TRIAL BY FIRE - TEPLOYE - PART 3

With the T-70s in full cry the expected fusillade of German AP shells came screaming towards them, 1, then 2 went up in flames… but that still left 4 to charge on. The German grenadiers tried to press forwards in the centre, under their suppressing MG fire, but with just one rifle squad left up front, the ambush fire forced them to fall-back, pinned, or be wiped out. That attack had petered out and the main trench line was secure, for now, if harassed by long range MG fire than kept the men inside’s head’s down.

The Stuka ‘Gustav’ was incoming again, and our over-worked 37mm AA cannon missed him, so ‘Rudel’ as he was now nick-named, strafed the SU-76s, missing. He was becoming a pain in the backside. The Germans called for more artillery fire, 1st priority again, and this time the request was OK’d, only for the comms test to division to fail. No re-roll either, so no guns! The comms test to their off-table 120mm mortars also failed, this was getting comical (for us, there weren’t not many laughs from the other side of the table). No supporting fire for these panzers.

On the edge of Teploye, the grenadiers were well pinned down, but the Pz IIIs moved up to help out, trying to engaged the SU-76s up the slope. One managed the double-tap in a flurry of good dice - two spots, two hits, two kills… swift end of the Suka battery (which were out of ammo anyway and about to pull back to Yuri’s broken wagon). Teploye was now without any armour support or anti-tank shots, except for the 85mm AA way up on the ridge. The infantry would have to hold out as best they could - but they didn’t even have anti-tank grenades. Dicey!

With the Germans unpinning a lot again, I think they took 2 chits, it was our turn. One German draw was another Air Attack chit. That Luftwaffe forward control officer was right on his game today, as incoming came a Hs-129 - good grief, the specialist tank-killers aircraft were all here. My T-34 crews would be watching the skies as they idylled on the board edge.

First up for us, those reserves. The first T-34s rolled on behind the T-70s, on the far right, all carrying the tank rider squads. With only 7 out of 13 vehicles, I decided to wait for the others. It was also the turn of our timed Katyusha strike, it landed, rather neatly, ahead of the T-70s (almost like I’d planned it), causing mass pinning and destroying a Panzer III and a Panzer IV… smack on! The route for the armoured counter-attack was looking inviting. Our air support was inbound again, but again the single 20mm cannon drove off the  PE-2 with a hail of shells. The bomb-less Sturmovik was sent after ‘Rudel’, chasing him with suppressing MG fire. It missed, but the dog-fight was on, we’d be on his tail every turn. More 152mm fire on the PRTP, more mortar fire, more pinning, but not the Tigers this time… but the Germans still looked worried.

It was the enemy go again, the turns were flying by (but all these players have played a lot of Battlegroup, so no rulebook was needed). In the tank-brawl on the right (their left), another T-70 went pop and the Tigers turned their attention to the Zis3 guns up on the ridge, the ones that had been firing HE at them all game. Like enraged beasts, they returned the favour, but as aimed fire. Both spotted and scored direct hits, the first smashing a gun to bits (so the gun crew run), the second massacring the crew to man with 88mm HE despite their cover save. Ouch! The Tigers had turned nasty. See what happens when they aren’t pinned. Air attacks came in, 2 bombs from the Hs-129 pinning two T-70s. The Gustav was driven off by our 37mm cannon (good lads), but a timed Stuka strike also arrived. Screaming in, with a free run, it bombed the windmill. Pinning the guns close to it and the spotter team inside (and their jeep), before climbing away. Could have been a lot worse, but the useful Zis3s were out of action next turn. Air congestion was becoming a problem, keeping track of aircraft over this table was a full time job. In Teploye, the last StuG was engaging the distant 85mm but couldn’t get it pinned, after firing it pulled back, heading the supply truck in the woods.

With the T-34s massing the Germans pulled back their vulnerable half-tracks (those not pinned by Katyusha rockets) into the woods. They still failed to get any off-table arty firing… and the air as turning blue at their comms-test dice rolls. After furious unpinning (they took 3 chits), it was our turn.

In came the next 6 T-34s, 3 joining my attack line, the other 3 detached and heading for Teploye to help the beleaguered infantry. Our forces were all here (turn 7 I think). With only 2 T-70s still rolling, they engaged the last Pz III and failed to do anything. Then the next aircraft arrived, our timed PE-2 strike, ahead of the T-34s. It bombed the woods, caused some more pinning and a direct hit on the Tiger… surely it would die now… no, I fluffed the penetration roll. Man, these things do not die! In all my BG Kursk games I have never destroyed a Tiger tank, not one, ever. It was pinned by the blast though. That was it - time to go with the steel. I asked for a second opinion from Colonel Masonov ‘F*** it. Go for it!” was his advice. I concurred, engines start…

The T-34s took 3 Stal! Stal!Stal! orders and gunned up to full speed, a swift 24”, and the attack line raced over our trench and headed straight for the German tanks… lots of tank riders somehow clinging on. The German defence looked a bit thin on the ground. 76.2mm HE shells barked until the second Tiger was pinned, then the last Pz IV was too. That left 1 Panzer III able to engage next turn - panic! It was a magnificent sight, Red Steel rolling. The skirmishing in Teploye continued, with neither side advancing, and mostly just getting pinned as MGs and Maxims and DPs traded fire. Nobody would risk a move or a close assault. Our aircraft did nothing, I think we might have even forgotten to spend any orders on them this time.

Amidst all this the German had drawn another (the last) aircraft chit - please stop! Deeply suspicious now that every other chit drawn seemed to be something other than a number, the Luftwaffe controller was at it again, directing in another Ju-87D. We just groaned, so bored of aircraft now… ho-hum.

