Flames of War: Buying Time

 

I really like the Buying Time scenario from the new Berlin Soviet Flames of War supplement - no messing about calculating reserves. Finally a straightforward and realistic Attack-Defence game where the attacker gets double the points of the defender. I've tried this approach so many times, but the whingeing gets me down - well now its officially a thing!

So we are on the borders of the Reich, Jan-Feb 1945. A mix of forest and stubble, but with a reasonable road network.

The Red Army's 5th Guards Tank Army  forward elements have 175 points of heavy armour, principally IS-2s, and a Hero Guards Motor Rifle company.

The German defenders - 15. Waffen Grenadier Division der SS (Latvian) have cobbled together a heavy armoured Kampfgruppe of a handful of Tiger IIs and Panthers, with an infantry Assault Platoon. (86 points).

The objectives have been placed in the far left hand side of the table, the Russian one in red and the German one just behind it in the woods. The Germans have placed a deep minefield between the woods and the edge of the table on the left centre of the table.

The assault infantry are dug in slightly to the left of the first objective, avoiding the Russian pre-planned artillery marker!

The Panther platoon is in cover out but forward on the left flank. The Tiger IIs are in ambush...

The Russian Guards deploy with their usual subtlety!

The heavy artillery gets busy right from the start, gradually attriting the German infantry.

We shan't dwell too long on the fate of the Panther platoon - they didn't survive the first volley from the IS-2s and SU-100s!

The Germans were forced to spring their ambush earlier than planned - but it still had some effect.

The Russians responded quickly and effectively!

The surviving Tiger II reversed back towards the objective, 

hoping to beat the IS-2s who were going the long way around to avoid the mined road.

"In position, ready!"

The IS-2s took up position using the cover of the village and farm buildings, 

waiting for the Hero Motor Rifles to catch up...

Then the Russians moved up to their assault positions...

Both assaults, on the infantry and Tiger II, were beaten back. But time had been bought to get within 8 inches of the objective - so the Russians were still in the game. Notice the SU-100s sneaking around the long way to try and get side shots on the Tiger!

With the German's pinned by IS-2 fire, the second assault went in - Hero Guards Motor Rifles kill in assaults on a 2+!

The Motor Rifles succeed in forcing the Panzer Grenadiers away from the objective...

And side shots from the SU-100s brew the Tiger - objective won!

I really, really like this scenario - its going to appear in lots of theatres other than the late Eastern Front!