The Counterattack, summer 1944 Russian Front game was hosted by Bill Frye. This is a recreation of the action and this account is illustrative of aspects of the Panzer^® Miniatures Rules. 
 
Situation
 
You were a Veteran of Poland, and of France ’40 and your Panzer Units cut a swathe across Russia. In your heart you know the war is over, but today you have been given the Mission to take this crossroad. It is time to feel Glory again!

German Oberst Utz 
 
I ordered 11 Company forward with support from our assault guns and older tanks. They would cross the ford our scouts found during the night. The infantry had moved ahead of the carriers by several hundred meters and were now even hiding in the tree line preparing to cross. Once across the river the troop carriers would move up and collect 11 Company and follow behind the advance of the armor to take our objective, a momentarily important crossroads.

To support the attack I stationed a platoon of Panthers on a small rise. They were tasked with segmenting the battlefield by gunnery. The platoon was the same one that I commanded when I was a young Leutnant first assigned to the division. The machines had changed throughout the years. I had commanded Panzer II/F tanks during the invasion of France and Panzer III tanks during the early fighting in Russia. As usual, these magnificent machines came too late to make a difference, but maybe today that would at least influence the outcome.

I ordered the attack forward. The scouts signaled that the ford was clear to cross and 11 Company and its support forged across the river. The scouts were the best we had but they missed the enemy tanks in the thicket of woods 500 meters ahead. We started losing vehicles. I ordered 11 Company to close assault the Russians.

Soviet Colonel Ustov

I had just arrived in the area when the report of cannon fire echoed across the battlefield. The first reports were that a single platoon of T-34 tanks that had caught the Germans crossing the river and emerging into an exposed position where they were being engaged. I ordered the heavy tanks to continue along the road to the village ahead and ordered my remaining forces to move to engage the enemy attack on its flank.

After issuing my orders I called the commander of the engaged platoon to get a situation report. He said that the Germans were across the river in force and moving on his position with infantry and armor. So far he had lost one vehicle… that is when his message ended. I could see another fireball erupt and knew what had happened. I moved my command vehicle after the tanks I sent to flank the German attack.

Oberst Utz

I listened to the radio chatter as 11 Company closed on the enemy vehicles. Only one enemy machine was left and it was not likely to last long with the fire that the supporting assault guns were pouring into its area. I heard the order for the second platoon to close assault the tree line and clear it out. The intensity of gun reports increased. Word came that the leading squad was entering the tree line.

An enormous surge in the number of cannon cracks and machinegun fire occurred. The enemy had maneuvered a large force of tanks on the flank of our attack. In a few minutes of action 11 Company was devastated.


Colonel Ustov
 
Our counterattack turned back the German advance. If we had been a few minutes later we would have been the ones caught advancing into a killing field. Such is the way of war.

I heard a radio report from the IS-2 heavy tanks and the accompanying tank riders that they had reached the objective unopposed. Point blank fire from those monstrous war machines would hold off any attempt to retake the crossroads.