More additions to my Axis & Allies Miniatures collection

I have been making the occasional foray onto eBay in the search of extra bits and pieces for my burgeoning collection of Axis & Allies Miniatures, and here are the most recent additions:

They fill a few gaps and expand a couple of others. When I am feeling a bit better, I hope to start pushing them around on the tabletop as I have several ideas as to how to use them either for fighting World War II PORTABLE WARGAME battles or for developing a second edition of HEXBLITZ.

It started as a rewrite of Hexblitz … but it seemed to be evolving into something different

I recently wrote a blog post about the problems I had experienced when writing some workable logistic rules for my HEXBLITZ rules. As I cannot do any work on my FUNNY LITTLE WARS/PORTABLE WARGAME ARMY KEPI ROUGE until I have primed the figures, I thought that I would occupy my spare time by starting a fundamental rewrite of HEXBLITZ … but when – after a couple of day’s work – I looked back at what I had written, I realised that the rules were gradually evolving into something quite different … an operational-level version of the PORTABLE WARGAME that – with a few minor adjustments – should be suitable for fighting wargames over quite an extensive time period.

I suspect that writing my recent PORTABLE BALKAN WARS WARGAME rules and reading Mark Cordone’s and Ion Dowman’s big PORTABLE WARGAME battle reports on Facebook may well have subconsciously influenced my thinking. What I have ended up with is a draft set of rules that I want to play about with over the next few weeks. Rest assured I’ll write more about my ‘new’ rules as they continue to evolve.

Future books?

Whilst I have been pondering what project to work on this month, I have neem thinking about what books I might want to write in the future. There are two obvious ones that I have mentioned in earlier blog posts. These are:

• An American Civil War version of the PORTABLE WARGAME that will include both land action and naval rules
• An expanded version of the terrain generation system that formed part of THE PORTABLE COLONIAL WARGAME.

In the past it has been suggested that I ought to publish:

• A skirmish-level PORTABLE WARGAME
• A fantasy version of the PORTABLE WARGAME
• A World War II version of the PORTABLE WARGAME
• An updated and expanded edition of HEXBLITZ
• A book of scenarios

All of these suggestions have both merit and appeal, and I am certainly considering publishing them, possibly with the help and assistance of others. For the time being, however, it is back to thinking about this month's project ... which will probably be to finish off my FUNNY LITTLE WARS/PORTABLE WARGAME Army Black.

What does renovated World War Two Russian artillery need? Some renovated gun crews!

Having recently renovated sixteen artillery pieces for my 20mm-scale Russian World War Two collection, I needed to renovate some gun crew figures to go with them.

The figures came from a variety of different manufacturers, and include four who are wearing Soviet Navy uniforms. They originally crewed the guns of my MEGABLITZ/HEXBLITZ Soviet Naval Infantry Brigades, and when the rest of those figures are renovated in the not too distant future, they will be reunited with their fellow sailors.

An idea worth pursuing ... has been pursued

Although I didn’t get as much positive feedback as I had hoped, I have decided to publish PDF editions of the following books at the prices shown:

• THE PORTABLE WARGAME (£2.49)
• DEVELOPING THE PORTABLE WARGAME (£2.49)
• GRIDDED NAVAL WARGAMES (£3.49)
• WHEN EMPIRES CLASHED! (£1.99)
• HEXBLITZ (£2.49)

They are now on sale via Lulu.com, and can be found on my author's page.

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I am considering publishing LA ULTIMA CRUZADA and THE MADASAHATTA CAMPAIGN in PDF format, but whether or not I do will depend upon how well the above sell.

An idea worth pursuing?

Over recent months, I've had several requests for PDF versions of those of my books which are currently only available electronically in eBook format. These books are:

• THE PORTABLE WARGAME
• DEVELOPING THE PORTABLE WARGAME
• GRIDDED NAVAL WARGAMES
• WHEN EMPIRES CLASH!
• HEXBLITZ
• LA ULTIMA CRUZADA

The downside of publishing these books as PDFs is that they will only be on sale via Lulu.com rather than via Amazon etc.

It would not be too difficult to produce PDF editions of these books and to sell them at the same price as the eBook editions, but there is no point in doing so unless there is sufficient demand. I am therefore asking regular readers to send a short comment listing which of the above books they would like me to publish in PDF format. I will not reply to these comments, but will make a note of them, and if a book gets five or more 'votes' by Christmas, I'll publish it in PDF format.

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I did consider adding a poll to the sidebar of my blog to make answering this feedback request simple, but for some reason the old poll widget no longer exists, and trying to find an alternative proved tiresome ... hence the request for comments.

Playing around with a possible divisional organisation for my World War II armies

Now I have the basing sorted out, I have begun to play around with ideas for possible ways to organise the figures and vehicles in my collection of World War II figures and vehicles into armies.

My first, tentative steps have been to look at creating a generic organisation for the main type of formation field by armies during World War II, the Infantry Division. As I am intending to use my armies with my HEXBLITZ and/or a modified version of my PORTABLE WARGAME rules, each base will represent a regiment/brigade-sized unit or a battalion-sized unit. The former will have two figures on each base and the latter will have one figure. In addition, each Division will have a Command stand that will represent the Divisional Commander, his staff, and the numerous small ancillary units that make up the strength of an Infantry Division.

