Blenheim to Berlin: WWII - Two Soviet Disasters

Saturday, April 21, 2012

WWII - Two Soviet Disasters - 20mm and 28mm

The last two weeks games that I played at the SESWC have both been World War II actions - the first in 20mm and the second in 28mm - both proved complete disasters for the Red Army.

Panzer IVs move forward on German right flank

Last weeks game RapidFire 20mm was based on the Mokre 1944 scenario from the excellent WWII site by Bob Mackenzie.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/bob_mackenzie/index.html

I adapted the scenario for the forces that myself, Colin Jack and Bart Zynda could provide. Colin and Ian who was visiting for the first time commanded the German attackers - the appropriately named Kampfgruppe Collin and Bart commanded the Soviet forces. I umpired.

Early and rare Soviet success as a Panther explodes

The scenario is set during the German counterattacks on the Sandomierz bridgehead over the Vistula with a battle group of 16th Panzer division attacking the lead elements of the 6th Soviet Tank Corps whose reserves steadily reinforce the front line.

Bart had a tank Brigade and its tank riders on the table at the start and was quickly reinforced by a rifle battalion and another tank brigade. Bart deployed his initial forces on his right flank. Colin split his attacking forces with the Panzer IVs and Panzer grenadiers on his right wing and the Panthers supported by a King Tiger and Stug III on the left.

Panzer IVs lead advance past Mokre....

Barts armour was deployed so it could not carry out opportunity fire but in his first turn his IS2 knocked out a Panther and that caused the rest of Panther company to retire of the field. Ian brought on the King tiger and it started to engage the Soviet armour. On their right the Germans advanced quickly and occupied the village of Mokre and got to the edge of the table stopping any Soviet reinforcements arriving on that flank. Bart reinforced by his second tank brigade decided to launch his armour in an attack on his right. Unfortunately he had forgotten that the Panthers would return and they and the KingTiger supported by long range fire from the Panzer IVs annihilated the Soviet armour.
When we ended the game none of the Soviet tanks were operational and they had only knocked out the initial Panther and a Sd251 75mm support vehicle.

End game - a mass of destroyed and damaged armour....

The Luftwaffe was strangely active - their BF109 effectively strafing the Soviet infantry and driving of the late arriving Yak-9.

BF109 flys over mounting Soviet disaster

You will find more photos and descriptions of this action on my flickr site at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bill26048/sets/72157629477311262/

This weeks game was a 28mm Winter War scenario that Colin devised using the Triumph and Tragedy Rules.

Soviet troops parade before action - Za Stalina!!!

Colin and I commanded a Soviet force advancing over windswept snowy terrain towards the distant Finnish village of Talvisota. We had the more numerous troops - 6 large units of Red army Infantry supported by a BT7 tank. Sadly I had to dice for the quality of the troops and 5 of Soviet units were raw! The Finns had one less unit and all their units were smaller. Importantly they were far higher quality than the Soviets, they had 2 MGs and they were hidden in the trees in the flanks or in the village.

Urrah Tovarischii - the advance begins.....

The Soviet infantry made 2 advance moves and then came bogged down in a firefight with the ambushing Finns. The raw infantry were repeatedly pinned by MG fire and steadily broken apart. The raw BT7 heroically tried to save the day but ended as a bullet riddled wreck, 2 crew eliminated, motor hit, track damaged, turret jammed, main gun knocked out. The last lucky crewman surrendered. With all 4 raw units fleeing the field the day was certainly the Finns. Once again MGs and superior troops showed their superiority over masses of raw conscripts.