Barbarossa - Mud and Blood

A great time has had by nearly all, JP was using cursed dice.  Battle played in deep mud conditions after early autumn rains.  Pictures only of the notable units.

400point Battlegroups for each player.  German JP and young David both panzer division, Russian Mechanised Corp, me, Rifle Division big Livy.  The Germans won an all objectives victory after five turns

The KV-1 lasted the whole game under fire from the Panzer 3s, it spent two of the five turned pinned but KOd a Panzer 3.  the Bt-7s in comparison had less impact.

This table was a sea of mud due to early autumn rains, the mechanised infantry all entered on foot, the red blob is the objective.  I had to send one squad after another running towards the objective while the Germans slide along the top of the ridge to take it.  The Russian support forces tried to pick them off.



This was the real unit of the game for me the infantry gun 76.2mm, with loader team placed right on the edge of the board on turn 2 from the reserves, it never failed to pin down a German infantry squad, half track or armoured car.



Valiant German trucks brave the roads, painted by  Young David, the Germans stuck with road movement before dismounting this kept the order count down.





Autocannon armed Panzer 2s picked off Livy's T-26s and hammered the Russian infantry, again painted by Young David, the panzer on it's side slide off the hill. Below is JPs battle cutting edge

Above Big Livy's platoon commander advanced to contest an objective on the junction but couldn't live through the storm of German fire that took out his platoon.



Barbarossa Defence Line

Battlegroup Barbarossa Defence Line

750point battlegroups Russian Infantry defending v German Panzer Attack  this saddled the Soviets with plenty of elements but not a lot of command control

This AT position held for six turns under gun, tank and MG fire, the German initial probe

Russian trench position

Russian Left and centre

This hill was an objective overlooking the brown stream which was difficult going, the Russian held it through the whole game.

Second objective The Bridge

The mill house was booby trapped, the infantry gun had been pinned down in the bombardment, later it pulled back and fought 5 panzer 3s , had two Beyond the call of duties before the crew was destroyed

Burning Panzer 3

The Cavalry arrive

The reserves try to counter the German break through, T-28 to the rescue, again this infantry gun had fought through 6 turns

German victory

The Panzers finally take the bridge and the Russian Battlegroup has suffered 39 BR, initially 36

Battle Group Barbarossa

We played the Hard Road East Scenario with 800 point battle groups.
The Russians had more Scouts and got the first turn

Livi's T-35

This is action in the centre of the table Livi's T-35 was our sole Vanguard unit and held out for a three turns, My Bt-7s with tank riders stormed up the road in the face of David's Panzer 3s and German infantry

David's Panzer 4s Burning

Sparky got these Panzers 4s into a blocking position but a sole BT-7 knocked these 2 out, with two Panzer 2 rolling a Beyond the call of Duty twice in the battle.  A hero of the Soviet Unit, the crew of that BT-7 was forced to bail and was cut down by a German mg crew. This is the very tank below lurking in a wood with one of his burning victims. note he had fired 8 shots at this point

Hero of the Soviet Union!

Livis Guard rocket battery

The rocket battery only fired once in the game, Livi normally only does a barrage but I asked he deploy on the field.  Dont do this it is a serious tactical MISTAKE

David's Panzer 3s

David's Panzer 2s

 The German's nearly took all of the objectives and came forward , the Russians had to mass the BT-7s for the counter attack and the Stal, Stal rule got us back in the game

David's infantry

David's trucks

David brought his trucks right in the forward zone of the battle to stay in the fight.

Livis T-34s

The T-34s delivered consistent fire power and held off the Germans to give us time to build reserves, Livi sent this T-34 forward on reserve move right into the Panzer 3s.  Again a great set of rules which  delivered a see saw battle