Audible: War In The West - Part II 1941-43 - James Holland

I was pleased that I continued with the James Holland's WWII trilogy. Whereas odd bits can grind (the DAK to the best of my knowledge [aka books] and internet searching did not use Czech 38t tanks - that seems to be a Rommel, France 1940, 7th Pz Division reference all mixed up), the general sweep and flow is a brilliant story. The mid-part of the war is the gutsy heart where it was all up for grabs - the Western Desert, Russia and Midway. All good stuff, the seeds of German failure are already sown, the Allied rewards though are yet to be harvested (see below, a book that was nice to have while listening in the car and walking the dog):    

Finally, Stalingrad and Tunis were two nails in the Axis coffin. With the U-Boat war turned after May 1943 Germany's options seemed to be running out, setting the scene nicely for the final drama. Two books down and the third will follow. Looking forward to it but I will take a break first - Max Hastings again next, this time with the Pedestal Convoy and a tale of Malta. 

Returning to see an old friend "Squad Leader"

And it came to pass that I brought it down from the dark place in the loft and opened it in the presence of friends and a battle for Stalingrad suddenly emerged (see below, The Guards Counterattack - say no more): 

Familiar SL friends of a different sort (see below, berserking Russians that no morale test will diminish but a bullet can still KIA): 

Ah, home again (see below, a "possible" set-up but is it optimal? Please readers stop squabbling, consult The General to find out and see what the wise sages and prophets say):

How we laughed when my splendid well oiled German Spandau machine guns all broke (see below, I ask you of all the times to throw double six - when hoards of ravenous Russians are approaching!): 

And you know what - I did it again (see below, what is worse than two broken German Spandau, would you believe it if I told you four Spandau?): 

My friend, there is always one watching (and he had no idea what was going on because he had not played SL before) kindly calculated the odds of that happening for me (see below, but seasoned SL players expect the unusual as a matter of course): 

I knew it, sooner or later I was going to make one of the Russians go berserk (see below, at least he has an open road to cross in line of sight (LOS) of a German machine gun nest):  

Meanwhile - when rallying a broken leader don't roll a 12, especially when you have other squads in teh same hex also in a perilous state - it is all happening tonight):  

The Guards make a spectacular attack across an open space to try and get to some broken Germans (see below, what can that German squad in the building do? Save its comrades?): 

No (see below, a prime killing chance goes begging and it looks grim in Close Combat [automatic kills on broken squads]) for the broken Germans (see below, but wait what is this, read the sequence of play, rout moves before close assault - run away Fritz, which makes sense to me): 

Meanwhile the berserkers annoying run across the road (another dismal German MG roll) and successfully close combat some Germans - I knew it, it's those red counters that do it!): 

But alas the Guards are hammered by some "good German MG" dice (see below, SL can be oh such a cruel, cruel game): 

We left it there, happy to play a few turns - the Germans probably in the winners enclosure but you never, never know for sure in SL!

My "last" set of 28mm WW2 Russians?

Again the 28mm assembly line is churning out the assembled figures, akin to a Space Marine factory with all the "snipping off the sprue". It does wear on the fingers and thumbs though and is best done in short bursts. A squad a time so to speak. One of my completed projects (or so I thought) was my Stalingrad Russians. Now looking closely at the early orders of battle, at the outset of the battle the Russians had eight riflemen to their squad (much in alignment to the rest of the world's armies), but soon as attrition set in this came down to six (as per the "Two Fat Lardies" order of battle anyway and who am I to argue). Looking as this hole in my collection I spied the Warlord Games KV1/2 pack that came with a useful sprue of eight little Russians so a perfect match in heaven was made (see below, Ivan and his friends, all sturdy run-of-the-mill riflemen of the Soviet Union, no sexy SMGs to be found here):

Could this be the end of the Russian infantry component to my 28mm collection (a collection I remember swearing never to start on several years ago)? I suspect not as there will always be little add on extras (my fellow wargamers laughed at me when I announced this). It was also pointed out to me that the official roster at the start of Barbarossa had "ten" Soviet riflemen to a squad. Have I a need for a second KV1/2? I wonder, but I think there are other nationalities I need to consider first!