The resulting structure looks like this:

This generic Infantry Division will therefore have:

• 1 x Command Base (with one or two figures and/or a vehicle)
• 3 x Infantry Regiments Bases (with two figures on each base)
• 1 x Artillery Regiment (with two figures and a field gun or howitzer)
• 1 x Anti-tank Battalion (with one figure and an anti-tank gun)

Please note that I may well be adding additional bases for Reconnaissance and Transport and/or Supply units.

This will no doubt be an anathema to many wargamers, but it is the only way that I can see that I can utilise my existing collection of World War II figures and vehicles to fight operational-level wargames. Whatever the outcome, I'm going to give it a go. If it works, fine; if it doesn't ... well I'll just have to try something else.

Operational Art revisited

Way back in 2009 I wrote a series of blog entries about designing an operational-level wargame. In many ways it was a step on the road towards HEXBLITZ and – to a lesser extent – THE PORTABLE WARGAME. On 28th April 2009 I set out my design parameters. These were:

• The terrain will be divided into 10cm hexes (i.e. Hexon II)
• An individual stand will represent a regiment-sized unit or a divisional/corps/army HQ;
• Stands will be grouped together to form divisions (e.g. three infantry stands, a field artillery stand, and a divisional HQ stand form an infantry division) or to form corps/army assets (e.g. a tank regiment, a medium artillery regiment, a heavy artillery regiment, and a corps/army HQ stand form a corps’ or army’s assets)
• Activation cards will be used for each division or group of corps/army assets
• Only stands from the same division or group of corps/army assets will be able to occupy the same hex
• Each stand will be allocated a combat value based upon its experience, training, and equipment. This combat value – which will be indicated by a numbered magnetic marker – will be degraded during the battle as the result of combat
• Each HQ stand will be allocated a morale value for the division or group of corps/army assets it controls. This morale value – which will be indicated by a numbered magnetic marker – will be degraded during the battle as the result of combat
• Combat will be hex to hex, with the one stand in a hex – with the support of any other stands from the same division or group of corps/army assets that are in that hex – attacking an enemy stand in another hex
• The combat system will use a D12 for German forces and a D10 for all other forces (i.e. Russian and Axis allies)
• The combat system will be resolved by comparing the attacking stand’s dice score added to the attacking stand’s combat value and any relevant combat factors (e.g. cover, terrain) with the defending stand’s dice score added to the defending stand’s combat value and any relevant combat factors

I used the following photograph to show what I thought a Russian Rifle Division might look like.

Kind of looks familiar, doesn’t it? In fact it could almost be one of the Rifle Divisions that formed part of my Thistlebarrow concept Russian Army.

I then followed this up with a series of blog entries that justified the design choices I had made and how they were incorporated into the rules.

• The philosophy, practice, and practicality of wargames design
• Operational-level Wargame Design 1: Why hexes?
• Operational-level Wargame Design 1: Why hexes? – A few extra comments
• Operational-level Wargame Design 2: Why regimental-sized playing pieces?
• Operational-level Wargame Design 3: Why models and figures and not counters?
• Operational-level Wargame Design 4: Why activation cards?
• Operational-level Wargame Design 5: Why use combat values for units? How will combat be resolved?
• Operational-level Wargame Design 5: Why use combat values for units? How will combat be resolved? – The missing factors!
• Operational-level Wargame Design 6: Work of drafting begins
• Operational-level Wargame Design 7: Progress report
• Operational-level Wargame Design 8: First draft complete
• Operational-level Wargame Design 9: Re-reading and correcting the first draft
• Operational-level Wargame Design 10: Play-test 1
• Operational-level Wargame Design 11: Some thoughts about the play-test

Looking back at the above – and especially the last two – I am struck by the fact that I never quite finished this project. I had a set of operational-level wargames rules that worked … but which were not particularly fun to use. As a result, I did not devote any more time to this project and moved on to work on what eventually became WHEN EMPIRES CLASH!

Re-reading the play-test was particularly interesting. After unpicking all the explanations about how the rules worked, the battle report read rather like the sort of description of a battle one would read in a military history book.

If I am going to embrace the Thistlebarrow concept for my World War 2 project, it strikes me that a developed version of my OPERATIONAL ART rules might be a better set of rules to use than HEXBLITZ.

It is certainly something for me to think about over the next few days.

Publish and be damned!: The presentations are almost finished

Since I have begun to feel better, I have been working on two presentations for my forthcoming COW2018 sessions. The first will be a general introduction to self-publishing and some of the decisions one has to make ... and some of the pitfall to be avoided.

The second presentation is much longer 'how to' guide, and will take the viewer through the various stages of self-publishing a book.

I don't intend to show the second presentation at COW2018, but I do intend to make it available to anyone who wants to use it as a guide and/or learning aid when they self-publish.

To illustrate this I have 'created' a book from my HEXBLITZ rules.