(Note, in previous turns the Germans had now drawn, 2 beyond the call of duty counters, 2 breakdown counters, 2 confusion counters, 3 air attacks and a mine strike - this is not right! You can’t be that lucky!). We’d had 2 air attacks and all numbers.

Time was running short, we’d have a couple of more turns at most. Desperate times for the Germans, the last Pz III fired, killed a T-70 at point blank range and reversed into the woods. The new Stuka (the 4th to appear on the tabletop), bombed wild over Teploye, missed by 5D6” and his heavy bomb hit - Yuri’s broken down horse drawn wagon. To gales of laughter, the cart turned into matchsticks - poor Yuri. The air onslaught continued as the Hs-129 strafed and killed a first T-34, and the ‘Rudel’s’ cannons glanced off another T-34.

With so few AT shots, the Germans once again turned to their missing artillery. The request was accepted, but they needed big guns, or big ‘werfers, to pin or destroy those charging tanks. They when for it, boldly calling up for army-level fire support. 5+ roll failed, it was turned down! No guns again. What would they give for a funker-wagen?

Our go, the T-34s charge on, Stal! double moves and HE fire in all directions, they passed the lead Tiger at point blank range and failed to pin it, but it was already out of ammo, bonus! The first T-70s made it into the woods, where desperate ambush fire from MG teams pinned one (at under 10” small arms - more likely grenades etc, can do this). The other light tank failed to pin that Pz III with 45mm HE shells, its crew were putting up a hell of a fight on the end of the line.

back in Teploye, the trading went on, with little affect. Our 85mm gun finally scored a hit, at last, and blew a Pz III into scrap metal. The three T-34s I’d detached to help the village were racing across the ridge slope and almost there, passing the burning wreckage of the SU-76 battery en-route - a dire warning!

5 o’clock and into the finale. The Germans withdrew into the woods, or through it where they could, SdKfz 251s high-tailing it from the advancing red armour. The Pz-III heroical got another T-70 kill (only 2 left rolling now) and a lot of their infantry got back onto ambush fire, expecting the imminent arrival of our tank riders. An SdKfz 25/16 came forwards and turned a pinned dismounted rifle squad into human torches… nasty, we hadn’t seen it lurking, but it was exposed now and would feel T-34 wrath. The Tiger sat stranded, out of ammo and impotent, surrounded by the enemy. The German artillery still didn’t fire - it didn’t fire all game. Various vehicles were now resupplying from the trucks behind the woods. A rush by one grenadier squad with AT grenades at a T-34 passing Teploye, only resulted in it being cut-down by ambush fire from an infantry squad waiting them to try something… desperate effort. One T-34 was jumped by AT grenades from the woods, from a grenadier squad with a heroic action, and it was blown-up, spilling pinned tank riders into the trees.

In our final turn, with the tanks now at close quarters the Stal! orders ended and each tank did its own thing, mostly firing MGs and HE and dismounting their tankoviks. One T-34 hit the SdKfz 251/16 at PB range with AP, and it went up nicely, revenge! Another scored a kill on the SdKfz 251/10 firing from the wood line. The red-infantry then pushed for the woods. The Platoon HQ was cut down by MG ambush fire at point blank range, leading the attack from the front - hero that Lieutenant, but a dead one. One tank rider PPsH squad close assaulted an enemy rifle section, wiped it out, but was then wiped out in return.

My last T-70s were behind the woods and engaging the soft skins. The 20mm flak car was destroyed, then the Sturmovik swooped in to strafe a supply truck into flaming wreckage with its MGs… and that was about the last action of the game. Time had caught up with us. We called a halt to the carnage, had a last brew and counted up the BR chits.

Neither side had actually broken, but BG takes such eventualities into account, see ‘Tactical Victories’ in the rulebook. From 109 starting BR the Russians had lost 81 points, leaving us 28 from breaking. From 126 BR, the Germans had lost 98, leaving them erm, 28 from breaking. A tie! Noooo…

But there is a tie breaker. Who had the most objectives? Well we did, 3 held against 1. Russian win - just. We had also inflicted more BR loss than the Germans (and if they had not found almost every special counter in the pot they may well have been broken altogether). We agreed a few more turns and Germans would have been in ever deeper trouble, with 7 T-34s still rolling into their midst and all those vulnerable vehicles to target. Several had withdrawn off the table already, no doubt more would have followed.

It was one hell of a game. It had everything (except maybe building a bridge). It was the game rules in full effect… every rule was used: close assaults, AT grenades attacks (a fair few of them), Tactical co-ordinations (i think all 3 tried flunked), Fallback! rule well used, ever type of special counter, battlefield engineering stuff, loads and loads of aircraft, a flamethrower attack, even the tie-breaker rule… just everything. Epic. I love big games with lots of toys out (not too many to crowd the table though, you need to find the right balance). Nice to see two old armies, both of which we have been collecting 20+ years, back in action facing each other again. They are old foes from various earlier rules these two forces.

The panzers had borne the brunt of the German’s losses. 5 from 6 wrecked Pz IVs, 5 from 6 wrecked Pz IIIs, 3 wrecked StuGs. Both Tigers and the Elephant remained undamaged (somehow, but they always seem to). We’d lost 3 T-34s, 4 T-70s and 3 Su-76s. Our infantry casualties were low (all in good cover all game), except in the assaulting platoon and tank-riders. We’d also lost 5 from 8 anti-tank guns.

