Background
Operation Bagration (/bʌɡrʌtiˈɒn/; Russian: Oперация Багратио́н, Operatsiya Bagration) was the codename for the Soviet 1944 Belorussian Strategic Offensive Operation, (Russian: Белорусская наступательная операция «Багратион», Belorusskaya nastupatelnaya Operatsiya Bagration) a military campaign fought between 22 June and 19 August 1944 in Soviet Byelorussia in the Eastern Front of World War II. The Soviet Union achieved a major victory by destroying the German Army Group Centre and completely rupturing the German front line.
On 23 June 1944, the Red Army attacked Army Group Centre in Byelorussia, with the objective of encircling and destroying its main component armies. By 28 June, the German Fourth Army had been destroyed, along with most of the Third Panzer and Ninth Armies. The Red Army exploited the collapse of the German front line to encircle German formations in the vicinity of Minsk and destroy them, with Minsk liberated on 4 July. With the end of effective German resistance in Byelorussia, the Soviet offensive continued further to Lithuania, Poland and Romania over the course of July and August.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Bagration
The Minsk road was protected by extensive defensive works manned by the 78th Sturm Division, a specially reinforced unit with extra artillery and assault gun support. Orsha itself had been designated a Fester Platz or strongpoint under 78th Sturm Division’s commander, with the 25th Panzergrenadier Division holding the lines to the south. As a result of the strong defenses in this sector, Soviet plans included the commitment of heavily armed engineer units to assist in a breakthrough.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitebsk%E2%80%93Orsha_Offensive)
The Game
Forces:
Russians use the Udarny Strelkovy list as their core force from Red Bear. In addition to the support listed, Soviets may also buy straf batalon companies. Soviets should try to match the special assault group organization and must deploy/enter in waves as shown. Soviets players get 3600 points per each six feet of frontage in play.
Germans use the Sturmkompanie list in Grey Wolf. Fortifications must be purchased, are subject to the placement rules for strong points, except any number of extra communications trenches can be purchased and no panzer turrets may be purchased. For every six feet of frontage, the German players get 1200 points that must be spent on fortifications, 1250 points for starting forces (no tanks in starting force), and 850 points for “special front reserves.” The German high command will only release a player’s “special front reserves” if their front is in danger of collapsing ( for scenario purposes this is after the German player loses a sturm platoon). These reserves must include a sturm platoon which must be the first reserve unit to enter the table. This platoon gets a +1 to the die roll to enter, and may enter anywhere on the German baseline or deploy in any trench line more than 16 inches from the nearest Soviet team. Germans do not suffer force morale test until this reserve sturm platoon is on the table. Other reserves roll as normal for entry and enter on the German baseline in the player’s area of responsibility.
Scenario rules:
Soviet and German players will match up against each other. After the Germans place their fortifications, each player places an objective in the German set-up area, not within 8 inches of the boundaries. German set up area is from their baseline to the center axis of the table. There are 16 inches of no-man’s land, then the Soviet set up area is the remaining space on the table to the Soviet baseline. Soviets may hold units off the table for entry later at any time the Soviets choose (no reserve roles are required). One German starting unit may be deployed in immediate ambush. Each side may have off table artillery. In addition to one on-table observer for each formation, each player also receives a free off-table observer (representing an OP in the rear) which may call in artillery anywhere on the table with a +1 penalty to range in. There is no resolution of the historical preliminary bombardment (the effects of which are factored into the German starting points) but all Germans start the game pinned, and residual smoke and dust make everything count as concealed during the first game turn.
Victory conditions:
- No Soviet teams are in German set-up area on Turn 6 or later, or Soviet force breaks: German major victory
- No objectives are controlled or contested by the Soviets when we call the game: German tactical victory
- Objectives are only contested by the Soviets when we call the game: Draw
- One objective is in Soviet control when we call the game: Soviet tactical victory
- Two objectives are in Soviet control when we call the game, or German force breaks: Soviet major victory
Game Recap:
The table was 80 inches wide and 60 inches deep. Germans had three fortified platoon positions, each with a PaK40 bunker, HMG pillbox, and HMG nest. Six minefields covered the center, leaving gaps on both flanks. 12 barbed wire obstacles covered the whole front, doubled up on the German left where some peat cuttings crossed no-man’s land. Germans opted not to use any communications trenches to link the positions. Germans had 1250 points defending — 3 Sturm platoons, mortar platoon, HMG platoon (attached out), 2 Pak40s (attached out), and 2 Pak40s (in immediate ambush). Everything was dug in or in the trenches.
Soviets decided to attack the German right, where the ground was more open for their tanks and assault guns. Soviet waves were organized as follows, everything rated as fearless trained, totaling 3600 points:
- 5 T-34/76 mine roller tanks (represented by regular T-34s)
- A full-sized Straf Company with attached sappers
- 5 IS-2 tanks with .50cal MGs
- 5 ISU-122 heavy assault guns
- 10 T-34/85 flame tanks
- Two full-sized Udarny Strelkovy Companies with attached sappers, and battalion command
- Off-board artillery: 4 120mm mortars, 4 120mm mortars, 4 Katyusha launchers with extra crews
Opening Phase:
The first two Soviet waves moved up to the minefields and wire to try to clear a gap. Soviet 120mm mortars and Katyushas started pounding the German positions and caused many casualties in the Sturm platoons. German ATG ambush uncloaked, and the ATGs quickly killed all the mine roller tanks. The Straf Company took a lot of fire from HMGs, mortars, and squad MGs, and failed all their order tests for clearing the wire. Eventually the Strafniks were killed to the last man. Meanwhile, the IS-2s and especially the ISU-122s got to work eliminating all the ATGs and bunkers in range, while losing two T-34 flame tanks in the exchange.
Mid-Game:
The Germans shifted their left hand Sturm platoon to the middle position, taking harassing artillery fire as they moved across the open ground. The leading Strelkovy company moved up to the wire over the corpses of the Strafniks, and promptly cleared a gap. Flame tanks moved forward and burnt out the remnants of the beleaguered Sturm platoon on turn nine, triggering the release of 850 points of German reserves. It took a few turns for all of the reserves to activate, and the Germans were allowed to hold them off table until they were all able to enter. Germans reserves were a Sturm platoon, pioneer platoon, mobile rocket launchers, and air power. While the German reserves were gathering, the Russians moved up the leading Strelk Company and the IS-2s to join the flame tanks in securing the objective at the rear of the now-smoldering fortified position.
End-Game:
The reserve Sturm platoon and pioneer platoon entered the table and made a bold charge across the open ground to try to assault the IS-2s and flame tanks, aided by a smoke screen from the rocket launchers, which used a blitz move to enter the table and fire. Despite the smoke, defensive MG fire from the tanks pushed back the assaults. On the Soviet turn, the Strelkovy attempted to assault the pinned Sturm platoon but were pushed back by defensive fire. Then the T-34 flame tanks tried to assault, and were pushed back by panzerfaust fire, losing one tank. The IS-2s successfully assaulted the pinned pioneers, and pushed back the pioneers with heavy losses. The IS-2s used their consolidation move to spread out and prevent the German reserves from rallying and contesting the objective. However, the two surviving Sturm teams in the central fortified position passed their last stand test and slipped in behind the IS-2s to contest the objective on the last turn, producing a draw by the scenario rules.
– Mantueffel