The book contains the rules as well as an exemplar battle (the Battle of Alderstadt) and is forty-four pages long. It is now available in hardback and paperback versions from Lulu.com, but as the text is still available online for free, I don't expect to sell many copies!

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As a matter of interest, the choice of a green background with a yellow sans-serif font (in this case Arial) was not an arbitrary one. Long experience shows that the yellow-on-green combination works well with anyone who suffers from sight problems and dyslexia. It is also more restful on the eye than the normal black-on-white combination used in many presentations.

When several different things seem to come together ...

Archduke Piccolo's interest in and use of my HEXBLITZ rules has encouraged me take a fresh look at them and my later OPERATIONAL ART rules, and during my recent cruise I started putting a few idea design ideas down on paper. At the same time I was reading the first volume of Quintin Barry's THE FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR 1870-71 VOLUME 1. THE CAMPAIGN OF SEDAN. HELMUTH VON MOLTKE AND THE OVERTHROW OF THE SECOND EMPIRE (Published by in 2009 by Helion & Company Ltd) ...

... and just after Sue and I got back to the UK, it struck me that I really ought to give some thought to writing a set of operational-level rules for the mid to late nineteenth century.

At present the rules are very much a work-in-progress, but the design decisions I have made so far are:

• A base will represent a regiment-sized unit or a Commander
• Regiment-sized units will be organised into brigades, divisions, and possibly corps
• Units will have a basic Combat Power based upon its level of training and/or equipment:
• Poor quality Infantry & Cavalry = 1
• Conscript quality Infantry & Cavalry = 2
• Regular quality Infantry & Cavalry = 3
• Elite Infantry = 4
• Artillery = 3
• Command = Varying with quality of the Commander (Range of Combat Power from 1 [Poor] to 4 [Exceptional])
• A card activation system will be used
• Artillery will fire first every turn as per my PORTABLE WARGAME rules ... but possibly subject to ammunition supply rules
• Movement distances:
• Artillery that has fired = No movement
• Infantry that is going to fire = 1 hex
• Infantry & Artillery not firing = 2 hexes
• Cavalry & Commanders = 3 hexes
• Weapon ranges are:
• Infantry & Cavalry = Adjacent hex
• Field Artillery = 4 hexes
• Combat Resolution will be as per my OPERATIONAL ART rules (i.e. Both sides compare their D6 dice score + unit Combat Power + transient effects)
• If the attacking unit’s Combat Power is lower than the defending unit’s Combat Power, the combat has been ineffective.
• If the attacking unit’s and defending unit’s Combat Powers are equal, each unit throws a D6 and the unit with the lowest score stays in its current position and reduces its Combat Power by one.
• If the defending unit’s Combat Power is less than the attacking unit’s Combat Power but more than half of the attacking unit’s Combat Power, the defending unit stays in its current position and reduces its Combat Power by one.
• If the defending unit’s Combat Power is less than half of the attacking unit’s Combat Power, but more than a quarter of the attacking unit's Combat Power, the defending unit reduces its Combat Power by two.
• If the defending unit’s Combat Power is less than a quarter of the attacking unit’s Combat Power, the defending unit reduces its Combat Power by two and withdraws until it is at least one hex away from an enemy unit.
• Transient effects are:
• The unit's Commander is in the same or an adjacent hex = Add the Commander's Combat Power
• If the attacking unit is Artillery firing at an enemy unit in an adjacent hex = Add one
• If the attacking unit is attacking an enemy unit in the flank or rear = Add three
• If the attacking unit is attacking an enemy unit that is in defence works, inside a wood, or inside a built-up are = Subtract two

I hope to give these outline rules a try-out sometime soon, possible using figures from my 15mm-scale Peter Laing Austro-Prussian War collection. (I don't have any Franco-Prussian War figures, so I will have to make do with what I have available.)

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Some of my 15mm-scale Peter Laing Austro-Prussian figures in action ...

... back in January 2009 when they stood in for the forces of Laurania and Maldacia!

8 x 15 hex grid for Hexblitz

My wargame table is 3' x 4' (90cm x 120cm), and I can just about fit an 8 x 15 grid of Hexon II hexes on it without any problem. As a result this was the size of grid that I used in my HEXBLITZ play-test, the Battle of Alderstadt.

As I am thinking about revisiting and possibly re-writing these rules, I decided that I ought to produce a suitable 8 x 15 blank hex grid with co-ordinates ... so I did.

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The illustration shown immediately above is in .gif format. It can be downloaded into a program like MS Paint and used 'as is' or saved into .bmp format, and then used.

Although I retain the copyright on this particular grid, I give permission for users to download it for their own personal use. If it is used in any publication (printed, electronic, or in any other format), I expect my copyright to be acknowledged.

Hexblitz

I originally designed HEXBLITZ back in 2007. Since then I have looked at it several times with the intention of reviving and possibly revising the rules, but have never quite got around to it.

Recently Archduke Piccolo has been using the rules, and his battle reports (and some very probing questions) have made me think again about revisiting this project.

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Archduke Piccolo's battle reports include:

• The Assault against Apresski

• A second attempt

• Disaster at Apresski

• Operation Uranus: The Assault against Third Romanian Army

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Please note that all the photographs featured above are © Archduke Piccolo.