Stalingrad (2): The Funeral Dirge on the Volga

I was without camera for my last game Chain of Command in the Stalingrad saga so instead of the usual chronological sequence of photos perhaps I can convey a sense of what happened ...

The sudden alarm convulsed "The Captain", he spat the sweet liquorice tea into the fire and stumbled forwards in a half daze waking from his reverie. The evil hiss of the fire, the sweet vapour of the tea and the deadening sense of urgency left a surreal feeling to his thought processes. He knew he was undone, his sentries had been lax and posted in the wrong place. The Germans had infiltrated into the very heart of his position and at this very moment were heading towards the banks of the Volga. The precious crossing points! The action was over before he had begun. To retreat was the only sensible option, but the cold logic of the day was simple. There was no place to retreat to. Out thought and out gunned they would still nevertheless have to attack with what they had to hand and it would be suicide. But so be it, that was the price to be paid and the Devil was doing the asking.

"The Captain" got to a vantage point. Already the dark figures, that unmistakable silhouette of the German Landser, were running down his left flank. All he could do was charge at them in whatever formation he could muster with whatever he could lay his hands on and hope to take some of them with them. Katya would not see him again. It would end here today he knew it. At this moment he knew he was already lost but the pain and indignation of being out thought by Fritz hurt the most. He pulled on this feeling of outrage and with a fire in his belly called "Hurrah" , raising his pistol defiantly skyward. The Siberian hat nearly fell from his head (not the photographic moment of Communist propaganda), he laughed maniacally. He ran and cared for nothing as the deadly buzzing of the bullets passed by, a German MG from the wreck of the Heinkel.

The Soviets caught "them" by surprise, as once they had past the Russian positions direct "line of sight" they thought they were safe. They relaxed. No one in their right mind would dare run across open ground covered by German MG42s. They laughed. This was a piece of cake, their easiest day in Stalingrad. They were the 'crack' ones and had caught the Russians with their pants down. They must have been facing kids, novices, amateurs. Then the expression of horror and shock was stuck on their faces, caught in a frozen moment of time as the blood curdling sounds of the Soviets swarming from all around them overwhelmed their senses. The horror erupted, bodies tumbled, men fell, in seconds two squads vanished. One Soviet, one German. The survivors clinging to rat holes and dead spots. The other 'baseline' Germans were also in shock. Their crack squad was gone. The Soviets simply had ran through the MG zone, the crew had fired high, caught a few but not enough. Things like that were not supposed to happen. It broke the rules. The Soviets are madmen!

Another German squad now had to run the gauntlet. Again, "Raus" and the Landsers came on. This time in the open Landsers fell, but they reached the house, but from the rat holes the Russian emerged and sniped, and hacked, and shot, and threw grenades\and then threw rocks. The path to the Volga was a trail of grey German corpses. Again the attack hung on the wire. Then as it happened, a nameless German NCO moved from the back, a veteran of Poland, of France of the early Russian Campaign. He saw and knew what had to be done. He ran with his section, gathered the other shocked and pinned Landsers together, rallied them, reduced their shock and pushed them forwards with curses to the Volga. His eyes were cold. The pitiful few Soviets remaining hurled curses. All was unwound, left with but a few rounds of ammunition they could only but watch. They had taken a pound of flesh from the Germans put two had been taken from them in return. They were bled white. "The Captain" turned to speak. As he turned the grenade exploded in front of him. He had fought hard, he had fought with mad valour but now he was helpless as he was lifted bodily into the air and knocked senseless. Grey shapes followed in after the explosion. They poked and prodded his body, searched him - were disgusted by his wretched smell. His final bullet would come another day, for today was his first day as a PoW, the Germans dragged him away. The interrogation would follow but The Germans needed to push forwards, one more house, one more street, they could hear the sound of the Volga. Was it their imagination or could they hear new waves of Russians, splashing ashore, their feet still wet from the crossing.

One more battle to come ... Ivan was waiting. Ivan was always waiting.

Stalingrad (2013)

Finally caught up with this one. A gritty extravaganza of set . A ruined city, a downed Heinkel, the statue of a circle of children dancing. Plenty of sustained HMG fire, snipers, Tommy gunners, mortars, a Soviet Scout, artillery barrages and crossing the Volga under fire, Least said about teh love interests the better. From a wargamer's perspective I really enjoyed it (see below):     

Spoiler alert: "Goodbye boys!" but a Soviet win!

