Battle for Braaga 2 - Engagement

The battle opened with a few shells from West Friesland (off table) medium artillery dropping on the edge of the town. One salvo reduced a damaged building to mostly rubble and a couple dropped into established depressions, turning them into muddy craters as the long range guns sought to set up programmed fire points from advice being passed from the command unit on Fuchsschwarz Hill to the right rear flank of West Friesland lines.

West Friesland battle lines move 1.

The sound of gunfire and explosive detonations covered the sound of tanks and other vehicles revving up as the West Friesland assault commenced.

After an initial soft advance by the West Friesland forces, the central column began to move in earnest on the town whilst overhead, spotter aircraft hummed noisily, overflying the enemy positions.  Whilst already installed East Friesland men held position, the arriving Hessnovinians began to unload men and equipment from vehicles.

Transports start to unload

Soft vehicles park and unload men

West Friesland forces advance steadily

As the West Friesland column moved up, confident as no East Friesland weapons had yet been able to penetrate the armour even on the PZI other than the threat of artillery fire, rifles cracked from the roof of a building as snipers tried to strike at the advancing infantry. A moment later, the first shell from a 2pdr battery in the town struck close to the advancing vehicles. Undaunted, the West Frieslanders pushed on.

West Friesland Column reaches the outskirts of town

First casualties were taken by the advancing West Friesland column as sniper fire from the roofs of the buildings on the edge of town hit troops as they emerged from the trees.  A few moments later, the PZ1 machine guns rattled as it moved out into the street and the radio officer called down artillery fire on the sniper positions and now it was East Friesland men that fell.

West Friesland Recon. head back to forward airfield.

Meanwhile, the Hessnovinian force had moved into several buildings and was moving into position to strike.  West Friesland aircraft in the form of a squadron of Fokker biplanes whirred overhead, carrying out vital reconnaisance. Having spotted the T34 tanks and movement of troops from soft vehicles, the aircraft turned swiftly and headed for the advance airfield where they could deliver their reports to the West Friesland command.

Hessnovinian forces advance to edge of Braaga

A general advance order had been issued by the West Friesland commander, Lt Colonel Kruger resulting in a push forward by the two units with armoured cover and the forward observer unit which now moved towards the woods on the left flank, hoping to get a good look at the East Friesland battle lines.

West Friesland units respond to general advance order.

Fwd Observer unit moves towards woods on edge of town.

Colonel Uri Czherjenko, the comander of the Hessnovinian forces and, nominally, what remained of East Friesland men, had taken up a room in the smithy and garage from which he could direct the defence of Braaga.

Base of Hessnovinian Ops. Artillery unit stands by.

Despite receiving intelligence from the aerial recon, Kruger was unable to use the information to change the course of a battle he had now committed forces to. With the 1st Platoon, Hawk Company advanced to the town's edge, he could not bring long range artillery to bear on the Hessnovinian armour.  The PZ1 having made a dash forward, now recoiled as a T34 loomed into view and fired a shell that missed closely. As the Hawk Company moved in to attack Hessnovinian and East Friesland positions, a second T34 moved into a defilade where artillery fire had left a crater. Unable to go forward or back without offering a target, the PZ1 and advance troops tried to push into Braaga.

Exchange of tank fire

 A moment later, the inevitable happened as the PZ1 was hit in the flank by the 7.62cm cannon of a T34 and was knocked out.  A PZIII shell bounced off the T34 which backed off into a sidestreet but the initial success of Hawk Company's platoon in attacking the East Friesland artillery position turned sour as they were overrun and took heavy casualties in a firefight with advancing elements of the Hessnovinian 24th Motorised and those within the Hessnovinian field HQ overlooking that position.

An assault by West Friesland 2nd Platoon on the white house over on the left flank was beaten off with casualties on both sides but the West Friesland troops took the heavier damage.  Meanwhile, the East Friesland armoured car moved out to rake the 3rd Hawk Company Platoon with fire which was also backed by more sniper and now machine pistol rounds from buildings on the edge of the town.

The 24th Motorised were now in complete control on their right flank having defeated the West Friesland assault. The white house was re-enforced and the ruins behind it, to further consolidate the hold.

On the edge of the wood, West Friesland forces fell back in the face of resistance and superior armour facing them.  The mortars dropped a few shells on positions believed to be held by the Hessnovinians but it was becoming clear that Braaga was too well held to fall as previous settlements had.  The West Friesland forces needed to regroup and consider the impact of finally facing armour and troops that could not be easily overrun.

To add to West Friesland woes, the PZIV that had been heading the advance on the West Friesland left flank was hit by a T34 and brewed up as the shell penetrated the front armour. No East Friesland weapons had been able to damage a PZ armour unit since the action began. Suddenly, the boot was on the other foot.

That signalled the end.  Kruger, seeing he had lost over half of his armour and the best part of two platoons, withdrew his forces leaving Czherjenko in control of Braaga. It was the first engagement featuring these two leaders in a new phase of the war.