Mission Critical (FOW); Norvo bridge

Norov;  Somewhere on the Eastern Front in 1944

Design note: this game was drafted to introduce a new player to the rules for recon units in FOW

Introduction;
Kampgruppe O'Donnell is once more into the fray, this time they have been ordered to secure the Norov bridge. Without any tank support the grenadiers must rely on armoured reconnaissance units to clear the path.

The Protagonists;
Kampgruppe O'Donnell
Reconnaissance force
Armoured car platoon (1 sd Kfz 223+2 sdKfz 222)
Armoured car platoon (2 sdKfz 231)

Main force
Company HQ (panzerfaust+jeep)
Aufklarang platoon (3 squads with HMG on motorbikes)
Aufklarang platoon (3 squads with HMG in trucks)
Motorised heavy platoon (2 HMG squads* and a mortar squad in trucks)
AA platoon (2 sdKfz10/5)
Pioneer platoon (3 sections in trucks)
*One of the HMG squads has been attached to the Aufklarang platoons

The Russians
Reconnaissance force
1st light armoured car platoon (4 BA-64 2 with anti rifles)
2nd  light armoured car platoon (4 BA-64 2 with anti rifles)

Main force
battalion HQ (in jeeps with attached DshK AA platoon)
1st Motostrekolky company (2 platoons+1 HMG in trucks)
2nd Motostrekolky company (2 platoons+1 HMG in trucks)
5th Mortar company (2 platoons in trucks)
2nd Sapper company (1 platoon in trucks)

Deployment;
See map.
Neither side starts the game with any forces in play.  Roll to decide who goes first.
The Reconnaissance forces start in reserve. The Russians enter from point A while the Germans enter from point B. The main forces are in delayed reserve.  Randomly determine which units arrive.

 

Special rules
There are no special rules for this mission

Victory conditions;
The first side to capture and hold the Norvo bridge with a combat platoon (Motostrekolky for the Russians and Aufklarang for the Germans is the winner). The game last for 6 turns starting from when the last combat platoon from both sides arrives after which it is declared a draw.

Below are some of the random, out of sequence but looking good, in game photos of the Norvo battle.

German advance on Norvo.

While to the east russian recon advances on the same objective.

Russian advanced viewed from Norvo bridge

Russian main body arrives

Russian recon clashes with German AA platoon while trying to cut the german road to Norvo

While the second platoon comes under fire from the German recon platoon.

1st Motostrekolky deploys to cpature the bridge

2nd armoured car platoon is destroyed by german fire.

1st armoured car platoon fianlly destroys the AA platoon protecting the german road into Norvo

And then goes after the motorbike Aufklarang platoon

Russian and German forces start to get serious around the village.

With the German recon platoon just holding on to the last building.

.

The corn feild beside the german road become a vechicle wreck yard with both sides vechicles burning in it

View from Norov bridge as the Russians try to take the village.

The last remaining russian armoured car finally works its way in to the German rear.

Under pressure the German recon platoons finally clear the village of russian forces. To bad neither side had any remaining scoring units :)