Insomnia

I have suffered from insomnia for many years, and last night it was particularly bad. 1.00am, 2.00am, and 3.00am came and went ... and I was still awake. Finally at some point after 3.15am I began to doze off ... and then I suddenly had an wargaming idea that woke me up again! Obviously my subconscious mind had been whirring away whilst I was lying there unable to sleep, and as I had begun to go to sleep my brain had 'dumped' my subconscious thinking into my conscious mind.

So what was my wargaming idea? A possible way to meld together elements of various wargames rules that I have used or developed to create a new, simple operational-level set of 'Modern' wargames rules.

I am thinking of incorporating the following elements into these new rules:

• Unit/Formation Order/Status Markers as used in Megablitz
• Degradable unit strengths similar to those used in Memoir '44
• The use of a playing card tile unit activation system
• Allowing units to 'stack' in hexes (i.e. allowing more than one unit in each hex)
• A separate artillery fire phase as used in Joseph Morschauser's rules
• An artillery fire effect resolution system wherein all units in a target hex are affected by the artillery fire
• An artillery fire effect resolution system that reflects the type of artillery that is firing (i.e. mountain, field, medium, and heavy artillery)
• Area movement using 10cm hexes, with each hex representing an area that is 2.5km from hex face to hex face
• Movement distances based on those used in Megablitz
• A hex-to-hex combat system based on those used in Joseph Morschauser's rules
• Logistics and re-supply rules similar to those used in Megablitz

I woke up this morning tired but enthusiastic about putting my ideas down on paper ... and I have a feeling that I may well turn these ideas into a set of wargames rules in the near future.

Hexblitz II ... or Memoir of Modern Battle with knobs on?

In the midst of dealing with my father's future care, I have still been plugging away at drafting HEXBLITZ II. To be honest I have wasted a lot of time on this project ... but it has given me something to think about at a time when my mind needed some form of diversion.

Currently my draft looks less like HEXBLITZ and more like MEMOIR OF MODERN WAR (MOMBAT) with knobs on! I started by grafting the system for calculating a unit's strength or combat value from HEXBLITZ onto the MEMOIR OF MODERN WAR (MOMBAT) game structure. I also added the playing card tile-based Turn Sequence from my PORTABLE WARGAME: WARGAMES RULES FOR THE LATE 19TH CENTURY, and the stacking limits and support rules from OPERATIONAL ART. The resulting draft still needs some work ... but I can at least see some light at the end of the tunnel.

Although this was not what I originally set out to do, it seems to work ... and once my father is settled into his temporary care home placement I hope to play-test the completed draft.

Going round in circles

I have spent over an hour this morning working on my third draft of HEXBLITZ II ... and have just realised that I have metaphorically painted myself into a corner. From past experience I know that when this happens I need to leave things as they are and have a serious re-think.

The problem is that I am trying to bring together features from a number of my previous wargames rules (HEXBLITZ, OPERATIONAL ART, and MEMOIR OF MODERN BATTLE (MOMBAT)) ... and I cannot seem to get the elements to gel together. They almost do ... but not quite.

What I now intend to do is to print off copies of the rules I want to meld together and highlight the various elements I want to use. I will then literally 'cut and paste' the highlighted passages together, and then I will have a basic draft to work from.

Bad Day on Shooters Hill

Today has not been a good day.

Firstly my father's health continues to give my family and I cause for concern. The doctors know what is wrong with him (dysphagia) and have begun a course of treatment that should help his health improve ... but despite everyone's best efforts he seems unwilling to co-operate.

Secondly our Internet connection has been extremely 'flaky' for most of the afternoon, and neither my wife nor I have not been able to 'surf the net' or send or receive emails. I think that I have finally fixed the problem ... but who knows how long the 'fix' will last.


Finally I have spent quite a bit of time today trying to write the first draft of what I hope will be HEXBLITZ II ... and after three or four hours of work I have realised that everything I have written is over-complex and very 'clunky'. I have therefore walked away from trying to complete this task today. I have done this in the hope that a break will clear my mind, and that when I return to this task later in the week, the results will be a much simpler (and workable) set of wargames rules.

Hexblitz II?

I am just about to start drafting what I hope will be HEXBLITZ II (that is the current working title, anyway). It will be a set of rules that fall just below the level of command covered by my OPERATIONAL ART rules and at about the same level of command as HEXBLITZ and MEGABLITZ. In other words the main playing pieces will be battalion-sized units (or their equivalent), and these will be represented on the tabletop by a single base of figures and/or model vehicles. The tabletop will be divided into a hexagonal grid (in my case this will be Hexon II terrain) and all movement and weapon ranges will be expressed in hexes.

I had hoped to use the Battle Dice from MEMOIR '44 for the combat system, but yesterday's comparative tests were not encouraging, and for the moment I have shelved that idea. I may well return to it as it is very simple to use ... but for the time being I will carry on using a combat system that uses traditional D6 dice.