Our plan had worked, mostly… the harassing heavy artillery and twin PRTP had been great… saving orders and unreliable comms tests (why we took a comms truck I don’t know - just in case maybe). The dug-in infantry had played their part and held their ground well, using ambush fire. We didn’t use the counter-battery fire missions much, their off-table guns never opened fire. The tanks, well, they had done their thing too, and I think would have overwhelmed the Germans in the woods, if at a heavy price (when isn’t it?). For the Germans, well, a few disasters, notable the complete artillery failure. Not sure the Elephant was in the right place, I’d have wanted that gun against the tank-rush, not down the other end (although it did well from the tree line). The armoured grenadier attack had been mis-timed, driving into too much waiting ambush fire. Reserve move is the key here, move up in their turn, then out and close assault in yours. Not sure the assault pioneers shouldn’t have been used in Teploye itself, where their flamethrowers would have made short work of our infantry in buildings. But it’s the chaos of war, not everything goes to plan.

We’ll do this again, too much fun not to. Post-game talk was of repeating the big-bash but with Barbarossa next time, a meeting engagement, maybe a day two or three Russian Tank Corps’ counter-attack… the Germans need to paint more grey panzers first, because we have a horde of T-26s and BT-7s to face them, as well T-34s, KV-1s and T-35s.

I drove home tired but happy with a day's gaming. That was WW2 wargaming as it should be played, the way I imagined it way back when we started in 1995.

T-34s and tank-riders begin to arrive in the wake of the T-70s.

 First panzer grenadier squads speed forwards, the other half tracks giving covering fire from the woods. A bold move, but perhaps too soon.

 Two brave little T-70s push on for the woods, in a ferocious fight with the last Pz III. 

It survived, but so did they!

Suka graveyard...

Next Stuka off the rank incoming, plunging for the windmill, right over our 37mm flak in the orchard.

 Bombs away! More pinning. 

 Gustav circles round for another run at Teploye.

 The main trenches, holding firm, although rather depleted by MG fire.

Bit of payback, IL-16 bombing run against the tanks and StuGs outside Teploye.

 Tiger wrath... both the former occupiers of these two dug-outs are gone... 

no more Zis3 to pester the heavy tanks.

 Stal! Stal! Stal! the red storm finally on the move.

PO-2s view of the armoured counter-attack in full swing.

 Pinned StuG on the edge of Teploye, the barn would see many grenadiers hiding out inside, usually pinned ones.

'I'm on him!' Sturmovik goes after 'Rudel'. Didn't get him though. 

He lived to inflate his kill-scores again, another day,

 Back in action, off Olkhovatka Ridge.

 Detached T-34 platoon on the way to help out the defence of Teploye, 

and trying to avoid the Suka's fate.

 The T-34s race past the ammo-less Tiger and HE it from PB range. 

As German half tracks flee for the woods. In no other wargame (let alone WW2 wargame) does it make sense to make a swift tactical withdrawal (run-away!). 

Sometimes you need to just save the BR chits.

 Nasty (and hot) surprise for one tankovik squad, immolated.

Two T-70 make it into the woods, flanking the Pz III in their 'end-run'.

The detached T-34s face-off the German flank move on our extreme left, just in time.

 Carnage in the woods, as German infantry with AT grenades extract their toll. 

But it's not enough to stop the assault getting through the trees.

 Two tanks breakthrough the woods and are behind the Germans. Beyond them the 20mm flak car is destroyed, whilst one Tiger and a StuG re-arm.

 Death of the Paznerwaffe! The fields outside Teploye littered with burning German armour - 

so pretty much like the actual day then.

TRAIL BY FIRE - TEPLOYE - PART 2

With the roar of Maybach engines out of the woods came the German panzers, Tigers in the centre, and first HE ambush fire shots flew across the corn fields from the waiting Russian gunners, to little initial effect. The crack of 88s could be heard as the Tigers and Ferdinand opened up, scoring no hits - yet. The Russian turn one response was to unleash their 152mm heavies from off-table onto the PRTP in the centre on the edge of the woods, scoring some pins, and following that up with the 3 tube 82mm mortar battery. These batteries would fire on those PRTPs for just about every turn of the game, sometimes using harassing fire, but they kept it up for turn after turn, no comms tests required. That was part of the plan.

We had few tanks so far, so very little to move. Rifle squads ran to the their firing steps and took up their ambush fire orders. The AA gun crew did likewise. Much of our AT defences did the same, to see if the Germans would come closer… meanwhile the SU-76s battery started their engines and went onto reserve move, ready to race to where they might be needed. For now they stayed out of sight on the back of the ridge. Their supply wagon was the victim of a rather mean Nazi move, getting a German breakdown chit played on it. Of all the things to play it on, it was poor peasant and his wagon. The axel broke under the weight of 76.2mm ammunition loaded up, and it was immobilised. The Sukas would now have to come to him to re-arm.

With the German second wave not due until turn 3, the panzers could get moving again. They rolled forwards, seeking targets. In came the HE shells, pinning a Tiger and a Pz IV. A fusillade of 45mm shells failed to pin the Elephant… oh I so wanted the little guns to score a pin. The dug-in T-34 opened fire as well, pinning another panzer IV with HE fire (he’d fire ever turn for 5 turns then be ammo-less for the rest of the game - no resupply truck - T-34s are not supposed to last that long).

The German mortar spotters went for their first salvo, only to fluff all their comms-tests. No funker was available either for re-rolls, even the wire team rolled a 1. No support fire yet (obviously still setting up somewhere). The Elephant scored its first kill, HE hitting a 45mm gun and annihilating it as it barricade caved in as well. Yeah, no answer to that really!

