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Luchki
John & I played this scenario in my conservatory on 3/9/11. As I only have an 8x5 board we played the smaller version. John was the Soviets and I played Das Reich. Al the kit on display comes from my collection
1698th AA Battalion deployed around Kalinin
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Mortars of the 6th Guards Motor Rifle Regiment deployed to the North West of Luchki
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ZiS-3 defending the open ground to the south east of Luchki
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Stragglers from the 51st Guards Rifle Division on Luchki's main street
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Churchills (Italeri) in their start positions
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T-34's of the 22nd Guards Tank brigade line a ridge. T-34's are assorted kit hulls (mostly matchbox and Airfix) with a wide variety of replacement resin turrets
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22nd GTB. The T-60's in the background are SHQ
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The initial German assault hit the west end of Luchki but didn't get far enough to reach the mortars. Grey 251 is Milicast, sandy 251 is a Matchbox conversion and the 250 is Esci/Italeri
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In the east end of Luchki the SS try to remove the Stragglers. However they would be more resolute in defence than anticipated. Cromwell 251/9
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The Luftwaffe's first appearance, bombing the 22nd GTB. Despite running many sorties the Luftwaffe was not particularly effective all game
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The 6th Guards MR's mortars hastily abandon Luchki and run for the safety of the 22GTB's lines
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Das Reich Tigers (repainted die casts (Altaya?) ) rush forward pass the last remaining mortar of the 6th Gds MRR. The 82 mm is man packed, the 120mm needs a limber and the Soviets didn't have one. Non the less its crew fought valiantly fending off a pair of SS stands for turn before succumbing
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21st Guards Tank Brigade enter the table. the Brigade HQ leads the light tanks to form a back stop to the Soviet lines
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Das Reich PzKfw-T34 (Plastic Soldier) move cautiously forward, wary of the Soviet 76mm AT guns to their front
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The T-34's of the 21st GTB push south of Luchki
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However 21st GTB's counter attack is not really strong enough. Despite the PzKfw-T34s going shaken the attack is repulsed
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Time is running out for the Germans so they make a bold push for Kalinin past the shaken 21st GTB
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In the centre the 21st GTB is finally defeated by the German panzers
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The Tigers push forward to engage the Churchills of the 48th Guards Heavy Tank Regiment
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Das Reich's armour approached Kalinin but there is very little time left in which to take the town
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The Tigers smash though the middle of the Soviet position which promptly collapses
The Germans made a 3:1 kill ration but didn't make it to Kalinin in time to clear it. The assault on the town was progressing well but there were too many defenders in the town to be cleared in a couple of turns. So a Soviet victory despite the fact I seem to have short changed them 8 T-34's.