A Two Bob Battle - Eastern Front 1943

Yesterday Bob Black and his wife Sue paid a visit, and after a light lunch and extensive wargaming discussion the two Bobs settled down for a short wargame.  

I was keen to play test my 'Tank Action' rules, which are an adaptation of Charles Grant's rules from his book 'Battle'.  Movement and firing distances have been converted into hexes and and the whole armoured section is laid out on one side of A4. Here are the rules:

The battle takes place on the Eastern front in 1943, with the Soviets exploiting gains following the battle of Kursk.  The Germans are pulling back to a new defence line around the Dneiper river and seeing an opportunity, a soviet Guards Tank regiment is rushing forward to cut off the retreating enemy. They quickly outpace their infantry and artillery and hurtle headlong into a delaying force defending a low ridge. I played the Soviets while Bob controlled the Germans.

The soviet mission is to capture a small village, which is at the centre of the German delaying force position.

The Soviets advance towards the low ridge and the village objective is visible at the top of the table:

The Soviet force is made up of a large number of T-34 tanks of both 76 and 85mm variety and a lone tank destroyer.  In all there are 15 tanks.

The Germans hold the village  with a mix of Panzer IV tanks and anti-tank guns:

A major asset for the Germans is an 88mm gun hidden in a small wood, covering the road into the village:

The six German tanks are mostly concealed behind the low ridge:

Wishing to maintain momentum the Soviet leading tanks roar over the ridge to engage the germans, but quickly come under fire from two 75mm PAK 40s in defilade positions behind the ridge, the T-34s attempt to fan out and close in on the enemy, but are quickly taken out by the 88mm and flanking guns:

The initial soviet attack is blunted and their commander (me!) is shocked by the effectiveness of the ant-tank defence:

It was clear that small numbers of tanks would be picked off as they crossed the ridge and so the next few turns were spent bringing up as many tanks as possible in order to launch a mass attack towards the village:

Meanwhile, Bob brought up his Panzer IVs into firing positions along the high ground by the village:

As the Soviets shuffle into to position another T-34 is hit by a long range shot from the 88mm, which sits well out of range of the soviet tanks:

When ready the soviet tanks burst into view, coming under a hail of fire from the German tanks and anti-tank guns.  Another two T-34s go up in flames:

However, through sheer weight of numbers the soviets continue to roll through.  One of the German 75mm guns is destroyed along with a Panzer IV:

More Soviet tanks burst into the view and a close exchange of fire ensues (I only learnt from bitter experience how close the T-34s needed to be to take out the German armour).  More Panzer IVs go up in flames and I actually thought that the tide was turning in favour of the soviets.

The T34s roll towards the village and victory - or so I thought:

The 88mm firing along the road and the remaining 75mm firing into the Soviet flank soon  changed all this, as the exposed Soviet tanks suffer the same fate as those earlier:

Having lost well over half of their number the Soviet attack faltered and the survivors reversed back over the ridge.  It was a German victory and Bob and I retired to discuss the battle and the rules over tea. If the soviets had artillery and or infantry the outcome may have been different as the German anti-tank guns could have been neutralised.

The rules worked well, especially the observation/visibility element.  The final score was 9 - 4 to the Germans!

The vehicles, 88mm and tanks are all Roco Minitanks, with Airfix 75mms.  the game was played on a 5" hex board.

Soviet Reinforcements

Compared to my German forces, the soviets that I will be using for my mini campaign are a bit thin. During the last week I have been addressing this by increasing the number of infantry and armour units.

A new infantry unit, in the standard format of four rifle sub units, a mortar and machine gun sub unit and a command element:

These are all Airfix figures. I have always liked the machine gun and mortar teams and it is a shame that Airfix did not produce these for the other nationalities:

I also acquired two additional Roco Minitanks T-34s; one a 76mm gun version and the other has the longer 85mm gun:

To provide a reconnaissance capability I bought a trio of BA-10 armoured cars from BPM (Butler's Printed Models) - I am not aware of any 1/87 scale soviet armoured cars from other sources:

Finally some soviet heavy tanks in the shape of these KV-1As, also from BPM:

The soviets are just about ready to take to the field.

Soviet Forces Muster

My soviet army is coming together quite well, although I think I need a little more armour and infantry, given the size of the area they are to defend:

The figures are mostly early Airfix and the armour is 1/87 scale, mostly Roco Minitanks.

