XXX Corps breakout with NQM

 I've played a few short games of NQM with Chris, and many years ago I even set up a test game using a much earlier revision of the rules. Chris has now formally published the rules, and the latest version explains how a lot of things work, so I thought I'd give them a go.

I've played this scenario many, many times with a range of rules - the XXX Corps breakout against Kampfgruppe Walther during Markety Garden. A battle immortalised in the film 'A Bridge Too Far' - all those real Shermans!

Terrain from the south, Club  Route runs up the middle towards Valkenswaard, Kolonie in the foreground, Petter to the left and Borkel to the right. The woods here are very swampy and the original scenario deems these to be impassable to vehicles, so I rated them as 'difficult terrain', which may have been an error.

The leading units only comprised a brigade sized force, so I used the Regimental Scale Orbat. It stipulates a ground scale of 300m hexes which seems way too small to accommodate two entire squadrons/companies, so I went with 500m hexes instead.

The Allies have to take hold of the five objectives, which are all three villages and the north and south road exits.

The Irish Guards Battlegroup. One Armoured Regiment (three x Shermans squadrons, one of which was command, plus a recce troop of Stuarts) and one motorised infantry battalion with two companies riding tanks, one in carriers, a command/support HQ in halftracks and a pioneer platoon. Irl this was split into two combat teams, the first with two squadrons of Shermans and two of infantry, the second with everything else.

And all the other stuff. A battalion of the Devonshires supported by a squadron of Cromwells, the entire divisional artillery (2 x Sextons and 2 x 25pdr), Brigade Staff and HQ (a Dingo scout car, naturally), supply truck and ambulance. The Devonshires job is to secure the corridor and stop and sneaky German counterattacks retaking the southern road or Kolonie! The artillery is firing a pre-planned barrage for the first few turns of the game.

I pondered how best to model all these units at RSO, but in the end I pretty much went with company level representation, so the Recce Troop only had 2SP. Inital orders are for 1st IG to bash on up the road, 2nd IG to take Petter and the Devonshires to secure the corridor. 

The RAF is also around, they flew cab ranks to give continuous air support once the artillery had quietened down a bit, so one flight of Typhoons arrives every turn starting turn 3. There is an FAC to direct it.

The core force of Kampfgruppe Walther is 6th FJR, reinforced with KG Hofmann. Hofmann was lavishly equipped with AT weapons and deployed along the main road. Attached are a company of SS pioneers from 9th SS Panzer Division. All the German units are understrength with just a couple of combat companies in each battalion. Orders are to hold the main road.

The real nightmare is the impassable forest. I ended up putting all the German HQ and LOG stuff on the road, which proved to be a grievous error once the crossroads was lost. There is a 105mm artillery battalion (also from 9th SS) parked at the far end of the road.

Over at Borkel and the ridge south of there is KG Richer, comprising a battalion of SS Panzergrenadiers from 19th SS PGR, and supported by the 10th SS Panzerjaeger Abt with 12 operational Jagdpanzer IVs in Borkel. The Germans are allocated some wire and mines in the scenario so one of these units is in 'heavy' fortifications. Orders are to hold the corridor to Borkel, with the panzerjaegers as a mobile reserve.

And over at Petter we have 1st and 2nd battalions of 6th FJR. One battalion has fortified Petter while the other is dug in, but in reserve, to the rear. I have played many, many Arnhem games, and the route via Petter is the way to go for the initial breakout. Orders are for 1st Bn to hold Petter, while the 2nd Bn is in reserve ready to move south or east, depending.

I had a bit of a think about the OBs, re-read the rules and divvied up the various HQs. The hardest thing was HQ ratings, as 'morale' in NQM is really willingness to keep attacking, not combat skill. The FJ and SS were easy, the SS were veterans and the FJ trained. The Devonshires were also trained, as British infantry were a bit sticky at this point of the war. In the end I made the Irish Guards trained too - they are rated as 'experienced morale 9' in Command Decision which isn't quite 'veteran' but is better than 'trained'.

The game opens with the rolling barrage across three of the hexes astride the road and the Irish Guards columns fanned out to attack. 1/IG went up the road, 2/IG  went for Petter. I'll do the next couple of turns in some detail to follow the play sequence. The barrage hadn't been recce'd so it was largely ineffective, although it did put the Germans under bombardment.

