aa OR ULnaa (BALTIC FRONT) ey‘Wristen by: Michael Haught, Pil Yates Ector: Peter Sirnunovieh, John-Paul Brsigott Asiant Writer: Steven Prak, Ken Camel, Neal Smith, Mike Allen, Joe Breacher, Neil Todds Damian Robinson Proof Readers: Paul Beach, Ned Mertick, Neal Smith Graphic Design: Casey Davies, Dion Holswich ‘Miniavares Design: Evan Allen, Seth Nash Gover and Internal Ar: Vincent Wai, Warren Maby iniarurex Painting: James Brown, Jeremy Painter, Mate Parkes Tertin Modeling: Blake Costs, Kyran Henry, Dale Pepperell Photography: Batlefrone Studio. Web Support: Wayne Turner Playtest Groups: CoMG (Rob Hebrew), Da Mommas Boyz (Tony Hernande2), Sydney Syndicate (Richard Chambers), “The Regiment (Simon McBeth) Photograph: National Library of New Zealand, ‘Auseralian War Memorial, Roger Key Private NARA, National Archives Of Canada, Ceris-Normandie.com, US Army Signal Corps CONTENTS — —— Introduction to Stalin's Onslaught Operation Bagration... ie 8ya Otdyelnaya Shtrafnoy Batalon... Leytnant AV Pyl’cy Reconnaissance in Force Scenario «+...» Gvardeyshiy Tyazhelyy Tankovy Polk... 8% Guards Rifle Corps History sss Udarny Strelkovy Batalon sss Soviet Corps Support: Soviet Arsenal Special Assault Group Breakthrough Assault Scenario sm 78. Sturmdivision Special Rules Feldwebel Dietrich Uthoff. Sturmkompanie sme StuG Batterie sone German Divisional Support Field Fortifications seme German Arsenal sven Onslaught at Orsha Scenario .. Henschel Hs 129 Panzerknacke Painting Germans ..... “Thisis a supplement for Flames Of War, the World War IT miniatures game. |A copy ofthe rulebook for Flamer Of Waar is necessary to fully use the contents of this book. ee —na FLAMES OF WAR [a Flame: OF War, you take on the role of a field Commander manoeuvring your troops across the battlefields field the German and Soviet forces that Fought along the jlensk-Minsk highway in June 1944. You'll also need the imes Of War rulebook, which contains all che rules and ional characteristics thar you need to fight miniature World War II battles. WHY COLLECT A FORCE FROM. STALIN’S ONSLAUGHT? alin Onslaughs brings Flames Of War players into the bister cing of the Eastern Front. ‘The epic scale of the wat in reveals many unique and exciting forces to play. jet players will love the elite Guards flavour for their ry. These crack Sovier troops and theit heavy tanks inspire Eastern Front players to charge into Germany ‘Take command of one of the Soviet Union’ elite Heavy Tank Bataions, which will crush everything their path. You might find yourself in charge of Leenant AY P'cyis Independent Penal Bavalion made of disgraced 5 Forced to earn back their respect by spilling their for the Motherland. These remarkable Soviet forces HPS" Assaule Division) ac cher disposal to repulse the Soviet Parrack. No other infantry division in che entire German army "Was equipped with as many 7.5cm PaK40 anti-tank guns and eT Pancerfiust anti-tank launchers. You can aso field the assault division’ SiuG Batterie with its new escort infantry troops armed with their StG44 Assault rifles. These purpose-bu German forces provide the counterattack punch needed wreck Soviet ambition! How THIS BATTLE BOOK WORKS ‘The intelligence briefings in this book give you the choices three Soviet and «wo German companies based on histo examples that fought on the Eastern Front in June 1944, Bach army has easy-to-use diagrams, highlight platoons which are the fighting units of your force, in the plaroon. A detailed arsenal at the end of each describes the specific ratings for your units and che weapons they use: From tanks to infantry, this book contains thing you need to feld these Forces! In addition to the technical information that youll to build your force, this book contains plenty of inspis pictures and stories co help you capture the favour of ya new Flames Of War foree! To find out more, visit our informative website: oro FlamesOfWarcom or visit your local game stare. HOW TO BUILD A FORCE Flames Of War uses a points system when setting up and playing. games. Typical games are around 1500 points but aie ectelnly hot lieted a-aliy alalt igy oo value you and your opponent decide. You can play a smi {600 points game overashoreperiod, oryou can play mamma PP ENED ERO OND LL ol Uaiiol|Bin Ames Of War games you will command a company with ‘several platoons. Fach company includes: * Company Headquarters - The company headquarters platoon is required—without ic you have no command! | When you choose your force the first ching you must purchase with your points is your company headquarters platoon. Combat Platoons - At lease wo combat platoons are | required. These plaroons make up the core of yout force ‘Whatever your bateleplan includes, the Combat Plaroons are the ones you'll rely upon to get the job done! ‘Weapons Platoons - Weapons platoons come from your rete ‘ean offer your company excellent support, such as heavy eee jpport platoons are loaned to your jon or corps. These platoons give You extra support in many forms, ranging from tanks to anillery PLATOONS ‘ Bach platoon diagram indicates the required teams that must have to make that unit a combat-worthy Force troops that are black in each diagram are essential and fi be inchided. Those troops in grey are optional troops add special weapons and equipment to the platoon. SPECIAL RULES In Flames Of War, there are many special rales that give pl the favour of peiag och ete Sco ‘World War. The special rules reflect the sort of training ‘equipment the soldiers of each nation used, as well a8 the fighting spirie of the men. Remember to use each nation’s special rules Found in Flames Of War rulebook on pages 195 10 182. When el used, these special rules will give you the edge needed bring glorious victory to your armies! 3 =) SAMPLE SOVIET UDARNY STRELKOVY BATALON HY a - a i a - Battalion HQ (Compalsory Headquartss) Headquarters with Anti-ank Platoon and Anti-tank Rifle Platoon Udarny Stretkovy Company (Compulsory Combat Platoon) ‘with 3 Rifle Platoons, replace Rifle/MG earns with SMG teams in one platoon, and Komissar 250 points Udarny Strelkovy Company (Compulsory Combs Paton) with 3 Rifle Platoons, replace Rifle/ MG teams with, SMG teams in one platoon, and Komissar 250 points 125 points Mine-roller Tank Company (Support Platoon) with 5 PT-34 Mine-rollers Guards Flame-thrower Platoon (Support Platoon) 180 points 280 points with 2 Flame-thrower Sections ‘Shock Artillery Battalion (Sopport Platoon) ‘with 2 Gun Platoons, and Observer team 150 points ‘Assault Gun Company (Support Platoon) with 5 SU-76 Assaule Guns Guards Rocket Mortar Battalion (Supper Plaoos) with 2 Rocker Mortar Platoons ‘modelled with extra crew 190 points 155 points Total—1680 points STALIN'S ONSLAUGHT INTRODUCTION 3Earaith “GRAND STRATEGIES B Wich plenty of irony to spare, Operation Bagration was Scheduled co begin on 23 June 1944, to coincide with the Bthrce-year anniversary of Operation Barbarossa, the German B invasion of the Soviet Union. The great offensive was to fall jon Germany’s Army Group Centre and break the front P open. Stavka, the Soviet General Headquarters, recognised atthe key vo su fons in Byclorussia and then press on toward Minsk. Once Asmy Group Centre was destroyed, the Soviet war machine "would be unstoppable. ss was (0 capture the majot railway junc- run, Hitler ordered the cities of Orsha, Vitebsk and fogiley co be heavily fordfied as part of a chain of impre Ee table fortresses, called Fescerplaczen, German commanders Bat OKH, the Oberkommando des Heeres, ot Amy High PEommand, went co work fortifying each city with multiple ines. of trenches, barbed wire, concrete emplacements, then blockhouses, mines and anti-tank ditches. 'Y GROUP CENTRE PREPARES German 4. Armee (4! Army) defended Orsha and the ounding area. Atthe core of his army was Genevallewinant Traut 78. Sturmdivision (78% Assaule Division). ‘The jon occupied fortified positions in front of Orsha, ‘This que division had a higher allocation of heavy weapons anti-tank guns than a normal infantry division, and was pt at higher strength, making it one of the most powerful rees along Atmy Group Centre’ front line. fsterplarz Orsha incorporated vatious fortifications in the Mefence of the city. Infantry barricaded and booby-trapped buildings and set up firing positions along the major ap- B proaches into che city. Marshes and peat cuctings dotted the and and created very difficule terain for tanks and heavy # BYELORUSSIAN FRONT PREPARES kt divided che operation’ objectives amongst the Iya, and ya Byelorusshiy Front (1", 2", and 39 Byelorussian Front). General Polkovnik 1 D Chemnyakoskiy deployed his relat Nel eee) oe Wire On the 22 June, Independent Penal Bacalions, such a5 Leytenant KW Dyley’s 8ya Ordyelnaya Shirafnoy Baualon, conducted reconnaissance in force missions to expose flaws in the German line. Shirgf battalion attacks revealed the with this, Starke authorised the organisation of Special Assault Groups prior wo the atack. Each Guards Rifle Compe received one of these specialised units to crack the enemys heavy fortifications. OPERATION BAGRATION On the morning of 23 June, General K N Galitskiy mander of the [1ya Goardepikeya Armiya (IV Gi Army), ondered his Guards rifle corps to artack: and brea the Sturmdvision in half. A massive artlery preparation supe ported the attack with an astounding arulery density of t0 250 guns per kilometre! Ketyusha mortar rocket batter joined in as wel, stunning the Geeman defenders and giv Soviet storm groups the opportunity co quickly overrun forward German trenches, ‘The Goardeskaya Stelkovaya Divisiva (or Guards Ril Divisions) directly east of Orsha ran into very stiff resist and failed to gee past the German frst layer of defence, did, however, manage to get che German XVI Armeeko (27* Army Corps) co commit reserves, drawing them from the northern approach to the city, second line of defence, but the sicsasion worsened when small ewo-mile (3km) gap opened on the lef lank. Gl reinforced his success by driving his 2ya Goardeyshaya Tako Korpus 2" Guards ‘Tank Corps) chrough the opening using 4 narrow-gauge railway bed to manocuvee the tanks cheough | the marshes, The bold Guards attack from within the Wes lands shocked the Germans, as they didnt expect an entine Soviet tank corps to emerge from such inhospitable cera By the end of the third day of fighting, the German claimed 116 Soviec anks destroyed, but the Red! Army stl had more 10 throw into battle. Surviving elements of 78, Sturmdivision cerated west into Orsha and re-formed defensive lineBOGUSHEYSK sis Bora ALN RIVERS ; Lor) ee ives, : CNG A acelin eall on 25 June, the 11° Guards Atmy advanced Orsha. ‘The next day, it joined the ds Tank Army and completely encircled the city. relkowy Korpus (8 Guards. Rifle i cue © No ints before the Grenadiers! The Bale for Orsha had “a dose, but Operation Bagration still continued, ling westward. OPERATION BAGRATION )r Fal tal aly , ee a a p? ee = ieee aaa RS Sia yeewy a SF tte | bi ey ik a eeEE eea alla fT inspired by the book Penaley re F Perens ove g ULL aoc Coro reac og AAA, Ar Cae Saag ratte POLY Petco) ere was nothing poetic about che use of a Shraf bat- Tallon. As expendable troops, Shenafuiti always made the first assault into the enemy lines. I) Tie 832 Ordelnaya Shrafrey Baalon will always attack against any other force, even against a Tank