Wargaming | Crossfire | Scenarios
Russian Scouts - A Crossfire Scenario

Posted 18 Feb 2006

A generic Crossfire scenario for WW2 with Russian scouts probing a German position.

Historical Situation

Setting: Russia; Autumn 1943

This is a generic scenario with Russian scouts probing a German position. It is really an excuse to field my Russian Scout company and my new Russian farm buildings.

Map/Terrain

Map produced in CC2

Key features are:

  • 4'x4' table.
  • Woods
  • Fields (in season)
  • Hills (Contour lines with other features on top)
  • Crests
  • Collective farm (4 x 2 Squad capacity buildings; 3 x 1 squad capacity buildings).
  • Scattered farm buildings outside the collective farm (2 squad capacity):
    • A water tower
    • Another farm building

Pre-game preparation

  • German player rolls for number of snipers.
  • Germans deploy hidden.

German Player (Defending)

Objective

Deny the Russians information about German positions, minimise own losses, and Inflict casualties on the Russians.

Forces Available

1 x Weakened Rifle Company

1 x CC (+1)
2 x HMG
1 x FO for off table 81 mm Mortar (8 FM)
3 x Rifle Platoon: PC (+1), 2 x Rifle

1d3 Snipers
Fortification package: 3 x wire, 1 x mine, 1 x bunker (1 SQ)
3 x Entrenchments

Morale: Regular

Deployment

Deploys first, hidden. west of the line A-A. The following features must be occupied at the start of the game:

  • The bunker.
  • All entrenchments.
  • Two buildings in the collective farm.

Reinforcements

None.

Russian Player (Attacking)

Begins scenario with initiative.

Objective

Locate German positions quickly, and with as few casualties as possible.

Forces Available

1 x Divisional Reconnaissance Company (Veteran)

1 x CC (+1)
3 x Scout Platoon: PC (+1/0), 3 x SMG

Command & Control: Adventurous (i.e. German)

Support Elements (Veteran)

1 x on-table 50mm Mortar (12 Smoke FM)
1 x FO for off table 82 mm Mortar (4 Smoke FM).
2 x HMG

Russian PCs provide +1 in close combat but not for rallying.

Deployment

Deploys second, moving on to the eastern table edge.

Reinforcements

None.

Victory Conditions

Recce and Casualty (AD) objectives.

The game ends at 0830 hours or when all surviving Russians have exited the eastern table edge.

The Russians get victory points (VP) as follows:

  • 2 VP for spotting the German bunker
  • 1 VP for spotting each German entrenchment, wire, and/or mine section.
  • 1/2 VP for spotting each German stand of any type.
  • 1 VP for capturing a "Tongue" i.e. killing a German stand in close combat. (at most 1 VP no matter how many Germans are killed)
  • 1 VP for each Russian SMG squad, CC, or HMG exiting the German base edge (line B-B); up to four maximum

And just so it isn't all one sided:

  • -3 VP for each Russian SMG squad, CC, or HMG killed.
  • -1 VP for each Russian PC or FO killed.
VPs Result
-6 or less Decisive German Victory
0 to -5 Minor German Victory
+1 to +5 Draw
+6 to +10 Minor Russian Victory
+11 or more Decisive Russian Victory

Scenario Special Rules

  • For simplicity "spotted" for victory conditions means on table. German stands become visible in the normal ways, i.e. revealed by player, enemy moves into the same terrain feature, and RBF.
  • Russian Scouts RBF on 5+.
  • Special Rule 4, the Moving Clock, is in use. The Scenario begins at 0300 hours and ends 0830 hours. The clock advances 30 minutes on 4+ at the end of each German initiative.
  • Fields and orchards are in season.

Notes

  • This is based on our experience of Reconnaissance before Pontecorvo and Tarnopol: Russian Recce.
  • You could try adding armour. The Russians might have German or American Half Tracks or Scout Cars. They might also have a British Valentine tank, which were popular with Recon units. The Germans would have to be compensated with anti-tank weapons, e.g. a Pak 38 anti-tank gun.
  • You could give the water tower greater visibility. For example, infantry stand (but not gun or vehicle) can be deployed at the top of the tower. It can start hidden, but once revealed it has no cover. As usual an FO at the top of the tower is not revealed when they call in fire missions.
  • You could try the night special rule.
  • We added the "Tongue" special rule after a play test of this and another of Tarnopol: Russian Recce were the Russians got 1/2 VP for spotting and +1/2 VP for killing German stands. The play tests both turned into blood baths. The Russians realise they've lost too many stands so then have to kill all the Germans to have a chance of winning or at least drawing. And that isn't a reconnaissance.

References

None