1/IG attacked KG Hoffman on the road and I opted to protect the infantry with the tanks and in the firefight, some Shermans were hit (just like the film), as did some German AT guns. One of the British rifle companies ran out of ammo.

Petter was at the limit of 2/IG movement so the initial attack was just the leading Sherman and carrier companies, although I could support them with the battalion S company. This didn't go so well as the entrenched FJ were a 'heavy' target, while my tank/infantry team was 'medium'. We inflicted one hit on the Germans, but they got two hits on us - which both had to be taken on the tanks as I was leading with them. One of the FJ ran out of ammo though.

After the firefight I resolved the combat outcomes. 1/IG drove back KG Hoffman from the edge of the woods. One rifle company advanced into the barrage to take the position and everyone became disoraganised (all those red markers). There wasn't room for the Germans to retreat down the road as I hadn't left enough space, so they retreated to the sideroad to Borkel.

At Petter 2/IG failed to advance, but didn't have enough movement left to retreat either (I got a bit confused about movement allowances in movement and outcome moves, but I think that was right). Again, both sides became disorganised. I presumed the combat support units didn't as they weren't in direct contact.

Finally it was time to reorg. Both Allied command stands were adjacent, so I could just park the ambulance and supply truck next to them both and sort everybody out via the chain of units in contact. The Germans were more restricted as their units were so dispersed. 

1/IG recovered all its casualties and resupplied its ammo, whereas KG Hoffman just recovered its losses. All the disorganised units could reorg as well as they were in contact with their HQs, apart from the one British rifle company under the barrage.

At Petter the German supplied the FJ with ammo, while 2/IG did a full resupply and reorg. The Sherman squadron acquired two permanent hits. Ouch! All the disorganisations came off as no-one was under a barrage. I should have shifted the German HQ stuff out of the woods at this point, but I hoped to hang on to the crossroads another turn.

Next turn the recce troop motored up to recce the X roads, of course I didn't need to bother as I had a rifle company adjacent already. Doh. I just wanted to try the recce rules out. The Stuarts failed to find anything!

The barrage rolled forwards one hex, and landed all over the units which had retreated last turn. The targets were also spotted this time so the barrage was much more effective and inflicted two hits.

Time for the Devonshires to roll on. They marched up either side of the main road, leaving a company behind to dig in at the road exit. Brigade HQ parked next to them, ready to issue new orders as required.

1/IG now passed through its reserve rifle company and pulled the disorganised one back and the combined tank/infantry team successfully assaulted the crossroads. I needed to keep the tanks and infantry paired, otherwise the armour was vulnerable in the close terrain. KG Hoffman was forced back further down the road, all the German transport getting in the way once more.  The troops who had been forced back last turn were frantically digging in. Perhaps they should have been counterattacking? But I'd ordered them to defend.

The next assault on Petter was a catastrophe. I reinforced the attack with the Stuarts and pioneers (you have to reinforce a failed attack to resume attacking), but now the German artillery was active. Although the British inflicted two hits on the Germans, they got two more on us, so now the outcome roll was a net +2 to the Germans and we were duly thrown back. Some of the subtleties of the combat system were now becoming apparent. I should have left the damaged Shermans out, even if it reduced our firepower as their morale effect was very poor. At least some of the FJ ran out of ammo again, but so did the 2/IG motor company (the green counters are out of ammo markers).

On the main road the German transport shuffled back in the reorg phase to make room for KG Hoffman to deploy, but having lost the crossroads, they now couldn't help any of the units on either flank. If the terrain hadn't been 'difficult' I think I could have moved the German infantry two hexes as part of the outcome move, so blocking the road more effectively, but as it is, only the SS engineers are on the road. 

The Allies can still move their LOG freely and 2/IG are resupplied and reorg once more. This reduces their morale to just 1 point. At this point I decided to uprate both IG units to veterans, so they both had an extra attack in them. The motor company now have a permanent hit on them, and the Shermans have two, but at least they are fully bombed up.

The poor old FJ in Petter are in a right state though. Three hits between them and one company out of ammo. They can't reorg or resupply as all the German LOG is trapped on the road.

The Devonshires are still keeping their options open, and SS Richter is still busy defending its sector of front in the east. No need to move them yet.

