Firestorm Campaign - Final battle: Minsk

After 2 months & 21 battles our Firestorm campaign came down to one battle.

The Germans had 270 VPs to the Russians 200, but if the Russians could take Minsk, worth 80 VPs, it will be 190 to 280 in the Russian's favour.

FFA on 12x6 table, Germans defending with Festerplatz defences.

Germans: Steve, Barrie, Adam 2,500 pts Sturmkompanie + Firestorm 2 Panthers, Grenadiers, 2 A/C & 2 105's.

Russians: Rich, Nick, Jim, Joe, Leigh 2,500 pts Strelk + Firestorm 2x2 IS2's.

Both sides had little armour. The Germans had 2 Panthers & 3 Stugs, the Russians 4 IS2s & 6 Honeys.

But they both had heaps of artillery - especially the Germans. The Germans had 155's, 105's, Inf guns 150s, Heavy Mortars, light mortars & Firestorm 2/105. The Russians had Gods, 8 Katys & a Heavy Battery.

The German infantry were armed to the teeth with MGs & panzerfausts & backed up with a heap of HMGs & Pak 40s.

The Strelk were supported by flamthrowers, Pioneers & Scouts.

The Germans hunkered in their trenches behind minefields & wire & let the Russians do all the work. The Russians attacked on both flanks. On their left with 2 Strelk & Honeys, on the right with the IS2's & Pioneers. The artillery lent support to both flanks. On the Russian right, the Russians popped the Panthers but the artillery whittled away at the IS2's. The Pioneers got to the wire, but the Russian right ran out of troops. On the Russian left, the Strelk took the objective, but they had suffered such heavy casualties in doing so & couldn't hold off a counterattack by the Stugs.

So the Germans held onto Minsk & won a Tactical Victory in the campaign.

The pics are: 1) Overview from behind Russian right soon after start. 2) Behind Russian left late. 3) Behind Russian right.

Firestorm Campaign Summary:

Battles fought: 22 (5 in turns 1 & 2, 6 in turns 3 & 4).
German wins: 12.
Russian wins: 8.
Ties: 2 (Both effectively German wins as they held vital areas).
Initiative: Germans 4x, Russians 18x. (It was the 13^th time before the Germans won one).

Final Victory Points: Germany: 270.
Russia: 200.

The Russians had taken Vitebsk (on 3^rd attempt), Mogilev (on 2^nd attempt) & area Lepel.
The Germans held Orsha (attacked unsuccessfully 3 times, but out of supply) & Bobruisk (lost on 1^st attempt, then regained) & areas Osipovichi & Dzisna.
Both sides had lost some Firestorm Troops (3 German, 2 Russian).