Company I Since itis expected to always go I the 8ya Ordye 0 Dig In forward, Companies in 2 Shirapnoy Bava d never benefit from the Prep attempt SHTRAFNIK’S ABSOLUTION Despite the offence, the only way co leave a Shenafcompany ‘with honour was through dedication and sacrifice in battle, on, oF 8 Tn unit during Operation Bagration ormer officers from across the ra Phe Bye Ordyelnaya Sherapoy pendent infantry battalion consisted of 2 slacked in their duties 6r had been revealed as defeatsts. In contrast wi toh .d committed no crimes and well known for their strong leac 8 during Operation Bag Under the firm guidance of its leaders, evealed fractures in the German line ¢ Feld by assist sactfices vitally contributed to overall victory in the Feld breakthrough divisions to find the weak poines in the German lin z 7 continued to fight, serving with The men ofthe Sherafny Batalon contin r g absolve theie sins against the Soviet people. ‘They fought hard dur Bagratio took the fight into Germeny during the Vistula-Oder Offensive 8 8yA OTDYELNAYA SHTRAFNOY BATALON SHTAAPUSY LATILSY © (INFANTRY COMPANY) 3 ; ‘The 8ya Otdyelnaya Shtrafnoy Batalon is a unique force in Flames Of War because it is. Sirike by AV Pyt'eyn, rather than a generic organisation, CE ee ee ce De eect iC et eet may also field one Support Platoon from each Support box shown (Armoured, Rocket Artillery). ONT) ae fora uuia eee Guards Rocket Mortar Battaion | Bib) Sharaf Basalon HQ, Sheraf Companies, Shiraf Machine” gun Companies and Sharaf Mortar Companies always pass ‘a Motivation Test on a rll of 2s, INITIATIVE IS PUNISHABLE Orders given to a Shrrafbactalion are not to be questioned or altered. Under no circumstances will the Batalon be allowed to retreat The 832 Osdylnaya Shuey Beralon never bas 1h A scour Sk tbe hn al oh} The Compania til ie Platoon More Che though, However, if no Shiraf Companies remain on the | table, This unique inks who had the bacalion’s loyal officers) ership. aden Penal Battalion Theit ng the So distinction 10) ng Operation fouglit atthe Narev Bridgehead with unmovable determination, andIhe Shafi soldiers ofthe Bya Ordyeinaya Sh fora varity of roca, Former pile, vil, end solders, all fers find themscos enrolled tn the Bat and were expected to atone for their offences on the battlefield. This concentration of experience in the unit made t | 8" Independent Penal Bastalion unique, dramatically increasing the quality of the Shtraf unit. = A force based on the 8ya Otdyelnaya Shtrafnoy Batalon is rated Featless Trained. 8ya OTDYELNAYA SHTRAFNOY BATALON HEADQUARTERS [ze izencoMnins SHTRAF BATALON HQ PMOL NTN, Wit TUN eh a LUE kelitary career as a volunteer soldier and quickly ablished himself as 2 competent leader, AS a loyal ficer, he was given command of a company in the Ordyelnaya Shrafrey Batalon (8% tndependenc Penal talon) in 1944, Iperation Bagration was Pylcyn’s frst major combat action. the opening days of che campaign, he led his men through = German minefield and cleared paths for the following Soviet m earned a reputation as an expert mine-clearer, [kill he was not enthusiastic about using too often! During the operation, Pyl hospital he met a nurse named Rita Makarievskaya, After recovery, he had her cransferred to his company as a medic. where she saved many lives. "The rwo were married before the end of the war. Pyteyn and his Shrafaiki went on to fight in the Vist Oder operation and the final assault into Bertin. During his service, he was wounded three times, awarded the Order of the Red Banner, Order of the Great Pattiotie War I and the Order of the Red Star CHARACTERISTICS tenant AV Pyleyn is 2 Warrior and an SMG team that is the Command team of one of the Sheraf Companies in your Ordyeinaya Sherafuoy Baralon. He is notan Independent tearm, Pte RECONNAISSANCE IN FORCE © A Siraf Batalon often led reconnaissance in Force missions @ discover enemy weak poines along the fron line. Deploy Pyle Shep deploy Independent Teams. mpany when you would normally ing a Reconnaissance in Force mission, Pylcyn carefully joved minefields and wire before continuing, Bylym may gap Mincields and Barbed Wire Entanglemens 4s though he was a Pioneer ram eagle ea adhe ts) — RITA MAKARIEVSKAYA Model Rita Makarieskaya on he same base as Pylon. Once per turn, Rita may attempt to save a team that is in Pylyi Sheraf Company. If am Infantry or Gun team within 61150 of Pyleyn fails a Sav, roll adie + Uf the result is 5+, Rita manages to save the team and it continues ta fight on unharmed. + Otherwise she soldiers are too badly wounded and the team L eaoee8yA SURMISE SHTRAFNOY BATALON COMBAT COMPANIES COMPANY. penens AV By (oe p prow poe) mast be the Foreman SAG tom of on of oor Sef Compara at no additional cost. oS ee the reason for chem being her, your men ofthe Shinafuay Batalon know the only way ou is and defeat the fascists, of die trying! The Komisar is ‘emind them oftheir duty and to punish cowards. ‘Shirafniki (penal soldiers) are well armed wich ble Pepeshka submachine-guns, grenades, raw des- te courage and plenty of ammunition. The factories of us with the ability to Binal the potential ofthe submachine-gun and fire at close 10 suppress the enemy and then hucl the Shingpiiki plan your attack and your men will follow ehrough. ee eee from the Shrafuiti ranks! iP sary ce age PA How T0 USE THE 8YA OTDY i Shr Batlon is the blunt reconnalssaes instrament of he Soviet Army, The Shafi or penal baralions are formed rom Soviet soldiers who have committed offences against the Motherland. With infantry increasingly inshore supply able wo shoot but not trusted enough (0 they are too val: ignote tele sins. Other Sovier forces have a lot of impressive weapons and machines"t6 wage war, However, commanding the’ ha Osdvelnaa Shorty Batalon takes nerves of sce, as they ‘en rely only 61 their men. ‘Armed with. not much mote than their submachine-guns and their featless commitment to redeem their sins, they tne prepared ro do whatever it takes to rid their beloved dounery ofthe fascist invaders. When handled effectively the ‘ya Oxdyelnaya Sherafvey Baxalon is a devastating force. al Battalion Soviet planners used che 8 Independent Pen: to conduct reconnaissance in force missions. Th wwould assault the enemy to test the strength of their poritions. Ifthe batalion was destroyed, there was obviously {significant enemy force in cheir way chat required attention from the rest of the division, IF the battalion survived and broke through, there was obviously minimal enemy activity opportunity expat c~.N hu he battalion i s ELNAYA SHTRAFNOY BATALON a rues au oOo” Command Komissarteam SMG team LEYTENANT Ath SMG team NAR DARK ‘SMGteam SMG team AANK VANE Gteam SMG teem puke ELS ANNA NANK -wAAA ‘SMGteam SMGteam — SMGteam AMANK NARA NAR ARK SMG tam —SMGteam —SMGteam SMG team SHTRAF PLATO ‘SMG team NAA AIRE SMG team SMGieam AAAKR AIRE SMG team SMG teem ANAK DARK SMG team SMG team SHTRAF PLATOON, oo re i ‘When fielding the 8ya Ordyelnaya Shirafuey Batalon, a good oramander takes as many Shinafriki as they can possibly get ‘heir hands on. Being wel trained, they have as much sil as anyother Soviet infantry formation, but thet real suength i ‘hae chey will never run away. Combined with their Komissar snd the Shteafnik’s Absolution speciale, and large cnough Companies to benefic from the Soviet Quality of Quantity Spectal rule (ee page 182 of the rulebook takes a log so slow a Sheraf Baralon down! The real trick to running this force is the ability to accept casualties. The Soviet commandgr will lose a lot of infantry on the way to victory. The way a Shtraf Barafon overcomes their enemy is to deploy as far forward as they cari and Charge toward the enemy and pin them down with your daly lame-throwers before slamming into the defenders. Accept chat some of your force will be chewed up by the tenemy’s Firepower as your companies charge forward. As long i the Sheraf companies start at full strength, chey are almost to get into range to use their attached heavy ins and lame-throwers co assault the enemy lines While in assaule, the Shivaf Batalon has no equal. Due to the motivation and numbers of the Shonafniki, che enemy i almost guaranteed to break before your human wave ‘guaranteed, ‘machine-gu 8ya OTDYELNAYA SHTRAFNOY BATALON TI8ya OTDYELNAYA SHTRAFNOY BATALON WEAPONS COMPANIES [Ce (ZU aul Command Komissar ‘00 Fite team PGI LEVTENANT a AA, AA, asin HM Matin AAA oaAA | | caAA oaAA Mateim BMG Matin Mats MG Maksim BMG MACHINE-GUN Drees WAN PLATOON, SHTRAF MACHINE:GUN COMPANY fav [cE uM Command Komissar team ECETaIeM Ev LEVTENANT BAA. Mat mortar s2-8M-41 mortar BAA Rar 82-8441 moar M41 morta RRA RRA M41 mortar 82.6M-4i mortar A Shiraf ‘ampany may make Combat rments to Combat Platoon NERA OTC SHTRAF MORTAR COMPANY 12 8yA OTDYELNAYA SHTRAFNOY BATALONORSHA, 23 JUNE, 1944 ee sa “Hurry, Comrade! The ammunition is here! Everyone knows that is the sign that the great offensive is, shout to begin! Our comrades to the north have been fighting the Hitlerites for nearly a month and finally ic is our turn to bring glory to Mother Russia! wonder how weall got here. Did they commicsome grievous infraction against the Soviet Union and get sentenced co Serve in this unit? Whatever they did, ie couldn't have been svorse than what I did! No! [was branded ‘unreliable’ because Thad fought for almost chree years with the partisans after the German offensive overran our unit in 1941. We kept fighting, and being condemned to this penal battalion is the thanks we got. Tam a good Communist. am noc a coward! ‘The tribunal judge told us, “Initiative is punishable!’ Death or being ‘wounded are the only two ways to be redeemed. I remember Iheaing of Comrade Stalin’s order to stand or die. A fellow ‘soldier had said, ‘Ic takes a brave man to be a coward in the Soviet Army?” Iedocsn' take long for the scream of rockets and artillery 10 fille ai. Ie boosts our morale to know that the Frizes are in theirfoxholes with their hands over their heads trying to bury fhemsclves deeper into the ground! Then, stillnes falls over the area. That was a short bombardment! We hear the shouts four leaders, “Get up! Onward co victory or death!” ‘As we move forward, the distinctive sound of a German machine-gun is heard. Our group heads towards it Dearast Anna, oud weve male @ fre in the corner ofa Burt ee Oe Gronides chefter Prom the coed sale. deross from me, Kanissar Pelenker 1 z /e 3 pistol. Pelenkew iS ome Carefully cleaning Wis pistol. Pele op the fiw) surors since the company WAd Farmed td 15 an od herd-tina Comrie ee aganst the Czas white Arompy ard tae rah apart cin Caw 3 we eT Sedlingrad in one dplece of stone, and if only one person makes through this in one piece it'll be hin Soon, E'll need to rouse the men. Today is going fo be hard, Walking through the ranks tonight, T looted into the faces of omy company. Many iro young men sere hare For wiinan astakes: hoon demoted and set to lecding platoons shen oy once led companies and regmertts. Our Shirat Company 15 made of brave men, cowards and those in betuseen. Gn oy rounds T came across Colonel Velkevsky, Fron the st Guards Rifle Diision. AS we Stood in a sheltered spot ee the Geronan jece, The old man iS & SUMO _ — slowly. My hands feel sweaty on the grips of my Pepesbka, submachine-gun. Suddenly, the Leytenant orders us to charge che position! ‘That's how ids done as a shirafuill We rush the position, spreading out as much as we can. In the rush, a couple of men are hit. One right in frone of me! I jump over him and keep going, can see the position now. As I leap up to the edge of the nest, I lower my trusty weapon and fire a burst! It hits the machine-gunner. All becomes quiet. I've survived the first engagement of the day. I hope there are no others but know this is wishful chinking, The Leytenant shouts for us to move forward. Faster and: fascer we move. It filters through the ranks that we need 10) reach the main highway as quickly as possible. The Leytenant: is determined that our company be the first ro reach it Suddenly, a loud explosion knocks us all on the ground Ie sounds like an anllery shell. A few wounded men are J ‘writhing on the ground. Some comrades were very badly wounded. I move t help the nearest and fall over onto the ground, My right leg doesnt support me! What is wrong? 