The First Battle of the Austrian Plain

- By Sean Smith

Battle Report

The only thing that was surprising about The First Battle of the Austrian Plain was that it had taken so long to occur. With us occupying half of Austria and Ruskies the other half, and the Ruskies still pissed off at Patton’s failed attempt hold onto Czechoslovakia, it was a bomb waiting to go off.

 There was me, John Brown, a Forward Observer (FO) attached to the company L of the 112^th infantry of regiment of the 28^th (Bloody Bucket) division waiting and hoping that Ruskies would not come our way. No such dumb luck, company L had honour (as that bastard Patton put it) of being first U.S. unit to confront the Ruskies aggression.

 On moment I was surveying the terrain from a Church steeple the next moment the biggest bombardment I have every experienced lands right on top of me! When it lifts, and I manage to get to a shattered window, I see a Ruskie tank company advancing down the left flank with infantry riding onboard, threatening to swamp platoon B. On the Right flank also I see a mass of Russian infantry advancing straight towards me on the right flank.

Don’t panic I tell myself. You have enough time to call down arty before the Ruskie infantry arrive. So I get a report through to the lieutenant and he calls for arty from the attached cannon battery ASAP. The response battery is what battery! Three of the four tubes have been knocked out in bombardment. Fortunately, the remaining tube manages to fire and bingo the first round lands on target.  The Ruskie infantry (which have by now have jump off the tanks) eat dirt, in an attempt to avoid the shrapnel.

 For one moment I hope that this will buy enough time for platoon B time to withdraw into the woodlot behind its current position. Instead, the Ruskie tanks assault platoon B. Apart from the bazooka team managing to brew up one Ruskie tank it is a massacre. The platoon attempts to counter assault and fails. The remains of platoon B flee into toward the Church I occupy.

 While the Ruskie tanks are distracted a tank destroyer squadron and a mortar platoon arrive as reinforcements. The Tank Destroyers reinforce the Arty. A Russian bomber then swoops in and blows up one of them.

The Ruskie tanks then decide that the remains of platoon B aren’t worth pursuing and turn their attention to taking the crossroads the Arty is positioned on, which is the Ruskie objective. The Ruskie tanks split, some came down the left flank and most down the centre. This is the Ruskies big mistake. They have to come through the village. The Tank Destroyers open brewing up several Ruskie tanks, while the Arty attempts to fire smoke to block return fire from the Ruskie tanks, it fails and a Tank Destroy brews up. Just when I think the Tank Destroyers are going to be overwhelmed two bazookas and two 3-inch guns hidden in the village open up. It is a beautiful sight to behold the Ruskie tanks brewing up. Flank shoots from 3-inch guns are vicious.

 Suddenly, there is a shout of warning from the remains of platoon B below me and I realise the Ruskie infantry are soon going to be close enough to assault the church I am in! With the remains of platoon B I beat a hasty retreat across the steam, into other half of the village, which contains the bazooka and the anti-tank gun teams.

When I get to the next building I hear on the radio net that in spite of fire from the 3 inch guns and bazookas a couple of Ruskie tanks have managed to break into the position held by the Arty and the Tank Destroyers. Another Tank Destroyer brews up, but both of the Ruskie tanks do as well.

Then I hear the sound of machine guns opening up and I think shit those Ruskie infantry are fast, we are going to have to fight our way out. Then I realise that the machine gun fire was coming from two M20 scout cars, which have opened up on the Ruskie infantry and are mowing them down. This is the final straw for the Ruskies and they retreat.

 However, this was only the first battle for the Austrian Plain.

To be continued

Background

 This is a description of a 1500 point Flames of War WWII battle between an American Infantry Company and a Russian Tank battalion, which was fought at Call to Arms in 2002.

 Sean Smith commanded the American and Tyrone the Russians.

 The scenario was Breakthrough

 The result was a 6 – 1 victory to Sean Smith.

Lessons learned

 U.S.

1) Make sure the defending platoons have good lines of retreat and that there are small gaps between their fallback positions.

2) Don't put the defending platoons to far forward in this scenario. Stunning may mean that the enemy is upon them before they can become unstunned.

Soviets

1) The Soviet commander got distracted by attacking platoon B. He should have by passed it.

2) A recon platoon would have been invaluable for the Soviets. It could have replaced the infantry company that did nothing all of the battle, expect get mowed down by MG fire at the end of the battle.