As the panzers rolled up and fired, a Tiger’s 88 shell glance off my dug-in T-34 - a small miracle. We did draw an aircraft chit and rolled a 6! Yes, incoming VVS. It was a PE-2 fully loaded with 8 bombs. The Germans AA defence hadn’t arrived yet either.

The Luftwaffe’s contribution of a timed Stuka air strike encountered our waiting 37mm cannon and was pinned, hurrah, it banked away to safety without unloading on us. A panzer III strayed too close to minefield marker (claims it was unseen in the cornfield were laughed off). Boom - first dead panzer burning in the crops. They be more wary in future and studiously avoid the minefield markers for the rest of the game.

The initial turns had gone OK, a few infantry losses to MGs in the woods, nothing major though, we hadn’t killed much either but had pinned a fair bit, they were deep in the chit pot to take 2 chits to get fully unpinned for their next turn, which is a result.

Our turn 2, and the artillery hammered away and a direct hit on a Panzer IV saw it go up in flames too. Another was pinned. The mortars did, well zippo really. More 45mm and 76mm HE shells flew, and we pinned the Tiger again, it was taking a punishing beating - but they are built for that. Our speeding PE-2 swooped in low and ‘bombs away’, adding to pinning of the panzers (no direct hits though - boo!). It would be back to strafe next turn.

Turn 3 and the entire German force arrived in the second wave. Half-track mounted grenadiers moving up into the woods behind the panzers. Resupply trucks, 20mm AA (on a heavy car), senior officer and the 3 StuGs all carrying tank riders. They would move up and attack Teploye on our left, facing down the 45mm guns (who got 1 of them - yes). It was a lot of stuff, we needed our tanks! Not until turn 5 - eek. So, worried about Teploye we raced the Suka’s up to help with more HE fire over the village roofs from the ridge. That brought return fire from the Elephant, its first big shells whistling too close for comfort! Their Borgward rubble forwards from the wood line, heading for the minefield in front of our trenches. We held our fire incase of a swift infantry assault and ignored it for now. The Germans also pulled an aircraft chit and they had a Luftwaffe spotter on the table. The Luftwaffe returned, this time with a Stuka G, 37mm-armed tank buster. Heck!  The air was busy overhead. We’d put our AA cannon on ambush fire again then.

On turn 3 we fought as best we could from our positions, no movement at all. HE shelling, another Panzer III hit by a 152mm howitzer shell and destroyed. More pinning with HE at long range as the four Zis 3 guns crashed and boomed.

On the German’s turn they launched an infantry attack, their armoured panzer grenadiers racing forwards and disembarking, our waiting ambushing MG dug-out liberally sprayed them with bullets and pinned down a squad and an MG team, then rifle fire saw another squad fall back rather than be wiped out. That attack quickly stalled. Claims the MG dug-out, hidden under a bush hadn’t been seen were again laughed off. The Stuka came in strafing and destroyed another 45mm gun in a blaze of 37mm cannon fire, only one gun left now,  their objective was in peril as tank riders disembarked into the cornfields and StuGs hammered away. The Elephant scored its second kill, smashing a distant Suka into a zillion bits with a long range hit… ouch!  In the centre, the unpinned Tiger still engaged the dug-in T-34 but missed this time. We were beginning to be whittled down, but they had a lot of pins again and their first infantry assault had been halted. Again, their comms test failed and their mortars didn’t fire (signals unit!). Desperate for some IDF from off-table the German FHQ asked for a 1st priority request for his divisional artillery, and rolled a 1 - no guns available Herr Oberst! We did luckily draw another aircraft counter that turn (but the VVS control officer was still not on the table though), and rolled - a 5! Yes, another aircraft, this time a bomb-armed IL-16. We’d run out of flight stands, time to take turns using it… 4 aircraft overhead now… PO-2, PE-2, IL-16 and Ju-87G, crickey! Worried about the Borgward we took along range HE shot, hit and immobilised it (double 1). It sat in the field, going nowhere, much to the German players disapproval ‘we only wanted to destroy a minefield!’. Yeah right!

Finally, it was our turn for some reserves, rolling a 7 on 2D6, the T-70s all pulled up on the board edge on our far right, ready to lead the charge. They set off at 20”, flat-out, using Stal! Stal! Stal!, right over the trench, heading for the Panzer IIIs. The race was on. How many would make it into close range? Not many was my guess, but the Germans had already fired a fair bit of tank ammo, and with APs shots sure to follow, they be low(ish) by the time the T-34s got here (due over the next 2 turns). In the air war, our Peggy circled round for a strafing run but was hit by 20mm flak fire, pinned and damaged. The Sturmovik bombed the StuGs near Teploye and hit one, blowing it sky high… the Germans were feeling short of AA defence. The PO-2 called in off-table heavy mortar fire, missing wildly but still pinning both German  mortar teams deploying on the back board edge - actual counter-battery fire.

On the edge of Teploye, the last 45m gun was now gone, hit by StuG HE fire the crew ran for their lives. With grenadiers moving around the minefield and over the barbed wire that objective was later claimed by the Germans. They also had their first grenadiers into the barn on the edge of Teploye, but they were soon pinned by waiting small arms fire from our occupied buildings. They claimed the church objective, just being within 5”. We’d want to take that back.

Here ends part 1 of the AAR, next time, the counter-attack gets under way in earnest, and more aircraft arrive (all 5 chits came out in this game, and all 5 rolls were passed). At this point, 5 turns in, we’d had the edge in counters taken, but they had a higher starting point (due to our defences, inexperienced infantry and off-table artillery), so I figured it was pretty even. The tank-charge would decide it… next time…

' Man the trenches', in the centre, the thin brown/green/grey sludgey line.

