Friday, 4 July 2025

Kursk - Ponyri Station

This week the Wollongong Wargamers revisited the Battle of Kursk, northern salient. Ed, below left, actually volunteered for the challenge of being the Russian player! Peter joined me on the German side. We had six moves to take an objective...

Looking NNE over Ponyri toward the German startline

Looking NW - red dice show objective areas and Red deployment area.

Peter came up with a cunning plan. He would take the Ferdinands and SIG33s Brummbars and go right flanking. I would go left with the infantry and STuGs via State Farm July 1st.


Ed probably suspected we would try take the covered approach through the cropfields. Anyway his T-34s were massed in the vicinity of the State Farm, crammed into the woods around Hill 253.3 (represented by the brown felt.)


My STuG company split up - the lead platoon hammered down the road through the undefended State Farm for the distant objective, the remaining platoons opened up on the T-34s.


These inexperienced Tridtsat' chetyre tankers were hit on a 2+ plus 1 for being in cover... 


Three knocked out in the first salvo!


Then Peter chipped in from a field far far away with his 88mm L71s....


At this point we Germans were feeling quite confident...


And my infantry were slowly closing in on the near objective, creeping through the crop fields...


Although of course we still had the SU-152 Zvierboi to deal with...and the Red God of War had found the range to my infantry platoons and was steadily wearing them down...


Thus far neither side were having much luck with our air support rolls but then Hans Rudel showed up and was directed toward the SU-122s as these had been attriting my infantry pretty heavily...


Rudel rerolls a miss which is nice! But of four hits, all were just bails which Ed was able to roll off! Flyboys - civvies in uniform!


At this point the battle was in the balance - the Russians had lost a lot of AFVs and infantry, but their defence of the forward objective was looking strong, particularly since my infantry has suffered so much from artillery fire.


On the positive side, my point STuG platoon was deep into enemy territory and approaching the far objective...


Before the Red Air Force showed up! Once again, no harm done from the overpaid aviators!


With no infantry to speak off, at the sixth and final turn we had no choice but to assault the near objective with our armour...


It was a desperate fight with PTRDs firing at side armour and Molotov cocktails attacking top armour!


 Finally, the German armoured onslaught was forced to Fall Back! Well done Ed for a skillful and resolute defence of Ponyri Station.

Monday, 23 June 2025

Epic Waterloo 210

 

The teams: French on the left, Allies middle and right.

The tables. Hougomont is off stage left. The teams confer.

Briefing the terrain and objectives.

The French command huddle.

Deployment complete. The French confer over their first fate card.

The Anglo Netherlands ridge.

Marshal Lobau and staff deploy around Plancenoit

Plancenoit's 4 defended terrain features are each garrisoned by a Battalion of Young Guard. 

The French Grand battery opposite the Allied ridge. Heavies and all the Army's 6 pounders!

The Grand Battery starts the pre-game bombardment.

Causing Allied consternation as brigade after brigade wavers!

"Hard pounding this, gentlemen; let's see who will pound longest."

The Allies start to evacuate the beaten zone...

Reille's II Corps takes La Haie Sainte...

As D'Erlon's I Corps attacks towards Papelotte and Frischermont!

Wellington is pleased to see the Prussian spearhead arrive!

British Heavy Cavalry of the Union Brigade halts D'Erlon's corps in its tracks!

The French form square until their cavalry can assist...

Prussian Heavy Dragoons lend their support...

But Milhaud's IV Cav Corps has now come up!

Stalemate in the centre!

The British come down off their ridge!


The 1st Royal Scots retake La Haie Sainte!

Meanwhile, on the eastern flank...

Prussian infantry and guns arrive in force...

And get stuck in!

And begin to evict the Young Guard from Plancenoit!

But the French take La Haie Sainte once again!

Then Papelotte also falls to the French...

As the sun sets, the British Foot Guards hold the line to allow a strategic withdrawal.


The final victory point tally, after six turns played, was French 19, Allies 6. But this does not reflect a hard fought epic with several objectives changing hands. A good game in great company!