward opposite my personal squad east of field (F) to get some long range side/rear shots on my armor that is working west of farm to engage the BA-6 and (now re-crewed) AT gun.

The scene at 12:15 PM. Ignore the battlefield debris of my intiative cards, figures and my 30 sided die (used for extra damage determination !)

The soviets start getting the card draws and the ATR begins pounding my Mark III in field (F) which has immobilized the BA-6.  The BT-7 holds back, thankfully due to being radiolessness (radioless AFV may not recover from a move as fast as ones that have radios). But the fire from my personal leader is slackening, as my troops in the woods are getting dinged (pinned) from all the fire coming at them from farm (E). The Pz III is under threat of close combat as well as being hurt by that measly ATR !

The Pz II, seeing the Pz III under duress takes action and charges the ATR and panics the infantry section there. Unfortunately, the ATR team passes with flying colors and promptly scores a critical hit (damn snake eyes !) which knocks it out. The crew bails, and the Soviets in farm (E) attempt to close with them to wipe them out.

My personal leader is just "getting his shit together" (a.k.a rallying) from all the fire he was taking that is now redirected in an advance toward the hapless Pz II crew and the Pz III in the field. But the Pz III attempts to overrun the Soviet infantry, pinning driving them back but its too late for the Mk II crew- they are cut down in a flurry of entrenching tools and rifle butts.....

The Pz II burns merrily while the Pz III engages the Soviet infantry

But all is not bad- the AT gun is finally knocked out and my Mk IV comes forward to engage the BT-7 which had begun to engage my infantry in the western woods bordering field (M). The half squad that skulked away in woods (L) loads up on the halftrack and heads toward the Pz IV to lend support against the infantry that is still in woods (J) and the remnants fleeing from farm (E).

In the ensuing exchange of fire the BT-7 promptly breaks its 45mm main gun. Failing its gut-check test, it heads off the field to the East as fast as it can. The BA-6 is finally knocked out, but in the process the farthest ? marker (in field (K)) turns out to be another gun- this time a 76.2mm Infantry gun and not the AT gun thankfully.

My MK III begins taking it under HE fire, while I begin my advance toward finally clearing farm (E) which is now empty of Soviets thanks to my Pz III's aggressive maneuver.

There's some infantry north of the farm (in woods C and J, a MMG in woods (J) and a 76.2mm infantry gun in field (K). The only part of the board that has ? markers is woods (G) and field (H).

The Situation before 12:20 PM and the clearing of farm (E)

With only 10 minutes to go and only 1 area I have to activate (if I can clear the road from West to East I win the scenario) I am confident that I can bring this one to a successful conclusion.