Early War Soviets in the Attack

[Blackcloud6]

Let's have a tactics discussion.

How do you attack with early war Soviet infantry?  Take a look at Panzer Grenadier #7 "Kruglowka."  You have a large but ponderous Soviet infantry force and no armor.  You are backed by a good bit of artillery.  You are likely to draw weak leaders that will not be able to form fire groups and there only a few of them.  The Bad Guys have about 1/3 of your commie force but are dug in, generous and good leadership with some artillery and a mortar platoon and three HMGs.  Your sons of Lenin have to cross open ground, break the German line and exit to the west.  The only cover is a railway embankment that blocks line of sight into in but not beyond.

How do you attack:

COA 1:  Move  the entire force into the embankment and sit there unseen while pommeling the German line turn after turn  with artillery until it breaks somewhere?  The risk is running out of time and/or the Germans recovering as you move to close with them.

COA2:   Move aggressively in a classic Dr. Zhivago mass infantry attack right up to the German positions, taking your lumps as you do so but counting on numbers to survive and then close with the Germans and use firepower and assaults to break the line.  You fire artillery and maybe smoke as you approach hoping for effect.  Risk here is taking too many losses and disruptions/demoralizations as you close.

COA 3: ?

[treadasaurusrex]

I would try some variation of COA 2, but it is going to be messy and a near-run thing at the end. Definitely need a smokescreen, some decent artillery rolls, a focus on splitting German defensive fire as many way possible during the approach -and and most crucial - a willingness to be a ruthless Soviet uninterested in attritional losses. 

At least that is what mostly happened when I played this one with a live opponent in Vassal . . .

[Blackcloud6]

I'm playing using COA 2 right now and the Soviet artillery was ineffectual but smoke help.  But the German machine guns are deadly and it looks like the Soviet main effort is being driven off, however the supporting attack is making progress.  Issue in doubt but not looking good for the Sons of Lenin.

[Miguelibal]

I assume that the godless Soviets got clobbered in this fight?

[Blackcloud6]

I assume that the godless Soviets got clobbered in this fight?

 
Yes.  And I played it again this time using COA 1, waiting at the embankment until artillery had effect. The Soviets almost got enough units off for the win, but they had to run the gauntlet and the final units needed got hammered.

[zaarin7]

I would use COA 2 as well and actually that fits my reading on the Soviet infantry in 1941 and first half of 1942.