Hexblitz meets Memoir '44: comparative tests

The test scenario that I set up so that I could compare the outcomes of the HEXBLITZ and MEMOIR '44 combat systems was a simple one. I envisaged two Russian Rifle Regiments (rated as 'Trained'; each has an SP = 3) supported by an Artillery Regiment (also rated as 'Trained' and with an SP = 2) attacking (and hence 'Moving' against) a German Infantry Battalion (rated as 'Trained' and with an SP = 3) that was in a defensive position (and therefore 'Defensive'). (The ratings and order 'states' do not affect the outcome of the MEMOIR '44 results but do affect those generated using the HEXBLITZ system.)


First I recorded the outcome of twenty five combats using the existing HEXBLITZ combat system. Under this system each side totals up the SP of all the units involved in the combat and throws a D6 die for each SP. The results are read from the following table:


The results were as follows:


Under the existing HEXBLITZ combat system, although the Defenders are at a numerical disadvantage (3 SP as against the Attacker's 8 SP), their Defensive 'state' more that equalises the disadvantage. The Defenders had a 96% chance of inflicting a 'hit' on the Attackers whilst the Attackers only had a 76% chance of 'hitting' the Defenders. In none of the Test Turns would the Attackers have prevailed over the Defenders in a single turn.

I then recorded the outcome of twenty five combats using the MEMOIR '44 combat system. Under this system each unit 'battles' in turn. The procedure used is as follows:

1. Identify the unit that is attacking (i.e. the Attacker) and which unit it is attacking (i.e. the Defender).
2. Verify that the unit being attacked is within range or in contact with the attacking unit.
3. If the attacking unit is Infantry or Armoured, verify that it has line-of-sight to the unit being attacked.
4. Count out the number of Battle Dice to be thrown, based on the attacking unit's type (Infantry, Armoured, Artillery) unit and the range to the unit being attacked. (In this test scenario all the attacking Infantry normally throw three Battle Dice, as does the Artillery; the defending Infantry also normally throws three battle Dice.)
5. Make any Battle Dice reductions due to terrain.
6. The Battle Dice are thrown, and the icons on the battle dice determine the number of 'hits'.

Because the unit being attacked (i.e. the Defender) is behind sandbags, the number of Battle Dice thrown by Infantry (and Armoured) units is reduced by one.

I have aggregated the results to make the comparison somewhat easier. (Please note that I specifically only selected those results where the icon was either the soldier or the flag. I did not count the grenade icon as a 'hit'.)

The results were as follows:


Under the MEMOIR '44 combat system the numerical advantage enjoyed by the Attackers more that outweighs the fact that the Defending unit is behind sandbags. The Defenders had a 116% chance of inflicting a 'hit' on the Attackers whilst the Attackers had a 248% chance of 'hitting' the Defenders. In thirteen (!) of the twenty five Test Turns the Attackers would have prevailed over the Defenders.

These comparative tests are by no means conclusive (the test sample was too small) BUT they are indicative of the fact that replacing the existing HEXBLITZ combat system with the MEMOIR '44 combat system would seriously change the nature of the rules. This does not exclude the possibility that the MEMOIR '44 Battle Dice could be used in place of the standard D6 dice currently used in the HEXBLITZ rules BUT it would require a completely revised combat system.

Hexblitz meets Memoir '44?

I have been thinking about the suggestions that David Crook made to me in a recent email ... and how they might influence any potential HEXBLITZ II rules that I might write.

I like the idea of using my existing MEGABLITZ figures and vehicles, and I like the combat system used in MEMOIR '44 ... but I am not sure if they are compatible. If time allows I might run a few comparative tests of the two combat systems (HEXBLITZ and MEMOIR '44) using the same scenarios to see if they are. If the tests are successful the results may well influence the direction the design of HEXBLITZ II might take.

The Battle of Alderstadt: the Hexblitz play-test battle

When I originally designed HEXBLITZ in 2007, I play-tested the rules on my 'new' Hexon II terrain using part of my collection of MEGABLITZ figures and models. It was only very recently that I realised that I had never written a blog entry about the battle ... so here goes.

THE BATTLE OF ALDERSTADTTERRAIN
The map represents an area approximately 33km x 21km, and is orientated with west to the top of the map.

The Germans hold the town (Alderstadt) and the area to the west of the range of hills that run north to south across the map (i.e. the top half of the map).

The Russians are advancing from the east (the bottom of the map).

The terrain (looking south).

OPPOSING FORCES - GERMAN
Orders
In view of the deteriorating situation to the north and south of your current position, it is imperative that your troops do not give ground to the enemy in any circumstances. It is hoped that reserves will be available to counter attack the Russians within three days. Until that counter attack can be mounted, and the enemy driven back, the road that runs through Alderstadt must be kept open as it will form one of the main axes of the counter attack.

