The Saga of Lt. Balentinov Continues ...

In 1943, the Russian army was finally coming into its own, but still lacked the overall vision and coordinated command that would enable deep operations to succeed. One such example came on Dec. 22, 1943, when the Baltic Front attacked toward the Vitebsk-Polotsk rail line. The assault captured more than a hundred populated places, killed 1,000 Germans and reached to within twenty miles of the German defense bastion of Vitebsk.

The early successes eventually cost the Soviets as they became overextended and the spearhead of the force was cut off by German Panzergrenadiers and forced into a hasty defense in the small village of Vorony in Belarus.

The Soviets occupied the village and prepared for battle heartened by the cheers of the recently liberated residents. The Hitlerites had practically destroyed Vorony and left the residents to starve. They slaughtered the pigs and burned the church!

The troops in the spearhead were recently saved from the Gulags to counteract manpower shortages and were under the command of the fine communist Lt. Balentinov. He and his troops were facing off against the Fascist pig Hauptman Carrigg.

Lt. Balentinov had at his disposal a dismounted group of Cossacks, three raw rifle platoons, a platoon of HMGs and a section of T-34s. Against these glorious defenders of the Motherland, the Hun had assembled two platoons of Panzer Grenadiers and a section of Panzer IV F2s. The Germans opted to attack with both infantry platoons, leaving the tanks off table as reinforcements. The Soviets had the Cossacks and one infantry platoon on table to start the game.

Action immediately swirled around the German's prime objective, a small farm house with a commanding view of the river ford where Russian reinforcements were believed to be gathered. The fighting was bloody and intense with the Germans launching a brutal close assault early. When the snow and smoke cleared, the German squad lay dead with a lone section of Russian soldiers still standing in the ruins. Things looked dire for the Soviets early, but on the very next turn, the German platoon could take no more and broke. The remaining German platoon moved into the gap.

Smelling victory but fearing death more, the remaining Cossacks turned tail and fled the field. Stalin's mistrust in these cowardly vagabonds is well earned! All was not lost, however, as the remaining German platoon leader could not urge his troops forward with any amount of cajoling or threats. Comfortable in the woods or in the sheltering warmth of a burning farm outbuilding, the Fascist pigs rested on their laurels while Soviet reinforcements gathered for a glorious strike! The Russian tanks finally made their way on the table and pushed forward to root the Germans out. Two more platoons of Soviet infantry rushed ahead to lay down a withering fire on the Hitlerites! Unfortunately, night fell before the Germans could be ejected from Vorony. The Soviet troops dug in to wait out the night and prepare for the German assault that was sure to come the following day. The Germans withdrew from their forward positions to regroup for a new assault. The result was a minor victory for the Soviets.

*NOTE: The art for the propaganda poster at the top of this post was taken from the International Poster Gallery website at www.internationalposter.com.