Gorky Park

Here is a blog on ‘Gorky Park’, my 1941 Russian front game using ‘O’ Group rules, played on Tuesday 21 July at the War Room. Doug and Richard were Germans defending the village of Gorky about 80 miles from Moscow in the depths of Winter. The Russians, Phil Rob and Dave, were launching their winter counter offensive. The Germans were in a poor situation after General Winter had stalled their advance on Moscow.

A lone German marksman is here on outpost duty as the Russian barrage strikes. This blocked one company of Germans from being available for the game.

The Russians won the initiative first and rapidly advanced some combat patrols to check out the lie of the land and try to reveal any German ambushes.

Counters marked the combat patrols.

Each side rolled for orders, HQ orders and then initiative in a way we are all familiar with as Rob used these ideas for his BofB campaign.

The Russians won the initiative for the first 3 turns and were able to consolidate a tank squadron behind a small hamlet.

Doug and Richard had set up an ambush with an 88mm gun on a small rise – it fired, hit and destroyed the first T34, but the Russian plan had worked! It had drawn out the ‘88’.

The second tank reacted and fired back but although it struck home the crew hit the dirt and saved themselves with Doug’s handy throwing. The Germans used the second order rule to get up and fire back. It ended up costing three orders but they duly fired and destroyed the 2nd T34. First blood was definitely to the Germans.

Unfortunately German firing from elsewhere was not so good. Off table mortar stonks missed the mark and rolled double one, which meant they were out of ammo next turn and the stonk fell well short – but luckily still far enough away from the German positions.

Clever Russian strategy of advancing combat patrols forced the Germans to deploy some of their infantry platoons to stop the advancing patrols – these Germans did well in destroying the combat patrols but did mean they were now visible and able to be targeted.

Once the Germans had been spotted Phil deployed some of his Russian platoons and started firing away at the German defences.

Doug’s Germans were suppressed and the Russians launched an assault. They needed a double order to cover the distance but a successful mortar barrage helped weaken the Germans and the Russian assault was successful because although it ended in a draw the Germans were already at a lower morale point. On the other side of the table Rob’s T34s had advanced onto the table but became hesitant as they rolled 3 ‘1s in the command phase. Rob had advanced some T26s to recce a wood but they failed to find any Germans hiding there! Mainly because there were no Germans hiding there. But this all cost valuable orders.

More Russian infantry deployed and two new T34s fired at the 88mm and along with a freshly deployed Maxim gun they destroyed the 88mm. The German left flank was under serious pressure . Russian infantry were advancing in the centre but managed to drive off some German defenders before becoming suppressed themselves.

The Russians were now close to the village of Gorky, their objective, but Richard’s ambushes had been well placed and they lit up the Russians nearest the village. The trouble was the Russkis kept making damn good saving throws – at this stage it was 2 destroyed Russian tanks against the 88 and two sections of German infantry. One more German loss would lead to a fubar. That duly came but the command crises was as lucky as you like and Dave was not able guess what die number they had chosen – it’s a fun but odd way of taking HQ orders away from the side shot up!

Units are destroyed by receiving shock and then excess shock after they have become suppressed. Like all of Dave Brown’s rules there are lots of dice to hit and then saving throws. Each side was giving an average number of hits but the Germans just weren’t saving. What was keeping them in the game was their extremely successful deployment of ambushes at the beginning of the game.

Once these are all deployed that created a hexenkessel of fire and inflicted a fubar on the Russians. I can’t remember (I didn’t write it down) but I think the Germans failed to correctly guess the Russian number. But now both sides would have fewer order dice each turn.

The German sniper, Major Koenig kept popping up – he had three shots per turn and he proved very effective unlike German morale throws – one three dice rally failing disastrously and forcing the Germans away from their strategic defence point. Doug eventually rallied further back but the timely intervention of Germany’s finest sniper saved the day.

At 10.30 Alex called a tactical draw as the Germans still held ( just ) Gorky but it was a strategic set back as the Russians were “just rolling better today” and they had KV1 and KV2 tanks to bring on. Without the 88mm gun these would have given the Panzer IIIs and early Panzer IVs a difficult time. Thanks to everyone who came and to Rob for hosting. Apologies if some of the sequencing is a bit out, and for the lack of photos! It’s difficult doing a blog and umpiring at the same time😂