Forces available: 15th Luftwaffe Field Division

• Divisional Commander (Officer, 1 SP)
• HQ, Staff, & Signals (Car)
• 15th Supply Column (Truck, 2 LOG)
• 15th Fusilier Company (Infantry, 1 SP)
• 29th Jager Regiment
• I/29th Jager Battalion (Infantry, 2 SP)
• II/29th Jager Battalion (Infantry, 2 SP)
• 30th Jager Regiment
• I/30th Jager Battalion (Infantry, 2 SP)
• II/30th Jager Battalion (Infantry, 2 SP)
• 15th Artillery Regiment (76mm Mountain Gun + Pack Mules, 2 SP)
• 15th Panzerjager Battalion (37mm PAK Gun, 2 SP)

Total = 14 SP, 2 LOG

Troop dispositions

• A: I/29th Jager Battalion
• B: I/30th Jager Battalion
• C: 15th Panzerjager Battalion
• D: 15th Artillery Regiment
• E: II/29th Jager Battalion, HQ, Staff, & Signals
• F: II/30th Jager Battalion, Divisional Commander
• G: 15th Fusilier Company, 15th Supply Column

OPPOSING FORCES - RUSSIAN
Orders
The town of Alderstadt controls the main junction on the local road system and must be seized as quickly as possible so that our continued advance can be maintained. Denying this road to the enemy will also foil any possibility of a counter attack. You are to use all the assets of your Army (and the attached 7th Artillery Division) to mount a vigorous attack on the enemy positions. Delay is unacceptable, and you are expected to capture the town and the road junction by the end of D+2.

Forces available: 66th Army

• Army Commander (Officer, 1 SP)
• Army HQ & Staff (Officer, 1 SP)
• 661st Supply Column (Wagon, 1 LOG)
• 662nd Supply Column (Wagon, 1 LOG)
• 663rd Supply Column (Truck, 2 LOG)
• 91st Tank Brigade (T34/76, 3 SP)
• 121st Tank Brigade (T34/76, 3 SP)
• 64th Rifle Division
• 433rd Rifle Regiment (Infantry, 2 SP)
• 440th Rifle Regiment (Infantry, 2 SP)
• 451st Rifle Regiment (Infantry, 2 SP)
• 99th Rifle Division
• 1st Rifle Regiment (Infantry, 2 SP)
• 197th Rifle Regiment (Infantry, 2 SP)
• 206th Rifle Regiment (Infantry, 2 SP)
• 116th Rifle Division
• 441st Rifle Regiment (Infantry, 2 SP))
• 548th Rifle Regiment (Infantry, 2 SP)
• 656th Rifle Regiment (Infantry, 2 SP)
• 226th Rifle Division
• 985th Rifle Regiment (Infantry, 2 SP))
• 987th Rifle Regiment (Infantry, 2 SP))
• 989th Rifle Regiment (Infantry, 2 SP)
• 299th Rifle Division
• 783rd Rifle Regiment (Infantry, 2 SP)
• 804th Rifle Regiment (Infantry, 2 SP)
• 811th Rifle Regiment (Infantry, 2 SP)
• 343rd Rifle Division
• 1151st Rifle Regiment (Infantry, 2 SP)
• 1153rd Rifle Regiment (Infantry, 2 SP)
• 1155th Rifle Regiment (Infantry, 2 SP)
• 22nd Artillery Regiment (76mm Gun + Limber, 2 SP)
• 1029th Artillery Regiment (76mm Gun + Limber, 2 SP)
• 406th Anti-tank Regiment (45mm Anti-tank Gun, 2 SP)
• 875th Anti-tank Regiment (45mm Anti-tank Gun, 2 SP)
• 237th Mortar Regiment (81mm Mortar, 2 SP)
• 903rd Mortar Regiment (81mm Mortar, 2 SP)

Total = 56 SP, 4 LOG

Forces available: 7th Artillery Division

• Divisional Commander & Staff (Officer, 1 SP)
• 701st Supply Column (Truck, 2 LOG)
• 7th Artillery Division Reconnaissance Group (Officer, 1 SP)
• 7th Howitzer Regiment (152mm Howitzer + Tractor, 2 SP)
• 11th Howitzer Regiment (152mm Howitzer + Tractor, 2 SP)
• 25th Howitzer Regiment (152mm Howitzer + Tractor, 2 SP)

Total = 8 SP, 2 LOG

Troop dispositions and exploitation plan
1st Echelon – 0800 hours, D1

• A: 433rd and 440th Rifle Regiments (64th Rifle Division)
• B: 451st Rifle Regiment (64th Rifle Division) with 22nd Artillery Regiment and 237th Mortar Regiment firing in support
• C: 1st and 197th Rifle Regiments (99th Rifle Division)
• D: 206th Rifle Regiment (99th Rifle Division) with 1029th Artillery Regiment and 903rd Mortar Regiment firing in support
• E: 7th, 11th, and 25th Howitzer Regiments firing in support of A and B (0800 – 1000 hours) then C and D (1000 – 1200 hours)

• A: 116th and 64th Rifle Divisions with 22nd Artillery Regiment and 237th Mortar Regiment firing in support
• B: 226th and 99th Rifle Divisions with 1029th Artillery Regiment and 903rd Mortar Regiment firing in support
• C: 91st and 121st Tank Brigades with 783rd and 1151st Rifle Regiments in support
• D: 7th, 11th, and 25th Howitzer Regiments firing in support of A and B

• A: 299th Rifle Division with 116th Rifle Division, 406th Anti-tank Regiment and 91st Tank Brigade in support
• B: 343rd Rifle Division with 226th Rifle Division, 875th Anti-tank Regiment and 121st Tank Brigade in support
• C: 7th Artillery Division in support of 66th Army
• D: Army Commander, Army HQ & Staff, 64th and 99th Rifle Divisions, 22nd and 1029th Artillery Regiments, 237th and 903rd Mortar Regiments, 661st, 662nd, and 663rd Supply Columns

BATTLE REPORT
Day 1, 0800 – 1000 hours
During the previous night the Russian forces had moved up to their jump-off points.

