The Russians are Coming

A skirmish was fought in February between a German force of panzers, anti-tank teams, and SS panzer grenadiers and a Russian group of Siberian huskies (aka peasants), tanks, tanks, and more tanks. The objective was a remote village near a railroad station that did not have a train. It was called Orloff, or some dumb name like that. In a very short time the village without a train or locomotive was renamed Wilhelmville.

The peasants were commanded, and I use the term loosely, by Ivan Bennet. The German commander was Obergruppenfuhrer von Hark. The horrible carnage began early. Rumor has it that the peasants lost twenty-four AFVs while the Hitler Youth suffered minor losses of about 10 AFVs.
One of the Hitler Youth commanders was heard saying, "Where did all the bleeping tanks come from," and another replying "Well, they're all gone now." "What a waste of inferior equipment," was another comment heard from a sixteen year old Hitler Youth. After the carnage the victorious German Schwere Company partied and read Russian comic books until the wee hours of dawn. Ivan Bennett, leader of the rabble, was seen drinking Dr. Pepper to help his upset stomach while his surviving troops were singing "Those eighty eights are breaking up that old gang (peasants) of mine." The song later made number one on the Soviet hit parade.

It is true that the German patrol left the area after the party after completing their mission, which was to destroy Russian tanks and rename the village. A TASS reporter was heard saying "Next time we need more tanks and a new leader." After he filed his report he shot himself. He couldn't live with the shame of having the name of his village changed.

Attack of the Soviets

On Feb. 10 we played the next installment in the on going feud between Big Bill Harkins and myself. The battle was played using Bill's home rules, also known as "The Germans Must Win." This time the date of the scenario was July 1941.
The Germans rushed East towards the quiet village of Orloff while the Russian tanks moved to meet them. Two 88's were quickly deployed in a small forest to the northeast of Orloff while StuG IIIs deployed east of the woods. The German mechanized company moved between the woods and a building and the rest of the Germans charged along the northern edge of the village.

At the same time the glorious armored forces of Holy Mother Russia raced to save the poor little village from the evil infectious plague sweeping towards her. Nine BT-7s moved into town along with a company of T-34/As. At the first sight of the Red Army the fascist advance stopped dead in its tracks and deployed along the northern edge of the village, hiding behind the huts.

The BT-7s opened fire on the German mechanized company, taking out a 222. Another BT-7 platoon hit the flanks of some Panzer IIIs. More tank units charged into town to drive the nazi horde from our homes, stopping only to engage the cowardly Nazis. The German armor rolled to halt to improve their aim but our tanks pushed on. By turn 8 many vehicles were burning on both sides.
A mixed unit of T35s and T-34s rolled up the hills to block a German flanking maneuver. They turned back over a dozen StuG IIIs before the 88's nailed them. After taking heavy losses the Nazi horde began to fall back, leaving the Russians with a bloody nose. It was just an old-fashioned slugfest. Over a hundred vehicles were left burning, lighting up the evening sky. The Russians had fought hard - charging again and again regardless of losses, advancing as quickly as possible until the objective was taken.