Jump to content

A Tale From the East Front


Recommended Posts

(Translation of the original text I wrote after a recent Quick Battle.)

From the war diary of coloner Mikhail Huzkovitz.

Year: 1943. Location: town of Vodkagrad, Russia.

***

Recon tells me, that the german forces are quickly approaching our positions. They are led by the infamous sturmhauptman Karl von Lappländer, the Scourge of Bavaria, my old nemesis.

Poor weather -- as it is a norm around here -- keeps our glorious air forces grounded. Also there is yet no sign of the platoon of T-34's I requested from the headquarters. They are probaly either stuck in the prevalent mud somewhere, or camping behind the front lines, drinking vodka. Drat!

Thus, I have to stop the onwards juggering German Juggernaut with infantry alone.

***

I've ordered my men to dig trenches in woods outside of the Town, opposite side to the german approach. Work is progressing at a brisk pace, especially after I shot a couple of the lazier comrades as a warning to the others. Soldiers of the red army are always efficient, whether they have a rifle or a shovel in their hands!

The germans will have a hell of a task attacking our well fortified positions. We have machineguns a plenty, and so much infantry, that the germans will surely run out of bullets, before we run out of men.

Extensive minefields flank the town on both sides, forcing the german panzers into the town, where my men are ready to serve them a metal rich dish of 14,5mm antitank rifle rounds, with a sideorder of the world famous molotov cocktails.

We also have several 76mm guns, which I hope, will give the german tanks a hell.

***

After an excruciating wait, I receive a report, that first german tanks have been spotted. Shortly afterwards, another report tells, that no less than THREE of the teuton warmachines are stuck in the muddy embrace of Mother Russia! Da! Da! A shot of vodka to everyone at the command post!

Our celebration is cut short, as a lone PzIV has reached the outskirts of town, and speeds forward with impunity, despite the fact that brave heroes of the red army are peppering it with antitank rifle rounds. Damn huns have been clever: their tanks have metal skirts that prove to be very effective against AT-rifle tungsten ammo!

Cocksure nazis drive forward with the "Ride of Valkyries" playing on the background. Unbeknownst to them, they are heading straight into a minefield. Soon, soon, I gloat, but what happens!? The damn panzer goes over the mines without any harm! Aargh!

At this point I also find out, that the 76mm guns are nearly as effective against tanks, as if I used foul language. No wonder they were so cheap!

Fiendish von Lappländer positions the PzIV so, that even my utterly ineffective guns can't shoot it. The tank starts pounding my hapless men into a bloody goulash with it's 75mm cannon. Not good. Not good at all.

This setback is greatly lessened, when I receive word, that Tiger IE, the pride of the german army, has also bogged down outside the town. Da! Da! Yet another shot of vodka to everyone at the command post!

Another PzIV tries to approach from the other side of town, but is not as lucky as it's predecessor. It becomes immobilized, and my proven-to-be-useless antitank rifle teams start shooting at it. Time and time again the rounds ricochet harmlessly at the side and back of the PzIV. Seems they can't even scratch the paint off the german kampfvagen!

But then: oh voe! oh grievance! Tiger's crew fetches some of those "higly effective" antitank mines, and uses them as leverage under the track.

And the Tiger gets out of the mud!

Roaring, the beastly cat heads into the town, obviously meaning to avoid further bogging and minefields. My face red, I yell at the field radio: "Destroy that damn Tiger!". Men hiding in the town leap at action: they throw molotovs, grenades, bricks and pine cones (unfortunate they aren't finns) at the onward rushing Tiger, but no avail.

The Tiger gets through the town unscathed, and joins it's 88mm gun into a deadly duetto with the PzIV. Together they manage to drive my men out of their positions. On the other hand, my machine guns and infantry do a fine job keeping the german infantry firmly inside the boundaries of the town.

One of my heroic tank hunter teams manages to sneak into a house behind the PzIV. Soon afterwards they are slaughtered by the merciless nazi troops at a nearby building. With his last gasp, private Popokov manages to throw a molotov at the PzIV, thus ending it's reign of terror. Popokov dies as a true hero of the red army! His relatives will receive a boxful of medals!

Time is running short, and von Lappländer decides to use an unfair gamey rush. He orders the Tiger move to my second strongpoint. It parks directly in front of a trench in which my men are hugging the soil of the motherland. Few shots from my pistol provide ample incentive, and two squads leap out to do battle with the steel cat. For three minutes they hack the Tiger with shovels, throw grenades and molotovs at it, and even jump up and down on the top of it. All for nothing! The fury of the sons of Rodina does nothing more, than breaks a track of the monster tank.

***

Thus the battle ended in draw. Von Lappländer's troops couldn't conquer but a single victory location, one was firmly held by me, and the third was left undecided. Would the russian braves have been able to dispose the Tiger, or would they have been shot into a bloody goulash?

The war goes on, and I will face the infamous von Lappländer again... and again... and again...

[ October 24, 2002, 12:05 AM: Message edited by: M.K.P Huusko ]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...