July means Kursk!

[Norm]

I am running a Kursk month (75th anniversary) for july, a mix of boardgame, figures and some Lloyd Clark reading - all good.

blog link

http://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/2018/07/july-means-kursk.html

[Norm]

As scenario 1 gets set up, there is a new intro post looking at the Dark July map / terrain and mention of the rather convoluted start to the lloyd Clark book.

Link
http://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/2018/07/kursk-battles-intro.html

[Steve J]

Off to read it now Norm as I attempt to cool down before bed!

[Techno]

Very nice stuff, Norm !

Cheers - Phil

[Womble67]

Interesting

Take care

Andy

[Norm]

The Kursk Battles Month continues with first scenario, the attack on hill 252.2 has been played and is up. It is a longish post and further posts will be shorter as there will be less to explain.

Link
http://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/2018/07/kursk-month-assault-on-hill-2522.html

[Womble67]

Excellent battle report

Take care

Andy

[Norm]

Thanks all.

Kursk Battles,
The second scenario from the Dark July module, Clear the Ditches has been played and an AAR is up on the blog. This covers a German attack against a long anti-tank ditch that flanked Hill 252.2.

Link
http://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/2018/07/kursk-month-clear-ditches.html

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

"Kursk, the mostly hotly defended piece of real estate in the Twentieth-Century"!

[Steve J]

Another great AAR and a tough nut for the Germans to crack, but then that sums up Kursk really.

[Norm]

Next up in the ongoing Kursk Battles (Lock 'n Load Tactical) - the battle for Oktiabrskii State Farm.

For those that know the system, there is a neat special scenario rule that only allows units to enter a fortified building to melee with enemy ..... if the remaining defenders are all shaken. It certainly changes the criteria for taking buildings and impacts significantly on play and game tension.

Link
https://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/2018/07/kursk-month-secure-oktiabrskii-state.html

[Steve J]

Thanks again Norm for another great AAR

[Norm]

Thanks Steve for following the action.

[Norm]

The fourth (of six) scenario from the Dark July expansion has been played and is up on the blog in the usual format.

LINK
https://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/2018/07/kursk-month-road-to-prokhorovka.html

[Steve J]

I had a quick look at work before I had to head for home. As always it looked to be full of action and heading off to your Blog for a proper read through

[Norm]

Thanks for the comments at the blog Steve. You are right, it is the very location of the VP hexes that makes the task so difficult.

There is a good argument for all the forces to attack over open ground away from the woods, ensuring that the Soviet tanks and HMG (i.e ranged weapons) are destroyed quickly, since the actual Soviet Airborne squads have short ranged weapons and so being in the open is not as dangerous for the Germans as might otherwise be the case.

An advance through the woods probably plays into the Soviets hands - yep, plenty of ideas for a re-run :-)

I have a face-to-face figure game tomorrow (Pendraken 10mm) and then back to Dark July to do the big mapper! 

[Norm]

The face-to-face didn't quite work out .... I set the game up, but Mike was late, then I realised that we were not gaming this week - Doh!

played it anyway,

Another Kursk battle - Breaking the Line, this time using 10mm figures on 4"hex terrain. One of those games that didn't quite behave itself!

Blogged

https://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/2018/07/kursk-month-breaking-line.html

[Steve J]

A one sided game, but that sometimes happens when the die Gods are against you!

[Norm]

This is the big one.

I played the large tank battle scenario from Lock 'n Loads Dark July module today.

Nice double mapper and a good demonstration as to how this infantry centric game handles armour so well, with 17 tanks initially on the table.

Observations and AAR over on my blog. LINK
https://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com/2018/07/kursk-month-midday-counterattack.html

[Steve J]

An great AAR Norm . You certainly captured the feel of an open and fluid battle out on the Russian steppe.. Nice to see the game on a larger board as well. Keep up the good work!