 Ighev's Fortress, 3 45mm guns behind barricades, wire and a minefield. 

Supply dump is an objective marker.

 Crash-booms on the ridge, in gun-pits, 3+ cover - a must really.

 Mobile reserve of SU-76s and their supply wagon, on-call above the village.

 Far right (I think that should be the Germans). Trench line, dug-in T-34 and objective marker.

 The boss, Colonel Masonov, watching from the ridge via scissor-scope. 

Just be ready for the tactical co-ordinations, that would be his main role. 

First wave deployed, Panzerkiel.

The stream/woods to negotiate first before facing the massed guns.

The cutting edge of the wedge. Borgward and HQ behind.

The other edge, better to have two edges than one. 

On the right of the line, the Ferdinand (we don't talk about it!).  

If we ignore it, it might just go away. 

Fronting up for the attack, stop this... the answer, suppressing fire.

Here they come!! Panzer Angriff!!

 Incoming artillery fire. Crater is the PRTP,

 Come on - just rude!! Yuri's wagon broke.

 Heavy hitters dial in... first panzer goes up in smoke.

The Tigers are burning... nope, they are just pinned. That'll do instead.

 The serious face of Colonel Masonov... can his riflemen hold Teploye? Should he have more proleteriat flapjack or risk the decadent fascist chocolate cake, which looks very tempting? Would it be a betrayal of the revolutionary spirit?

 Air Attack! PE-2 inbound... 

The cheeky Borgward, moments before it was immobiled, to much German wailing. 

 Suka's move up through the cornfield to fire over Teploye.

The softer filling inside the panzerkiel arrives behind the woods.

Onward to Berlin! My T-70s start their suicidal charge on the right. 

Just a harassing precursor attack before the main event. 

‘TRIAL BY FIRE’ TEPLOYE - BATTLEGROUP KURSK BIG-BASH

Weeks in the planning (and some extra painting), the time has finally come to get lots of the toys out, set-up a big table and go for a big tank-bash with Battlegroup Kursk. It would be nice to see it all on the table once in while, we’ve had these armies along time. This would be a 2000 point game, with the Germans in full attack at the village of Teploye (northern edge of the Kursk salient), trying to capture the village on the forward slopes of the Olkovatka ridge.

The scenario would see the Russia forces would be split, with 1000 points of Rifle Division in their defences holding the village and 1000 points of Tank Corps to counter-attack from reserve (arriving from turn 4 onwards). The Germans had 2000 points of panzer forces to attack with, splint into a first wave and second wave. As it’s a big game (battalion-sized), I’ll break down this AAR into smaller parts over the next week or so, starting with the forces, prep, planning and deployment, etc. Next will come the first half of the action, then the conclusion in part 3.

Here is the Google map of the area. The Germans have already captured Samodurowka, just off the map (to the north), and reached the stream through he wooded area at the bottom of a shallow valley (we didn’t put the stream on the table, just the woods. It was a minor feature, the woods were boggy so difficult ground to all vehicles, that would cover it). The panzers would be attacking up the gentle slope.

We held Teploye, dug-in to trenches, behind barbed wire and minefields. I’ve included the detailed Russian lists for the game below, I don’t have the full German ones, but it contained 2 Tigers, 1 Ferdinand, 6 or 7 Pz IIIs, 6 Pz IVs (all Gs), 4 StuGs (one controlling a Borgward), and the usual panzer grenadiers in their half tracks or tank riding.

DEFENDING RUSSIAN RIFLE FORCE

FHQ (3 men and Jeep)                 22    3-r  
FSU (radio truck)                         18    1-i   
NKVD Officer (3 men and Jeep) 26    D6-r   

Rifle Platoon                                58    5-i  
Rifle Platoon                                58    5-i  

85mmL53 AA gun                       51    3-i    in gun pit

Forward Observer                        16    1-i
Field Artillery Battery                  55    4-i    2 x 76.2mm Zis3 in gun pits
Field Artillery Battery                  55    4-i    2 x 76.2mm Zis3 in gun pits
Medium Mortar Battery               66    3-i    3 x 82mm mortars (on-table)
152mm Battery                            125    0    2 x 152mmL24s (off-table)

AT Battery                                    48    3-i    3 x 45mmL46s, behind barricades
37mm AA cannon                        36    1-i
Supply Wagon                               4    1-i     (for SU-76s)

2 x PRTPs                                     20    0
4 x Counter Battery Missions       40    0    4+

20” Trench                                   20    0
3 x Minefields                              45    0
1 x Dug-in T34                            50    3-r
4 x AT gun pits                            80    0    3+ cover save
Counter Bombardment                20    0
2 x HMG dug-outs                      64    2-i    Maxim HMG, 3 + cover save
10” Improvised Barricades          5    0    4+ cover save
20” Barbed Wire                         20    0

Totals:                                      1002     39+D6 (1) BR     4 officers, 0 scouts

Free Defences (from scenario representing Ighev’s Fortress)
10” Trenches
1 AT gun pit
Minefield


COUNTER-ATTACKING  RUSSIAN TANK CORPS

Comms Relay Team                14    0-i   
VVS Air Controller                 26    1-r   

Motor Rifle Platoon + 2 x AT grenades    68    5-i    (tank riding)
4 x Tank Rider squads + AT grenades      68    4-i    all SMGs

T-34 Company (10)            350    30-r  
T-34 Platoon (3)                 100    9-r
T-70 Platoon (3)                  65    6-r
T-70 Platoon (3)                  65    6-r
SU-76 Battery (3)               75    6-r

Hvy Mortar Battery (2 x 120mm)    72    0    off-table
PO-2 aircraft                                     50    2-r

Timed Katyusha Strike             25    0
Timed PE-2 Air Strike              20    0    8 small bombs

Totals:                                     998    69 BR     3 officers, 2 scouts

Grand Total: 109 BR, 7 officers, 2 scouts



The Soviet plan was straight forwards, hold tight, then the hit them hard with the steel. Get in amongt their armour at short range, pile those tank riders off and cause mayhem with anti-tank grenades. It was actually bit more refined than that.