1 Took and realise it wasn there! The world is spinning! [As I awake in the field hospital, I notice a wound tag that deemed my wound as worthy of notice. Its my redemption in the eyes ofthe Soviet Union! positions, he offered his small, arnate Bask of Vodka to me to help chase dua the nigft chills. ve assured me if things g> well ever the next fon dajs he will put @ good word in for me at headgearters. He Seams a goad man though weary after mary battles ener the last three years We are the point of the bajonet. Behind 4s lias the might of the Seviet Aroyy. The well treined and epitipped men of the 1st Guards Kite Division will pour through the gap that sue create. This time, though, the Germans dre ready. We've had them on the ran Fr manths now, but the position in front of us is well prepared with trenches, minebelds and wire Lam leaing this letter with our medic Gregari Tenesev. Ye's a goed man and, should anjthing happen to me toda), he will get it t0 yea. KS Vittle Veleriya Por me, Anna. Tall him his Father joes to free Mather Kussia from the fascist and he does So with a calot hearty bailing to make the sacrifica Should thal ba is hte Senior Liseetancert Doritri Varenshiles, Order of the Patriatio War 2% Class, killed in eation on 24 June 944, Orsha ORSHA, 23 JUNE, 1944RA a Reel Rey! le Operation Bagration was planned 1 che smallese deriil, Siavka, or the Soviet High Command, le nothing to chance ‘They-employed maskirovka (or subterfuge) in the lead-up to the operation, disguising the official oop strengehs and. movements. The operation was planned in secret and only the key generalswere informed about the overall plan. Soviet twoops succeeded in masking their movements during the night under the stsictes security. Surprisingly, che Germans failed to detect the build-up of forces as well as the Soviet intentions in Byelorussia, They believed thatthe Soviet summer campaign would fall further south. Aga result of their misjudgement, they stripped Army Group Centre of the majority of its armoured divisions and sent them south. This added to, the large superiority the Soviets held in infantry, artillery, tanks and air power. The Soviet plan to confuse the Germans had succeeded. However, that ig nov t0 say thaé,the Germans did not have superb oops guarding the line. ‘The German 78. Sturmdiviion (or 78% Assault Division) and the S501. Schwere Panzerabtciliang. (or 501" Heavy Tank Battalion), equipped with Tigers, silently awaited the onslaught at Orsha, They were well armed and prepared for the Soviets compared 10 the other nearby infantry divisions along the line Tebecame very impostint for the Stavka to assess the actudl strengch of the German line and to find any gaps that might ppeay The Soviet solution co this question was typical Shoraf Baxalons, oF penal battalions, were assigned to test the fenemy defences to see if they could find weaknesses in the German lines. © Leytenant AV Pyleyns 8ya Ordyelnaya Shrafncy Bavalon (8 Independent Penal Batalios) was one of the many. penal battalions thac were assigned to tes the defences of the Setmans during Operation Bagration, On the eve of their assignment, Py'eyns company received ‘which told them they were getting ready for a fight. Pylcyn was ordered to use his company co clear mines for the following offensive. He decided to leave his company behind and complete the sweep by himself during the night. Despite some close calls hhe managed to flag routes through the mine feld using ‘wigs and white eloch. With the vay marked, the test ofthe company prepared fo assault the following day. fresh ammunition and a warm me: The screams of Stalin’ Organs (or Katyusha rocket launchers) signalled the beginning of the offensive for the penal battalions. They lurched forward, crashing into the German defences, Many fell upon well-prepared postions with machine-gun bunkers and barbed wire. A few lucky units found the open gaps between the-Getman divisions along che line. Those that found an opening reported back ‘o their assigned Soviet armies, who promptly fed tanks and mechanised infantry through, exploiting the successes of the brave Shirafnik The reconnaissinge in force missions “proved vital «0 the sucess of Operation Bagration. Without the Sthraf battalions’ safifice, many more Sovier soldiers would have pétished.againstthe Germans’ well-planned defences,“he Soviets have never been known to conduct delicate re- Kpnnalssance missions. Instead, Soviet generals collect their Hnfomation by sending small batalion-sized units out t0 te the opposition, Hic Reconnaissance in Force scenario uses che Immediate Ambush, Prepared Positions, and Reserves special rules. ‘Dh the eve ofthe great Operation Bagration, you have been dco take a Shrrafbactalion and test German opposition long the line. Report any weak points you find so our break- Ahrough units can exploit during the upcoming offensive The Russians appear so be on the move, and their exact Ssumbers are unknown. As with most other Soviet offensives, sve the integrity of the fronc line. Set up the table as shown on page 17. Place ewo bjectives atthe points marked (8. The table is 47/120em G/180em, eral key towns along the front. ‘The railway supply centre lofOrsha is one of these important cities. Capturing it would Piove tobe a rask easier said than done. The German defences vision on the line. Therefore, ic then became imperative Mor the Soviess to find the weaknesses in the line. OTHER PLACES, token and secured in order to carry on the offensive. From the barthem sectors to the southern ones, Shtraf and Strelkovy Iaalions were given the task of probing the German lines, While the mission remained the same, what they encoun- ited differed greatly fom kilometre to kilometre To reece these variations, try this scenario using a Udarny Guelkory Baralon or a Serelkavy Batalon instead of the [Be Ordyelnaya Shorey Baral. You can also ceplace he German Searmkompanie with a [gular German Grenadierkompanie. Heavy Mortar Platoon and the Heavy Anti-aircraft Platoon anywhere behind the trench lines. Deploy the remainder the German force along the rench lines. 3. ‘The Soviet player deploys their forces in area @. BEGINNING THE BATTLE 1. The German player deploys the Ass Platoon held in Immediate Ambush, alt. Machine-g 2. AllGerman troops on the rable start the game in Prepared Positions, so they are in Foxholes and Gone to Ground. 43, The Sovier player has the first turn 4, German Reserves rive at any polar mated (9) ENDING THE BATTLE The battle ends when: with no Soviet ceams in the German half of the table: DECIDING WHO WON “The Soviet player winsif they hold an objective, having found a weak point in the German line. Ocherwise, the German player wins, having successfully prevented the Soviet recon naissance mission from penetrating the defences. part of the Orsha mini campaign with d Assaule and Onslaught at Orsha scenarios. "The player who) svins che final Onslaught ae Orsha se campaign. However, he results ftom the first ewo seenatio will influence the outcome of the final bare! tunits would be held in divisional and comps reserves where they were ready for the main offensive WESTERN FRONT approach when collecting information before @ major offensive. Using this scenario, you can recreate an Ameria or British atcempe ro gather intelligence belore one of thi ‘major operations in France or Italy, = In place of a Shraf batalion, use an American Cavalry = Recon Troop or a British Armoured Car Squadron or Reces Squadron to test a German prepared defence line. RECONNAISSANCE IN FORCEilies oe Bde ye Worry CNT NZ et Ya (ona BATALON the attack can begin we need co assess the German agths and weaknesses along the line. To do this we need to the line at several points and sce ifcracks in the German dimour appear for us to exploit, This glorious duty has been 8YA OTDYELNAYA SHTRAFNOY BATALON 8ya Gvardeyskaya Armiya, Ordyelnaya Shtrafnoy Batalon 1ya Otdyelnaya Shtrafnoy Rota 2ya Otdyelnaya Sherafnoy Rota 3ya Otdyelnaya Pulyemyomnaya Sherafnoy Rota 6y2 Otdyelnaya Minomyotnaya Sherafnoy Rota 317YA GVARDEYSKIY MINOMYOTNY POLK 2ya Gvardeyskiy Minomyotny Batalon ber, before your forces are deployed, you may combat attach Battalion HQ platoons, Shraf Machine-gan Com Sheraf Mortar Company platoons to either or both Sheraf Companies. GERMAN 78:-STURMDIVISION- ident that the Soviet forces are preparing for an ive. Exactly where such a blow will fll is currencly own. Until then, we must be wary of any enemy goverment in this sector. You have been given some support deal with any incursion in your area, but the majority of 3. KOMPANIE, 195. STURMREGIMENT. Kompaniegruppe 1. Zug, 3. Kompanie 2. Zug, 3. Kompanie 4. Zag, 3. Kompanie 5. (PaK) Zug, 3. Kompanie 2. Zug, 4. Kompanie 1. Zug, 13. Kompanie 5. SCHWERE GRANATWERFER BATAILLON 3. Zug, 2. Bavcerie 293. HEERES FLAKABTEILUNG 1. Zug, 1. Batterie given to the penal companies ll along the frone. will reveal the vulnerable areas where we'll send in the s cialised assaule force. Ths is the perfect opportunigy for Shinafuiki to redeem themselves with heroic resolve! 