our Operation Bagration game at Crisis 2014

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The Dortmund Amateur Wargamers at Crisis 2014!

Many Thanks to the Tin Soldiers Of Antwerp for the great show!

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The Dortmund Amateur Wargamers at Crisis 2014

Many Thanks to the Tin Soldiers Of Antwerp fort the great show!


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.

[Elbows]

What an absolutely gorgeous table 

Also, it's my favourite part of the fight in the East.  Lovely stuff!

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more pictures

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and more...

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and...

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and...

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at last...

[Gunbird]

Very impressive, I enjoyed watching it at the show. Are the dug in hills custom made for the game, and if so, did you make pictures building it?

[Calimero]

Wow! 

[von Lucky]

What a lovely looking game. Thanks for sharing, wish I was there.

[dm]

all round excellent

[nelsons-signal]

Very impressive, I enjoyed watching it at the show. Are the dug in hills custom made for the game, and if so, did you make pictures building it?

Hello Gunbird,

I build the strongpoints - it´s easy.
I will post a HOW TO BUILD at the workbench soon.

Regards
Achim

[Coriolanus]

Fantastic! 

How did you make the flames of the OT-34?

[moiterei_1984]

Wow! Most impressive. I'd also like an how to for the entrenchments.