For the defence the heavy guns and the mortar battery were key, hitting those two pre-registered target points which would be on the woods in the valley were we knew the Germans were mustered. The enemy would have to advance through a constant barrage of explosions which should seriously harass them and get lots of pins (and a few kills). The anti-tank guns would deploy in the gun-pits back on the ridge’s slopes, in pairs. Each pairing would concentrate their fire at one target (the Tigers!) with HE at long range to suppress them (giving 4 chances at a 6 each turn). Only at short range would the guns switch to AP for aimed fire. The two defending infantry platoons would each have a role, 1 would have the village itself, the other the trench lines. The AA cannon must be on Ambush Fire every turn for the inevitable incoming Stukas. The instruction was to get lots of units on ambush fire early and hold fire until the Germans came closer, don’t get draw into an uneven firefight with lots German MGs at long range an dgte pinned (and thus vulnerable to a lightning close assault by armoured grenadiers or, even worse, pioneers using Reserve moves to close in fast), and just stay put in the 3+ cover we’d paid good points for! Via the shortest routes they’d have to clear the mines or go round them, and cross barbed wire, making their attack very slow. By going round it would by us more time for e guns and arty o do their work. We really hoped to win the artillery duel with those counter-battery missions keeping any Nebelwerfers (off-table ones) quiet. I fear the heavy rocket launcher strike, I’ve suffered too much under them before.

For the counter-attack (that’s me this time), the first wave would be the T-70s, a sacrifice to draw German fire, spend their AP shells, stop them moving, and be a nuances with HE fire before the T-34s had all arrived and mustered for one almighty charge forwards, with all the tank riders, as second wave. The Katyusha strike and PE-2 bombing run would precede the T-34 rush (don’t care if they hit a few T-70s), to try and get the enemy well pinned for at least the first turn as we closed in at 24” a turn.

As the scenario allowed it, I would pass over the 3 Suka’s to the infantry forces as their mobile reserve, in case they were struggling anywhere and needed reinforcements before the tanks arrived (from turn 4 onwards at 2D6 units per turn, so it would be a while and random, but patiences to gather them and not attack piecemeal would be required).

With everything planned, the models painted and new defensive positions bought and quickly painted (gun-pits, more gun-pits - thanks Lancer miniatures for the fast delivery).

After an early Sunday start, we set-up the terrain based off the map on a 6x10 table (using my new terrain mat - hurrah). There were 4 objectives placed by us. One on the track on our extreme left (behind the 45mm gun battery position, barbed wire and a minefield). One on Teploye church. One on the windmill on the ridge above the village (our artillery observers home for the day, but likely to draw a lot of fire, but he was emergency back up to the PRTPs) and finally, to draw some Germans away from the village, on our extreme right, covered by a trench line, a detached rifle squad and the static dug-in T-34 pillbox. Weakly held, this we hope would attract some Germans for an ‘easy’ objective, a lure to bring them forwards into our tank-charge, when it arrived. As the Russian placed their defences, the Germans sorted their attack plan between the two of them, divided their force, ammo’d up their tanks with HE and AP, plotted their timed strikes, etc. Their two pronged attack would come on our left, straight at the village over the shortest distance via the cornfields (but blocked by minefields and covered by flanking fire from the three 45mm guns behind their improvised rock and log barricades). On the right, through the fields would come the bulk of the panzers.

A note here on the trenches. Obviously the model terrain sticks up in way that actual trenches don’t, but we agreed, they were all below ground level, did not block line of sight or movement over them at all (being narrow for just 1 man at a time, so tanks could roll right over the without slowing).

The Germans then placed their first wave. Mostly armour, 2 Tigers in the centre, 3 Pz IVs either side, 3 Pz IIIs on the outsides of the wedge (Panzerkiel). Inside the panzers would be the halftracks, behind came the soft-skins. On their right (our left  opposite the village) lurked a 222 armoured car, mortar spotting from the wood’s edge and the mighty Ferdinand (as Russians, we didn’t talk about he Elephant in the room).

By 11 o’clock everything was in place for turn 1. Oh, except for out counter-bombardment (we almost forgot it), for which we rolled a 6! Hurrah, 2 chits to start with for the fascists. Then 3 chits for the objectives we already held (we concede the church as an untenable position, anything in it would be visible from turn 1 and get all the German firepower and die). We also out-scouted them, 2 to 1 (circling PO-2 vs lurking 222). In the pitched battle ahead we’d both decided the recce had little place. 6 counters for them, good start!  Our counter-bombardment pinning resulted in 1 pinned MG team in the woods - rubbish, 20+ dice rolled , one 6 scored, the odds better improve in the game or we’d be in big trouble.

Turn one, Germans roll for command and control, 4D6+11 officers - Panzers Roll!

Here are some early shots of the table, etc. Next time, in a few days, the first half of the battle - the stoic initial the defence of Teploye. Hopefully, by the end of the week, if I get time, the armoured counter-attack as the conclusion. We had until 5.30 to finish, so 6.30 hours to play.

PO-2 eye's view over Teploye village, Russians will be on the right,

Germans through the woods on the left. 

