The Dortmund Amateur Wargamers at Crisis 2014
Our Operation Bagration Scenario was based on the Minsk Highway Szenario in “Rapid Fire! - Szenarios for the Russia Front 1941-1945 by Richard Marsh.
Operation Bagration - the ambitious Soviet offensive – was a multi-pronged strike, deep into Byelorussia, to capture Minsk, encircle and destroy Army Group Center and open the way to Warsow and East Prussia.
On the northern flank. 3rd Byelorussian Front was ordered to force the Moscow to Minsk Highway – a key rollbahn strongly defended by the heavily reinforced 78th Sturm Division.
The 78th Sturm Division was well dug in and the positions where protected by minefields, Anti-Tank- Obstacles, and Barbed Wire.
The Russia Objective in the game is to break through the German defense Line – to reach the far (German) end of the table with at least 2 armored vehicles and 8 infantry – representing the Russia breakthrough.
We used the “Rapid Fire” rules by Collin Rumford.
The Miniatures are 20mm by Britannia Miniatures, FAA and Drews Militia.
Trucks by Britannia Miniatures, Staff-Car by moonlite modelwerks, M3 Scout Car by Esci
The forces are:
The Soviet Forces
Assault Group HQ
HQ + 5 HQ Truck Staff Car
+ 3 Figures (Observer-Team)
AA Coy. Gaz Truck AA-Gun
Repair Coy T 34 Repair-Tank
Tanks of the Special Armored Assault Group
Heavy Tank Comp. 2 x JS 2
Heavy Su Batt. 2 x ISU 152
Light Su Batt 2 x Su 76
Tank Company 2 x T 34/85
2 Engineer Tank Coys each PT 34 / OT-34
Engineers on M3/trucks
HQ + 6
2 x 6 (1 X fla, 1 x demo charges)
1 x MMG
43th Guards Rifle Regiment
HQ + 5 Figures/ Jeep
AA Platoon
1 x AA Gun on Gaz-Truck
Artillery Batt.
1 x 76,2 mm Infantry Gun (3 Figures)/ / 2 x Horse tow
Anti Tank Batt.
2 x 45 mm AT-gun – long barrel (3 Figures)/ 2 x Horse tow
Mortar Batt.
1 x 120 mm Mortars (3 Figures)/ 2 x Horse tow
3 Guards Rifle Batt. each Rifle-Battalion consists of :
1 HQ with Co + 3 Figures
2 x Rifle Comp. with 8 Figures each
1 x SMG Coy with 6 Figures
1 x Mortar Comp. with 1 x 50mm Mortar (2 Figures) and 1 x 82mm Mortar (3 Figures)
1 x MG Comp. with 2 x Maxim MMG (3 Figures)
AT Coy with 2 x AT rifle
Air Support by IL-2m3 Sturmovic with 2 x 37mm Gun or 8 X 82mm rockets
Partisan Batt.
HQ Co +3
3 x Rifle Coy with 8 Figures
1 MMG Coy with 1 x Maxim MMG
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The German Forces:
HQ 195th Grenadier Reg.
1 HQ with Co + 5 Figures
Gun Coy 1 x 150mm sIG
1 x 75mm sIG
AT Coy 1 x 75mm Pak
AA Pltn 1 x quad 20mm AA on truck and 1 x 88mm Flak
1th and 2th Battalion
each consists of:
1 HQ with Co + 5 Figures (1 x PanzerschrecK)
3 x Rifle Comp. with 8 Figures each (each with one Panzerfaust)
1 x MG Comp. with 2 x MG 42 MMG (3 Figures each)
1 x Mortar Comp. with 1 x 120mm Mortar (3 Figures)
178th Artillery Regiment
HQ 5 Figures with observer Team
2 Battalions of 2 x 105mm How.
Assault Gun Company
2 x StuG III long 75mm
Heavy Anti Tank Company
1 x Nashorn SP 88mm
The Game:
The Russian Assault failed.
After approaching to the German Defense Lines the German started in round two with their reserve Fire and fired in their own round.
This double hit destroyed all engineer Tanks.
By round 3 the German Artillery had destroyed the first off the three Rifle Battalions.
The first two air attacks on the Artillery Positions where rejected by the powerfull quad AA-Gun.
In Round 4 a Partisan attack could destroy one Artillery Battalion but through the loss of both ISU 152 the Soviet breakthrough was thwarted.
Even when the Germans had lost to this point their two Anti Tank Guns – 2 x 75mm Pak, the 8,8mm Flak and the Nashorn - the remaining soviet tanks could not develop the firepower needed to destroy the dug in German forces with their own Anti Tank capacity.
The lost of the Engineer-Tanks prevented each other approach through the Mine Fields and the Barbered Wire.
Thank you for watching!
Cheers
Achim