The initial positions (looking south).

The 64th Rifle Division, supported by 7th Artillery Division, 22nd Artillery Regiment, and 237th Mortar Regiment, attacked I/30th Jager Battalion. The combined Russian attack totalled 16 SP whilst the defenders only had strength of 2 SP. Despite this the Russians were only able to inflict a loss of 1 SP on I/30th Jager Battalion whilst the 433rd Rifle Regiment also lost 1 SP.

I/30th Jager Battalion under attack by 64th Rifle Division, 22nd Artillery Regiment, and 237th Mortar Regiment).

The 99th Rifle Division, supported by 1029th Artillery Regiment and 903rd Mortar Regiment, attacked I/29th Jager Battalion. The Russian attack had strength 10 SP and the Jagers had strength 2 SP. The attackers were able to reduce the Jager Battalion to strength 1 SP, but in the process both 1st and 206th Rifle Regiments both lost 1 SP.

I/29th Jager Battalion under attack by 99th Rifle Division. 1029th Artillery Regiment and 903rd Mortar Regiment can be seen supporting the 99th Rifle Division.

The German defences in and around Alderstadt.

Day 1, 1000 – 1200 hours
Fighting continued between 64th Rifle Division and I/30th Jager Battalion, but neither side was able to inflict further casualties on the other. However, the 99th Rifle Division – now supported by artillery fire from 7th Artillery Division – inflicted a further loss of 1 SP on I/29th Jager Battalion, which was force to withdraw a hex to avoid immediate destruction.

Day 1, 1200 – 1400 hours
The 64th Rifle Division, again supported by 7th Artillery Division as well as 22nd Artillery Regiment, and 237th Mortar Regiment, continued the attack on I/30th Jager Battalion. The Jagers suffered further losses – 1 SP – and were forced to withdraw 1 hex to avoid immediate destruction. They did, however, inflict casualties on 440th Rifle Regiment, which was reduced to strength 1 SP.

99th Rifle Division pushed forward and attacked the I/29th Jager Battalion, which was destroyed.

According to the plan of attack, 91st and 121st Tank Brigades, with 783rd and 1151st Rifle Regiments in support, began their advance on Alderstadt.

91st Tank Brigade – with 783rd Rifle Regiment in support – lead the advance. 121st Tank Brigade and 1151st Rifle Regiment can be seen following them.

Day 1, 1400 – 1600 hours

The general situation at 1400 hours on Day 1.

The 64th Rifle Division, supported by 7th Artillery Division as well as 22nd Artillery Regiment, and 237th Mortar Regiment, advanced on Alderstadt, destroying I/30th Jager Battalion in the process.

99th Rifle Division also advanced on Alderstadt, coming under fire from 15th Artillery Regiment in the process. The artillery fire was ineffective and did not hinder the Division’s forward movement.

Day 1, 1600 – 1800 hours
By 1600 hours the 64th Rifle Division was on the outskirts of Alderstadt, and in contact with II/30th Jager Battalion. During the ensuing fighting both sides lost 1 SP, The II/30th Jager Battalion and 451st Rifle Regiment both being reduced to strength 1 SP.

The 99th Rifle Division also reached Alderstadt, and attacked the II/29th Jager Battalion, which occupied extensive defensive positions in the town. The fighting was inconclusive, and neither side suffered casualties.

The 91st Tank Brigade and 783rd Rifle Regiment, which were leading the flanking movement between the hills to the north of Alderstadt, ran into the 15th Panzerjager Battalion. The Germans had deployed this unit to prevent such a move, and the 15th Panzerjager Battalion was able to inflict casualties that reduced the strength of both 91st Tank Brigade and 783rd Rifle Regiment by 1 SP each.

91st Tank Brigade and 783rd Rifle Regiment ran into 15th Panzerjager Battalion.

Day 1, 1800 – 2000 hours
The 64th Rifle Division continued its attack on Alderstadt. The artillery support from 7th Artillery Division proved decisive, and both II/30th Jager Battalion and 15th Luftwaffe Field Division’s CO were forced to withdraw to avoid destruction. The Russians also suffered casualties, and 440th Rifle Regiment was reduced to strength 1 SP, and withdrew 1 hex to avoid being destroyed.

The situation around Alderstadt at 1800 hours.

116th Rifle Division, which had moving towards Alderstadt in accordance with the Russian plan, began a flanking move over the hills to the south of Alderstadt. At the same time 99th Rifle Division again attacked II/29th Jager Battalion, but to no avail as the fighting continued to prove inconclusive.

