IPMS 2025 Part 2 - Flames of War - Reichstag 80!

 

For our second historical game at the IPMS show this year, Ed volunteered to build and run a 'Battle for the Reichstag' game in 15mm using Flames of War rules. This had a certain logic to it: last year he laid on a stupendously large and gorgeous D-Day game to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, and of course now it was the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe.

The problem with laying on a relatively small scale display game, particularly at a Model show, is that you have to have an eye-catching or iconic terrain centre piece...

Yeah, OK Ed, job done!

Ed set up 6' x 6' scenery boards and game to reflect the Red Army's advance across the Moltke Bridge...

To take four objectives: the Ministry of the Interior building, Kroll Opera House, Diplomatic Quarter and finally the Reichstag itself.

The German defenders had 100 points, the Red Army 200. However at any point a Russian infantry platoon could be declared combat ineffective and 'respawn', initially at the bridge and thence at any objective captured.

The Germans also had minefields, barbed wire and barricades. Lots of them. Every street was mined or otherwise blocked, and covered by Panther Turms or 88s!

Ed and I were playing the Red Army, ganging up on Peter who was the German defender. We had practiced and evolved this scenario a couple of times, and had agreed that it was best to lead with the infantry, of which we had unlimited amounts...

Peter, after an initially painful defence, particularly from a lone tripod MG42 team hiding behind a barricade directly opposite Moltke bridge, pulled his SS defenders back. He knew full well the power of our 'Brutal' 122mm and 152mm tank guns in direct fire at troops in buildings! So far so good, toehold gained, now time to feed in the mighty Red Armour...

Which soon got snarled up within minefields and rubble. Foolish but brave Hitler Jugend assaults on our stalled armour with scads of Panzerfausts began. Each was mercilessly dealt with but as more developed from every building they began to have a major impact!

Then the serious opposition showed up...

Completely changing the battle's dynamic!

The Soviet T34-85s attempted to use side streets to gain side armour shots against the otherwise invulnerable Tiger IIs...

Whilst their heavier brothers continued pounding the defenders, clearing them out room by room...Irrepressible HJs continued their desperate Panzerfaust charges, now starting to really get on our nerves!

The battle reached its crisis at the Konigsplatz, in front of the Opera House - had it ever staged such a drama?

The PantherTurm was knocked out...

But the Tigers retreated back to the Reichstag. With no armour left, the Russians conceded that the Red Flag would not fly from the Reichstag on May Day!

Despite this setback, we all agreed this had been a game of epic proportions, memorable in many ways. Ed's scenery efforts were breathtaking, of course, but more than that, the game had been much more exciting and intriguing, and tactically demanding, than I had expected from a city fight. As well as the amazing terrain, he had also put a lot of time and effort into the scenario. 

For Ed, here on the right, I have only four words:

Bloody well done mate!

IPMS 2025 Part 1 - Achtung Panzer!

 

At the Wollongong Wargamers we piggy back off the local plastic modeler's annual bash to showcase our hobby to (presumably) like minded folk...

In relating to modelers, we tend to lay on games at the larger end of the scale. (Although we did get chatting to a lovely bloke who models in 1/100th scale and uses Battlefront kits, so hey ho!) Anyway, this year one of our games was Achtung Panzer! and Darren, our game organiser and director, reprised the Big Game Hunt mission:

He envisaged a participation game, so stripped out all the card play and clock aspects, and gave each AFV a varied set of crew skills to highlight the variety of decisions that can be made. We did however represent the card aspects in the margins of the display.

The scenario was generic as possible but with a good mix of terrain.

Darren is the club's terrain making champ and did us proud as usual. He also has the gift of the gab, so the plan was that he would engage with the public whilst Stuart and I played the game or coached any participants.

In the event we got so much interest we all got chatting. At least that's my excuse for what ensued...

I was playing the Allies with a Firefly and two Sherman Vs, Stuart played the baddies with the eponymous Tiger and a Pz IV for company.

In the event I spend so much time dodging the Tiger I walked right into the Panzer IV's sights!

Darren took pity on me and after I lost all three Shermans and issued me with a Comet and an Achilles 17 Pdr. This time the Tiger itself deigned to be the one to deal with them!

No doubt horrified by the carnage, none of the public stepped forward to play so we set up for a second game by swapping roles....Aha, I thought, how hard can it be with a Tiger?

Nup! Lost that game in record time too! (Two major hits to my turret in rapid succession...)

I conceded before I lost the Pz IV as well - now that would have been really embarrassing! 

On the positive side its always a privilege to share the hobby with the public and we got in a couple of really engrossing and exciting games of Achtung Panzer to boot!

Plus I also got a nutmeg of consolation in the modelling show itself!