Turn 3 (or 1800 hours) and the RAF finally roll up. I need to get used to the idea that a lot happens in each of these turns, and think about game lengths and reinforcement schedules etc. The rolling barrage rolls forwards again, the Germans are very cleverly retreating just as fast as the barrage is advancing, and 1/IG assaults the SS engineers. It has just occurred to me that all the other units of KG Hoffmann who are in contact should perhaps be fighting as well? I'm not sure about this ganging up on individual hexes. 

Over at Petter, 2/IG goes in one more time, but this time with RAF Typhoons in support, which slaps a big barrage marker on the unhappy village.

1/IG succeeds in bashing up the highway another hex, and in the outcome/reorg phase the German have to evacuate a lot of their LOG and HQ units to make space for the retreating defenders. I've just left the supply column and C1 HQ parked up by the guns. What an idiot, I should have put the HQ in an out of the way corner somewhere.

The assault on Petter is now predictably repulsed, but not before another hit is inflicted on the defenders and the other FJ company runs out of ammo! The only combat effective FJ unit left is the command/support company, which I'm allowing to provide 1 dice of combat support fire from the rear. They can't reorg or resupply as there are no German LOG units left.  2/IG is in a sorry state now though. It reorgs what it can, but I don't dare make a 4+ dice roll attempt to remove the single hits off the FAC and Pioneer Platoon. Losing either would strip 2/IG of 2 dice of Heavy fire.

The last order issued by the German C2 HQ staff before they retreated was for 2/6 FJR to move and block the main road. I allowed one turn for it to pass down the command level before execution. I considered ordering the SS to redeploy too, but actually they are in a good spot, and now the HQ has gone, that moment has passed.

Once again the long suffering KG Hoffman manages to park itself right under the barrage. This is the last turn of rolling barrage. They aren't dug in and suffer a number of hits. 1/IG once again does its 1/2 punch, moving up the reserve rifle company to support the lead tank squadron, while moving the disorganised company into reserve to reorg. The German artillery fires at at the attackers at almost point blank range. However, 2/6 FJR is marching to the rescue. The first companies are just entering the woods.

2/IG conducts one final assault on Petter with Typhoon support. They have so many accumulated hits that the attack is hopeless (something like +8 to the defenders outcome roll), but now the bulk of the Devonshires are on the scene, ready to take over. I just  wanted to put some more hits on the enemy. 2/IG is fought out and will retire into reserve to cover Kolonie and the southern road exit. The battered FJ continue to resist, even though both companies are out of ammo. The only thing saving them is mortar fire from the support company, 

1/IG once more is victorious and pushes up right next the German artillery positions. The remains of KG Hoffman fall back in disarray and get all tangled up in the lead elements of 2/6 FJR.

Next turn, 1/IG lines up for the final assault. The 25pdrs are free to fire in general support now, and the entire Guards Armoured Divisional Artillery lands on the exit hex. The German artillery both fires an barrage AND engages over open sights, automatically running out of ammo, and 2/6 FJR opts to attack the leading Combat Team, the last German LOG unit retreated offtable to make room for the assault. After my experience with the battle on Petter, I left the damaged KG Hoffman units out as much as possible, and just threw in the fresh FJ battalion.

Over at Petter, the Devonshires and their tanks went in supported by Typhoons.

And finally overran the fortified village! 1/6FJR retreated northwest. There wasn't any hope of them retaking it.

But on the main road, the inability of the 25pdrs to hit anything meant the 6th FJ counterattack succeeded and drove the Irish Guards back down the road. The accumulated hits on 1/IG meant they were ill placed to withstand an attack by fresh troops. That is a subtlety of the combat system I'd missed, and one of the things you figure out by actually playing. I've no idea if the Germans lurking in the woods should be included in the combat rolls, and if they are, would they retreat if they lost? I need to figure some things out.

On the final turn (it was about 2200 by now!) the Devonshires consolidated their hold on Petter, 2/IG pushed back 2/6 FJR again behind a massive artillery barrage, but had no hope of taking the final road hex. The German artillery was out of ammo with no hope of resupply, so withdrew.  

At the close of play the Devonshires held Petter and were still very fresh, while 1/6FJR was quite smashed up. 

