Our local gaming group has been playing quite a lot of W.W.II battles using SPEARHEAD rules. We've found these rules to be quite playable and enjoyable; they are fairly easy to learn and consequently are especially good for games at conventions and hobby stores.

In April, I ran a game at the Tin Soldier in Dayton. My game was scheduled to start at 6:30. When I arrived at 5:00 to set up the terrain, I was surprised to find several gainers already waiting to play. Obviously, SPEARHEAD is becoming quite a popular rules set in this area.

For the scenario, I dusted off my old PANZERBLITZ and PANZER LEADER board games. Several of the scenarios in these games appear to be easily adaptable for SPEARHEAD. Avalon Hill's WARGAMER'S GUIDE TO PANZERBLITZ contains several additional scenarios. I chose scenario #22, Installation Defense: Tarnet, Norway (Oct. 22, 1944). This scenario involves a defense by elements of the German 6th Mountain Division against an attack by the Soviet 131st Rifle Corp. I quickly adapted the map to my 4'x 6' GeoHex mat, which is fairly close in terms of ground scale to the PANZERBLITZ map. I made some minor adjustments to the Order of Battle to accommodate the figures we had available.

Germans:

1st Battalion: 4 x Rifle stands, 2 x Engineer (Flame) stands, 1 x 81 nun mortar, 1 x 120mm mortar, 1 x 150mm Infantry Gun,1I x Stug MG, 1 x Btn HQ.

2nd Battalion: 5 x Rifle stands, 2 x SMG stands, 1 x 81 mm mortar, 1 x 75mm Infantry Gun, 1 x 50mm AT Gun, 1 x Btn HQ.

3rd Battalion: 4 x Rifle stands, 2 x SMG stands, 1 x Engineer (Flame) stand, 1 x 81 mm mortar, 1 x 75mm Infantry Gun,1I x Stug TUG, 1 x Btn HQ.

4th Battalion: 5 x Rifle stands, 2 x SMG stands, 1 x 81mm mortar, I x 50mm AT Gun, 1 x 120mm mortar, 1 x Btn HQ.

Russians:

1st Battalion: 8 x Rifle stands, 1 x SMG stand, 1 x 45mm AT Gun, 1 x HMG, 1 x 82mm mortar, 1 x Btn HQ.

2nd Battalion: 8 x Rifle stands, 1 x SMG stand, 1 x HMG, I x 82mm mortar, I x 122mm howitzer, 1 x Btn HQ. 

3rd Battalion: 7 x Rifle stands, 2 x SMG stands, 1 x 45mm AT gun, 1 x 120mm mortar, 1 x 122mm howitzer, 1 x Btn HQ.

4th Battalion: 6 x Rifle stands, 2 x SMG stands, 1 x HMG, l x 45mm AT gun, 1 x 82mm mortar, 1 x Btn HQ.

Tank Battalion: 6 x T-34c, 2 x T-34/85, 2 x SU-122, 1 x Btn HQ (BA-32 armored car).

All towed weapons on both sides were accompanied by trucks. All battalions for both sides were rated as having regular morale.

Although SPEARHEAD easily permits one player to command multiple battalions, I had 9 players (one per battalion) to allow maximum participation.

Historical Background

This fight takes place after Finland has dropped out of the war. The Germans are attempting to evacuate civilians and heavy equipment from the Norwegian port city of Kirkenes (off map). The town in the center of the map on the hill represents an electrical power plant which supplies Kirkenes. The Soviet objective is to cut power to the port, thereby disrupting the German evacuation. To win, the Soviets had 10 turns to either: (a) capture the power plant, or (b) cut both roads leading from the power plant to the west edge of the board (this would represent the Soviets cutting the power lines).

The Germans were permitted to deploy their forces anywhere on the map west of the stream. The Russians would enter anywhere on the east edge of the map. The victory conditions would obviously force both sides to commit heavily toward the center of the map.

The Germans deployed their 3rd Btn in the woods just east of the power plant, with the 1st Btn in the plant itself. The 2nd Btn covered the German left flank by deploying in the town to the north, while the 4th Btn deployed in the woods to the south. The Germans were permitted to deploy their support weapons (mortars, infantry guns) to the rear of their parent battalions. All German deployment was hidden (sketched on the map).

The Russians decided on a "right. hook." They massed 3 infantry battalions and the armor on their right, with orders to attack the northern town, then cut in to the power plant from the north. The remaining infantry battalion would enter the map just south of the stream, as a diversionary/pinning force. They initially kept the armor and one infantry battalion in reserve.

Initially, the Germans exercised excellent fire discipline, holding their fire until the last minute, thereby remaining concealed. They did, however, begin calling indirect fire with their support weapons. The Russians, perhaps due to inexperience with the rules, hauled their AT guns into action with their advancing infantry. The trucks were easy targets for the German mortars, and were the first casualties. As the Russians closed, the mortars began taking a toll on the infantry as well.

The action began in earnest to the north, when two full Russian infantry battalions closed to within 3" of the German 2nd Btn in the town. The Germans opened up with everything they had, inflicting heavy casualties on the Russians. The Soviets quickly learned that they could not sit there in the open trading shots with the Germans deployed in the outskirts of town. The Russians then assaulted the town; after a brutal close combat, they were repulsed.

Meanwhile, the Soviets had committed their reserves toward the power plant and the nearby woods. The lone Russian 1st Btn to the south successfully changed orders with a lucky die roll, and attacked the woods from the south. The German 4th Btn conversely tried to change to an attack order, but bad die rolls kept it on the defensive at first, allowing the Russians to concentrate on the woods. Finally, the 4th Btn changed orders and began to take some pressure off the center.

The Russian armor rolled on and tried to drive between the northern town and the power plant, in an attempt to cut the power lines to the west. By the time the tanks began to move between the towns, however, the Russian 2nd Btn had failed morale and retreated, thereby allowing the German 2nd Btn to hammer the Soviet armor with flank shots as the) rolled past.

Finally, the Russians were beginning to put the pressure on the German 3rd Btn in tine woods in the center. The German losses were beginning to mount; they finally began to withdraw from the woods. Unfortunately, they probably waited one turn too long; the Stug was destroyed as it pulled back past some Soviet infantry. Meanwhile, the Russians assaulted the power plant from the north. The other Stug was destroyed in this fight, however the German 1st Btn holding the plant was still in pretty good shape. The Soviet armor continued its drive toward. the power lines, leaving a trail of burning T-34s in its path.

On the tenth and final turn, the Russians launched a last desperate attack on the power plant. Their armor succeeded in cutting one road, but was just a few inches short of the second road, so it would be up to the Soviet riflemen to carry the day. After a bitter close combat, the Germans held the power plant, winning by the narrowest of margins. This was undoubtedly the closest SPEARHEAD game I've seen; either side could have won going into the last turn. The players all had a great time, and I venture to say that the Tin Soldier even made some sales as a result of the game!