PS: I know understand the Chain of Command scenery my friends have been conscientiously making ;) 

Stalingrad Campaign Reflections (1)

Captain Dorki spat in the direction of the Maxim MMG team as they headed back towards Company Head Quarters. "To hell with them, they sat on their arses and shot at shadows." Yes, they kept one half of the sector quiet as a mouse, even claimed to have killed a German officer in a house, but Dorki knew that bullets could not go through thick walls or turn corners. No German dared show his face to the MMG but as a consequence the other half of the sector had burned like hell and took too many of his men. Fifty per cent of his under strength platoon had fallen. The Germans had bled too but it was his troops he only cared for. "The Patrol" bad been bounced back towards the Volga and the Germans were sure to come again fast on their heels, following up their success sensing an easy victory. Damn them!

Dorki took a slug of Vodka and looked up at Lt Pasha. The man was the sole survivor from his squad. He looked broken, ashamed and confused. Dorki had literally run into him, in fact he had knocked Pasha down as he fled in terror from the "Hell House" - elite Panzer Grenadiers had fought his Rifle Section hand-to-hand, dying together in a not so elite fashion. The German's had just been quicker to follow up. For that Dorki blamed himself not Pasha. The man was a hero. In the trench Pasha's uniform was still smouldering from the fury of the German hand grenade attack. Dorki pushed his revolver across the table. Pasha looked terrified - what did his Commander expect him to do? Then it was it true, he was a coward as he feared. Dorki spoke with menace, "Pasha you have been to hell and seen the Devil himself, next time, you take my revolver and you put this bullet in his skull." With that Dorki held up a polished bullet, spat on it, cleaned it his faithful oily rag and handed it to Pasha. The transformed Pasha had eyes of steel, "Yes Comrade Dorki!" With that he turned and headed out down towards the Volga to round up badly needed troops.

Dorki mused. The Devil. He meant it specifically. That tall Aryan Devil. Dorki had caught a glimpse of his counterpart through the haze of battle and burned his features into his brain. He would meet him again. Next time he wouldn't let his men be pulled so easily into a close quarter fight in a house. After Pasha had fought the first combat, a bloodbath to both sides, he had lost Mendalev's squad exposed in a trench. He had left them too close to the house when the Germans followed up. He would have be be more careful, much more careful lest these "elite" Panzer Grenadiers slowly chew his men up piece-meal. He was in a dark mood. After fateful minutes Dorki's eyes met Romanov, a noble name to the most ignoble cold blooded killer Dorki had ever met. Romanov sat in the shadows, adjusted the sights on his sniper's rifle ever so slightly. Dorki had respect but no sympathy for The Devil, especially since Romanov had lost a good friend, a drinking friend, a true blood friend in Pasha's squad. "The Devil's mine" said Romanov and departed into the night. Dorki crossed himself an old habit still practised out of sight of the Commissars . 

The Stalingrad Campaign has Started

The Chain of Command action has started and casualties are mounting in Stalingrad:

Renko Blogspot:
 https://twtrb.blogspot.com/search/label/Stalingrad

Lardistan Blogspot:
http://rangoruk.blogspot.com/search/label/Stalingrad

It was a hard, harsh return to the Chain of Command ruleset!

Soviet Infantry 28mm - MMG (Maxim) Team

My Stalingrad Soviets are in dire need of support, so production of Maxim MG Teams has been decreed a priority ... moving over to the painting table and my Black Tree Design metal reinforcements (see below, sitting in their Pringle top cubical waiting for their turn):

Detail done on the gunner and loader, now to do the maxim (see below):

Painted up and based (extra detail to follow). It did not make the Stalingrad play-test game as I was only given two support points and this cost three. Its time will come (see below, eyes focused ahead looking for German targets):

What about the snipers, mortars and anti-tank and infantry support guns I hear you ask? A letter to comrade Stalin is required!

