The Net Closes

This game was a work in progress on a couple of levels, one was learning more about the rules and urban fighting and the other was adding more buildings to the empty spaces as I finished my new arrivals. The game was based on a scenario in the "Road to Berlin" book and was entitled Tank Hunting using the 'enhanced tank hunter' rules which I have yet to set eyes on despite being told a page number. I decided on a large game and friend Matt chose 1500 points of Germans while I had just slightly over that of Russians.

The Germans had a typical force which would have been fighting in Berlin, Army, Kriegsmarine, Volksturm and Hitler Youth with a Tiger, Pak 40, some halftracks and other supports. The Russians hat two T34's an SU122 and mostly veteran infantry squads including Guards, Engineers and Scouts, these were backed by several support units including an air observer. The aim of the scenario was for the Russians to break through the German defences and exit troops from that end of the table, the Germans had to knock out Soviet tanks.

Matt deployed along Behren Strasse, Hitler Youth in the Angleterre Hotel, Volksturm in the Police Station along with the MMG, next door in the Krone Cafe was the Pak 40 covering Bauhofstrasse. St. Hedwig's was poorly defended by a panzerschreck team and a Forward Observer for the mortar, nearby a sniper took up a position in the Koenig Cinema. A tram turned into a roadblock cut off this end of the street. German reserves included the Tiger an army squad and the sailors along with a 251/10 with a light anti-tank gun. The Russian plan was to have the SU122, Guards and Engineers advance through the park for an attack on the Angleterre, an LMG squad would make a move on the Police Station and watch the flank of the main attack. On the right flank a T34/76 along with the Scouts would move on the Cinema while another squad would move toward St. Hedwig's. A second T34/85 would remain in reserve.

The Soviet pre-bombardment was a minor inconvience to the Germans but they did lose their Forward Observer so the mortar would have to move to shoot, the sniper also lost his buddy but he stayed in position. As the Russians advanced a Stuka-zu-fuss opened up (this was supposed to be a Howling Cow but I don't have one, I also cocked up the rule pertaining to this weapon) and hit the main advance making for the Angleterre, the Engineers bore the brunt of this terror weapon and the pins meant they were slowed down for several moves. Once the Russians got close enough to identify the German positions bullets and shells flew among the buildings and rubble. The Hitler Youth squad began to take casualties as the SU122 found them and began shelling the hotel while the Russian infantry closed up, minus the Engineers of course. On the right I had forgotten that the tram blocked the Breite Strasse and although it could not advance past that section the T34/76 could fire into the Koenig Cinema and support the Scouts moving against the German sniper who still held his post. To help him the Kreigsmarine squad entered the battle to shore up the German left flank, the Russians also brought on the T34/85 on Bauhofstrasse and aimed at the rocket launcher.

With the pressure mounting on the Hitler Youth the German commander called for armoured back up, however something was wrong with the radio and the Tiger failed to turn up, the SU122 and the Guards now forced the Hitler Youth to leave the battlefield, having suffered horrendous casualties the survivors fled. The assault gun now turned it's attention to the Volksturm on the upper levels of the Police Station as did the LMG squad. A hail of death flew across Behren Strasse and both sides suffered, the LMG squad and then the Volksturm were destroyed. By now the remaining German reserve was deployed to hold the Angleterre Hotel corner but soon hunkered down and traded shots with the Guards who had arrived at Behren Strasse. Now the Tiger turned up and began duelling with the SU122 who had now added the MMG team to its list of victims, it took two shots but the Russian gun went up in flames. Just before this the brave but foolish panzerschreck team had tried to ambush the T34/76 and failed miserably paying a heavy price.

A look around the battlefield showed the Kriegsmarine moving to St. Hedwig's having chased the Scouts from the field, while the remaining few Germans in the Police Station/Krone Cafe pulled back as the T34/85 and a veteran infantry squad began an assault. On the left the Engineers had at last moved forward and along with the Guards were about to take the Angleterre stranding the Tiger in Rochstrasse, leaving it no choice but to retire. The fight in this particular area of Berlin was over.

Again a very good battle, I still managed to get some of the rules wrong but I also picked up on quite a few others which I had forgotten, once again the game played well, I have not covered all the city fighting mechanics but most of them. No wonder the Russians used so many tanks, assault guns and artillery pieces to bludgeon their way through Berlin, another reason was their lack of infantry, the troops which had been fighting since the Seelow Heights were mere shadows of the formations which fought on the Oder, an epic struggle indeed.

In between building 'Berlin' I managed to finish two SYW limbers for the artillery, one British and one French, next up are some more Prussians for Rob and the big diorama with a cast of thousands. I do still have those two SYW battalions in the ready use locker but they are going to have to wait as I expect some kits to finish (and I use the term loosely) my WWII stuff for birthday/Christmas and yes I am having one.

I have been enjoying Queens Gambit on Netflix and will finish it tonight, I also caught The Good Lord Bird which is a tongue in cheek series about John Brown, the one moldering in his grave and captured by none other than Robert E. Lee. I watched two actual movies with five star ratings which just went to show how political these awards now are as both were average at best, Motherless Brooklyn and Just Mercy (I think). With the next season of The Expanse on the way I decided to try one of the books, I got a second hand copy as I was unsure whether it would be any good and there are half a dozen or so out now with the latest coming next year. I cannot put it down it is excellent, I am now the proud owner of books 2 and 3 as well. It has been a while since I started watching the TV series and the books are very different from what my memory banks show, but I welcome the return of Detective Miller.

Next up for wargaming although I am unsure when I will actually manage it, is a commando style raid by paratroopers which I have buzzing in the back of my mind.