8TH INDEPENDENT SHTRAF BATALON (FEARLESS TRAINED) Shtraf Battalion HQ (wich full Sapper Platoon, and full Flame-thrower Platoon). Sheraf Company (with Pyleyn, a fll strength). Shuraf Company (at full strengeh). Sheraf Machine-gun Company (at fll strength, with HQ). Sheraf Mortar Company (at fall strength, with Observer). GUARDS ROCKET MORTAR BATTERY ‘Guards Rocket Mortar Battery (with two Guards Rocket Mortar Platoons with extra crews). the division's hedvy suppore will remain in te know where the attack will fll. Strengthen your lis ‘machine-gun and mortar positions and hold off any at by the enemy ro ascertain our ere strengeh! STURMKOMPANIE (CONFIDENT VETERAN) Company HQ Seurm Platoon (at fall sengeh). Sturm Platoon (at fll strength, in Reserv). Sturm Heavy Platoon (at fll strength). Sturm Anti-tank Platoon (with two 7.5em PaK4O anti-tank guns) Assault Machine-gun Platoon (with one Machine-gun, Section. Deployed in Immediate Ambush), Infantry Gun Platoon (with ewo lelG18 Infantry guns) HEAVY MORTAR BATTERY Heavy Mortar Platoon (with four 12cm sGW43 mortars) HEAVY ANTI-AIRCRAFT BATTERY Heavy Anti-airraft Platoon (at full strength, with two 8.8cm FlaK36 guns each with extra crew) ber, before your forces are deployed, you may choose to combat atach teams from the Assault Machine m Heavy Platoon and Sturm Anti-tank Platoon, RECONNAISSANCE IN FORCEfeat features for infancy advantage of during an smaller patches that are not are bushes. These ‘woods growing around the shes are populated with | tall reeds and thick brus! le feature in Byelorussia. ch, marshes are often used eras to form anchor fiom which to build five positions ‘marsh is Hooded and is das Impassable to vehicles Very Dilficult Going for all Mag ae Sue ols ny | vINTaglat) Paani foes not ext ‘he table as close 10 10 Peers IN FORCE a(TANK COMPANY) ee ete eT Tankovy Companies and may field one ofeach ofthe remaining Combat Companies shown, DOO a ae een ior EN ary anc cena er Load mace ACN ad ‘COMPANY, fog ‘COMBAT COMPANIES | feaecuntg GVARDEYSKIY yang TYAZHELYY TANKOVY| | TYAZHELYY TANKOVY eon rod oad Org Ff i ri | i H H E 8 2 i) 18 GVARDEYSKIY TYAZHELYY TANKOVY POLKards heavy tank companies asisted the infantry in breakthrough operations along heavily fortified enemy lines. A Guar Byazhelyy Tankovy Polk has the nion’s bet tans and crews and is ready forthe next major offensive. Highly celeb ind well rained, the heavy tanks are ready to roll the Germans all the way back to Berlin! wy tanks are not affected by the Hen and Chick spectal rue. Geoardeyity Tyazhelyy Tankovy Polk is rated Fearless Trained. HEADQUARTERS PODPOLKOVNIK SRST ‘ompany Command 18:2 'GVARDEYSKIY TYAZHELYY TANKOVY POLK HQ (oO COLI ay ram (aI br 1983 CSOSA MARLYN MENON AEOIANTD eer Nee li ele] ine-gun mounted in the back of che curser is * If shey pass she for discouraging boarders in an assault. ‘machine-gun to bir she ta Armour Save as normal, lurret-Rear Machine-gun may not shoot. Is function is + If they fuil the reroll, the machine-gunner manage keep the infantry at bay and protect the tank, and rerear MG, that ney se alt so ill et t0 hit, GVARDEYSKIY TYAZHELYY TANKOVY POLK 19ai eo a eee o 12™ GUARDS Vaan Lt) | _ 21° GUARDS PUL RIFLE REGIMENT gears pala acne ARTILLERY ry oy ny q LeU 27% MG, 9x Anti-ank Rifles, |] 27 MG,9x Ani-tank Rifles, [27x MG,9x Ant-tank Rifles, | —-Borration Sones ees Ceara ert snarl 245mm Antitank Guns, |) 2x 45mm Anci-tank Guns, 245mm Anti-task Guns, See Bad eae ara eT ES 1 Battalion ree a ae aCe Sx Amiitank Riles, |) 27% MG, 9x Ant-tank Rifle, Hear Ca jE (oer yin eee eee mm Anc-tank Guns, |] 2x 45mm Ant-tank Guns, Pape ea ia 12x HMG EE Foaaeeeenreray ees ee aT Company Submachine-gun Company ens SPU ca an ——en aeons Seer es antry Gun Battery cn Guns os | Mortar Battery a [ees ee Been cen Ee uod Eee ee | ree conten Co erin tet rere tones Ce one Urea 8y GVARDEYSKIY 8% Rifle © ecatved the 8y Gvardeyskly >stookpartin Operation part of the ya. Armiya (11 Guards Army thie great battle at Kursk in by stretkovy K e 42 and had guly 19 Rifle C inthe newly General G 44, the 11% Guards Arm » Guaras/‘Rifle Corps, and the Rifle Corp: ‘A combined force of the ile Cosps =e Guards Tank Corps liberated 0) 8™ GUARDS RIFLE CORPS roe eres Cena eens Pere tomer Co eres tet comers Perry ‘The 11" Guards Army andits c al in opening the a Guards Ri oad to Mins the 8" Guards Rifle egy ina, River, f the Be Together with the 2™ Guards .d the Berezina River and rac they or by the end of the first Mined, capturing the city = ommplishin for the first stage of Bagrat srps included the 5° Al cor pedoretehe He Barnes, Orde (ee Gnas), the 26" Bast sierian Guasde Rite Divison Seb aA 5™ ALTAISK GORODOVSKAYA GUARDS RIFLE DIVISION aae ie ea eee HIFLE Fete 2 PLAC OF VIP) | 83"? GUARDS 383 | bug 8 3 SUPPORT SUPPORT DIVISION DIVISION ARTILLERY ARTILLERY 75™ GUARDS ] Pe MeN Ploy aU 1) 317™ GUARDS TT eV ain A Da 4s 128 Guards Rie Regiment | As 12® Guards Rifle Regimen [Yea Lise Praesens Pee ery 7T™ GUARDS ] PrN sy eta el Ut reg ast oars REGIMENT Pett eon elev IP aasP as Cer eee (fo):13 ARMY ] CU BP LCL Saad ea ee a el Png reer eee BATTALION Av 128 Guards Rifle Regiment |] As 1 eget 57™ GUARDS | 52° GUARDS once Piensa q PN aan AG REGIMENT j REGIMENT As26°Guands fA 248 Guards Eom ea | uray jon tne 12° Guahds A¥my was filed the 68 vision formed the ler of Lenin, in Jur DO wr eaon EK Ua eee) eax 8™ GUARDS RIFLE CORPS ray22 iavitett it Maen eae at eo bol ee (INFANTRY COMPANY) ‘A Udarny Strelkovy Batalon must field a Battalion HO and two Udamy Strelkovy Companies and may field one of each ofthe remaining Weapons Platoons shown. tmay aso field one Support Platoon from each Support box shown (Armoured, infantry, et). ota ed UL Pee Rooms) CLIN Shock Scout Platoon Corrine Preteen) Ponts Brena) eo Ng og SULLY Peay Shock Submachine-gun tars Cro Poon Machine-gun Peet eR tee eT Poa Ng (ie ik HEAVY MORTAR PY [coe DEey TNFANTRY ATHY coermenoerrinn ROCKET ARTILLERY Bin * ae reerag a et onan Reetomsctioy — Doon Cs me! a, et Donated rs femme sor ry SON ETL La Maa LUT \hola]MOTIVATION AND SKILL Fr FR Ca Bf Boat Pw poo Seen ae wcgeofating te our nm Gorman in. Te ros eagerly await the orders to attack! A Ueerny Strelkovy Batalon is rated Fearless Tr “atest promotion has given you command of an and patriotic Uderny ‘Sirelkouy Batalon (or Shock Battalion, pronounced U-dar-ny Stryel-ko-vy Bacta- se men have been fighting for Mother Russia with dv, They ave realy to take she Bight out of {into Germany! ion’ vides leader- battalion’ headquarters not only. pro ut ao spec aed platoons: Use thee set 0 at anything the fascists try to do to stop our irresist alko rely on che batalion komisarto keep the tops Torward to their objectives! Serahdpr Ivanovich carefully motioned his’ méi‘%o stop oving: it was not yet time co attack. MThe scouts and the headguartctssappers had done an excellene job of leading the company’s men.through the German mieields. The village looked deserted. The fascists were nowhere to be scen, bee they were there, waiting quietly for signs of the attack. Thunder ashes snapped Ivanovich back to the present. The Heavens opened lip and the Soviet ‘God of War' began to tain down his Futy on the fascists’ positions. Shell after shell Fel exploding im great pillars of earth. ‘The ground shook beneath the men. Some of the newer soldiers looked worried, but lrinovich gave them an encouriging smile and a wave, ag there was no point talking, ay ‘of Mosher Rusia! After three long years of fighting. tee ready to take on this task, and. alt 2ic Command ite team im Company Command Rife team Battalion Komissar team PEN POETS ONEO) As suddenly as it began, the thunder stopped. The Kapitan shouted, the Matsim began is chattetand the troops charged! head toward the enemy The fascists woke from their daze. Some rinotely operated mines were being ser off, adding ta the confusion. Thomas Knew this was not going well. The German positions were very well prepared and strong indeed, Suddenly, accurate cannon fire began hitting the fascists! fines froma new direction. Thomas grinned; the assault guns had arrived! Things were looking up and the attack was up and moving again! TOCA ona MEROLD| px)COMBAT COMPANIES KAPITAN Ade EA] ae AA] FineMG ine sc dp tu eos san mn OA RileMG ——FifloMG CNEL ACONN PN Command Fite team PeRTeIeM rE AAA, aa, “okt, sak sah Tank Regiment (Mineroller and Flame OT-34 amet tank FSF Gua fife Crp opto te Gorman forifin arn Gv GEsiees Eis FLAME-TANK COMPANY. fea (Sau + Flome-trower team BLL Fame thrower team FLAMETHROWER SECTION Sa cabrower Platoons must make Combat Attachments tory Companies and Submachine-gun Companies Si SEN eee) || tt FLAMETHROWER ese ‘SECTION, Raion User OEE TUCO a TUE oA aLUL Ko 29PODPOLKOVNIK tee aM stff ax Command Staff team Rife tam PeRTeIoM Temm 215-3 gun Pere lower Platoons in a Shock Artillery Batalion may fire @ together as a separate battery apart from the toons. Ifany Howitzer platoon firesan artillery bom- tall Gun Platoons must either participa in the or may instead conduct normal Shooting. 30 UDARNY STRELKOVY BATALONPODPOLKOVNIK PODPOLKOVNIK aM atrtf 5 nd Sttfteam ERE EI UDARNY STRELKOVY BATALON 3cr] MOTIVATION AND SKILL The Guards divisions have all sorts of support in the 1a racket mortars, sappers, anti-aircraft guns and more. In addition, the Red Air Armies are ready to give plenty of support to ground operations as well as sweeping the Lufrwaffe from the. Unless otherwise noted, Corps Support companies are rated as Fearless Trained. Pere see regular army SU companies Confident Trained _ However, the atmy will end our heroic support from theie assaule gun companies . fee esl in dog oe yor infantry, while sil able to take on an ASSAULT GUN __ mugen - isielote Evie ESTURATNSONNG Corps SUPPORTtaking on the heavy canks ofthe enemy or smashing srtifications, the heroic Guards heavy assault gun heavy assaule-guns co blow away Nazi machine- nti-tank gun bunkers. They are equally efficient at enemy from buildings! The Soviet army used assault guns to clear the enemy hes of machine-gun nests and anti-tank guns. On the ‘ofan attack, Soviet scouts crept out into no-man's-land Pmap the German front line in detail, marking where guns and machine-gun nests were situated. The rushed their detailed maps to the assault gun reg nents, who would then assign targets to specific companies next day. When the offensive began, Soviet assault compared the maps with the horizon, identifying tand then blasted the enemy guns ih intense barrages. the enemy guns were silenced, they moved on to +, following the infantry as they advanced. antitank guns and 1p emplacements, the assault guns would help foblem, blasting the enemy out of their = ses VOLLEY FIRE ‘When the advancing Soviet army came across a Ge ins and artillery batteries stopped «0 | ‘a massive centralised yc strong point, assault g blast it us | i HEAVY BREAKTHROUGH GUN ‘The IS-2 heavy tank and the ISU-122 and ISU-152 heavy assault guns blasted the enemy gun positions into oblivion, fo eeu cel aeAn Arrillery Bombardment fred by nine or more weapons ssa double-wideh Arsillry Template to determine which gas can be bit and reroll: failed To Hit rolls in Artillery Bombardment fired by fourteen or more weapons, wes a template 12°130em square to determine L which reams are hit and reroll failed To Hi rol fee) LIEU Ze) ag PODPOLKOVNIK PODPOLKOVNIK. Rie team SM BM-I3Katyusha 8M-13Katyusha es At aE BM-13Katyusha Doce ear Liar Leveeh CUSSION rdsada Tm ob 198 gun aRens tm ob 1939 gun wala Stmm obr 1939 gun Pe hmm ob 1833 gun es le Simm ob 1899 gunn ob 1999 gun command Pioneer illeteam Pionaer Rifle team Pioneer Rife team AANA ANY Pioneer Pionoor Rife eam Rifleteam AANA stat Pioneer Pioneer Fitleteam file team Riletem —ifleteam Pioneer ile team AANA SANA SAND naTht Pioneee Pioneer Pioneer Pioneer Feicteam —Afleteem ——_ifloteem = fleteam UNCON (el RU aol as 35Taney eee aU aN Ky Armour Mobility Front. ——Side_—=—“Top_—_Equipment and Notes Weapon Range ROF_—_Antitank Firepower TANKS ully-racked Gat MG, Mine role, Limited Vision. nm P34 gun 32%em 2 9 . 