28mm Russian Soviet Infantry (aka The Russians are Coming!) - Last Stages of Painting

Slightly out of sequence as these are the boys that fought in Heroes Square in the last Chain of Command Game in the Stalingrad play test. How the platoon is looking (see below): 

The uniform has been highlighted up form Vallejo [as per all the other colours mentioned here] English Uniform, washed brown, painted again, mixed with Khaki Grey and then Khaki. The grey fur hat was washed with Smoke and Stone Grey then mixed with white for a highlight (see below):

The Soviet LMG (a metal model from Black Tree) was similarly painted and the webbing and leather belt pouches were given a one colour fits all: Flat Brown, Leather Brown then Red Leather. The "blanket" is German Camo Beige which is highlighted with Pale Blue (see below):

"Later in the day" after various other dibs and dabs had been applied including sand to the base we have the table ready artefact. I hummed and 'arred but finally decided to give the Russians "eyes". After all I am not going to be collecting many of these (see below):

This one is a little "bug-eyed" and needed a little (wash and flesh) touch up to calm them down (see below):

Getting close to completion. All that remains to do is the basing, a washed grey, highlight and then as an artistic touch stained with layers of various red, yellow, green, blue, black and brown washes. Just to make then difference from "grey" (see below):

The platoon is now pronounced "ready for Stalingrad" although it still looks light with support assets!

Stalingrad Play Test: Chain of Command (P4)

Several kills and a massive amount of shock "routs" the advanced (or should I say over advanced, aka "out on a limb") off the board. Lesson learned .. short-term gain can be long term pain. Still the Russian and German Force Morales have now levelled off. One thing about well-lead armies with lots of officers, there is plenty for the troops to think about when they start dropping like flies (see below, the Stalingrad "lost squad" memorial, just missing the empty MG42 ammunition casings):   

Nevertheless, if at first you don't succeed; try, try again! Another Soviet Squad emerges from the shattered timbers of "Pink Penguin House" utilising the ubiquitous 'smoke grenade' to cover itself from flanking fire (see below):

This time the large empty building is there target. The Russian Squad takes the Senior Leader with them to assist in extra activation commands. He also brings along his support weapon, the flamethrower, something I am itching to use in anger. Even the mention of the word causes a certain amount of disquiet and mutterings in the German ranks. There was some talk of 'leaving the flamethrower off-table as the perfect Russian 'ambush' to defend their exposed jump-off points" (more of that later). At this point both sides were approaching acquisition of their first "Chain of Command Dice" (see below):

Von Paul decided to take the "fools gold" on my right flank. An undefended Russian Jump-Off point. Taking that would trigger a "bad thing happening" Force Morale roll. Dutifully a German Rifle Team moved up to almost overrun (just a little bit of slowing terrain stopped them). This allowed the Russian to (at the third attempt - because with their Senior Leader off table it is 50-50 if the team/squad comes on) deploy. As the Germans are so close, they deploy into a bitter life and death "close combat" with the German Rifle Team. This is a real pity for the Germans have two MG42s on overwatch across the other side of "Heroes Square". The Soviets have the numbers and try to stoke up the odds with a couple of hand grenades but alas they miss and it goes straight to the point of the bayonet (see below):

The German Rifle Team is massacred in the hand-to-hand fighting but before loud songs of jubilation can be started on the Russian side, in taking the German position they find themselves embroiled in a second even deadlier "close combat". This time it is but a small MG42 team that had been powerless to help their fellow  rifles because of the close intermingling of bodies. Only three men but they are  in "hard cover". The factors are tallied up and both sides will throw lots of dice. The Germans are harder targets (being in hard cover) but the Russians are in the "open street" (see below):

Good German dice and poor Russian dice means that it is the Soviet Squad that is now massacred and a wounded officer left staggering back to the Command Post (to my utter disbelief and astonishment ... argh) and the Germans are barely scratched - statistically it should have been mutual annihilation. That my friends is Stalingrad close quarter fighting turning seemingly on a whim of fate, brutal and attrition. The Force Morale drops for both sides but not sufficient to break either side yet. The game has to be called for the night a brutal draw with the Germans in a slight lead body wise but the flamethrower is being brought up to "torch" something. The Germans only have 'one' Rifle Team active but 'six' (count them) MG42s active. Defensively they are very strong, but small three man MG teams have to be careful if they advance forward. The German Senior Leader is now controlling the baseline Squad's surviving two MG42 teams on the right German flank so it will be hard for him to help push forwards. The Russians have two active Squads in the middle with that 'interesting' support weapon poised to discharge (see below, the last I saw of my fourth Squad before the MG42 gave off a death rattle):

