Firestorm Turn 3 Battles 5 & 6 at Barrie's

Russians in Gorki attacked Orsha

Leigh's Motostrelk attacking Barrie's Sturm in No Retreat 1500 pts + FS troops (6x4 table)

Germans reduced to 1200 pts due to Out Of Supply but had Festerplatz defenses.

Leigh was faced with a fairly open battlefield in front of a strong German position with hedges for cover & a solid front of minefields & wire. Only on his left was there any cover - a village. The Russians advanced on both flanks - Strelk on the right & Strelk & ISUs through the village. Massed artillery supported the advance. The ISUs were bested by Hetzers in the hedgerows & the Strelk bottled up in the village. On the right the Strelk in the open were decimated & stopped by German fire. Leigh conceded that he couldn't win in any reasonable time & withdrew.

Russians in Lepel attacked Smolevichi

Richard's SS Panzer (ROH) v. Jim's Motostelk (FE) in Free For All 2000 pts + FS troops (6x6 table).

The Germans had a lot of MkIVs & Stugs supported by infantry, heavy artilley, SPAA & 88s, plus MkIV & Panzergrenadier FS troops.

The Russians had 2 Motostrelk, 10T34 (1/2 85's), 4/57mm a/tank, 8 Kats + extra crews, S85's. plus T34/85 & Sturmovik FS troops.

The main feature of the terrain was a lot of small woods scattered about.

The Russians precipitated a tank v. tank battle in the centre while trying to supress the German artillery with Rockets & Sturmoviks. The Germans allowed the woods to fragment their Panzer force & while the Russians had their difficulties finding clear shots, they took advantage & took out all the Panzers in the centre with the T34's. The Germans had dispersed their effort by sending 3 MkIVs down their left flank towards the Katies. These were intercepted by infantry in a confined gap between a wood and the table edge & after a bloody fight destroyed. On the other flank, MkIVs took the bait of rear shots at the 3 FS T34s. They took them out, but were then surrounded by SU's, a/tank guns & T34's & wiped out in turn (3 T34s for 7 MkIVs was a good deal for Ivan). Meanwhile, the German Heavy Artillery had been destroyed by the Katies & Sturmovics. With no armour, artillery or HQ left the German position was now hopeles, & when the T34s picked off the Panzergrenadiers it was all over.

A 5:2 victory for the Russians. The Germans lost their MkIV FS troop.