The Bridge
1/5/46
Relations between the western allies and the Soviet Union have broken down. the Allies feeling secure behind their nuclear umbrella were completely taken by surprise as the Soviets streamed across the Inner German Border. Allied forces sadly depleted after the end of WW2 reel back in retreat. The Soviets make big sweeping encirclements of Allied Forces
In one such move the pocket is about to close on the Americans. There is only one bridge to freedom and the depleted US forces are desperate to keep it open to allow as many units to escape as possible. The Soviets need one last push to secure the encirclement of thousands of US troops
Order of Battle and Map
Terrain
Table as seen from the Russian (South) end. The US forces have been deployed
The main river is impassible except at the road bridge. However it has nice gentle banks allowing for the ingress and egress from the water with ease. There is no cover on the banks except where there is foliage which grows intermittently along the sides which is light cover
Steams are obstacles: they take 1/2 move at hasty advance to cross or a full move at cautious advance for tracked vehicles and personnel. Wheeled vehicles take an entire hasty advance. Banks provide cover +2 for personnel stands from direct fire only
The Brown lines are 10m contours. The dotted brown line denotes the hill crest. The table basically has a ridge running the length of it, there is a cross section on the map to allow it to be visualised.
Buildings are stone (-3 cover). Each gray square is a CD BUA template
Hedgerows break LOS
All woods are open.
Roads are tarmac. They are blocked in several places by burning wrecks (prohibiting the use of the road bonus on them)
Deployment
US Forces may be deployed anywhere where there is no LOS to the Russian (southern) table edge. Trucks and AFV's from the roster enter along a random road to the east table edge. If there is enemy within LOS of the allocated road they may swap to another chosen road. They enter that road on the next turn they roll a 4+ on a d10
All US personnel. stands start dug in in camouflaged entrenchments (ie they are spotted as if in cover)
USSR forces enter anywhere along the southern table edge from turn 1
3rd infantry Battalion of the 667th Infantry regiment is a reinforcement. Turn 4 it arrives on a 6 (d6). On turn 4 and a 4-6 and each turn thereafter on a 2-6.
1007th Guards Tank Regiment is a reinforcement. Turn 6 it arrives on a 6 (d6). On turn 7 and a 4-6 and each turn thereafter on a 2-6.
Truck Roster
Truck roster – roll at the start of every turn on a 4-6 a convoy enters the board and heads for the bridge. Roll 1d10
1-3) 3 Trucks
4-6) 2 Trucks
7) 2 Trucks and a M24 Chaffee
8) M24 Chaffee
9) M40
10) M26 Pershing and 1 Truck with 155mm M40 Shells
1-6 may repeat as often as they are rolled, 7-10 may only be rolled once – if rolled again only the trucks (if any) enter
Special Rules
The game is 15 turns long
Stands from the truck roster are fleeing towards the bridge. They will move without orders by the quickest route to the bridge and then off the table consummate with not coming in LOS of any Soviet stand. AFV's from the roster will not fight without some unit taking command of them (MP stand does not count). Vehicles entering the board do so in convoy. The convoy enters the board and the first moves on half the move distance of the slowest vehicle, the other vehicles are lined up behind the first. order is US player's choice.
The US MP stand may halt units from the roster on the road
The US MP stand may give orders to any stand from the roster (but no others); as long as it is not subordinate to another on table commander and as long as the MP is on or adjacent to the road. The MP may only give movement orders. The MP does not have to issue take commands to do this.
The M40 is only allowed two shots (one HE and one AP) unless reloaded by an Ammo truck. The ammo truck only has HE. The M40 cannot perform IDF. No stand can take command of the ammo truck of give it orders unless the M40 is already subordinate to an on table command stand
Seeps in the water do 5" move (cautious advance)
Bridges can not take the weight of the T28
Victory Conditions
The Soviets automatically lose if they do not have a stand in good, pinned or better, on the main road bridge at the end of turn 15. Otherwise they win by preventing the US making their victory conditions
Collapsing the road bridge using a T28 automatically loses the US the game (this trumps all other conditions)
US win a decisive victory if they get 12 or more trucks off the table across the bridge. The win an ordinary victory if they get 8 trucks off the table
The US T28 are regarded as a secret weapon, as they can not cross the bridge they must be blown up. It takes one turn halted demolish the T28, it is blown up after the end of the general fire phase. The US player must declare his intention to do so at the start of the turn and that is the only action that T28 may perform that turn If the tank is KO'd during that turn the demolition doesn't take place. If it is close assaulted by infantry its automatically captured intact.
The US engineer stand can destroy a T28 in the same manner
A blown T28 counts as an extra "truck" towards victory. A T28 that is destroyed by morale failure or infantry close assault counts as -3 "trucks". If destroyed by morale failure it may still be destroyed by engineers.