WG1-SN6 The Blood Trail
D+5 | 25 July 1989, 04:00hrs - 09:00hrs vs @ Kronach
Time was scarce, and the battlefield offered little reprieve. Despite the heavy casualties sustained by Panzerbrigade 36 (PzBrig 36), Panzerbataillon 363 (PzBtl 363) retained sufficient strength to execute a bold and devastating raid deep into Soviet-held territory. Their assault struck at the heart of the enemy's logistics and command network, leaving the Soviet sector reeling.
The 18th Guards Motorized Rifle Division (18 GMRD) commander was caught off guard. He had not anticipated such a decisive breakthrough by a relatively small NATO force. His defenses were ill-prepared to face such determined resistance this close to the German border. With his headquarters at risk, the Soviet general scrambled to stabilize his crumbling lines and protect his command.
By dawn, Jägerbataillon 126 (JgBtl 126) had reached PzBtl 363 northern flank. Ahead of them loomed rugged hills and dense forest, a landscape favoring the light infantry's expertise. Loaded with extra ammunition, the battalion prepared for a dangerous mission: infiltrate the hostile terrain northwest of Kronach to disrupt Soviet logistics and communications long after the main German force had moved on. The odds were grim; it was almost certainly a suicide mission. Yet, in the chaos of war, such operations had proven unexpectedly effective.
With the 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) having accomplished its primary objective and inflicted significant damage on the Soviet forces, the time had come to regroup and return to the front lines.
But before that, one final raid awaited...
Scenario by Stimpak, and JohnO | Map by Alexander Schwarz