For me it was a night of hard lessons learned and missed opportunities. Deploying your forces early is so tempting but the powerful Germans seemed to be prematurely fixed. If they had thrown caution to the wind the German Patrol could have overrun two of the Russian Jump-Off points. However I was not without fault, a German Rifle Team for a Russian Full Squad is probably a bad trade. It was also pointed out to me afterwards the Soviets had missed a golden opportunity. If the Russian Flamethrower had been kept back it would have been in a perfect place to "Ambush" (Chain of Command style) the German Rifle team out in the open, albeit as they tried to get away they would have had to run the gauntlet of the overwatch German MG42 teams. I think I now appreciate the potential power of the Chain of Command dice. Likewise "keeping a reserve" is a must.

The Stalingrad Campaign awaits ... 

Stalingrad Play Test: Chain of Command (P3)

The Soviets deployed to the Germans right, stacking two full squads against a rifle team. True there was a bit of harassing fire from across the square but the designated assault squad was covered by a smoke grenade. The squad in "Pink Penguin House" laid down covering fire as their comrades advanced (see below):

The result if this was "no kills" but shock placed on the targeted German rifle team (see below):

The Germans were content to move there MG42's around to get better positions and laying down speculative fire which caused a few casualties in "Pink Penguin House" and shock on the assault squad (see below):

Then came the interesting bit as the in next Russian phase they throw two sixes in their Command Dice so I know I am getting a flip-flop. More covering fire is laid down as the assault squad "does a dash" (3d6 inches - sustaining a shock for the disorder caused). If they throw well they are in close combat range for the Russian flip-flop (see below): 

Looking promising, a roll of seven or more on three dice should see them in. Von Paul looks on helplessly as none of his precious MG42s are on 'overwatch' (see below):

The assault goes in, with grenades been thrown by the Soviet to add insult to injury. I now get to see and feel my first Chain of Command "close combat". Something I think I should get used to for the Stalingrad Campaign battles (see below): 

The results are brutal for the Germans as they lose a team (morale roll for a 'bad thing' happening and a Junior Leader, another morale roll for [another] 'bad thing' happening). However in consolidating the ground I now see myself as the focus of attention for three MG42 teams and it is the Germans to go next! This could be a rather fleeting Phyrric victory (see below): 

Rather than being unnerved, Von Paul seemed rather keen and eager to exact his revenge on the overstretched Soviets directly in his sights! 

Stalingrad Play Test: Chain of Command (P2)

My Soviet heroes are a basic WWII Russian Infantry Platoon, detailed courtesy of the Too Fat Lardies Russian OoB supplement; basically by this time in the war the numbers of "rifles" were starting to thin down in each squad from 8-9 to 6-7, with the range dependant on if you include the spare rifle in the LMG team (see below, a 1942 Soviet Rifle Platoon with a smattering of supports I have to choose from. In the end I went for a 'dangerous' flamethrower team):

The Soviet "jump off points" are placed. All-in-all, I think my opponent Paul, or "Von Paul", out-foxed me as I seem rather squished in the middle with my right flank "hanging in the air"! This after all in a learning experience, "Welcome back to Chain of Command" - I better go read these rules again (see below):

I am rather worried about this nasty little advanced German jump-off marker. One of my key objectives seems to already be in enemy hands! Not good! (see below): 

The Germans have a solid baseline building and an exposed bunker position on their right (my left). I don't think anybody will be brave or crazy enough to run across "Heroes Square" for fear of becoming a dead person - also I am still worried about my right flank (see below): 

So annoyingly the Germans have outplayed me in the Patrol Phase and are positioned in an advantageous Jump Off position that weakens my right flank (I seem to be getting fixated on this, best stop it). Not only that, Von Paul gains the initiative and rolls a bevy of squad deployments. Which means he has a squad on each of his Jump-Off points. No quick wins here! I have a crescent of angry Germans facing me with MG42s hard cover. This prompts me to deploy to the left and concentrate on what I perceive to be the Germans one weak position. I deploy a squad into what I call from now on "Pink Penguin House" (see below)

