Cold War Commanders Battle for Hannover - 2nd day action

In the better light of Sunday morning, I was able to capture the tables as we finished on Saturday evening.  Starting on NATO's right flank, here are Ian's and Dennis' troops advancing on the river line held by W Germans and Belgians.  Nick's and my British armour occupy the table corner in the distance and both are pressing on Dennis' flank.

Another view.

 

Waves of Dennis' armour closing with the minefields bordering the river line.

Ian's BMP battalion closing on the W German held bridge.

Upper right my first Challenger Sqdn is closing with the hedge-lined road beyond the distant town, while more Challenger and Chieftain Sqdns race to reinforce them as well as take up firing positions on the nearby ridgeline.

In the centre of the table, Steve's British armour continue to whittle down the VDV and Spetsnaz.

On Steve's left, Andy H's US armour hold the line against Mike.

Next to Andy, Richard's Dutch push forward towards the river.

On the NATO far left, the Dutch have crossed the river, taking the fight to the Soviets, while the East Germans appear unable to significantly reinforce their bridgehead on the NATO river bank, but at least they have troops across the river.

The table held by Richard and Mark's Dutch in all its glory.

The Dutch river crossing.

Swimming M113s and snorkelling Leopards - fantastic attention to detail.

A Dutch ECM vehicle, not the infamous Winkelwagen.

The first major action of the day involved Richard C's De Groote's Fire Brigade attempting a heliborne landing behind the VDV paratroopers, deep in the Soviet rear areas.  Unfortunately, the insertion was plagued by blunders and command failures, which pretty much sealed their fate.

More shots of my armour deploying.

A Challenger Sqdn has occupied the road with troops turning along the road to take Dennis' armour in the flanks.  Several rounds of fire have KO'd or suppressed almost all of the units in the nearest Soviet battalion (green dice).  The ridgeline is now densely occupied with FV438s, Chieftains, Scimitars from my and Nick's forces and various FAOs and FACs.

Another view of the Challengers motoring towards the Soviet table edge.  One squadron has swung left to secure their flank by occupying the woods.

Another view of the British, who have the T-72s on the road between a rock and a hard place as if they turn and face the Challengers on the road, they expose their flanks to the FV438s and Chieftains on the ridge.  At the very bottom of the photo, Nick's bridging units have reached the river with the intent on crossing and allowing them to push obliquely into Dennis' troops.  He just needs to clear the town of the last remnants of Soviet MR infantry (lots of green suppression dice).

Dennis' troops, with a BMP battalion beginning to occupy the woods top left and a tank battalion rushing through the gap between the ridge line and the woods, to try and secure their flanks.  Long range ATGM fire from the road top right is about to suppress some of my Challengers. 

The mass of Ian's and Dennis' troops squaring up to the W Germans and Belgians at the river.

Major General Dennis (left) and Lieutenant General Ian carefully watch their W German and Belgian opponents.  This is the last known picture of the Soviet force commander, who, it is believed, has been forced to retire by Makarov, due to the failure of his battle plan by the end of day 2.

Mike's Soviets begin to try and force their way over the river bridge on the Dutch right indicated by the giant finger.

Soviets wading the river on the Dutch right.  The E German bridgehead is swathed in smoke in the far distance.

Andy H's US armour and Mike's Soviets showing each other a healthy respect.

Gordon's VDV fast approaching breakpoint under pressure from Steve's British armour.

Close of play.  The table groans under the weight of Ian's Soviet armour, but the bridge layers are still a long way from the river.

Dennis' troops.  The tank battalion and BMP battalion on his flank in the woods on the right have just been stonked by 105mm Abbotts, which have played merry hell with the dismounts, while his armour has been picked off by long range fire from FV438s, Challies and Chieftains.

My armour on the right.  Nicks armour has AVLB bridged the river and his armour is ready to push into the town across the river and on into Dennis' flank where he is closing with the river.

More of Nick's superb bridging units.  I'm going to have to try and get one deploying like that - maybe for my Turks next year.

Belgian and W German armour lining the river, backed up by a second line behind hedgerows along the road paralleling the river.

A group shot (photo courtesy of Ben, who is not pictured and lifted from Richard Phillips web page).  Dennis is on the far right and yours truly is standing next to him in the fetching shorts.