6 obs 1942 Pully-icked 5 Co-ax MG, Hall MG, Fist rank, Limited vison Wide ra 260m F-34 32°”80em Fally-racked—@ (Ge.ax MG, Fast nk, Limited 32°78 #1100 -Flanecthrower, Hull: mounted. ally-tracked ‘Wide tacks 32°/80em Hull mowed. _ HEAVY ASSAULT GUNS © stan Fally-racked Sloe tank [© 2mm 0-255 gun 32"780m Hull mowed 180.152 ly racked Sow an 182mm ML-20S howteer — 32”780em 2 Bunker buster Hull mounted ROCKET LAUNCHERS 19 Kagyuha Wheded E BNCI3-I6 rocket launcher 64"VN6(em Rocket launchor ANTI-AIRCRAFT MACHINE-GUNS Wheded = Avseward layout 16"400m Amté-airerat. Porte VEHICLE MACHINE-GUNS E 16°00 ROF 1 fother weapons fi “Seat Vehicle MG 16°/400m ROF 1 ober weapons fire ‘Weapon Anti-ank Cannon Bombs Rockers Bombs Rackets SOVIET ARSENALrel U) NaN) Mobiliey OF Anti-tank en pinned doen 140m 4 4 Se Aatairerat, Tura. mim abr 1942 gun ROF —Antitank Firepower Notes TRANSPORT TEAMS Mobily Front Si ‘Top Equipment and Notes wn Limber SoMa masiewill bea fight to take this cra However, the aya Grappa ally organised to deal with yeti erm (or formidable defences. Aya Geardeyshaya Armiya (11% Guards Army) jed three assault groups to be used against Orsha Ie in ‘anks, heavy assault guns and assaule several waves. fancy together first wave of ten PT-34 mine-roller tanks will open a ic German minefields chrough which y tank regiment of 21 15-2s will exploic. Then a bar- ‘of asaule engineers will follow to secure the area, ‘Trailing behind the engineers at 150 metres is a heavy as ent of 21 ISU-152s whose mission is to dest us German gun teams, nbined force of Guards rifle regime a company of OT-34 flametanks, and a regimen 6 light assaule guns : divisions will roll into che rear areas, surrount ‘enemy force, and force them co abandon cheit del positions and flee before Soviet mi FIRST WAVE SECOND WAVE + Regiment of 21 15-2 Guards THIRD WAVE FOURTH WAVE FINAL WAVE + Company of 10 OT-34 ‘ompanye en you have a particulaly difficult foci ible to recreate a Special Assault Group using the force organizations in chis book. Depending on the size are planning, here are a couple of suggested lists to recreate however much ofthe assault group you would some situations warrant the use of even more specialised equipment, and you will have FIELDING THE COMPLETE ASSAULT GROUP—24,240 POINTS First WAVE— Mine Roller Company 10x PT:34 mine-roller tanks SECOND WAVE— Guards Heavy Tank Regiment 21x IS-2 obr 1943 THIRD WAVE— [Assault Engincer Regiment 4x Sapper Companies FORTH WAVE— Guards Heavy Assault Gun Regiment 2625 points 21x ISU-152 Heavy assaule guns 460 points 3275 points avy tanks 1200 points ~ FIELDING THE 2 & 3° WAVES: sing Gvardeyskiy Tyazhelyy In Battalion HQ. ey a 11S obr 1943 heavy nk ‘Gvardeys! ‘iy Tyazhely Th yy Tankovy Compan wih 418.2 061903 hey ea © poh Gvardeyskiy Tyazheh - iyTyazhelyy Tankovy Comy wih 4182 ob hea ee Shock Sapper Company with 3 Sapper Platoons add Supply Truck Toral 155 points 625 poines 300 points 25 points FIELDING THE 4™ & FINAL WAVES (Using a Udarny Strelkovy Batalon) Battalion HQ Headquarters My points 4 points 4m 0 points 5 points Udarny Strelkovy Company with 3 Rifle Platoons add 2 Maksim HMG teams add Komissar Udarny Strelkovy Company with 3 Rifle Platoons points add 2 Maksim HMG teams: 50 points add Komissar 15 points Guards Heavy assault Gun Company with 3 ISU-152 heavy asfault guns 375 points Flame-tank Company with 5 OT-34 flame-tanks 245 points Assault Gun Company with 5 SU-76M assault guns 195 points ‘Total—1450 FINAL WAVE— Flame-tank Company 10s OF-34 Flame-tanks Assault Gun Regiment 21x SU-76M assaule guns 4x Guards Rifle Regiments 15480 points Each Regiment has two Strelkovy Battalions of 1x HQ (at full strength) 255 points 2x Strelkovy Companies 570 points 1x Machine-gun Company 230 points 135 points 500 points 245 points Battalion total equals 1935 points 400 points 800 points: Ix Mortar Company 2x Submachine-gun Company 1x Heavy Mortar Company. FIELDING A CROSS-SECTION. SPECIAL ASSAULT GROUP (Using a Udarny Stretkovy Batalon) Battalion HQ PHeadquarters Add Anti-tank Platoon Udarny Strelkovy Company with 3 Rifle Plaroons add 2 Maksim HMG teams Udarny Strelkovy Company ‘with 3 Rifle Platoons add 2 Maksim HMG Mine Roller Tank Company with 5 PT-34 mine-roller tanks 35 points 45 points 235 points 50. points 235 points 50 points 280 points Guards Heavy Tanke Company ‘with 3 IS-2 obr 1943 heawy eanks Shock Sapper Company ‘with 2 Sapper Platoons Guards Heavy Assault Gun Company ‘vith 3 ISU-152 heavy asaule guns 370 points Flame-tank Company ‘with 5 01-34 Rame-tanks Assault Gun Company. with 4 SU-76 assaue guns ‘Total—2380 470 points 210 points 245 points 155 points SPECIAL ASSAULT GROUP.The Soviet reconnaissance in force has discovered a narrow: BEGINNING THE BATTLE ge raiload through which ranks and infantry willatempt 1 Au German troops onthe table start the game in Prepared 4 Positions, so they are in Foxholes and Gone to Ground. 2. ‘The Soviet player now conducts the Preliminacy | » Preliminary Bombardment, and Prepared jy. ego sitions special rules. 3. The Sovier player has the fist tuen, ENDING THE BATTLE The battle ends when: Our reconnaissance has revealed a poine in the line where Ese can launch our Special Assault Group. Your task is to {Secure the narrow. gauge railroad bed as a route for our tanks hrough the marshy terrain to crush the German defences. + The Soviet player starts their turn in posession oF one d the objectives, or * The German player starts any of theit turns, from tus Sg swith no Sovier teams on the German half of the table, | DECIDING WHO WON The Soviet player wins if they hold an objective, having found a weak point in che German line and established a1 route for the breakthrough Forces. Otherwise, the Germ player wins, having repulsed the Soviee Aswult Group, je Russians are attempting to use a railway line to force is around our flank. Iris absolutely vital that you prevent Russian breakthrough in this region, PREPARING FOR BATTLE up the table as shown on page 41. Place abjec The table is 4°/120cm by 6'/1 80cm, fF The German player holds the ScuG Platoon in Delayed ve. They then place the remainder of their troops You may choose to play Breakthrough Assaule as the second part of the Orsha mini campaign with the Reconnaissance i | Force and Onslaught at Orsha scenarios. If you are playing the mini campaign, Reconnaissance in Force affects this scenario If the German player won the Reconnaissance in Force + If the Soviet player won the Reconnaissance in Foros | Seénatio, the exact Grenadier strength has been success- __seenario, che German fortifications have been accurate folly kepe secret and German strength is higher than an- assessed and higher command has devoted more bree ticipated. The German player gains one Sturm platoon, through unis to your force. The Soviet playet is ven a Tally equipped with Panzeefaustanc-tanklaunchers. This Assault Gun Company sith five SU-76M assaule guns. = platoon may be deployed as normal, o may be deployed 4 tusing che Ambush special rule. OTHER PLACES, OTHER TIMES Il along che fine, Soviet commanders were tasked with WESTERN FRONT ed ae ed meat ae wena there the American and Bn similar German defences when they encountered the Germmall Gustav and Gothic Lines in Italy. You can fight this sce using any American or British army as you attempe to bre through a cough German fortified line. ees that reflect the diverse German defenders using a yeergrenadierkompanie or Grenadierkompanie. BREAKTHROUGH ASSAULTfew days leading up ro ation Bagration have been and rainy. Additionally, the around Orsha is marsby and gains many fresh peat cuttings. hese conditions combine to exeate inhospitable terrain for main assault. Nevertheless, he attack must continue and unchanged: als are buile up on tall bankments posi for vehicles to er e weight of the ¥ The railway embankment counss he railway embankment is built high enough co Conceal tanks ling behind chem, OODED MARSHES hes are a common and for- le feature in Byelorussia. ‘such, marshes are often used eras to form anchor points which to build defens marshes ate flooded and a5 Impassable to vehicle an teams and Very Dificult ing forall other teams. Pe Ronmiag sak \iVnte oT | co | ‘MARSH 1 BM SES ieee tes See agat) Eta siis Bites) oS ped esas BREAKTHROUGH ASSAULT aSOVIET 8" GUARDS Rue al Galitskiy ordered an immediate attack on the sition using a Spyetsiadnaya Grappa Shturm (Special uk Group. SPYETSIALNAYA GRUPPA SHTURM 7ya Tankovy Polk ¢ Minnym Tealom 63ya Gvardeyskaya Tyazhelyy Tankovy Polk 142ya Gvardeyskaya Tyazhelyy Samokhodnaya Ustanovka Poll ya Gvardeyskaya Saperny Batalon YA BATALON, 17YA GVARDEYSKAYA STRELKOVAYA POLK Iya Batalon, 17ya Poll 2ya Rota, lya Batalon, 17ya Gvardeyskaya Strelkovaya Polk 4ya Rota, 1y2 Batalon, 17ya Gvardeyskaya Serelkovaya Polke 28ya Gvardeyskaya Minoméenaya Batareya the 78, Sturmdivsion consisted mostly of marshes, woods flooded streams, making ic ideal terrain to defend. 2. KOMPANIE, 215. STURMREGIMENT Kompaniegruppe 1. Zug, 2. Kompanie 2. Zug, 2. Kompanie 4. Zug, 2. Kompanie 5. (PaK) Zug, 2. Kompanie 1. Zug, 4. Kompanie 3. Zug, 14. Kompanie 51. WERFERREGIMENT 1. Batcerie 189. STURMGESCHUTZABTEILUNG 1. Zug, 2. Bateerie BREAKTHROUGH ASSAULT SPECIAL ASSAULT GROUP PT-34 Mine-roller Company (five PT-34 mine-rolles). (Guards Heavy Tank Company (three 15-2 heavy tanks). Guards Heavy Assault Gun Company (three ISU-152 heavy assault guns), Sapper Company (with two platoons and no Supply. Wagon), UDARNY STRELKOVY BATALON (FEARLESS TRAINED) Battalion HQ (with Anti-Tank Platoon and Sappet Platoon), Guards Stelkovy Company (at full strengch, with ovo Maksim HMG teams) Guards Strelkovy Company (at full strength, with two Maksim HMG teams) Guards Rocket Mortar Battalion (with four Guards Rocket Mortar Platoons with extra crews). eventually outflanked and forced to fall hack vo tHe het of defence. STURMKOMPANIE (CONFIDENT VETERAN) Company HQ (with both command teams equipped with Panzerfaust anti-tank launchers and three Anti-canke Sections equipped with Panzerschreck anti-tank rockets). Scurm Platoon (at full strength, with all squads equipped: with Panzerfaust anti-tank launchers) Scutm Platoon (as 1. Zug). Sturm Heavy Platoon (at full steengeh). Sturm And-tank Platoon (with two 7.5em PaK40 anti tank guns) Assault Machine-gun Platoon (at fall strength), ‘Anti-tank Platoon (with three 7.5em PaK40 anti-tank gun). ROCKET LAUNCHER BATTERY Rocket Launcher Battery (with six 15em NWA1 rocker launchers) STUG BATTERIE (DELAYED RESERVE) StuG Platoon (with three StuG G assaule guns)Russian Green (894), oF Luftwaffe Camo Green (823) Paine meta Flat Flesh (955) Exposed flesh Flat Red (957) Epaulese pi Webbing, sarchel Gunmetal (863) Beige Brow Rife wood, coo! handles Flat Earth (983) ‘SMG Pouches Khali Khaki Uniform USA Tan Earth (847) SOWi6k SeOuIS sed a distinctive Greacouts, bedrolls & | pattenn camouflage uniform aripacks “To paint your scouts, Buff ro Khaki Grey or Luftwaffe Camo Gree Black (950) for your base coat, To complete the © Boot flage, paint patches of Russian Green of Earth over the base colour as shown abov |All colour names and codes given are for the Vallejo range of Flames OF War pains, found in the Flames OF War Quartermasters Paint Set Soviet Paine Set. available from the online store and lames Of Wat sia ‘More comprehensive painting and modelling guides can also be ound ai sew FlamesOfWar-com website SOVIET VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT Over your undercoat, paint your vehicle or gun with Tah crew overalls x Tank evew helmets Pex st) Se 2 basecoat of Russian Green, Drybrush « few coats of Loar Khaki Grey (880) Lufcwaffe Camo Green over the top of this ro have your Beige Brown (875) ‘miniatures ready for the eable quickdy and easily. Vehicle and gun colour Tool handles Russian Green (894) Beige Brown (875) Alienate vebicle & gun colour Tyres & road wheels Luftwaffe Camo Green (823) Black (950) Tank cemouflage colour Tracks Flat Earth (983) Gunmetal Grey (924) LN ceroor tN cil - ay ~ — , ia s daiealele tinh a de eda me?!ee lonaa cn ff e cm REGIMENT 4 | 1/14 BATTALION 1. Starmcompanie Oeste see eget pace eyo ees ces acest eee ere Pere toe patna ees Vea Cen oor gees pace er ket ete ee Ears eee eer ence cries Peco 2x 15cm s1G33 Guns, eee min arto 78, Grenadiertivision in Avision partiipated in the savasion of sre being forced: reformed re behind these ‘with many weapons fond few men. Hach’ Sturmkompanie was authorised ns and significant increas n battallo ne integral Born PaK40 ant uns, ¢, num ‘an_entire Grenade hing 189 was also atta P-abtellun after its reorganisation, the 78. Sturmd (Giradel 45, the veteran 78, Sturmatvision the Panther Line near Orsha. “it was now part Tt Army Corps Panzergrenadi dierdivision, and defended the nion, on the 22 June 1944, the son Bagration with a ge preps oa = .s failed with heavy los ot epoctal armour Pers: 78. STURMDIVISION vIES REGIMENT | ray try REGIMENT As 14. Regiment en BCE at rr 2. Starmkompanie esi el Cea ts peer nets peer Evers a ores a eee pee re kenn Peto pen PeCoeetrel Coe ett preemies Peet eee ener parivres Pence Deter ecoe Sem PaK40 Guns ‘By the evening of 25 had withdrawn back in &: second defen econ eine eanouda the ewamby f Sturmdivision and the 256. Grenadier Me and Guards Tank Corps pushed through along the rail line, and the Sturmdivision was outflanked. division with attack by 26 June, the ew again into na, and fell w Ore Soviet divisions, ao Toran ng arsived to ty © * hemerning ot rod voli st advance. F na had fallen, stem the 0% the 27 June, Or ‘was wide open, equipment at the ‘units of partisans lurking on had fought from sed a 200k \drawal. The « neireling enemy, long fighting wit clear of the mal ‘Sturmdivision and its commander, General Traut. They were not alone, as Army Group, divisions completely, with many Volks med div! through Poland, Silesia. and CSUM Aa SNC at ABTEILUNG ce NAA as EZ Var ea ces 1. Batterie Pets Vw Cann iden rere Pea enn 96 10.5emleFH18 Guns 13x Marder If Tankchuncers eer Peirce ey Pee Ct peeeenar ets 189. AUCH Uae eMac SIU LaTRUN ABTEILUNG BATTALION 1, Batterie rene aes Sea Cee 3 Pancerschreck Launchers rc Pereiecta! =S—= pereeren crs ee Pes Reker es erent eee ee ted patron irer | PAKFRONT! | German defensive doctrine used the Pakfront to efficiently devastate Soviet tank as uns are deployed carefully with overlappi sof ire, inflicting maximum damage re use of the lefending Festerplate Orsha, you Paklront. J The Srurmkompanie was organised in carly 1943 as a specialised assaul division. It firs practical use was atthe mass Tatle of Kursk, where it performed well. The concept of the company went beyond the normal grenadier organisation: by giving ia lr more heavy equipment, suchas its own integral 7.5em PaK40 anti-tank guns and a heavy platoon. Th company also boast its own SauG Barter which lends immediate armoured support whenever need VEER TENG es pars eS cey 2. Batterie pes coud SVR Veg SSAC MBE Valea) PereaUthoff joined the army after a series of unsuccess- In the military, Uthoff discovered his calling. He ined the rank of Unterfiier, or corporal ferred to the 78. Infaneriedivsion just asthe division, Sent to Russia, where he was wounded while manning a hine-gun aftr its crew had been wiped oue by a 76mm Ml. This carned him an Iron Cross and a promotion to el, or sergeant. B 1943, Utholf and the 78. Infanrriedivision reorganised Sturvidivision. During the conversion, Uthotf acquired latest weapons, such as his own petsonal Sturmgewelr 44 tifle and a pile of Panzerfause launchers for his men. bel Dietrich Uthoff is a Warrior and a Panzeefaust tlt Rifle eam. He is an Independent team and rated as Veteran, ayjoina Scurmkompaniefrom the 78. Sturmdtvixion points. ISH! hel Uiholl used craters, destrayed tanks and bombed Uiboff may be deployed using the Ambush 20 any other platoons } that would normally be deplayed in Ambush, lie While defending, Ushoff may deploy in Ambush even in Iissions shat do nor normaly use the Ambush special rule F049 a eee In late June 1944, Operation Bagration erupted in Uthoff and his men and by the afternoon of the fis platoon had been reduced to just six men, He asked. volunteers and ordered the the division in Orsha. Uthoff and the volunteers were last seen dashing b ‘mortar cratersand upturned earth, each with three 7 faunchers. Several Soviet T-34 and 1S-2 ranks they made their way through no-man'-land. For his bravery, Dietrich Uthoff was posthumous! mended for the Knight's Cross. TANK HUNTER. ‘Uthoff knew that there was no time co waste in ste the Red tide! FAUST EXPERT “Afier several years of huncing tanks wi Panaracer Ez 4 \ Panzerfase antu all the German divisions in Byelorussia, the B. Srurmdivision sche most prepated to receive the impend- Gg Soviet atiack. The Sturmdivision has been kept at high erength vith a trench-strengch of 5,700 troops compared fp the average 2,500 troops of the other German divisions. ddition to its high strength, the assault division has been sued plenty of heavy weapons to support its troops! The Fa Ssurmdivcion is fully prepared for a Soviet assault! PHE MG42 LIGHT MACHINE-GUN The Sturmdivision has been issued two MG42 Bight machine-guns per squad, rather than the © usual Grenadierkompanie organisation of one Bet squad. This sore of additional firepower will fold the line against the Soviet onslaught! PANZERFAUST ANTI-TANK LAUNCHER fy June 1944, Panzerfaust anti-tank launchers area welcome tion o the Grenadier’s arsenal. These weaponsare deadly Short range, roughly 30 meters (98 fet) and will penetrate ur Up t0 200mm (8 inches) thick! By June these in- sive tank busters can be found in large quantities all che 784 Assault Division’ fortifications. fs Pancerfaust Anti-tank Launcher “THE 7.5CM PAK40 ANTI-TANK GUN b Sturmkompanie has its own Sturm Amti-tank platoon two 7,5em PaK40 anti-tank guns. ‘This gives each Sompany its own and-tenk guns in addicion co the bar id regimental antitank guns. No other German division ain boast having 99 PaK40 anci-cank guns a ies disposal Treat aucnme toutes STUG ASSAULT GUNS ‘Since dhe Battle of Kursk, the Sturmdivision bas had its Suermgescictzabreilung (Assault gun bacaion). The SwGi ‘Assault guns of 189. Ssurmgeschiirzabtelung (189th. Gun Baraalion) offer an immediate ank response €0 ai breakthroughs, helping shore up the tine and restore d fensive positions of follow up a Sturmgrenadier assaulte] ‘SeuG assault guns of the Batterie offera huge morale boost the men and vital asset 104 Sturmdivision! STG# Assault Rifle BEGLIET RIDERS “The 189. Sourmeeschitzabreilung pioneered the use of B cr Escort, troops at Kussk. These Grenadier ride arop i SeuGs when the bacalion s manocuvring, offering che ass guns their own infantry proteetion. When in combagd Beglee riders often dismount and fight alongside chief ‘working cogether ro mount successful counterattacks, STG44 ASSAULT RIFLE 4 The Begleitridersin che 189. Sturmgeschitzbreilungate the first to receive the new StG44 (or, Sturmgewehr 44) tlle also known as the MP44 (or, Maschinenpitole-49) ScG4A assaul rifle combines the Firepower of a submach fun in close combat with the accuracy of a rifle ac medi ranges. It fires a shortened version of the 7.92mm 10 also used in the standard Karabiner 98k rifle, The gun ‘munition supply also increases the standard fiverous in the Karabiner 98k rifle co an impressive 30-round the SkG44 assaul rifle This fly ansomadc fle wl help the Boge ders aa thecnemy nfry wth dee Asal guns in suppor! 7k ae 4 78. STURMDIVISION ARMOURYcorr ns) Cuil es Pree 3[stumnuroon 30 macaniccan 8 E ARGS Fee Fi Ed é [-—laeieal Jecrerorme eerrenc nou BYAL tS rey Pema) fod rio BULLS rd error) Dey Prien GUN PLATOON Piers GUN PLATOON Pores revel) me UL Nn Co REGIMENTAL SUPPORT PLATOONS. toll (INFANTRY COMPANY) ‘A Sturmkompanie must field a Company HO and at least two Sturm Platoons and may field one of each af the remaining Combat Platoons, Weapons Platoons and the EEN ee et Sad may also field one Support Platoon from each Support box shown (Armoured, Inantry, etc). ARMOURED ai Penn rs TS Peers) earn ¥ ns po ro PN % TS rr a SG Wilbaiadeaiaal rr reo a ee Barr pe En rece ‘| ery Ro pe ro ee eee A Corry a) rs GAZ Cla ) rs TROT i el tt es host pS rs) RT | Sgshould the turmdivision will keep the Soviets in che A Sturmkompanie is rated Confident Veteran. "The illusrions 78. Sturmdivision has seen combat from the gates of Moscow to Kursk, and weapons and assault guns makes the unit a very cide to assault! HEADQUARTERS 1 0 dig in and prepare for the expected We cannot be certain where this fall, but we can be assured chat the mighty EUAN EEN a a ENE 78. Sturmdlvision is roady. Your Sturmbompan Supplied with the new Panzerfaust and Panzerichn tank rocket launchers able to repel any Bolshevik only isthe Sturmkompane well equipped with machine- and Panzerfuwst anti-tank launchers, but it also has 2 er unit strength compared. co other Grenadier units 1c, This combination of defensive weaponry J manpower should make it easier to build a formidable fensiveline. ster hand, your Sturmtompanie has not lost its ‘potential. The company is prepared 0 leave its id counterattack against whatever small gains the atoons, you may upgrade che smallest Sturm Platoon to pana team Sturm Pionier Platoon may have Pioneer Supply Track for an addironal +25 po id every MG team into Pioneer teams w TEUTNANT Command MG team UGE AAR MG team WATAR iMG team EVE) (GRENADIER SQUAD. UES UGE SUMO rm Pionier Platoon for fhe same armament. The ( ET seulennuePEETaIoM UH 7ERAD TRAD MGIHMG _‘MGa2 WMG Darra SECTION SEA Sturm Heasy Pla Combat Platoons four company is unique in having a While the fourth platoon's heavy machine-guns are not Platoon available to it. The company’s fourth, heavy use against waves of Soviet tanks, they are vitally needed line and cut down their infantry support. The platoon’s Sem mort pin down attacking formations and lay smoke to conees inga heavy machine-gun coeach of fo0ns will boost their defensive capability. Sinrn Attach Sem PaK40 anti-tank guns of your fifth, anti-tank mn. give the Sturmbom F positioned are also STURMKOMPANIE ay{ WEAPONS PLATOONS ) 3S LEUTNANT RA Command SM tam PeETaIeM 7RAR 7RAL|| RAD RAD GHG —_MGIZHMG HG MGA HMG MACHINE-GUN assault machine-gun platoons strengthen the SECTION forming strong points to stop Soviet infantry and allow Grenadiers to counterattack. Position them carefully to x objectives and dig them in quickly. They will be the Mac ek upon which the waves of Soviet infantry break! ments to 1 SSAULT MORTAR (Observer Fifi team Ran Rrr dem owah well-placed mortar platoon can stop a Soviet advance cold in the platoon. A mortar barrage can rastating as enemy troops approach in the o Semmes ASSAULT MORTAR PLATOON { By coalSTP gg es ee a eo TI-TANK GUN PLATOON TNT AY Command SMG iment of the 78. Sturmdiviion has a panie holding twelve heavy anti-tank guns. ‘The icon is well cocked with anti-tank guns, far exceed . he alloca ion for a Grenadierdivision, aflce devastaing losses ro your opponents tanks! ‘The ’aK40 anti-tank guns ae ideal for ambushing enemy from concealing trea, ‘ a . Sons Vn( STURMKOMPANIE SUPPORT PLATOONS ) Sem leIG18 and 1Sem sIG33 infancey guns of the n Regiments 13. Kompanie may be few, but they are ile weapons on defence or when counterattacking, Move \VY MORTAR PLATOON