Vienna

This game was played between Dave N and I on Thursday 23/3/12 in my conservatory and an unseasonably warm spring-like day. I supplied all the kit. Dave played the Soviets and I played the Germans.

11th Guards Motorcycle Battalion approaches Munchendorf. MMS Valentine, Esci M3 and Matchbox Jeep

Behind Munchendorf was 33 Panzer Ersatz and Ausbildungs Abteilung's second line containing the well cammo'd PaK-40 of 17 Panzerjäger E&A Abt

1 Kompanie 33 Pz E&A Abt positioned before Luxenburg, defending the cratered road.

11th Motorcycle Battalion take Munchenberg

Alarmheiten north of Achau. One of my first moves of the battle was to move them to defend the railway cutting to the west

Right Column of the 2SS Panzer Aufklärungs Abt moves past Luxenberg. Cromwell SdKfz-234/4, Matchbox (with a Cromwell turret) SdKfz-234/1. Grubby tanks SdKfz-250

The right column was halted by the German's own road block

Stab 2SS Pz Aufklärungs Abt outside Achau. Cromwell SdKz-251/1

2SS Pz Aufklärungs left column supported by the Artillery FO. Esci SdKfz-250. BeobPzWg-III is Matchbox hull and Vac-U-Cast turret

On the left the recce meets the M3 of the 11th Motorcycle Battalion. The 250/9 is forced back by the M3's HMG

The right hand column pushed south having left the armoured cars to guard their flank

The SdKfz-234/1 nudges towards Munchendorf only to be destroyed by the Valentine

After several hours of inactivity the VVS finally pounces

The recce units perturbed by the air attack seek cover in the nearby woods

The lead elements of  2SS' right column have a very close, and very fatal, encounter with the Soviet Forward Detachment. Airfix & Fujimi T-34's, Cromwell SU-100

2SS Panzergruppe starts to arrive. Fujimi PzKfw-IV and revel JgdPz-IV/70(V)

Panthers at Lunxenburg. Altaya diecast

2SS Panzergruppe's middle column. Matchbox Jägdpanther, Fujimi PzKfw-IV and Cromwell Möbelwagen. Wirbelwind is a Skytrex turret on a Fujimi hull.

Jägdpanther

Soviet forward detachment advances. (I know the scenario calls for Shermans but as yet I do not own any)

Panthers at Guntrainsdorf moving south down the Soviet flank

33 Pz E&A Abt's second line starts to crumble. Alby BA-64

Panthers reach the southern edge of the battlefield

In the north the Soviet recce reaches Anchau

The SdKfz-234/4 makes its first kill. The 234/4 was the German "hero tank" killing a pair of T-34's and an SU-100 before its final demise.

The Soviets push up the right flank, manoeuvring around the German heavy armour

Soviets overrun the 33 Pz E&A Abt and probe forward in the middle, very wary of the Jägdpanther's big 88. The 33 Pz E&A Abt's commander survived the over-run. If you look carefully you can see him skulking in the bushes.

On the left, having out flanked the Panthers, and having lost one of there number to the dreaded 234/4, a tank battalion of the 9th Guards Tank Brigade pushes past Luxenberg. The Stab of the 2SS Pz Aufklärungs flees before it.

I Kp 33 Pz E&A Abt start a forlorn counter attack towards the Soviets

The last of the German reinforcements: I Btl 4SS Panzergrenadier Regiment arrive at the railway bridge

1st Guards Mech Brigade swarms forward forcing the Panthers before them.

1st Guards Mech Brigade in the east

Soviet Recce elements reach Himburg to be confronted by the majority of I Btl 4SS.

After destroying or forcing off the German armour the Soviets reinforce Himburg in anticipation of a push into the town

In the south poor morale prevents an orderly withdrawal of the Panthers. However their presence delays the advance of the 1st Gds Mech Bde in the west.

The VVS is back, trying to destroy the Jägdpanther which dominates the centre of the battlefield. However the large amount of German Flak spoils the Sturmovik's aim.

More Soviet reinforcements pour towards Himburg which has become the location for the final Soviet thrust to the north. The Germans reinforce as best they can but with the Panthers delayed in the south west they have very little available bar a few flak vehicles

One of the T-34's from the 9th Gds Tank brigade having snuck up the west flank reached the railway bridge over the canal to be confronted by the Alarmhieten Panzerschreck team. This didn't end well for the T-34.

The Panthers make it back north in time to kill the T-34's that have manoeuvred past Himberg. The one in the distance was nailed by a 20mm Flak from the flank, much to the German commander's chagrin. Just out of shot the I Btl 4SS Panzergrenadiers have started an counter attack out of Himburg to force the Soviet infantry back behind the wrecks of the burning panzers so they can be recovered over night. However the attack started too late and the Soviets were too strong...

This was a really good game with a great deal of manoeuvre on both sides. Talking after the game it was apparent both commanders felt under considerable pressure from the other throughout the game and with the loss of the final T-34 it looked like the Soviets had blown their chances. The German started with infantry a long way down the table and had managed to get the Panthers right the way down the other end. Counting the points at the end showed the game was incredibly close: Germans' 163 points to the Soviets' 164 points so it was a Soviet victory by the smallest of margins. Although German advances were greater than the Soviets', the three burning German panzers behind Soviet lines at the end of the game scored 18 points and swung it in the Russians favour.

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