All in all, great fun.  Next year NATO's southern flank, the Aegean and southern Balkans.  Can't wait!  Go on JustJack, plenty of room for your USMC operating off the Coral Sea battle group.  It's only a 9 hour flight from Houston to Amsterdam and another hour to Manchester.

Thanks for looking.

Cold War Commanders Battle for Hannover - 1st day action

Saturday, the battle begins.

The NATO artillery table.

The airport in my sector, garrisoned by a RAF Regt Sqdn with 2 sqdns of Chieftains over watching the runway from the nearby ridge.  I was expecting a Soviet paratrooper of heliborne infantry assault on the airport.

More Chieftains deployed as a back stop on the ridge and skulking in the nearby forest.

Major General Dennis' lead regiment from his armoured division ignores my British armour and concentrates on the Belgians to his immediate front.  In response, my lead Chieftain squadrons race forwards, with one squadron reaching as far as the ridge overlooking the advancing Soviets, with another coming up fast..

Major General Dennis' lead regiment beyond the red roofed apartment block and Lieutenant General Shawovski (overall Corps Commander) personally leading the lead regiment from another armoured division in the distance.

British reserves were also committed, with a regimental battlegroup of battalion strength, in Challengers, motoring hell for leather along the main road, which fed them directly into the rear and flank of the advancing Soviets (off the top of the photograph).

On my left flank, Lieutenant General Steve's British armoured regiments start to advance towards a VDV paradrop in regimental strength.  The blue supermarket turned out to be occupied by a Spetsnaz detachment, which also sprang an ambush on the advancing British.  My Chieftains on the ridge overlooking the airport were able to make a small contribution and snipe at extreme range at the ASU-85s in the angle of the road up and to the right of the two cooling towers, eventually knocking out two out of the three.

On the British right flank, the gallant Belgians await the oncoming Soviet storm of armour.

The first regiment of Dennis' armoured horde advancing in waves.

The VDV regiment coming under pressure from Steve's British.

Spetsnaz and British infantry slug it out down at the Netto store.

I think these are Mike's troops, initially forming a screen between the VDV and the armoured divisions advancing on the Dutch.

More of Mike's armour.

Ben's armour throws itself at top speed down the autobahn, heading for the river crossing.  Can anything stop it.  Yes, apparently concentrated artillery firing on pre-mapped coordinates (note the cluster of red suppression dice just to the right of the river crossing).

Marks Dutch lining the river.  These heros, high on something or other, are about to wade, swim and snorkel across the river and take the fight to the enemy.

The scene of the first mapped artillery strike.  Note Ben rightly able to claim that the East German armour was the first to cross the river, showing the Russians how it's done.  Unfortunately, they were living on borrowed time.

Mikes forces advancing on the Dutch flank.

The VDV regiment taking up defensive positions, but being whittled down all the time.

Dennis' lead tank battalion has advanced to the minefield bordering the river, but Chieftains line the crest line of the overlooking ridge.  Fire from these has knocked out more than half of the rear tank battalion.

Ian's troops making good use of the reverse slope, but they should be pushing up to the river at top speed.

Andy's West Germans waiting patiently.  The bridge is mined for demolition and they are feeling confident.

The Belgians, awaiting Dennis, with Nicks British advancing up to the river line from lower left.  This bridge is already blown.  Where is the Soviet bridging equipment?  Off table at the moment!

Challengers race down the highway to intercept Dennis.  They already have their eye on Ian's troops as well.

My Chieftain sqdn on the ridge is now supported by the regimental HQ with attached FV438s and a pair of Chieftains.

The Challengers now stretch across the board, pushing along the road as fast as they can.

Steve's British armour close in on the VDV, being careful to keep out of RPG range.

Ian and Dennis pour on the reserves - their part of the table begins to look like a giant tank park.

One of Steve's air strikes randomly drew a Buccaneer.  The model is one of mine and I was rather pleased with the paint job.

Another view, hopefully it contributed to erosion of the VDV.

Ian's troops close up to the river line in front of the West Germans at the close of play.  Much was made of the BMPs ability to swim, although the bridging equipment is still at the back of the pack on the edge of the table.

So, with the light fading fast and a curry calling, we closed the first day's play.  An excellent day for all, although there were some worried faces on both sides at times.  Day 2 pictures to follow.

Thanks for looking.