A fun and furious game was played at the March game day using Ted’s BAPS (beer and pretzel skirmish) rules. The game pitted the Russians against the Germans in a hypothetical WWII battle.

Soviet infantry looking for trouble.

The Russians were going to be assaulted by a major German force. Before that could happen, a recon force…Force X… would have to find out what they would be up against. Points were made by discovering where there were Russian tanks, heavy mortars, and machine guns. The Russians needed to kill German soldiers and destroy Panzers.

Ted, John, and Will secretly deployed their Russian troops in the town and nearby fields. For the Germans, First squad with an accompanying Panzer was commanded by Matt, second squad with an accompanying Panzer by John, and Third squad with an accompanying Panzer by Ray. First squad advanced out into an open field with woods on its left and buildings to its front. Second squad advanced out of the woods into the open on first squad’s left. In front lay a partially destroyed building. In the distance, was a railway station lying in a shallow valley. Beyond that, a canal with a wood line on the far bank. Third squad advanced out of the woods with its tank in the van. In front lay a hedgerow with a stronghold on top of a hill that dominated the shallow valley on it’s left.

Ted and John Burkes Soviets fired from nearby buildings pouring death and destruction into Matt and John’s squads, killing and wounding many. First squad returned fire as best it could with the tank blasting away at the structure with its main gun. First squad finally wiped out the Russians in front but found any further advance impossible. Second squad ran into the most difficulty. More of John Burke’s Russians were pouring a galling fire into the Germans. John’s Panzer began firing its machine guns and main gun into the Soviet position. Then, from the warehouse across the Railroad station came the fire of Will’s Soviet anti-tank rifles. John’s Panzer was aflame, the crew bailing out. The Soviets garnered big points with that one.

Russian Anti-tank crew prepare to fire.

On the extreme left, part of Ray’s third squad advanced up to the hedgerow in front of the stronghold; the other advanced behind the Panzer who had laid down smoke to cover the advance. Will’s Soviet force began firing heavy machine gun and small arms fire. One Landser was killed. Ray returned fire with the heavy machine gun crew, Panzer and small arms.

The squad rushed the building and stormed it. The majority of the Russians ran out and down the valley. The Soviet squad leader and the heavy machine gun crew died. The Germans thinking they were safe found themselves under a hail of mortar fire. Two troopers were killed and one wounded.

The third squad left the building and back towards the hedgerow. Anti-tank rifles slammed the Panzer. The main gun and gunner being killed. Matt called for an immediate withdrawal. First and second squad carried their wounded back to the wood line, while third squad ran for it while mortar rounds fell every where.

Though the German recon force had been bloodied, they accomplished their mission and won a victory.