THE SOVIET HORDE WARGAME PART TWO

Overnight both sides redistributed their forces. The Germans strengthening any weaknesses as best they could, while the Soviets prepared to silence and assault key positions in the German lines. For example, the Germans had a company protecting the ammo dump, most of them were now sent to reinforce the windmill position, as was a  company of Empire Workers. (The Soviet gunboat had been withdrawn for ship repairs.) The Soviets were able to save a broken battalion from the previous game, but would take some moves to reach the front line.

MOVE ONE with dawn the Soviet guns opened up, four Germans down for one Soviet. MOVE TWO a German LMG is silenced by mortar and anti-tank rifle sections. A PAK gun is taken out, the survivor fleeing. MOVE THREE both sides advance their tanks.

MOVE FOUR the Soviet infantry launch their attack. The second PAK is knocked out by a mortar shell, but the Soviet infantry suffer seven taken down by German infantry. Perhaps they should have allowed their guns to continue to weaken the enemy first. MOVE FIVE by weight of numbers, Soviets clear one house, the last German surrenders. The Empire Workers suffer the same in their fortified house. (Six Germans lost, for three Soviets.) The latter are not regulars! A German ship left the harbour with most of the civilians. A Soviet mortar shell falls short and almost hits their own side.

THE HOUSE CLEARING BEGINS.

THE SOVIETS CLEAR THE STREETS

THE HARBOUR SHIPS AND BOATS DEPART

During MOVE SIX the German commander gave orders to surrender the town. Only the Tank escaped (to eventually run out of fuel!)

LOSSES Germans 27, with 22 captured. Soviet losses were 34. The final assault by the Soviets balanced these figures, prior to this the Germans were being bombed into submission. The German tank took out eight Soviets, and house small arms took out seven more when the Soviets departed their ground works, I guess it was going to happen.

Superb game, very successful, it worked almost like a film script, I really could not ask more from a wargame. The division of the game into two parts also worked, seeing what could be salvaged and mustered to re-establish German fortified positions was stimulating. Throughout this two part game, the German mortars and PAKs threw poor dice, the Soviet mortars were very effective. MGB