Forward Victory is near - Week 5 battle 2

For the final game of the mini-campaign we decided to break out the Stalingrad terrain and have the Russians assaulting the Germans in the streets of a ruined city. The Russians went entirely for infantry reinforcements, loading-up on SMG squads, flame throwers, and scouts. The Germans deployed snipers and a Marder III

Town with the factory in the fore-ground 

The square in the centre of the table

The main terrain features were a ruined factory complex on the Russians left and a square in the centre of the German position. The rest was rubble filled streets and bombed-out buildings.

Russian hordes deploy on the right flank

Russians move ahead on the left flank

German flamethrower lays in wait

The Russians advanced rapidly from their initial positions seeking to get within assault range as rapidly as possible. The Germans pushed forward from their initial deployment occupying a building on the edge of the square and one end of the factory.

Russians in striking range of the square

Maxim gives covering fire 

The Marder deployed on one flank and was able to slow-down the Russian advance for a few moves, as was accurate German sniper fire.

The Marder opens-up on the Russians 

German bastion overlooking the square

As the game developed the Russian infantry hordes moved forward in preparation for the eventual assault, with supporting fire from several maxim teams deployed in the taller buildings on their side.  

Russians pinned-down by sniper fire 

The Soviets then launched a series of large attacks against the main German positions which eventually overwhelmed the German defenders and left the Russians in firm control of the town.  

Soviet assault on the bastion buidling

Russians attack in the factory ruins

Soviet scouts approach the German positions

Russians take the bastion

Russians assault and capture the final German position

The Russians decided to celebrate their great victory in the campaign with a small victory rally in which Commissar Bosski exhorted the troops to even greater efforts.

Stirring stuff from the Commissar

The troops applaud - well what else can they do! 

 In honour of the occasion we then drank a toast to the victories Red Army.

Victory is sweet

The End

So a solid victory for the Russians at the end of the campaign. We've tweaked the rules as we've played the 10 battles but the end results are decisive games rewarding fire-and-manoeuvre tactics.

Our next outing with WWII is likely to be the invasion of Crete, giving a chance for the German paratroopers to make a second appearance.