2/6 FJR and 1/IG were both a bit battered, but KG Hoffman had been split in two, with half of it still dug in on the road to Borkel, actually performing quite a useful job.

2/IG and a company of the Devonshires had a firm hold on Kolonie and the southern road exit.

And SS Richter hadn't moved all day or fired a shot, but still firmly held Borkel. So the Allies only held three of the five objectives, a German win.

That was a very useful game, I learned a lot and came away with a few questions to look at, but I felt towards the end I had a much better understanding of how all the various mechanisms meshed together as an overall game experience. If I was doing this particular scenario again I'd have a look at the unit representation - I was perhaps a bit over generous with the Germans and under generous with Guards Armoured. If the SS and 2/6 FJR had gone into action too, it would have been curtains for the British, and the German infantry might have been better represented with two elements, not three. I botched the attack on Petter badly, it would have been better to wait a turn, and I need to have a think about the conversions of scenario timings and schedules - the original Command Decision scenario for this is based on 30 minute turns, not two hour ones.

Anyway, it wasn't a disaster, it was fun to play and I need to try a couple more games, possibly at a higher level. I suspect there is a bit too much going on to run as a Zoom game, although I shall reserve judgement. I think for the next outing I'll got with a Division/Corps level game as I'm not convinced the Command Decision scenario is actually that realistic - looking at some maps there seems to have been some major ground compression going on in the scenario map, it is a lot further from Kolonie to Valkenswaard than 3 km!, so I wonder if it was bathtubbed a bit. I'll use the Hells Highway map as a basis for the scenario next time, as it was based on contemporary 1:25000 military maps.

Bidens Successors

 John wanted to run another modern political committee/matrix game, this time covering the selection of Kamala Harris' VP running mate. As with the Putin and Trump games, we all took political roles with individual aims and objectives, and made arguments as to why various things would happen each turn, the likeleyhood being adjudicated by the umpire. 

These things are never very photogenic I'm afraid, just a bunch of talking heads.

One of the big innovations in this game was letting us choose which characters we wanted to be, from a proposed cast list on a first-come, first-served basis. I was very pleased to end up as Barack Obama.

The full cast was:

 Barack Obama - me

Tim Waltz - Jim

Chris Wray (FBI Director) - John B

Pete Buttigeig - Micheal

Mark Kelly - Russell

J D Vance - Tim

Josh Shapiro - Mark

so we had a good range of both VP candidates and other interested parties. 

The second innovation was letting us write out own objectives! We had to pick a candidate for VP and some other thing we wanted to do. Normally in ,matrix games the umpire does this as part of the player briefs. 

I was prompted to do some research into the various candidates and in end plumped for Kelly for VP, as who doesn't love a fighter pilot and astronaut? Otherwise I just aimed to behave in a dignified and rational manner, as befits a two term ex president and ex economist.

Along with making arguments, in the current incarnation of the rules, we can also support or oppose other players arguments, and I decided early on to just support or oppose. I'd already done my time at the top, so just offering sage advice from the wings seemed more appropriate.

I won't bore you with a wall of text account, suffice to say the DNC featured a number of exciting events - a second attempt at assassinating Donald Trump (which failed), the forced evacuation of the DNC to O'Hare airport due to security threats, Senator Kelly leading a flypast of vintage aircraft and Taylor Swift and Barack Obama having a duet at the conference. Ahem...

Anyway, Kamala Harris rather pre-empted things by picking Tim Waltz the day before the game, but we went ahead anyway and the players had fun pursuing their more peripheral objectives. What was interesting for me was seeing how the new game format worked, and and letting the players both choose their own characters and write (some) of their own objectives was a roaring success. It avoided the onus on the umpire of casting, and it also meant players could pick characters and aims which suited their own play styles. I suspect it only really works with an established group of players, as the possibilities for wild choices de-railing things is even more present than  usual, and it was interesting that we chose a range of roles, not just would be VPs.

Anyway, it is good to innovate and in this case it paid off handsomely. I expect we will be doing another US politics game around November time....

Limber madness!

 I liked the 3D Printing Valley 15mm horse limbers so much, that I ordered a few more. 