 The German woods, the bottom of the shallow valley. Their first obstacle.

 Trenches in the centre, in front of the walled orchard, barbed wire and minefield in front.

Russian extreme left, barricades and dug-in T-34, this one was a dummy (uncrewed)

Russian extreme right, trench line and dug-in T-34, not a dummy this time. 

Pile of supplies is an objective marker.

The windmill, an objective and observation point (and target). 

Gun pits for Zis-3s on the slope just in front. 

 From the woods, through the cornfields to the village. Liberally sewn with mines.

Right at the back, overlooking the village from the top of the ridge, 85mm AA gun, dug-in for ground defence. More long range HE suppressing fire and when the Germans come closer, a good AP shell too.

Bring on the Panzers...

Western Egyptian Desert, June 1942

Desert game this weekend, mostly using BG: Tobruk rules, with a few added units for a game during the first battle of El Alamein. With the DAK advancing onwards towards Alexandria and threatening the Suez canal, the retreating British have to put up a mobile defence in the desert with whatever stragglers they can muster and desperately hold long enough for the defensive position at El Alamein to be established.

It would be a straight attack/counter-attack scenario, at 600 pts. My British armoured forces would be trying to halt the eastward advance of the DAK, itself already running beyond their supply lines and struggling for tank numbers. Two almost exhausted forces still battering away at each other.

Here was my force list:

FHQ -  3 men in staff car  
FSU - Dorchester ACV  
Low on Fuel                 
Motor Platoon      
in 4 light trucks

3 x Crusader IIs  
3 x M3 Grants

2 x 3” mortars (off-table)

Recce Command - Dingo
Sniper + Observer        
Repair Truck          
Carrier Platoon    
3 x 3 men in 3 Bren carriers
Bofors AA gun + truck tow
Timed 6” barrage        
1st Priority Request   
 
Totals                601 pts    41BR    6 officers, 2 scouts

The Germans had, roughly something like this;

FHQ in PzI Befehlswagen
Infantry Platoon in Trucks
AT Rifle Team
75mm Infantry Gun + tow
Pz III G Platoon
Pz IV E
Arty Observer in SdKfz 254
SdKfz 231 armoured car
Recce Command in SdKfz 221
Panzerjager I
‘Diana’ with Russian 76.2mm gun
Captured Bren Carrier with Pak36 combo
K18 100mm cannon + loader team and tow
Supply Truck
Timed Stuka air strike

Totals: 599 pts    41 BR, 4 officers, 2 scouts


Both side’s initial scouts deployed, my recce commander in his Dingo getting his mortars firing early… if not to much effect, but he did a good job all game of harras fire. The German arrived swiftly (as ever), Pz IIIs and their Pz IV leading the way, with truck mounted infantry and supporting tank hunters behind. At the back, a huge 100mm cannon deployed and started to hit a PRTP close to my board corner (though the loader team were pretty lazy all game). I moved swiftly forwards to keep away from it, but some of motor platoon got pinned by the sporadic arrival of 100mm HE shells.

A good roll for my early reserves saw me match the Germans and we were quickly into the meat of the engagement, nothing cagey here. My plan was to secure my two objectives with infantry sections, supported by the Grants, using their long range respectable 75mm HE to harass and pin the Germans. The Crusaders and Carrier Platoon would attack the take the central objective, with the remaining motor infantry following up to secure it. The attack would be launched using lots of reserve movement and only after the 6” howitzer bombardment had smashed down on the objective and got the Germans well-pinned. It sort of worked, but as ever, the best laid plans oft go pear-shaped…

The early long range sparring resulted in a few pins, but nothing else. My Crusaders deployed and got onto reserve move ready to go, and after most of my motor infantry had dismounted, my carriers moved up into striking range of the central objective, but then 2 got pinned by accurate (irritating) suppressing fire from a 75mm light howitzer. This untimely event left the 6” barrage hitting but I then lacked infantry to support the lightning advance.. put hell, all ahead full and damn the torpedoes (incoming 50mm AP rounds in this case). My Crusaders went for it… only for one to be immediately hit a random mine strike counter and blown up (my repair truck got to it but it was beyond their help after 3 tries). The 6” barrage destroyed the close-by Pz IV and pinned the ad hoc ‘capture carrier and 37mm anti-tank combo’ (it later had a mortar shell land right in it and was destroyed), so the Crusaders could claim the objective, also nailing a Pz III as they did so… the Germans were rocked by the British aggression, and found the charging Crusaders a rude surprise, resisting their return AT shots (and the lurking Diana kept missing - phew!).

My single free carrier and infantry dismounts rushed to the tanks aid, weathering inevitable MG fire as they did. The dismounted carrier Bren team had a fully loaded Opel Blitz at short range and machine gunned it into wreckage… pinning 2 infantry squads as they jumped clear. The other carriers later got unpinned and raced up behind them next turn.

The tank duel was going my way, a second Pz III was hit in the side and destroyed, for the loss of my second cruiser, but the M3 Grants (now out of 75mm ammo and using 37mm HE shells to suppressing fire - hopeless!), were untouched and rolling steady forwards in support. With harassing mortar fire and a big 25pdr stonk, the Germans were well pinned and their last Panzer III was out of all ammo.

The Germans boldly took 2 chits to unpin, rolled well, and were straight back in the fight. Another special counter draw saw one of my M3 Grants immobilised by a ‘Breakdown’, and 2 Luftwaffe air attacks counters also helped the German’s cause (neither turned up, but a timed Stuka strike did cause me a extra chit - if no losses - as the ambush fire of my Bofors awaiting it missed - rubbish!).

