Borodino

This game was played Tuesday 15th Dec in my conservatory. Dave N was playing the Germans, John & I were playing the Soviets. The scenario will be up on the site in due course (some time in Feb) but in the mean time here is a link to the map so you have a fighting chance of following the action.

Soviet defences around the key village of Artemki: infantry from the 17th Siberian Rifle Regiment and tanks from the 18th Tank Corps. The road is the main road to Moscow and one of the objectives for the Germans. There was an option to deploy the Soviet infantry in front of the town in trenches covered by barbed wire. However John was wary of the fact that the forward positions had already been registered by the German artillery and declined to use them

3rd Company 18th tank brigade. Ostmodels BT's

T-37's (Milicast) and infantry of the 12th Divisional Recce Battalion. FO of the 154th Howitzer regiment controlling a pair of 152mm batteries deployed in the woods to the east of Artemki

3rd battalion 17th Infantry Regiment in the foreground with the 1st and 2nd Companies 18th Tank brigade in the woods to the rear

The village of Utitsy, to the north of Artemki, defended by the 3rd Battalion 332nd Infantry Regiment. In the background are the guns of the 209th Tank Destroyer Battalion

Close up of one of the 209th's guns. This is a Skif ZiS-3 model masquerading as a 76mm M1939. The infantry stand was painted by Chris Steadman and abandoned after a previous battle. He was forcibly conscripted in to the 209th to defend the guns.

More guns of the 209th, the one on the right was painted by John. This time Italeri ZiS-3 masquerading as M1939's

III Bataillon SS Deutschland, prepare to leave the woods and assault Utitsy (yes I know the labels are not right for III Btl)

3rd Coy 3rd Bttn 332nd Inf Regt was not in Utitsy but deployed to Borodino Station. Here they prepare to move north to defend the road out of the town which was the other German objective.

Elements of II Btl SS Das Reich supported by a StuG (SHQ) move cautiously in the direction of Artemki

The battle for Utitsy starts badly for the Soviets, the SS proving the better troops.

SS Das Reich push into the strip of woods separating Artemki from Utitsy. They soon overcome the Soviet infantry but the KV looks very intimidating

The tanks counter attack the German infantry. Note under the rules visibility n the woods is only 2". SHQ SdKfz-222 & KV-1. Fujimi T-34's

VVS makes an early appearance. The Il-2's rockets fail to make a dent in the StuG but destroy an infantry stand, and more importantly destroy the company's morale.

1 Kompanie SS Deutchland moves to outflank Utitsy by following the railway line to Borodino Station

3rd battalion commander is the last Soviet defender of Utitsy. However he sees off the the SS with his pistol and then makes a bolt for a friendly ditch. The SS like Utitsy so much they don't leave for the rest of the game

German reinforcements I Btl SS Der Fuhrer enters the fray

15Kp SS Deutschland enters the battle and pushed through the forest to the north of Utitsy towards Borodino station. SHQ SdKfz-223 (standing in for a 221), Fujimi Kubelwagen and Italerie bikes (the nearest with HAT riders)

3rd Company 18th tank brigade, was attached to the 12th Recce Battalion. Convinced that the Germans are not going to make a push along the Moscow highway the commander then redeployed the tanks north.

T-37's near Artimki

10 Panzer Division arrives. 1 Kp 7 Panzer Regiment moves down the Moscow road, perhaps redeploying the BT's was premature?

3 Kp 7 Panzer Regiment moves past Utitsy

18th Tank Brigade moves to intercept the German tanks at Utitsy

Panzers and T-34's

The Luftwaffe ineffectually bombs the guns of the 209th. In the background the T-37's of the 12th recce try to fend off a renewed onslaught by the SS. Behind them the KV cowers in the wood, after being shot at by the Panzers.

15 Kp SSD makes it to Borodino Station. Only a single Soviet company stands on the road north of the town defending the victory location.

15Kp takes the road out of town to confront 3rd Company, 3rd battalion, 332nd Infantry Regiment. The Soviets have been reinforced with the BA-FAI from 12th Recce Batalion

To the far south the 20th Tank Brigade arrives along the Moscow road. It is accompanies by the Lenin cadets.

Eventually the Germans take Artemki and then try to push beyond, but they have taken many casualties and are not as strong as they were. Here a company of SS DR tries to oust the infantry from 12th Recce Bttn from the woods to the east of Artemki, in order to get at the Soviet artillery observers. The Germans have been taking a steady trickle of casualties from the Soviet heavy artillery and would dearly love to see the demise of the FO's.

The Germans decide to finish off the T-37's once and for all, and send in the Panzers.

20th Tank Brigade moves up. Time is running out for the Soviets to make their victory conditions which include seizing the west end of the Moscow road

ZiS-30 (SHS) supports the advance, watched by the 20th's commander in his BA-20 (MR Modelbau)

18th Tank Brigade emerges from the woods to confront the panzers

The Germans deploy their 88mm Flak (Hasegawa) to defend the road to the west. Supported by a portee 2omm FlaK-30 (FAA Gun in a (mostly) Airfix Opel.

Stuka bombs the 20th tank Brigade. No casualties were caused but a company went pinned further delaying the Soviet advance

In order to get a decisive victory the Soviets needed to clear the Moscow road and get a stand in Artemki. Despite an all out effort and commitment of the 18th Tank Brigade it was not too be. Too many SS in the village. A lucky shot from the PzKfw-II forced the KV-1 back.

After some long range HE fire by the Soviets forced the 88mm gun crew away from their gun the 20th tank brigade made a lunge up the road at high speed. They needed three tanks on the road exit to win. Looks like they are going to make it but this pic was taken before opportunity fire. Unfortunately for the Soviet accurate fire from the panzers destroyed a pair of T-34's. It looked like the battle was heading for a draw.

The Germans sneak a Pz-II north of Borodino station. the SdKfz-221 is a "Weak AFV" so can be dealt with by small arms. Unfortunately for the Soviets the Pz-II is not "weak" and the infantry have nothing to combat it. At the last moment the Germans grab a minor victory

It was a fantastic game and tricky for both sides, perhaps a little trickier for the Soviets but right until the very end it looked as if they had sopped the SS