Nine more to be exact. Although they are a bit fiddly to assemble, they turn out very nice, and having done three already, I'd got a bit of a production line going. I mainly did the horses mid brown, but with some lighter and darker ones for variety, and added some socks and white nose flashes.

There isn't a great deal more to say about them really. I did three of these in the same dark grey/green as the original trio, and six in a lighter green. They will do for all combatants in WW1 and WW2, and join my ever growing pool of twentieth century horse transport. I'm up to 25 wagons, limbers and pack mules now.

Another 3D printing supplier, Battlefield 3D.

 While hunting around for alternative vehicle suppliers, another 3D Printing firm I came across was  Battlefield 3D. Like 3D Printing Valley, their stuff is exclusively resin, but they have a much wider range of designer licences and they are also considerably cheaper.

The only downside is that they are a well established company with a lengthy backlog of orders, so you have to wait a while for printing and delivery (I think my order took 3-4 weeks to process).

It was well worth the wait however. I just got a few trial vehicles I needed, but they are absolutely exquisite, they make Syborg and BPM prints look like childrens clay models, and they are also considerably finer than the 3D Printing Valley ones. The only comparable metal models I can think of are Quality Castings, the rest are just blobby lumps of lead in comparison to these. These are as good as, or better than,  decent injection moulded plastic models, the Austin even has the gear stick printed in thee cab and the roof rails on the Dorchester are all open.

For the trial run, I got (another) Dorchester ACV, an Austin K2 Ambulance, a Dodge Ambulance, a Krupp Protz radio car and an Opel Fuel Tanker.

I'll get these painted up and report on them individually in due course. 

Streletshoya, August 3rd 1943

 Having done a few battles covering the northern flank of Kursk recently (and the southern flank less recently), my attention wandered to the Soviet summer counter offensives in August 1943. The 'Red Guards at Kursk' Skirmish Campaigns book covers Operation Kutuzov near Orel/Briansk, and I've played almost all those scenarios already. I do have a book on the August offensive on the Mius, but many years ago I bought David Glantz's excellent 'From the Don to the Dneipr', which covers various Soviet operations in the Ukraine from 1941 to 1943, principally the many battles for Kharkov. It is mainly tracing the development of the Soviet operational art, but the late summer 1943 operations feature swirling tank battles between weakened but still powerful Panzer forces and a resurgent Soviet mobile arm.

Anyway, to start I picked a set of engagements from 3rd to 7th of August along the River Vorshla, which are indicative of the fighting, and mainly involve 5th Guards Army and 1st Tank Army.

Operation Polkovodeti-Rumyantesov (or Belgorod-Kharkov) was conceived as a major summer counter offensive with the strategic aim of capturing Kharkov and breaching the Dneipr, and tactically, to drive southwards through 4th Panzer Army and to encircle Armee Abteilung Kempf east of Belgorod. The main strike force was 5th Guards Army, with 1st Tank Army and 5th Guards Tank Army poised for operational exploitation. Two other Guards armies operated on the flanks, and Operation Kutusov and the Mius offensive were designed to draw away German operational reserves. Manstein duly cooperated by sending the SS Panzer Corps and Grossdeutshland to the Mius, while SSLAH went to Italy. He didn't believe the Veronezh Front could attack any time soon after being battered at Kursk. He was wrong, and at 0500 on 3rd August, the offensive started.

This scenario covers 32nd Guards Rifle Corps attacking positions of the 332nd Infantry Division north of the River Vorshla. The exploitation force was 1st Tank Army, hastily rebuilt after Kursk. The main effort was 5th Guards Tank Army to its left (eastern) flank, so the forces in this sector are slightly less unbalanced.

Battlefield from the south, the Russians are coming from the north. Streletshoya is the small town just behind the line of German minefields. The River Vorshla joins another tributary left (west) off the table, and together they run south and are joined by a railway line - the main rear link for 4th Panzer Army. Belgorod is east (right) from here.

Infantry Regiment 129 of 332nd Infantry Division dug in along the minefields. As Glantz based a lot of his account on Soviet records, they are littered with lower level unit identification errors, the 332nd never had a 129th Regiment. The Russian deep bombardment crippled German logistics, so they only have one (horse drawn) supply column. Regimental HQ is by the bridge, which has been prepped for demolition.

The Germans have to stop more than one Russian unit exiting from the south side of the table between the ends of the river.

