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!