Way Out East - 1943

Last October since our last World War Two game here at OHQ, time to remedy that with a small platoon level game using Battlegroup Rules with two amendments. Firstly the number of orders will not be diced for, usually 2D6 for this size of game, instead each side will get two orders, you cannot fail to roll 2, added to this will be one for each officer as per the rules. Ten dice will then be put in a bag together with a different coloured dice, when the first orders are used the player will then draw a dice for the next order, continuing until the different coloured dice is drawn, when the players turn will end. Secondly the usual ammunition limit for AFV's will apply but instead of having to keep track of it the following will be used if you decide to fire twice in the vehicles activation;

Roll two D6 - the vehicle will be out of ammunition on a result of

Ammo Supply  1 - 2                                                                        7+

Ammo Supply  3 - 4                                                                        8+   

Ammo Supply  5 - 7                                                                        9+

Ammo Supply  8 - 10                                                                    10+

Ammo Supply  11 - 12                                                                  11+

Ammo Supply  13+                                                                       12+

These were gleaned from posts on the Battlegroup Facebook page and the old Guild Forum respectively.

The Germans would be attacking a Russian defence line with the following

An infantry platoon from a Panzer Division Battlegroup, which would be supported by a Stug squadron of three vehicles, a SdKfz22 armoured car, one supply truck, off table artillery support of two 105mm howitzers and a timed air strike by a Ju-87 Stuka.

The Russians would be defending with an infantry platoon, including a Maxim MMG, a DshK MG in for anti-Aircraft support, an anti-tank rifle team, a 50mm mortar team and a 45mmL46 anti-tank gun  from a Tank Corps Battlegroup. Further support by a Light Tank Platoon of three T70s, an infantry foot patrol, a Zis3 anti-tank with a loader team and an off table mortar battery of two 120mm mortars is also provided. The Battle Rating for the Russians was 25 and 23 for the Germans, the game was played on a 5' x 4' table.

The Russians started with six units, one squad in the cornfield, one in the building to the right of the barn and another in the fox holes to its left. A Maxim MG was positioned just the other side of the fir trees (this never fired all game!) it never really had a target, but more importantly I completely forgot I had it, doh! a HMG for anti-aircraft defence was position behind the building and an observer team for two off table 120mm mortars the other side of the railway line looking down the road. Reinforcements could arrive from turn five, a D6 roll determining the number of units that could enter on their base line each turn.

 The Kubelwagen and wrecked car are objective markers, the Germans started with four units on the table with their reinforcements attempting to enter on turn two. Dave was unable to capitalise on this early advantage which was down to rolling a one for the number that could enter in the first four tries!

Further bad luck occurred when his air strike, evidently put off by Russian AA fire dropped its bombs way off target, things did not go all the Russians way their FO team was wiped out. But every cloud has a silver lining they say, the resulting chit pull was a mine strike counter duly played on an advancing Stug III.

The game however was not as clear cut as the above narrative suggests and at the times the Russians looked hard pressed, but their luck with the dice throws and chit pulls saw them ride the storm to secure a win in turn 9, the Germans exceeding their battle rating called off the attack

A Russian T70 Gets In A side Shot At The German SdKz222

To Even The Score A Little The Late Arriving Stug III Takes Out A T70

The Russian Chits At The End, The Confusion Chits Didn't Cause Any And No Airplane Arrived

The German Chits At The End, The Four Sealed Their Fate

A fine game and tense game in grand company with lots of laughs along the way, what a fine hobby this is.

TTFN