The 332nd was holding a long front so all three regiments were in line, however they did have a battalion sized divisional reserve, which I've modelled as a Fusilier Battalion on bicycles. I've assumed it will be committed here, even though the entire front of the division was attacked.

The German artillery was largely suppressed by Soviet artillery fire, but I gave them one battalion of 105s. The Luftwaffe made a huge effort early in the offensive, so they have no less than three squadrons of planes! Stukas, Ju 88s and Hs 129s. 

The Russian horde! 13th and 97th Guards Rifle Divisions, plus brigade sized Forward Detachments from 6th Tank Corps and 3rd Mechanised Corps, the first echelon of 1st Tank Army.

13th Guards Rifle Division. They have three Rifle Regiments and a battalion of 93rd (independant) Tank Brigade in support. To model the Russian numerical superiority, each regiment has a 'second echelon' with two stands, which can replace 3 hits on the main combat element once per game. It also looks really cool. Historically both divisions deployed their regiments two up, one back, and committed the second echelon once the minefields were forced.

The 49th Tank Brigade is the Forward Detachment for 3rd Mechanised Corps. 3rd Mech Corps was the pride of 1st Tank Army, with three mechanised brigades and no less than two tank brigades and three tank regiments. 

97th Guards Rifle Div, with a similar configuration to 13th Guards Rifle Div. The 6th Tank Corps Forward Detachment is 200th Tank Brigade. 6th TC was a fairly regular 1943 Tank Corps with three tank brigades, a mechanised brigade and one of the new motorcycle battalions. It didn't have a heavy tank or assault gun regiment though.

To win, the Russians need to get both Tank Brigades over the river and off the southern edge. As the river is impassable to vehicles, they might need a bit of engineer help...

Soviet support assets. They have masses of artillery for this - a huge preparatory bombardment, plus divisional support artillery and a first, 152mm counter battery guns. This is the first outing for my 203mm gun. They also have the usual Sturmoviks and lots of supply trucks. The Corps Commander even has a Lend Lease bren carrier to ride around in. 

The Russian attack was preceded by a massive preparatory bombardment. This was very effective, inflicting hits and suppression on all the front line German units.

And was followed up at 0600 by the ground assault. 13th GRD in this case, advancing rather diffidently. Personally I would have charged everyone up to the edge of minefields under cover of the barrage.

97th Rifle Corps was a bit more aggressive, but they have a much more favourable force ratio in this sector. 

The Germans responded with a maximum air effort on 39th GRR! (The one with the tanks). This inflicted no less than four hits and the Russians became disorganised.

The suppressed Germans on the eastern flank could only put out limited fire, which chipped a hit off one Russian unit.

The following turn, after urging from the Corps Commander, 13th GRD attacked rather more aggressively, including marching into the minefield in front of the town. Probably not a great idea given the defenders were now unsuppressed. The Luftwaffe switched its attention to the this attack and the Russians in the minefield gap were hammered.

97th GRD pulled back its damaged regiment to reorganise while the other two manouvered into position covered by artillery and Sturmoviks. The supporting fires suppressed the Germans, so their defensive fire  inflicted few casualties.

13th GRD pulled one damaged unit back and reorganised the 39th GRR in situ, recovering two hits. This wasn't really enough as the Germans turned the full might of the Luftwaffe on them again. Fortunately for them they (just) survived, but were now disorganised again. 

97th GRD swarmed the German defenders, rushing the minefields. 291 GRR took heavy losses from mines, but 293 GRR passed through the mines without significant loss as it was aided by engineers. The Germans decided to bug out, covered by artillery dropped in the minefield gap to slow the attackers.

The Russians committed the second echelon for 292 GRR (recovering three hits), 291 GRR, artillery and air provided covering fire for the 293 GRR to push right through the minefields.

Astonishingly the covering fire inflicted no less than four hits on the Germans and they disintegrated, leaving their AT guns behind to be captured by the Russian engineers.

The Germans were perhaps a bit unfortunate here, but if they had stood and fought they would have been overwhelmed too.

The Luftwaffe was out of bombs now, but defensive fire from the German infantry with artillery support was enough to finish off 39 GRR, which left heaps of corpses and burning T70s in the minefield gap. The Russian attack here is looking to be in trouble now, but 40th GRR commits its second echelon to get back to full strength.

