Ben and I decided to put the Stalingrad campaign on hold for a bit, but ironically still played a battle from the Stalingrad campaign book, we just reversed who was the attacker and defender. (Editor’s note: The photos are loosely in chronological order.)

We played a battle taking place in late October 1941 on the drive to Moscow during Operation Typhoon. The first snows came in October freezing and melting over and over creating an icy, slushy quagmire. The Soviets were defending the outskirts of a small factory community to the northwest on the road to Moscow controlling 3 objectives. The objectives were the bunker to the northwest of the bridge crossing, the cabin to the southwest of the bridge crossing and the ruins of a factory. Points were equal with the Soviets pretty much deploying just about anywhere on the board and Germans coming on from the east.

Ben’s Soviets ran two platoons with two AT guns, two tanks, a mortar, a sniper, two Hqs and a lot of troops. My Germans ran a force of a PZ III, armored car, half-track, mortar team, two regular squads, a vet squad (smart enough to acquire some winter clothing…don’t ask how) and an engineer squad.

The road was a muddy mess with the potential for vehicles to get stuck as well as Ben having the road covered very well by four big guns. I chose to run up the south east side of the board using the woods as cover, however after engaging forces in the first woods, and seeing the opposition across the river, my plans changed and I took the east cabin objective and boldly ran the engineers across the road between a tank battle that ensued between the T-34 and the PzIII. The desperate charge across the road was opened up when a Stuka came in strafing rear Soviet forces and blowing up the T-26 tank guarding the bunker. They crossed with a few casualties only to face the Soviet infantry in the frozen riverbed in front of the bunker. They assaulted the Soviets and took the river bed.

Other German forces weren’t so lucky. The vets were wiped out in a ditch before even reaching the first objective by assaulting Soviet SMG infantry defending the cabin. The half-track blew up after delivering the engineers and another squad was zeroed in on by the Soviet mortar and remained stuck the rest of the game, before getting destroyed. The squad that had taken the southern woods did an unplanned feint maneuver and decided to follow the engineers all the way across the board and crossed the road only to fail their leadership falling back along the muddy road. Staring down a T-34 probably does that to you.

The Soviets realized that the bunker was in danger of being taken by the few remaining engineers and the race was on to claim it. Luckily for me the game ended in turn 6. I forget what the final score was, but the Germans claimed 2 of the 3 objectives and had a few more kill points. Up until the last turn it looked as if it might be a draw. Another fun, close game where a big gamble paid off. Thanks Ben!

Ben – Well, this was another great game of Bolt Action. I remembered the lesson I had learned in our last Stalingrad campaign game and I brought plenty on anti-tank weapons to deal with Drew’s armor. I had painted up the T-26 last month and was able to throw it on the table for the first time. True to tradition it was killed by a Stuka without firing a shot. Better luck next time Yuri…

It was a nail-biter with lots of back and forth. We both had some awesome shots land and we both failed order tests and FUBAR’d. I think one of my favorite moments was the Soviet SMG squad clearing the ditch of the German Veterans within inches of Drew’s whole force. The Seargent took several order dice worth of shooting and he stood fast while his squad fell around him. He managed to hold out until he was gunned down by the armored car using Drew’s last order dice of the turn. Our Panzer III – T-34/76 duel was also really cinematic and gave us some great photos. Across the board my gunners were true to history and clearly needed a bit more time at the range.

I was able to hold two of the three objectives up until the last turn. I would have won by one VP but Drew’s last dice hail Mary paid off. His Panzer III was able to roll a super 6 against my Lieutenant and runner in the sandbag emplacement. The runner was struck down and the Lieutenant promptly buggered off after failing a moral check. I lost the objective and the team was killed, a swing of 3 VPs. I know I have said it more than once but it was an excellent game. Drew is always a great opponent to play against and I am spoiled playing on his jaw dropping terrain.