September 2001
Here's a 20mm WW2 game I hosted at a meeting of the Western Warlords (Manny Granillo's gaming club) at the Clam Bucket restaurant in West Oakland, California. We used the Command Decision 3rd Edition rule set with green order chits from 2nd Edition.
The setting is 1943 somewhere in the southern region of the Eastern Front. I designed a scenario to feature my newly-built KV-85 heavy tanks. It made sense to have them embedded in a special Soviet tank brigade plowing its way through a makeshift Axis defense in search of an important Rollbahn (major supply road) to cut.
This one has variety: Romanian infantry, light German panzers, KV-85's, T-70 light tanks, and a couple of Soviet motorised infantry battalions with masses of trucks to add to the pressure.
You'll note that many Soviet AFVs have toilet paper stuck on them in lieu of cotton smoke. I forgot my supply of cotton balls that day, so had to improvise.
Numbered markers help identify units, and mark the location of hidden (unspotted) units.
This was a minor Soviet victory. They would have done better if they hadn't lost so many tanks to anti-tank assault stands that should have been flushed out with infantry. And one motorised battalion bunched up in trucks was stonked by fire from a battery of 120mm mortars. Tough one for the Soviets, because they had to keep moving to pull off a win in one short gaming session.
Scoll to the bottom to see the full order of battle for both sides.
Enjoy!
Special Rule: Sharing Axis order chits
The Axis partners get along well, except there is a problem with communication.
Very few Germans officers speak Romanian; therefore, although German command stands may issue orders to Romanian stands, there is only a 50% chance (roll a 1-5) that the order chit actually takes effect. Make the communication roll after all orders have been placed, remove a chit if roll is failed. Romanian command stands may not issue orders to German stands.
I/45th Rifle Battalion
Trained, morale 7
Headquarters
1 command stand
Infantry Company 1
3 infantry stands
1 LMG stand
Infantry Company 2
3 infantry stands
1 LMG stand
Infantry Company 3
3 infantry stands
1 LMG stand
Machine-gun Company 4
3 MMG stands
Attached Support Company
1 8cm mortar stand-ds
1 37L45 AT Gun
1 gun crew
1 light limber
German Forces
Special Rule: Sharing Axis order chits
The Axis partners get along well, except there is a problem with communication.
Very few Germans officers speak Romanian; therefore, although German command stands may issue orders to Romanian stands, there is only a 50% chance (roll a 1-5) that the order chit actually takes effect. Make the communication roll after all orders have been placed, remove a chit if roll is failed. Romanian command stands may not issue orders to German stands.
Ad Hoc Kampfgruppe
Experienced, morale 7
Headquarters Company
1 command stand
1 kübelwagen
1 SdKfz 10/4 Quad 2cm AA halftrack
Engineer Company 3
1 command engineer stand with integral M SS 41 AT rifles
1 engineer flamethrower stand
1 engineer stand with integral M SS 41 AT rifles
Antitank Battery 13
1 command stand
1 kübelwagen
1 50L60 AT gun
1 gun crew
1 medium truck
1 Panzerschreck stand
4 self-ordering *Antitank Assault stands
*Antitank Assault stands may only attack AFVs or vehicles in close assault, and are eliminated by 1 hit.
Mixed Weapons Company 14
1 command stand
1 12cm mortar
1 gun crew-ds
1 medium truck
1 75L12 infantry gun
1 gun crew-ds
1 light limber
Attached Tank Company 1
Veteran, morale 8
1 command Panzer III M
1 recon Panzer II F
Soviet Forces
Pre-Battle Artillery Barrage
Fire from approximately 2 regiments will support the ground assault with a 1-hour barrage before the battle commences. Choose up to 4 targets: each target will receive a dispersed sheaf of 5 122mm guns (each beaten zone will be 2 x 10 inches in area).
Pre-Battle Air Attacks
4 flights of IL-2M Sturmovik attack aircraft will attack the one target of choice 1 turn before the ground assault.
Each aircraft carries one bomb with 2"/8 effect.
Artillery on call
2 regiments of artillery are on call during the battle:
Direct Support: 435th Howitzer Regiment with 3 x 122L22
General Support: 108th Heavy Howitzer Regiment with 3 x 152L23
These may be called in by the on-board Spotter stand or any single-figure (or vehicle) command stand.
Spotter for 435th Howitzer Regiment:
Experienced, morale 8
1 spotter stand
1 car
Multiple Rocket Launchers
Corps has promised the support of at least 1 Katyusha regiment, which may only make two attacks during the battle.
Soviet 266th Guards Assault Tank Brigade
Experienced; morale 9
Brigade Headquarters
1 command BA-64 armored car
1 recon motorcycle SMG stand (may divide into 2 patrol stands)
1 engineer stand
1 halftrack
Antitank Battery B
1 76L39 field gun
1 gun crew-ds
1 heavy tractor
Heavy Tank Battalion
1 command KV-85 tank
3 KV-85 tanks
Light Tank Battalion
1 command T-70A tank
3 T-70A tanks
Motorized Rifle Battalion
Headquarters
1 command infantry stand
1 light truck
1 recon BA-32 armored car
Rifle Company 1
2 infantry stands
1 medium truck
Rifle Company 2
2 infantry stands
1 medium truck
Tank Desant Company 3
2 SMG stands
These stands are meant to ride the tanks of the tank battalions into battle
Mortar Company 4
1 82mm mortar stand-ds
1 medium truck
Antitank Rifle Company 5
2 PTRS AT-rifle stands
1 medium truck
I/530th Motorized Rifle Battalion
Experienced; morale 9
Headquarters:
1 command SMG stand (HQ)
1 light truck
Rifle Company 1
2 infantry stands
1 medium truck
Rifle Company 2
2 infantry stands
1 medium truck
Rifle Company 3
2 infantry stands
1 medium truck
Machinegun Company 4
2 MMG stands
1 medium truck
Mortar Company 5
1 82mm mortar stand-ds
1 medium truck
Antitank Gun Company 6
1 45L66 AT gun
1 gun crew
1 light tractor
Antitank Rifle Company 7
2 PTRS AT-rifle stands
1 medium truck
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