This Russian Squad's target is the rifle section from one of Von Paul's "large" three-team German Pioneer Squads (one rifle section and two MG42 teams, it's Panzer Grenadier plus!). Thankfully they have "previous" battle casualties (Von Paul has chosen to take his Campaign 'Toon for a 'run-out' whereas I am going for a fresh Soviet Platoon just to get a handle on how the Soviets play) so they are a Landser down here and there, not that I noticed (see below, these rifles are deemed in "light cover" to are my best target):     

Time now to set things off with a little bit of shooting. I am slightly disquieted at the thought I might not even get all of my troops on if Von Paul "gets the dice" and is aggressive. My Jump-Off points may be overrun before I know it! The Infantry Commander's mantra is after all "Am I being aggressive enough?" 

Stalingrad Play Test: Chain of Command (P1)

The "ad-hoc" Stalingrad terrain. Here you see an empty (of troops) "Heroes Square". It was nice to see terrain bits (craters, ruined bunkers and entrenchments) dating back to 1994 when I was a wee slip of a lad in Aberdeen (see below, seen looking from the Russian trenches across the grey pavements):

Checking out the Russian left flank, the big building is an obvious go to point (see below):

The Russian right flank and again a "must have" big ruined building (see below):

So after the intense "symbol moving" of the Patrol Phase everything gets fixed in sort of place (see below):

Ready for the action to begin and assign the jump-off markers!

The Russians are Coming but Don't Panic... they are in 28mm (Painting Update: P4)

The 'first squad' is starting to take shape (see below, a fierce bossy sergeant):

Outside of the figures allocated for my three squads (yes three not four, I took casualties crossing the Volga) there are extras destined for "scenario supports" (see below, I have put them to the left hand side of the board):

The Vallejo paint runs (shade, base and highlight: Vallejo Model Colour) are coming together:

• Russian Summer Tunics and Siberian Padded Winter Jackets: British Uniform (921 shade), Khaki Grey (880 base), Khaki (988 highlight) 
• Russian Winter Coats: Russian Uniform Green (924 shade), 50% Yellow Green + 50% Russian Uniform Green (924 + 881 base), Yellow Green (881 highlight) 

I originally coloured all the belts and webbing Flat Earth (Vallejo Model Colour 983) and 'washed' over in Vallejo Sepia Wash (see below):

However I was not happy on this effect so instead I settled for:

• Leather Brown (871 shade), Flat Brown (984 base), Red Leather (818 highlight)

Bits and pieces:

• Wooden gun stocks were Vallejo Game Colour Charred Brown (shade/base) and Beasty Brown (base/highlight). 
• The Siberian hat was Vallejo Game Colour Black/Stone Grey (shade/base) and Stone Grey (dappled highlight). 
• The "Red Star" in teh middle of the hat was Vallejo Model Colour Read Leather (818): 

The Russian Soldier "comfort blanket" was Vallejo Model Colour:

• Grey Primer + Sepia Brown (shade), German Camo Beige (821 base), 50% Pale Blue + 50% German Camo Beige (907 + 821 Highlight) 

The metal gun parts were Vallejo Model Colour Gun Metal washed over in Sepia Wash and then lightly touched up in highlight (see below):

The 'first squad' seems to be 'coming to life' nicely. The flesh look was giving me problems so I experimented. Vallejo Model Colour Flat Flesh washed over in Flesh Wash, produced a rather "reddy" looking effect so I applied Flat Flesh again as a highlight, toning it down with a Sepia Wash and final Flat Flesh highlight (see below):   

The 'second squad' gather to get their Russian overcoats painted (see below):

The prone figures are a nice addition. I primarily use them for the LMG gunner and Number 2, along with a PTRD gunner (off camera). I particularity like the Vallejo "belt and webbing" colour run [Leather Brown, Flat Brown and Red Leather] I took from "The Flames of War" painting guides (see below, I think it works really well with the Russians):

Time to "factory paint" the rest of the troops as my painting deadline approaches!