The first engagement is complete. I was surprised at how close the battle was. In the first two rounds, it felt like the Germans were simply wiping the Soviets off the face of the planet. As the game progressed, though, it was a curiously close affair. I usually find in miniatures games that once one army is decimated, it just snowballs and gets worse.

Scenario Review

A thrillingly close game that came down to the last-order dice. I could have constructed both lists differently to optimize for the scenario. I was pleased with the idea and the thrill of combat. I liked the terrain setup and the distances. It played really well.

The army lists are as follows;

Germans		1167	Gates of Stalingrad
Leutnant		50		Regular
Here infantry		90	5 Rifles 1 LMG 1 Loader	Regular
Panzgrenadier		97	5 Rifles 1 LMG 1 Loader	Regular
medic		30		Veteran
artillery forward observer		100	1 AR	Regular
Heer infantry		110	7 Rifles 1 LMG 1 Loader	Regular
heer pioneer		77	1 Rifle 4 SMGS	Veteran
mmg		50		Regular
medium mortar		60	add spotter	Regular
flammenwerfer		50		Regular
sniper team		50		Regular
Anti-tank rifle team (removed)				Regular
50mm pak 38		75		Regular
Sdkfz231		100		Regular
Panzer iii Ausf E,F		140	2nd MMG	Regular
Sdkfz 7 halftrack		44		Regular
Sdkfz 7 halftrack		44		Regular

I based the German list on what an advancing army might look like. Mechanized infantry with early war armor support. Decent equipment. I could have made the squad sizes a little larger which would have brought me up to 1500 pts, as well as a few trucks, but this should make for a decent fight. I think the game plays well at 1250 to 1500.

Soviets Don Volga

Rifle Squad		0	12 Rifles	Inexpierenced
2nd Lieutenant		50	SMG	Regular
Veteran squad		85	3 Rifle 1 LMG 1 Loader	Veteran
Rifle squad		56	8 Rifles	Inexpierenced
commissar		15	SMG	Inexpierenced
assault engineer squad		80	5 SMGs	Veteran
rifle squad		81	7 Rifles 1 Flag	Inexpierenced
rifle squad		49	7 Rifles	Inexpierenced
veteran squad		103	4 Rifles 1 LMG 1 Panzerfust	Veteran
Mmg		35		Inexpierenced
Dshk heavy machine gun team		49		Inexpierenced
Sniper team		50		Regular
Dog mines		26		Inexpierenced
Tank hunters		20		Inexpierenced
Medium mortar		35		Inexpierenced
Light mortar		24		Inexpierenced
45mm antitank		46		Inexpierenced
Ba20 Armoured Car		52		Inexpierenced
T-34		156		Inexpierenced
Truck		31		Inexpierenced
Truck		31		Inexpierenced
Truck		31		Inexpierenced
Truck		31		Inexpierenced
Truck		31		Inexpierenced

The Soviet list is based on an army in full retreat. Supplies and such were not a huge issue at this point of the war, so I was happy to give them full equipment. The Soviet army was also inexperienced at this point, which I reflected in the list.

Scenario Rules

The Soviets have to cross the river they get to VP for each unit to cross. The Germans had to destroy the units and get 1VP for each destroyed unit. The bridge can be rigged to blow by any infantry unit within 3″ of the bridge. If the bridge blows, the Soviets get 5 VP.

Round 1.

The Soviets deployed as instructed on the far edge of the river. An AT Gun and a squad of rifles sit near the bridge as a garrison unit.

The German’s 3 Waves are shown here.

1 Panzer, 1 Halftrack Loaded, and the Mortar

1 Armored Car The other Halftrack, the AT gun, is very important for later the forward observer

Last 2 More companies of rifles, the MMG, Flamer, Sniper, AT Team and Medic

I was happy with how the field of battle turned out.

The German came to the table fast and hard despite having 6 fewer order dice. They also deployed well away from any units considered a threat. Their tank quickly knocked out a truck while the rifle company immobilized another. The immobilized truck in the front carried the people’s militia squad, which I am using as the free Soviet Rifle squad from their rule. The quantity and quality are all on their own.

Round 2

The Germans continued their assault on the Russian convoy. Destroying another truck right at the base of the bridge. A very timely shot from the German AT gun. I said earlier that the German forward artillery observer would play a huge role, and he really did. He was the first unit the Germans brought in for Wave 2, and the artillery strike was beautiful. Well placed, hit on target, and pinned 6 units down at the center of the field. The Soviets were able to inflict a couple of casualties this round; they also moved their AT Gun so it could hit the tank and armored car. They also knocked out a half-track.

Round 3

The Soviets still had 0 units across the river, although two trucks packed full were moving hard toward the bridge and a couple of rifle squads. I determined to let the MMG and the mortars sit in place and try to provide some cover fire. In the photo, flames billowing up from the German Panzer tank. You should also notice a single figure lying on the ground behind the smoking white soviet truck. A lone AT man rolled a 6 to hit the tank, another 6 to damage the tank through its side armor, and finally, a third 6 on the vehicle damage table. This run of luck turned the game in favor of the Soviets. All units hit in the artillery barrage were still pinned and failed their order tests.

Round 4

The first Soviet truck crosses the bridge. The Commissar, the Lieutenant, and the sniper team all unload, giving the Soviets 8 VP. The Germans have destroyed 1 Rifle Team, 2 MMGs, 3 Trucks, 1 Mortar, the Dog Mines, and the Armoured car, giving them a one-point advantage. The Soviets will likely get 4 more VPs next turn as vehicles cross the river. The Germans were fully playing the game, sending their armored car on a suicide run to kill the remaining two veterans holding the side of the bridge the Soviets were crossing from. They also went in on the militia squad, which had successfully stayed down and pinned for most of the game.

Round 5

The last Soviet truck was destroyed on the bridge as it attempted to cross. The veterans did run across the bridge as their odds intensified, so 4 more VPs to the Soviets. The Germans knocked out another unit and immobilized the T34 tank. Their flame thrower team moved quickly towards the military squad, trying to eliminate it from contention. Still, the fuse has not been lit.

Round 6

It came down to the last two dice. The Germans were able to kill two riflemen who were attempting to remove their AT gun. The last Soviet activation lit the fuse on the bridge, but the Germans had a dice roll left, a natural 6, to cancel the bridge’s blowing. They succeeded. With the T34 and the rifle squad destroyed, the Germans ended with 13 VP compared to the Soviet 12. Had the Germans not diffused the bomb, it would have been a Soviet Victory.

Conclusions

For the Soviets, the militia squad, the veterans that held the bridge, the truck driver, and the AT Gun, plus the Garrison Rifle squad, all performed well and are up for a little more narrative follow-up next game.

On the German side, the armored car, the Heer Pioneers that saved the bridge, the Flame Thrower, and the Observer are also worthy of more follow-up and a bit of a story piece.

Soviets did not have any truly useless units; the inexperienced rifles didn’t do much, but they were not useless. The German medic was useless, as were the halftracks.