It’s Dec 1941 and the Russians launched their counterattack to retake parts of a Leningrad suburb. They brought out their big guns in the form of KV-1s and KV-2s. The Germans countered with minefields and the dreaded 88s in sand bag emplacements. The battle started out quickly with Russian infantry braving the thin ice and rushing across the reportedly “frozen” river. Results were mixed as some commanders got most of their infantry across with minimal casualties and others paid dearly when the ice broke and the rapidly moving water swept their men away under the ice before their comrades could help them.
Each of the Russian commanders had a different approach for their armor when faced with a single bridge in their sector with the far side mined and covered by 88s to prevent easy crossing. After watching the infantry falling through the ice, they all opted to try and force the bridges and clear the minefields over trying to cross the thin ice with their heavy tanks.
The Eastern Commander (closest in the picture) charged across the bridge with his KVs and found a clear path (some good die rolls) through the minefield. As such his action is recorded in the dispatches as one of great valor. If his tanks had been immobilized by the mines under the guns of the 88s it might have been recorded differently. He then proceeded to park next to a factory building and lob rounds from his KV-2s at the 37mm ATG in the building. The 37mm ATG crew cursed up a storm about the “Army Door Knocker” (their gun) that gave away their position when fired while being unable to hurt the heavy Russian armor. Two of this commanders four KVs would eventually fall victim to the dreaded 88s.
His infantry forces managed to get around a flank where there were no buildings and were pressing forward when night fell and would have likely continued the flank assault after night fall. His first assault to secure the closest factory building was repulsed by a valiant 37mm ATG crew who managed to fend off three consecutive Russian squads assaults. Rumors among the German forces were that whether or not they survived the follow on human waves of Russian infantry they might be nominated for Iron Crosses for hold the building until nightfall while under the fire of multiple KV-2s and waves of Russian infantry.
The center Russian commander was a officer quickly assigned to lead the command when the original commander’s recovery from wounds took longer than expected. He opted to keep his vehicles out of the line of site of the German 88s and pound on the first couple of buildings across the river, helping to clear the Germans out and secure them for the follow on Russian infantry. After helping to secure the first two building, his troops charged across the open only to be cut down by the fire from a German Stug, a HMG and multiple supporting infantry squads. It turned out the center was a death trap of open ground with the defenders hold up in heavy terrain positions on two sides. A classic L shaped ambush. After the slaughter of his lead platoons, his assault stalled out as his squads trying to clear the minefield for the tanks succumbed to fire from one of the flak 88s. Rumors are there may a commissar waiting for him back at his command tent to “discuss” his failure to clear the minefields or get his tanks across the river.
The Western Russian commander (far end of the table) opted to engage the 88 covering his bridge directly and took it out. His infantry squads managed to clear the ATMs beyond the bridge, but then multiple squads died while under heavy fire and from a nastily conceived anti personnel minefield that had multiple daisy chain explosions (really bad die rolls) that killed those unfortunate to be within the area of effect. The commander was heard yelling over the radio something about an Iron Maiden. Higher headquarters was unsure if Iron Maiden was a reference to a German Female officer (the opposing German player was a die hard young woman), a medieval torture device, or anger over the devious minefields.
Additional rumors of medals were heard on the German side for the forward center elements of the far German Commanders troops who held off multiple Russian assaults before finally succumbing to unexpected KV-2 fire and a final infantry assault. The heavy Russian losses in taking this building may also be related to the aforementioned vehement cursing of Russian commander. As these German troops died in action when their building was finally overrun after being pummeled by KV-2 fire, any award will be posthumously approved.
A good time was had by all as can be told by the Iron Maiden commentary on the one end of the table and the good natured banter on the other side over the battle for the factory building.
Colorado Springs Gamers Association 
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