40 GRR storms the minefield gap covered by the engineers and artillery, and as with the western flank, the covering fire actually routs the defenders and they withdraw to the rear, leaving their infantry guns behind. That only leaves one German battalion in the line. The Russians have lost one regiment and had two more forced to commit their reserves (so effectively another regiment) in making the breakthough.

III/197 very wisely retreats in the direction of the bridge, and just in time, the Fusilier battalion on its bicycles arrives and heads for Hill 231, covering the river and the the bridge. The high ground gives it a considerable spotting advantage. 

97th GRD pushes through the minefield gaps and plans what to do next.

A certain degree of formation changes take place, and in the lull in the fighting, 291 GRR takes the opportunity to reorganise again. The 97th are careful to stay out of sight of the Germans on Hill 231.

The 13th also pushes forward, through the German defensive barrage which slows them up.

The German Fusilier Battalion starts to dig in, and III/197 retires to the far side of the river. The bridge is prepped for demolition, but the river is fordable by infantry although impassable to vehicles due to the steep banks.

97th GRD advances in a single echelon to present the entire Division as a one entity to the Germans on the hill.

Meanwhile 13th GRD closes on the river as III/197 starts to dig in at the bridge.

We broke for the evening there, a good place to stop as now the Russians have to conduct an assault river crossing! They have the night to ponder their plans.

We opened the next evening with 13 GRD crossing the river into the woods covered by artillery fire. The Germans at the bridge continued to dig in but shelled the woods.

97 GRD rolled forwards to the river also covered by artillery and air strikes. The Germans chipped a couple of hits off as they marched forward.

The 200th and 49th Tank Brigades now both marched on and headed for the western minefield gap. The Corps commander in his Bren Carrier motored over to supervise proceedings.

Over in the west the Russian engineers crossed the river and began preparing a ford, they were covered by the rest of 97th GRD and all the air and artillery which could be mustered. Despite the cover of their hastily dug trenches, this was all too much for the 332nd Fusilier Battalion who withdrew in disorder to the rear leaving their casualties behind.

The Russians occupied the now empty hill (one of their victory conditions). The engineers finished their fording preparations just as 200th Tank Brigade reached the river.

Back at the bridge, III/197 heroically repulsed a Russian assault, but losses were heavy. 

The Russians concentrated everything they had on the German trenches, including fire directed from the (now captured) Hill 231. As the Russian infantry surged forwards for another attack, the defenders had enough and withdrew in disorder before being completely surrounded. 

As the Russians approached the southern end of the bridge, the demolition charges exploded and a section of the span fell into the river. It would need repairs before vehicles could use it.

13th GRD had captured their objective, at the cost of over half the division. 

The 97th now had a firm hold on Hill 231 as more units pushed over the river. The 97th was in much better shape, although one regiment had committed its second echelon.

The German HQs and supply services decided it was time to head for the rear. Russian guns continued counter battery fire on the German artillery (they had done this for much of the game, with varying effects).

Although time was tight, the Russians managed to get both their Tank Brigades over the river and off the table by 1230. Any later than 1300 and they would have lost.

Well that was a blast! One of the more grandiose One Hour Wargames I've run. I hope it wasn't too grim for the Germans, and they did exactly they right thing by falling back to the river line. I tweaked the force ratios to make more of a game of it, really there should have been eight Russian infantry units against two German ones, rather than six vs three, so the 'second echelon' thing was a compromise.

In reality the Russians did achieve their objective line and managed to get both Tank Brigades over the river, albeit on either side of the bridge site. The problems came when the remainder of their Corps tried to cross, and the fording sites fell into chaos, so they crossed piecemeal instead of en masse, but that is a game for another day.

On the whole it went pretty well though, the massed Luftwaffe was very impressive and the Russians had a tight timetable to breach the German defences and capture or construct a river crossing. The huge mass of Russians also looked very imposing, which was what I was aiming for. As the Germans I would have defended the minefield gaps one hex further back (to force the Russians to enter them to engage), but hindsight is a wonderful thing. 

The next game in the series is the afternoon of 3rd August, as 1st Tank Army attempts to breach the depth of the German position. I hope to run that in a few weeks.