Schwere Granatwerfer Bataillon is armed with thi of the brilliant new I2em heavy mortars. These are able y even dugein targets. orta' inability to maintain their fire over a prolonged fs more than overcome by their ability to provide support to the assault «roops. fan 7 Sem e118 gu them up to pin down the enemy, oF take out enemy: or dig them in wo help defend agains Observer fille team aaa. ‘26m s6 WAG arr NEEM Loa HEAVY MORTAR PLATOON, STURMKOMPANIERoya Tapia Es (TANK COMPANY) NOT ol — ] RC eee ee eee ard Ss DDE Oe a ee uae Cea rrr) ai PIONEER PLATOON Bhs foe "ARMOURED. Proteus vs Povey - Seen 4) —_—<—<— aa rd Ph x EX ee et orang Exc naa eronN] KARR, aap, Wotetsontraon Ll H | aia Ro Corr ST a | i Ld i Es i rl t Las 4 5 é al / e Ve STUG BATTERIE“MOTIVATION AND SKILL The 189. Sesmgeschtzabel lite asl gun fo Srurmgrenadier rp 1g has a long bis he StuG arsaule guns attacks, A id their Begeit escort sroops ‘SeuG Batterie is rated Confident Veteran. COMBAT PLATOONS “189, Sturmgeschitzabreilung, the 189 Assault Gun ion, has been attached to 78 Sturmadivivion since fle teams are normal Asaule Rifle teams with rile. sale Rifle teams are mounted on tanks from th cw plato, they oper stan riders pao 4 ‘and 71 per ascaul gun can 15cm or ls, bua moves over 6°/1 Sem. + They fight in as and be allocate * ifonly one ream is mounted on a tank, it bas a 3 the tank is his instead Passenger Save, but is automatically Destroyed ifthe tank is Destroyed. Ignore Destroy ether a rit Asault Rifle teams when desermining crengeh and needs £0 LEUTNANT ET nmand St 6 POG UE UNE CUT SECTION. Poy Fare " score troops are assigned co protect their assault gun at all | 1s. They spot threats to the vehicle and quickly assaule them before they can cause any harm. despite having Inntry teams in the platoon. If his Sha only the tanks fight in the first Assault Combat Round, The Begleit Assault Rifle ams remain in contact and can counter attack im subsequent rounds The heroic Beet tank riders deal with any threat to ascault guns, even atthe cost oftheir own livest Remembe in assaule combat, you allocate hits. Therefore, ic is best, place hits from anti-tank teams like pioncers and anti filles on your Beet ceams instead of your assault guns. During Assault Combat Rounds when the defender allocates bits, they must allocase a bier each Begleis Assault Rifle team before they can allocate any hie tothe asaule guns [Sa STUG BATTERIEMOTIVATION AND SKILL The 78. Scurmdivision hi support along isp | 501. Schwere Panzerabteilung (501 Heavy Tamk Bat 4 formidable ground-arrack aircraft nick- 1¢ Panzerknacker by the German Laftwafé. Armed =7.Sem main gun from the Panzer IV tank, the, able to knock out any tank in the world! NTI-AIRCRAFT GUN PLATOON LEUTNANT. Command SMG team Ke 15 eld car CORI DoT rai? SECTION GENE NG Yael Tolo)] DIEU ae \ -LEUTNANT EG OE ea Eiailest SECTION 2am Flak38 gun FEMS iSremhasrck 5A Lafiwoaffe Anticairraft. Gun Platoon is rated as “Reluctant Trained rarher than she usual Confident _ a E eo cide your Sturmkompanie (see page 183 Byer TS in the rulebook). DPNAT Ce) Nae eae) ti cyTankchunter i Tankchunte ng equipped with Abreilang, but also the support of 18 | nichunes and Tedloged' Shrvgecie | homers oli SE ee ue al Pioneer Rife team tat Pioneer Rife team HAYRY WATRY AATAY Pionaor Rifle team Pion Pioneer ile team gy makes these well equipped coo 1@ your company! DIVISIONAL SUPPORTpT EYNeaeNNTS AYA ateat ax Command Stafteam Observer SMG team division has three regiments of light 10.Sem 10 bring a storm of ire doven on the Bolsheviks shave been reorganised and are ready to brush aside pviets as they try to overrun our Sturmgrenadier! Sem leFH8 howitzers will efficiently disrupe the advances, Use the artillery on heavy targets and free lighter weapons to deal with advancing infantry. PUN EEO AA att an aa Command Staffteam——_Obsorver SMateam Rife arn EeRTaeM Eo EI “of our stretch of the front, XXVIZ ed. the Surmgrenadiers wich ample Ee est on creepy ty als idea Bre i Deva uaacel62 DIVISIONAL SUPPORT HAUPTMANN, EEN AY one Command SMG team oT TEI AX op Observer ‘Observer Kubelwagen Fite team Rie team Stan SFhtrar. Sem NWA rocket launcher | | 150m NWA rocket launcher Setar ‘Sem NWI rocket launcher GEN i ROCKET LAUNCHER BATTERY oN commane ECRTaIeN TUNTEROFFIZIER At ene | [atte ome MG team Kibelwagon MGteam — Kibelwagon wth MG ‘wth MB WAN wie | ATA ie MiGteam Kabel MGteam Kab IMSS CoEAh oamg ‘An Armoured Rocket Artillery Batter Bombardment Special Rule on fer crews fire x bombardment and then quickly ir vehicles to avoid counter-bactery fire from vals a Stormtrooper m nee a JONAL SUPPORT 63dd Orsha.as well as the rown itself Using the swamps hes in the region, German pioneers have built up an sve network of trenches, with each line connected by inication trenches to facilicate rapid reinforcements, Wire and minefields will kep the Soviets busy as they ‘make their way through multiple layers of obstacles Should they be hicky enough to ge nto the town, the plone hhave prepared the buildings and roads with booby ‘which will breed paranoia as they go between buildings! toe trious pioneers have fortified the citics along the ing a series of concrete bunkers connected together ep pees age ee eee eerie 0. TO 4 HMG BUNKERS ‘A well placed machine-gun in a buaker is an ideal cation to help keep infantry off the heavier bunkers: utilise interlocking fields of fire to force enemy infantry find alternate routes to chee objectives! ee wire isa cheap and effective way to keep the enemy from assaulting your own positions. “+ + - TO 2 ANTI-TANK OBSTACLES tank bartiers can range from concrete ditches to I driven into the earth to stall tanks in vulnerable posi ‘are perfect for helping co defend buildings in a town idelay the opposing army. j01 deploy your forifcasions, you may exchange any af your minefields for booby traps. You may depley eight FIELD FORTIFICATIONS When placing farsficasions, place all booby raps im build sour deployment area and No Manis Land. 4 While friendly teams are in the tame building as a booby tn it is inactive. At the end of any Step, when no friendly teams in the building the booby trp becomes active. Each booby-srapped building has a minefield inside it, Follow she rules for minefields found on pager 213 and 214 in the: rulebook with the folowing exceptions: + Since crops are ypically unaware oftheir existence, ‘rapped buildings do not require a Motivation Test to ete * Mine flail and roller tanks cannot clear booby maps + Oncea booby rap has exploded, remove it fom play Remember, when dealing with large buildings, co rmultiple rooms each as separate buildings. Refer w page 290: ofthe rleok ro een mor about hrs bulding i5 z GERMAN TOWN DEFENCES strongpoint. The more important the town on the strategic scale, che more heavily i s fortified In the case of Orsha, pioncets have had several months of preparation to truly make the city a Feterplars (or fortress town), Trenches are dug in the street and improvised booby taps are placed all over the city Soviet troops will Face a wall planned and prepared defence in Orsha. _ VULNERABLE TO ARTILLERY “The outer perimeter of the city fs abandoned due to its vulaerabilgy from direct artillery support. By placing “screening troops and booby traps in this area, the Soviets ‘will be worn and exhausted juss they hit our main line of defencel™ as | ‘MAIN LINE OF RESISTANCE “The main line of resistance is deeper in the city. When the Soviets manage to enter this area, they will encounter our ‘well prepared troops. 4 ‘TRENCHES Irregular trench lines dugginco the streets provide ‘excellent flanking fre positions throughout the town as well as formidable anti-tank barriers, BUILDINGS ‘Entrances ofa building are blocked and windows ‘are opened to disguise the location of the troops firing out. i ‘MACHINE-GUNS ‘Machine-guns are deployed in. the | basements to provide beter Fells abhi Sees erg MINES Mines are disguised along the obvious routes of attack. An and anti- tank mines are interspersed to maximise casualties amongst enemy toops. RESERVES. ‘ % " Our reserves will remain inthe , : towneentre, Relyonthesetroops to hale any. Soviet advances in the cit. Further reserves ‘outside the town are available, bbue are normally occupied in : . preventing encirclement. BOOBY TRAPS Intuitively placed booby traps. force J the enemy co use extra caution in theit advance. Placing them in both the outer land inner city areas adds to the enemy's increasing paranoia as they move forward. Boch occupied and unoccupied buildings are booby trapped. ASSAULT GUNS ‘Asa las resort, assaule gunsare senein when the situation turns desperate. Otherwise, they wait outside the city, aking whatever shots they can atexposed enemy troops inside,Armour Mobility Frome Side Top_—_—Equipmeat ROP —Aniitank Firepower AAG, Protected ammo, Hull mounted. 407100em 6 Smoke bombardment 16°/406m bombardoents 48°7120em Bb 6 Gun shield, Smoke 38 gan Light) 1640em 4 5 eae ‘Antalcraf, Gun shi, Tara 5 FLAK36 gun Gun shield, Heavy anc-alrraf, Turaable pSFHIS howitee Immobile Smoke ing bombardments Z ea Smoke bombardment. GERMAN ARSENAL .Range 164740. 16'/40em #/0em, 6 Full ROF when moving. 820m 6 Fall ROF when moving. soca Tank Asal a"/cm Flame thower ‘Moves asa Heavy Gus tam. nk sal 6, Canoe sbi he Soi Sep i a the Movement Step. Aemour Vehicle Mobility Front Side.-~—=«Top_—_~Equipment and Notes Weapon Range ROP Anti-tank Firepower Jeep Opsional Pasenger-frad Hull MG. ye ‘Wheeled ‘Wagon TRACTORS 7 (8 alae Kf 11 G0haewack —— Haleracked Faly-tracked Wagon ‘Weapon Anti-ank Firepower Cannan 9 Flying Tanke Cannon 4 Fying Tank No HE MG 3 6 Boni 5 CannonSTE A UE ee eid PPV ts 26-27JUNE 1944 he Soviet 1. Goardeyskiy Armiya (11% Guards Army) and Biya Armiya (31* Army) fell upon Orsha on 26 June, 1944 FA solitary Soviet tank brigade from the 2ya Tamkovy Korpus HO"! Tank Corps) swept around ro the west pleding the encirclement, ‘The German remnants Wolkers’ XXVIF Armeckorps (2 Birapped inside the city and prep DoF the town, ff General Army Corps) were now red for a tenacious defence the final struggle forthe city began with the Soviet 31" Army. Bying down Volkers’ reserve troops outside of Orsha while Biche 11 Guards Army crashed into the city on the eveni of 26 June. The initial assaule faltered due co the defenders {ever use of booby traps and fortified positions throughout yy. Fighting continued through the night, adding Be another layer of complexity to an already difficult mission, fin the morning, XXVIT Armeekorps was ordered to hold along, he west of the Dnepr River, just south of Orsha, while che * mdivision remained in the city to defend the town Feentze. ‘The main objective of che Ssurmdivision was to aintain concrol of che railway station and ro keep that vical Route safe in the event of a withdrawal The Sovie BF june and finally entered the northern approaches co Psthesciey, ‘Their suécess broke the XXVHI Armeekorps into, s renewed their acack early in the morning on =. The Soviets will scop at nothing to seize the streets ba, The fate of the town will be decided here! Bie ir Sh sah seers reste town of Orsha be captured. Sccuring the railroad lies to be brought forward for our break- ‘operations. ally, German observers have been using the tation’ fet tower to harass our entire advance wich artillery fire. ONSLAUGHT AT ORSHA. The town