Iskra Pictures
The game was played by Chris & I Friday 21st Sept 2007 on Chris's board. Most of the infantry was from Chris's collection. The vehicles were a mix of mine and Chris's, as was the terrain. We don't have any snowy terrain or snow camm'ed vehicles so everything looks unrealistically verdant and green
Workers Settlement No5 garrisoned by the 412 Infanterie Regiment. Limbers by SHQ, SdKfz-10/4 by S&S and 10.5cm leFH-18 by Revel
Bunker in the woods covering the boggy clearing. Bunker by Ironclad Miniatures, painted by Chris
Elements of the 61st tank Brigade move along the edge of the boggy clearing, sniped at by the MG in the bunker. T-60's by SHQ painted by Chris
Lead company of the 61st
Comrades of the 136th Rifle Division reach the main road, to be halted by the dug-in Germans on the other side
Big push in the middle. A hoard of Russians overwhelms the solitary German defender. 2.5km is a very big frontage to defend with an under strength battalion!
Russian commanders in the woods
Close encounter in the woods. This solitary German stand survived a continuous onslaught for 4 hours
Dusk on the 16th. The Russians finally leave the woods and make a rush for the settlement. Fortunately for the Germans the dice indicated that there were to be no night turns.
Close-up as the T-60's approach the settlement
Over night German reinforcements arrive. PzKfw-IIIN of the 502 Schwere Heeres Panzer Abt. Matchbox PzKfw-IIIL converted to an 'N'
Panzers take up hull down positions in the darkness. PzKfw-IIIL is Matchbox, the Tiger is a Dragon ready made
Soviets on the left flank prepare to cross the road. This was a brave attack. Off picture to the left is an MG bunker. The attackers were shot to pieces
The Soviets line up in the darkness for their dawn assault on Settlement No 5
An Su-2 plunges out of the dawn sky to bomb the Tiger. Su-2 by Chris, ICM kit if I recall correctly
The Su-2 was to arrive like clock-work for the first three turns of the game. It never managed to hit the Tiger but did manage to kill a T-34 by accident
98th Tank Brigade advancing. Chris split the brigade, the 2nd battalion (furthest away) went to engage the Tiger whilst the first advanced towards the settlement. Matchbox T-34/76
Kampfgruppe Huhner arrives. I chose to bring them on up the main road behind the majority of the 136th Rifle Division. The sPzB-41 is substituting for the FlaK-38 as I left it at home
Mid morning and the Soviet attack is faltering. nearly the entire Soviet force has gone pinned. The Germans have been forced out of the first part of the Settlement but the Russians have little with which to exploit their success.
T-60's pinned in front of the Germans. Things were to get worse as the next turn; the T-60's HQ was to fail it's morale, go shaken and retreat. This prevented any of the T-60's getting orders which totally stalled the attack. The 61st's superior officer was over 3km away and KG Huhner was between him and the tanks
1st Battalion 98th Tank Brigade, supported by 2nd Battalion 414th Rifle Regiment storm the eastern edge of the Settlement, taking the first town block. However German resistance was stiffening and this was as far as the infantry got
502 takes on the tanks of the 98th
T-34/76 M1941 with Applique armour. Fujimi kit with Vac-U-Cast turret and front armour
Chris sent the T-34's of the 98th to the south of the settlement to deal with KG Huhner. The 88mm of the Flakkampftruppe engaged the Soviet tanks. Unfortunately the gun did not live up to it's reputation and missed. Subsequently it died under a barrage of 76mm HE
Last shot of the game. A T-60 sees off the Tiger! It looked for a second the T-60 had actually killed the beast but it was 1/2" too far away
The game ended in a decisive German victory, the Russians had achieved none of their victory condition and were unlikely to do so in the turns remaining. With hindsight this is a tough game for the Soviet player to win and Chris played well. It was a very enjoyable game!