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!
"Bloody well done" indeed:)! A truly epic and spectacular game there Ralph, so congrats to all involved. I do hope it got plenty of attention on the day, as it warranted it. It has inspired me to re-think some of my ideas for fighting in BUA's but using BKCII rules. Much to mull over for sure:).
ReplyDeleteThanks Steve! Yes a bit of an epic job all round! I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by how FOW handles FIBUA with the City Fighting rules - surprisingly straight forward.
DeleteI think we are going to run out of superlatives here! Fantastic job. I think you have to work really hard to be eye catching at a model show. - less so at a standard wargame show. Over here (UK) that would win the ‘Game of Show Award’ without doubt.
ReplyDeleteOne never knows how many buttons are pressed in the minds of other people with these sort of things, bringing people into the hobby or at least raising awareness or just giving them a simple delight.
Double bonus to also get a good game out of it on the day and as you say likely to be forever memorable. It might be worth the group getting all of the photo’s assembled into one of those published glossy (posh) photo albums you can get on line, that you can add a bit of text and a story board to and present it to Ed.
Thanks Norm very kind as usual! Yes we did get a fair amount of attention considering it was a Sunday and much quieter than the previous day. Ed has said he enjoyed my little write up so I think he knows how much we value his hard work and attention to detail - this is a hard scenario to balance but he found time to get that right too!
DeleteMy goodness, that’s absolutely incredible! The minis are always great, and to be fair, the tables too, but that one is really a wargaming spectacle!
ReplyDeleteV/R,
Jack
Thanks Jack very kind!
DeleteAnother cracker "Fall of Berlin" game, similar to one Partizan or another recent British show....the model making involved is inspiring and daunting at the same time!
ReplyDeleteThanks mate! Yes the wargaming community has commemorated the 80th of VE day in style!
DeleteThanks for sharing a fantastic looking WW2 game.
ReplyDeleteWillz.
Thanks Willz - a pleasure mate!
Delete