In the north 121st Tank Brigade and 1151st Rifle Regiment was able to assist 91st Tank Brigade and 783rd Rifle Regiment in their attack on 15th Panzerjager Battalion. Their additional firepower inflicted casualties on 15th Panzerjager Battalion, which was reduced to strength 1 SP, although the cost to the Russians was the loss of 1 SP by 121st Tank Brigade.

Day 1, 2000 – 0000 hours
Fighting continued into the night.

The situation at 2000 hours.

The 64th and 116th Rifle Divisions were now advancing steadily through the southern half of Alderstadt, destroying the remnants of II/30th Jager Division and killing the 15th Luftwaffe Field Division’s CO in the process.

In the north of the town, 99th Rifle Division, which 226th Rifle Division had by now joined, was unable to press home its attack with any vigour, suffering casualties to 983rd, 987th, and 989th Rifle Regiments. These were all reduced to strength 1 SP. The main cause of these casualties was fire from both II/29th Jager Battalion and 15th Artillery Regiment, the latter just having sufficient visibility to engage the Russians during the night time gloom.

The fighting in the north between 91st and 121st Tank Brigades – supported by 783rd and 1151st Rifle Regiments – and 15th Panzerjager Battalion continued, but poor visibility hampered both sides and no casualties were caused.

The situation at 0000 hours on Day 2.

Day 2, 0000 – 0400 hours
The II/29th Jager Battalion was the only German unit left in Alderstadt, and the 64th, 226th, and 99th Rifle Divisions, supported by 22nd Artillery Regiment and 237th Mortar Regiment, now attacked it. The fighting was intense, and both sides suffered casualties. The II/29th Jager Battalion was reduced to strength 1 SP, but the 987th, 989th, and 260th Rifle Regiments were reduced to strength 0 – and thus forced to retire 1 hex to avoid total destruction – and the 197th Rifle Regiment lost 1 SP. These casualties were caused both by the II/29th Jager Battalion and 15th Artillery Regiment, who were firing in support of the Jagers.

To the north of Alderstadt 91st and 121st Tank Brigades – supported by 783rd and 1151st Rifle Regiments – finally overcame 15th Panzerjager Battalion, which was forced to fall back. This victory was not without cost, and 1151st Rifle Regiment was reduced to strength 1 SP.

Day 2, 0400 – 0800 hours
The Russians finally took Alderstadt by 0800 hours on Day 2. The II/29th Jager Battalion, surrounded on all sides and unable to withstand the combined attacks of 64th, 226th, and 99th Rifle Divisions, supported by 22nd Artillery Regiment and 237th and 903rd Mortar Regiments, was destroyed, although it was able to cause casualties to 451st Rifle Regiment, which was reduced to strength 0, and was thus forced to leave the front line.

The advancing Russian forces in the north destroyed the 15th Panzerjager Battalion, and by daybreak of Day 2 the Russians had achieved most of their objectives.

By 0800 hours, Day 2, the 15th Fusilier Company and the 15th Artillery Regiment are all that remained of 15th Luftwaffe Field Division.

Day 2, 0800 – 1400 hours
The 15th Fusilier Company was attacked and overwhelmed by the Russian forces advancing from Alderstadt and the armoured flanking force. The 15th Artillery Regiment was all that remained of 15th Luftwaffe Field Division, and by 1400 hours it had also been destroyed.

APPRAISAL
15th Luftwaffe Field Division was given an unachievable goal. It was under strength – it was closer to a Brigade in size than a standard Division – and immobile. All it could do was to stand and fight – and hope for the best. The fact that some of its units were still fighting 24 hours after the battle started is testament to their tenacity and the defensive positions they occupied. Ultimately it failed to hold the line for the necessary three days, but it did manage to cause substantial casualties to the Russian forces, and this might ensure that the planned counter attack might achieve some success.

The Russian force was vastly superior to the defenders, and had time not been so pressing they should have been able to secure victory at a lower cost. The plan that was laid down was reasonably realistic, and there was no need to extemporise alternatives as the battle developed. The 66th Army should be able to regroup before any German counter attack and dig in to substantial defensive positions within the next 48 hours.

German losses (by 0800 hours, Day 2):

• 15th Luftwaffe Field Division: 11 SP

Total = 11 SP

Russian losses (by 0800 hours, Day 2):

• 91st Tank Brigade: 1 SP
• 121st Tank Brigade: 1 SP
• 64th Rifle Division
• 433rd Rifle Regiment: 1 SP
• 440th Rifle Regiment: 2 SP
• 451st Rifle Regiment: 2 SP
• 99th Rifle Division
• 1st Rifle Regiment: 1 SP
• 197th Rifle Regiment: 1 SP
• 206th Rifle Regiment: 2 SP
• 226th Rifle Division
• 985th Rifle Regiment: 1 SP
• 987th Rifle Regiment: 2 SP
• 989th Rifle Regiment: 2 SP
• 299th Rifle Division
• 783rd Rifle Regiment: 1 SP
• 343rd Rifle Division
• 1151st Rifle Regiment: 1 SP

Total = 18 SP

Attack to Defence Ratios:

• Initial forces: 64 to 14 (4.6 to 1)
• Casualties: 18 to 11 (1.6 to 1)