centre, despite repeated attempts co dislodge them. Al three small ~pockets, Sturmdivision still held dhe {quickly assembled bartle group made of remnant units held the railroad several kilometres outside the city, and anothe® tattered bactle group attempted to break out to the south without success. A coordinated attack by several divisions from the 11"Guatds Army finally dislodged 78. Sturmdivision, and a bloody street-to-stret fight unfolded as the Grenadiers fought t0 hold the railway station, Meanwhile, at_ the the Sturmdivision established a prepared defence of the area. The railway provided the Grenadiers with the hope of safety If they could hold the station long enough ro allow the last train to be loaded with the wounded, they could then withdraw out of the city and find a point co break out of the encirclement Te Sturmgrenadiers succeeded in buying enough time for the train to depart and began to fall back. They had managed t0 hold the city untt the ast, but not all of the croops managed to escape. (Orsha finaly fll to the Soviet onslaught in che early morning) hours of 27 June. 2. ‘The German player deploys their platoons any behind the Main Road, in area @) 3. The Sovier player now deploys their force anyw area () and more than 16"/40cm from enemy teams; Line of Sight, or more than 8°/20cm from teams 01 Line of Sight. BEGINNING THE BATTLE 1. All German toopson the rable start the game in Positions, so they are in Foxholes and Gone ro Gros 2. The Soviet player has the firserurn. ENDING THE BATTLE The battle ends: + Acche start ofthe German tuen 11, oF + Ifthe Soviec player tarts their turnin possession of “objective. DECIDING WHO WON or the water rower. They have prevenced the fascists escaping and the city is captured. Soviet supply lines a open and the offensive can continu! e 3 Otherwise, the German player wins. ‘They've repelledCYTE Tot DepoT ReMae atau ZN A z 2 2 4 ZA A fa 5 4 ra 5 5 A ‘3 e 3 5 se 10 the ma a , H f the large Do not worry if lo not have a city-fight table, asthe Reppemnrreemnertsueneersrersnr ae ORSHA-MINI CAMPAIGN. - ‘If the Soviet player won the Breaki seenatio, the 11" Guards Army © See anti-tank launchers, and a StuG platoon _‘Tyarhelyy Company held in Reserve. These platoar three SaiG G assal guns are available and held Reserve ate now Delayed Reserves, but m: on q ONSLAUGHT AT ORSHAoy Ta mIRC VeVi 16YA GVARDEYSKIY STRELKOVY DIVIZIYA Tl, Batalon, 49y Gvardeyskiy Strelkovy Polk: 4ya Rota, 49y Gvardeyskiy Strelkovy Pole Sya Rora, 49y Gvardeyskiy Strelkovy Polke 2ya Mashinpushka Rora, 49y Gvardeyskiy Strelkovy Polke 2ya Minomét Rota, 49y Gvardeyskiy Strelkovy Polke ya Avromat Rota, 49y Gvardeyskiy Strelkovy Polk 2ya Rota, 37ya Gvardeyskiy Tyazhelyy Samokhodnaya Polk: ZaPAS KORPUS ya Rota, 63ya Gvardeyskiy Tyazhelyy Tankovy Polk 1. KOMPANIE, 14. STURMREGIMENT Kompaniegruppe 1. Zug, 1. Kompanie 3. Zug, 1. Kompanie 4, Zug, 1. Kompanie KAMPFGRUPPE 195. STURMREGIMENT 2, Zug, 3. Kompanie 2.Zug, 4. Kompanie 51. WERFERABTEILUNG 1. Bateerie 501. SCHWERE PANZERABTEILUNG 2. Zug, 1. Kompanie FESTERPLATZ ORSHA 1. Batterie, 293. Heeres Plakabrcilung UDARNY STRELKOVY BATALON (FEARLESS TRAINED) Battalion HQ (with Anti-tank Platoon only) Udarny Strelkovy Company (at full strength, with Komissar and two Maksim HMG teams). Udarny Strelkovy Company (at full strength, with Komissar and two Maksim HMG teams). Udarny Machine-gun Company (at fall strength). Udarny Mortar Company (at full strength). Shock Submachine-gun Company (at full strength, with Komissar team) Guards Heavy Assault Gun Company (with two ISU-152 heavy assault guns) RESERVES Gvardeyskly Tyazhelyy Tankovy Company (with two IS-2 obr 1943 heavy ranks). STURMKOMPANIE (CONFIDENT VETERAN) ‘Company HQ (with both Command teams equipped ‘with Panzerfaust anti-tank launchers and rwo Panzerschreck teams) Sturm Platoon (at fall strength, with all squads equipped with Panzerfaust anti-tank launchers) ‘Sturm Platoon (at full scrength, wich all squads equipped ‘wich Panzeefaust anti-tank launchers) ‘Sturm Heavy Platoon (at fll strength) STURMKOMPANIE Scurm Platoon (at fll strength, with all squads equipped with Panzerfaust anc-tank launchers) Assault Machine-gun Platoon (a fll strength) ROCKET ARTILLERY BATTALION Rocker Launcher Battery (with four 15em NW41 rocket launchers) 501 HEAVY TANK BATTALION Heavy Tank Platoon (with two Tiger I E heavy tanks). CITY DEFENCES Light Anti-aircraft Gun Platoon (with two 2em FlaK38 antiaircraft guns),OADS AND STREETS RI opclaisn aru trencele locaton faclitated the ort “9f paved roads within the city limits, These were buil up Iby the Germans to sustain the city as a military supply hub. cally, all oads and streets on the map are wide enough allow vehicles to pass with plenty of room to spare fowever, larger tanks, such 28 Tiger and IS-2 heavy tanks land ISU heavy asaule guns, are usually coo wide to pass each ther on the same road. iE RAIL YARD Bil yard fearures make ideal strongpoincs for defending ry as well s providing cover for an advancing platoon, Many obstacles force artacking soldiers to take mote risks le to fierce nests of resistance at every turn. fowcring piles of coal, used to fuel the dozens of locomotives, © provide great vantage points for observers. Boxes loaded with Yarious cargo, lend cover for infantry manoeuvring around the yard. Large crates, eal wagons (crain cars), locomotives, Barked crucks and loading equipment give alittle more cover B for larger vehicles and guns. Some, such as locomotives and be the defining feature. The main building has two stOHg and several large rooms inside Since this is a much larger building than usual, refee the Street Fighting rules on page 221 of the Flames Oj 1g out the railway station, Remember that each room inside the station counts 2 separate building when shooting a weapon with buf buster weapons. The roof, on the other hand, is nota 100M nor a building so teams on the roof would be in open tri Depending on the type of roof, teams on the roof might be Concealed and in Bullesproof Cover RAIL YARD TRACKS A vehicle attempting co cross a railroad would encounter as Difficult Going. However, where the railroad is buile the streer, ic should still be considered a road. Typically, railway embankments in this scenario are not Bul ‘up enough to Conceal tanks hiding behind them. Hi infantry may crawl up ro the rail and make use of ies ‘Concealment. eu) OTHER PLACES,OTHER TIMES other incense fight occurred\in Vitebsk, just nosth of ‘Osha. The city was located in a salient, surtounded on three ides by the Sovier I* Baltic and 3% Byelorussian Fronts. nung the ciey was che 4 and 6. LfafeFelddivisionen xd the 206. and 246. Infanteriedivisionen. Lafiwaffe oops fought with distinction and partici- insome ofthe harshest fighting in the opening days of force would be rated Confident Veteran. The Western Allies also recognised the importance of junctions and key supply towns. Several major fights, German Grenadiers heavily fortified towns and prepared: defend chem againse the Allied incursion. ‘Use the Onslauight at Orsha scenario with British of Ameried Faces to revisic these cecal bails ip lay and France,Bi, HENSCHEL HS 129 — PANZERKNACK its involvement in the Spanish Civil War, che Lufiwaff, or German Air Force, decided that-it needed a pprpose-built close ground-attack aircra. A Henschel dsiga eventually won the contract and the Hs 129 ‘Panzerknacker (or, “Tank Buste’) entered service in December 1941 The first variants of the His 129 proved co be underpowered. After the fall of France, German engineers fied a pair of French Gaome-Rhéne 14M radial engines and the Hs 129 Panzerkacker began its stunning military service career. With these engines, the Hs 129B2 was equipped with ewo 792mm machine-guns and «wo 20mm. cannon in nose. Another version replaced the 3cm cannon pod with an array of four additional 7.62mm machine guns, for a total of six ‘machine-guns and two 20mm cannons. By 1944, ie was apparent thatthe 3.7em cannon was too old for tank-busting duty and che Hs 129B3 received a massive firep the 7.Sem gun from a Panzer IV! rer upgrade, The 3.7cm cannon pod was replaced with, The 7.5em gun was fed by an autorloader syscein with ini tially ewelve rounds, which was later expanded to 26 rounds. ‘The cannon was fed from an ammunition bin behind the cockpit. A sophisticated hydraulic system absorbed the massive recoil of the gun. Despite this, however, the cannon would slow the aircraft down to dangerous stall speeds afer firing more than three rounds! With the new gun, the Panzerknacker could destroy any armoured vehicle in the field! Dimensions: Wing span: 46 fe 7 Origin: Henschel Flugwerke AG Grow: One Firs flight: Barly 1939 Service delivery: December 1941 Number produced: 841 B-Series (879 rota) Engines: Two L4-cylinder Gnome-Rhéne 14M 04/05, Horsepower: 690 hp per engine ind. Height: 10 fc in (325m) Wing surface area: 312 5q Weights: Empry: 8,940 Ib (4060 kg) Length: 31 fe 11% in (9.75m) Loaded: 11,265 lb (5110 kx) Hs 129 BI/R4 551 Ib of bombs, 2x 7.2mm Machine guns Hs 129 B2/R2 GUN PoD — 2x 13mm Machine-guns, 2 20mm cannot, 3m MK 101 gun Hs 129 R3. GUN POD. 2x 13mm Machine guns, 220mm cannons 3.7em BK 3.7 git Hs 129 B3 GUN PoD ——_ 3mm Machine-gun, Sem BK 7.5 gun Performance: Maximum speed: 253 mph (408 km/h) Initial climb; 1,390 f/min (425 m/min) Service ceiling: 29,530 fe (9000m) se: 547 miles (880km) (29 m=)a BALROG Middlestone (882) net col Flat Flesh (955) Webbing Green Grey (886) Pouches & brea Beige Brown (875) tool handles etal (863) 1 meal coo! handl amoullage 0 rman Field Grey (830) Green Grey (886) faffenfarbe is a C identifies the branch of srvce chat soldier belongs different colour depending on the profess Cavalry Brown (982) scolate Brown (872) Pétformed, Grenadiers belonging to.a Grenadientegin Retossieprimer(ankiacks) PR Camout fintarbe. StwG Crew and Grenad STUG CREWMattei fing the deceptively calm weeks leading up ration Bagration, the busy Soviets have sed their armies for the greatest offensive yet jertaken on the Osefront. years after the German invasion of the Soviet Bt of Mother Russia! fever, the Germans have not been idle. They spent months preparing. Fortress towns are A screaming barrage of shells and rockets signals Deginning of Operation Bagration, yet the Soviet 8 Guards Rifle Corps charges forward peapture the fortress town of Orsha with its heavy tanks and specialised assault groups. Here y collide with the German 78. Sturmdivision, terans of the Battle of Kursk, and armed to the with heavy weapons and StuG assault guns. cory of the battles for Orsha. cory and complete organisation of the ya Guardeyskiy Strelkovy Korpus, well batteries, and determined shock troops. Grardeyskiy Tyazhelyy Tankovy Polly an Udarny Strelkovy Batalon. History and complete organisation of the Ge 78. Sturmdivision, Assemble your storm for with heavy weapons, a plenty of Panzerfaust anti-tank launchers! Options to field a German Srurmkompanie an StuG Batterie. Follow Feldwebel Dietrich Uthoffas he chargesinto the jaws of Soviet stecl, or Leytenant AV Pyle he leads his 8ya Ordyelnaya Shtrafnoy Batalon they battle for honour and the Motherland! ‘Three new scenarios to be played separately as part of a campaign: Reconnaissance in Fork Breakthrough Assault, and Onslaught at Orsh Inspirational colour photos. fw Zeal ANC 1} HOLES HL Product Code FW207