Soviet Artillery and Air Support

As part of the preparation for my forthcoming WW2 mini-campaign, I have completed the artillery support of the Soviet forces, along with some aircraft.

The guns are metal and by Irregular Miniatures, from their Really Useful Guns range and are scaled at somewhere between 15 and 20mm. Exactly what I needed to go with my Roco tanks and vehicles. The crews are 20mm, but on the small side and work well with the Airfix Russians:

First there are two field gun units, equipped with 122mm guns:

Second, we have two units of heavier 152mm guns:

I have also created some air support, in the shape of 2 x IL-2 ground attack aircraft and two La-5 fighters:

The aircraft are 1/144 scale by Zvezda.

Battle Report - Minding the Gap!

In no time the soviet recce elements began to probe forward to determine where the NATO defensive positions might be. Already the Recce commander can hear firing off to his flanks and he guesses that the ridge to his front is defended. Doctrine forces him to push on and he sends his light tanks up the road, whilst his scout cars probe around the flanks.

His three PT-76s reach the cross roads:

 As reports of enemy movement come into combat team (CT) HQ, the NATO CT commander moves up onto the ridge to take stock. His plan is to try to fight off the recce with his infantry, while keeping his tanks concealed for the main attack.

 Two BRDMs nose their way around the soviet right flank and are engaged by a Wombat. The shot misses and the vehicles pull back:

At the same time the two leading PT-76s are engaged by concealed infantry 84mm and are quickly taken out:

The soviet recce commander decides that it would be folly to try to move more light tanks through the close country and he orders the accompanying infantry to move forward and clear the hedgerows.

 He also orders an artillery barrage to soften up the objective and shells crash down on to the Blankshires trenches:

The dismounted infantry surge forward:

 And despite the artillery support are met by a wall of fire that causes many casualties.

 Temporarily halted, the soviets call for smoke and soon the attacking infantry are masked as they once more attempt to cross the road:

 The right hand Wombat repositions, and takes out one of the BTR-60s:

 The soviet infantry emerge from the smoke and surge forwards:

 

An infantryman with an RPG engages the Wombat armed APC and destroys it:

 The Blankshire's right flank is now in serious danger of being over run and so the platoon commander calls for a 'danger close' mortar stonk, which lands around the position, cutting down the exposed soviet troops, but killing one of the Blankshires too:

The remaining PT-76 pushes up the road, firing into the flanks of the British infantry, but is taken out by a Chieftain on the ridge, but the Chieftain has been spotted.

 The CT commander looks beyond the battle in front and can see columns of tanks and APCs moving along the road in the distance. To his horror he realises that these are not old BTRs and T-55 tanks; but more modern T-62s and BMP tracked APCs:

 After more stiff fighting the soviets capture the CT right hand position and they push forwards:

 Having located one of the British Chieftains the soviets bring up an ATGW BRDM, which fires Swatter missiles; but misses its target:

 The soviets fire everything they have got at the Chieftain and a 115mm round from a T-62 slams into the turret ring, knocking out the British tank

 The first Chieftain burns:

 The newly arrived BMPs begin to disgorge their infantry onto the CTs left flank and put pressure on the dug in infantry:

 A supporting T-62 crunches through the hedge and blasts away at the British trenches:

 On the CTs right, tanks and APCs support the infantry assault:

 Increasing pressure on the defending infantry.

 The Chieftains on the left ridge open up but miss their target and quickly another Chieftain is knocked out by concentrated tank and ATGW fire:

 The remaining Wombat attempts to engage a T-62, misses and is destroyed by tank fire:

 With one tank remaining and the anti-tank guns knocked out things look bad for the CT.

In an attempt to stop the infantry assault on the CTs left flank artillery fire is brought down, causing a number of casualties amongst the soviet infantry:

 But, BMP and tank fire pins the British infantry as the soviets close in.

 On the CTs right flank soviet tanks and APcs nose their way up onto the ridge. The CTs position is all but lost:

 The CT commander orders non essential troops and CT HQ to withdraw:

 The last remaining Chieftain accounts for one of the BMPs before pulling back off the ridge

 On the other flank the soviets are in control of the ridge as they pass a knocked out Chieftain:

With one remaining tank and just half of the infantry, Combat Team Charlie withdraws, having failed to do much damage to the soviets or delay them as long as required. A win for the soviets.