With troops unpinned the Germans pressed to get the centre objective back. Heavy infantry and MG fire flayed the rocks hiding my infantry (who made great cover saves), but the carrier section command squad was wiped out, then the 2” mortar team (3 man teams are easy chits). One carrier also went up in smoke, hit by a Panzerjager I 47mm shell. Chits mounted too quickly, and it was obvious there would be more if I didn’t  pullback. My last carrier team jumped into its carrier and sped away to safety (relative safety), and my infantry section survivors (2 men with their Bren) ran back too. Just the last Crusader remained to contest the objective… and avoid the Germans just having it and the chit. His bold stand lasted about 2 minutes, when the 'Diana' finally hit and turned it into a flaming hulk (but not before a 2 pdr AP shell wrecked the German supply truck which had had to come forwards). The lost Crusader’s chit draw put me on 41! Equal to my BR score isn’t over it, so I could fight on, and did… hanging on for another 2 turns. The Germans had stopped unpinning, so must also be close to breaking. It might be all on the next counter…

Tension was very high. Then I had to draw a counter when a Bedford MWD was machine gunned up (I should have withdrawn it, but hey, my command and control rolls were not great all game). That counter should break me, but no, it was an air attack counter which I used as ‘Low on Fuel’ (special rule). Played on his little Panzer I HQ tank… which was abandoned! 2 counters for that, this would surely end it… but no, a Confusion counter was drawn and played on my pinned (and staying that way) Carrier Bren team. Their morale test was a rolled 1 and they ran for it… that next counter did end it.

Oh, so close, so very, very close. The Germans were on 39, also from 41. Argh! But a great game again. I loved the rag-tag feel of the two forces and the game had a real air of desperation towards the end. My bold counter-attack had almost worked - but not quite… but it was fun trying. Oh, if only 1 of those German special counters had been a number, it could have been a win. Not that its matters, a great game is a win for both sides.

Here are a few snaps of the battle, using my phone camera which is utter rubbish, so sorry for that, lesson learnt. Camera required.

Overwatch at the back, Bofors AA on ambush covers my force from the expected arrival of the Luftwaffe.

First to arrive, M3 and motor infantry in column, still well out of range, except for the 100mm shelling. 

 Forward HQ, here for the re-roll on the arrival of Reserves... very useful against Panzer Marsching Germans.

German recce keeping an eye-out from a distant hull down position, as the others move past. It fired 16 of 18 20mm rounds down range (mostly for suppression).

Infantry and M3 hold an objective (large white rocks). 

Crusader bursts passed the other M3s on reserve move, with Grants doing a stand-in artillery role. First Crusader hits a random mine - kaboom!

 The hotly contested central objective, taken, lost and retaken by the Germans. Here my two Crusaders have claimed it, carriers arriving in support, as the tanks duel it out (Crusader win in that fight). This was hot on the heels of the big 6" stonk that wrecked the Pz IV. All arms attack... artillery, tanks and infantry in perfect (ish) co-ordination...

On the painting table

Not really had much time for the blog of late (summer holidays), but I thought I should show-off something.

Latest work on the painting table, keeping new additions to the collection ticking over (just). For a while I've been planning to add something a bit different to my late war Germans. I rarely get to use them (so many German players around I end up on the Allies side), but I want these as I plan few Battle of the Bulge game soon, a campaign which I prefer for gaming over the hedges of Normandy these days.

Work on my Recce Armoured Infantry Platoon is progressing, plus their support. A lot of 250/1s (PSC kits with some AB crew added) to work through, plus supporting heavy and light armoured cars and an anti-tank gun (Maultier as its tow). I'm working on 3 vehicles at a time, and all will have a lot of foliage camo added, which will hide a multitude of sins.

I already have the infantry, so once the vehicles are complete I can have a game vs a US road block force.

Too good...

Whilst clearing out some old files from my even older harddrive I came across these 5 images. They were taken years ago, but they reminded me how good this 1/35th diorama was (is). Made by my friend Phil, the single best miniature painter I have ever met... this is all his work. Genius.

It's the Battle of the Bulge, 1st SS at Stoumont. It depicts the moment Hauptscharfuhrer Knappich's Panther returned up the hill to Stoumont after an engagement at Stoumont Station, where Oberscharfuhrer Ropeter's Panther was hit and set alight by a US 90mm anti-aircraft gun. Ropeter was transported back to the aid post on Knappich's engine-deck after bailing out from his tank, his other crewmen died. Badly burnt, Ropeter's life was only saved because he was wearing U-boat crew oilskin leathers rather than standard-issue Panzer crew uniform.

Phil did all the research to get it all spot on... right camo colours, right people, visited the right building, etc... the build's skill and patients boggles me, but I was fortunate enough to have a private viewing and close inspection and take some pictures - and I just re-found them.

I'm not a military modeller myself, except building and painting what I need for gaming... but I have dabbled in 1/35th stuff though (inspired by Phil) and somewhere I still have the kits and extra parts to build my grandfather's Churchill tank in Italy... one day.  I see the two as different, if related (just) hobbies.

Anyway, this is just pure, shameless eye-candy... check out the ground work, it's brilliant. Love the subtle colour tones, the winter atmosphere and those trees, which are hand-made!! Almost unbelievable, this isn't his best (imho), that still goes to his Euro-Militaire 'best of show' winning Panzer IV and SS grenadiers during Operation Konrad.  Enjoy.

 Overview

 1st SS commanders Pieper, Poetsche and Diefenthal watch on

 ?? and crew watch over the stricken Ropeter

In the Ardennes, trees had white stripes painted on them, for nighttime driving aid, great detail