Relieving Leningrad (1942): Epic WWII at the War Room

Trevor put on an intense Relief of Leningrad wargame at the War Room on Sunday 29 March using his 6mm figures and bespoke set of rules. The siege of the city (1941-1944) was one of longest and most horrifying in history, and the game represented the attempted Soviet ‘breakout’ from Leningrad as well as the Soviet ‘break in’ attempt against German opposition, known as the Sinyavino Offensive (August to October 1942).

Pete, Patrick (until lunch) and I were the Soviets (though Pete played most of the game as I was blogging), whereas Rob and Brian were the Germans. The Russians began already positioned in the ‘bulge’, aiming at driving westward to link up with Soviet forces which had crossed the River Neva near Leningrad.

1: Down by the Neva

We began the game with the action on the Neva, where the Soviets were trying to breakout of Leningrad having secured two bridgeheads. .

The Soviet bridgeheads faced a German division and artillery fire from a farm further away, besides German garrisons near the Soviet deployment areas.

Pete attacked from the bridgeheads and took 28 casualties in the process.

2: Between a Rock and a Hard Place…

German heavy guns also fired on Pete’s 2nd Shock Army, concentrating at the base of the German-held Hill further east, in a bid to hold off German attacks while the Soviet 8th Army mounted the main breakthrough attempt..

I fired smoke from my Reserve artillery off table, but it was ineffective, so we decided to focus on destroying any Germans on the Hill instead.

German fire from defenders of the Hill began and soon accounted for multiple dead units in the 2nd Shock Army. Pete’s Soviets fired on the Hill and caused a few in return, but it was clear that moving past the Hill towards Leningrad was going to be difficult…

3: The Rumble of Panzers…

As Pete’s infantry moved west from the Bulge to begin their relief attempt, he called in artillery fire against two divisions of Germans blocking the exit to the Bulge. Unfortunately for the Soviets, Trevor warned us that German reserve forces could be heard approaching the base of the Bulge from the south!

4: Testing the Boundaries

The Soviet 125th Infantry Division deployed near the factory located at the hinge of the northern Bulge sector. Pete soon lost 4 units here to German artillery, inflicting 3 in return.

The 1st and 250th German Infantry Divisions blocking the Russian 8th Army (which was striking out of the Bulge) fired on the lead Soviet divisions, hitting the Soviet 7th Infantry Division

Meanwhile, the Soviets had massed several batteries of artillery  both on and off table to the east, and were firing. Pete advanced with the 174th and 7th Soviet Infantry Divisions from the Bulge and attacked the German 1st Infantry Division in trenches. Meanwhile the Soviets lost 3 units inside the Bulge to German artillery fire…

5: The Railway Station

Near the Neva, Pete assaulted the railway station but lost 2 units to 1 German unit, with a further unit pushed back. Pete and Patrick then fired on the 132nd German Infantry Division facing the Leningrad breakouts

The Germans were ensconced at the railway station. However the Soviets assaulted the central urban sector further south, taking 1 casualty to the Germans’ 3. Nevertheless the Luftwaffe Field Regiment in the station saw off another Russian attack…

6: Pete continues the Soviet Breakout Attempt…

Further east, Pete continued his advance against German 1st Infantry Division with his 256th Infantry Division at the head of the Bulge.

After lunch, the 112th Soviet Tank Brigade deployed near the factory, destroying an anti-tank gun and artillery there. However the Germans responded with 88mm fire and one tank unit was wiped out. Pete nevertheless deployed the adjacent 122nd Tank Brigade.

7: Rob’s Germans Counter-attack in Force

The Germans however now began a corruscating counter-attack. Rob’s German 215th Infantry Division arrived at the rear of the Bulge with 3 Tiger tanks, forcing the 18th Soviet Infantry Division to turn to face.

The Soviets and Germans exchanged a blizzard of fire, but two of the Tigers broke down almost immediately! Still, the Tigers could still fire and acquired targets on the two Soviet tank brigades near the northern side of the Bulge

I brought on the reserve 3rd Soviet Tank Brigade from our eastern side to anchor our flank against the arriving Germans

8: Hell on the Margins

Rob now brought on the 2nd Panzer Division to the left of the 215th German Infantry Division. I countered by deploying the 137th Soviet Tank Brigade near my 3rd Soviet Tank Brigade. Rob in turn deployed 6 light German tanks, to which Pete responded by moving up the 14th Soviet Rifle Division and shooting at Rob’s tanks and the 215th Infantry Division.

Both sides exchanged fire several times. I lost a tank to the 2nd Panzers, and the 17th Soviet Infantry Division headed south from the Bulge to counter Rob’s tanks. Rob however deployed yet another German force – the 61st Infantry Division.

It looked like the Soviets might be swamped by the Germans south of the Bulge. Pete’s 17th Infantry Division facing them was down to half strength, as was the 14th Rifle Division. My 137th Tank Brigade went on hold after a failed morale test after losing a tank.

Back near Leningrad, the central sector was still a German/Soviet stalemate. Soviet artillery on the other (eastern) side of the table was fully deployed, with 3 groups of light and medium, and 3 heavy/rocket batteries. However these could not fire all at once, since the game was based on each side choosing a formation alternately to activate.

9: Mutually Assured Attrition

The fight near the Bulge continued. Russian artillery destroyed a unit of the 215th Infantry Division. Meanwhile, Rob’s four Panzer IV’s knocked out 2 of mine from 137th Tank Brigade.

Pete turned round the 122nd Tank Brigade and fired on the Tigers but only managed one ping! But Rob destroyed 3 units of the 14th Rifle Division, which was now down to 1 unit. However the German 215th Infantry Division was down to its support units having lost 2 infantry units to Pete’s 18th Infantry Division (which lost a stand too).

Rob eliminated the remaining 4 infantry units of 17th Soviet Infantry Division with his light tanks. Thus 2 Soviet Infantry Divisions had been destroyed! In this cauldron of carnage however both sides were successively obliterating each other’s units…

10: Pete Inches Closer to Breakout

But there was movement. Pete destroyed one of the German blocking forces at the head of the Bulge with his 256th Soviet Infantry Division. The road to the Neva River was opened! Pete’s 7th Soviet Infantry Division also fired on the remaining blocking force (the 250th ‘Spanish Blue’ Infantry Division).

11: Carnage in the South

Moving the 16th Soviet Infantry Division against the German infantry accompanying Rob’s light tanks, Pete managed to destroy 6 infantry stands, severely weakening the German advance. Rapid response from the Germans however led to at least 6 Soviet units destroyed from the 16th Infantry Division.

Exchange of fire from the Hill’s defenders and the Soviets nearby amounted to similar losses. It had become apparent that the Soviets were not going to breakthrough. Even so, Pete fired his artillery at the Spanish Blue division which lost a stand facing the Soviet 7th and 246th Divisions.

12: Desultory Destruction…

Brian knocked out 1 and damaged 2 Soviet artillery on the eastern side, as Pete advanced into the factory area in the northern sector with Soviet armour. The 3rd Soviet Tank Brigade newly deployed fired on the German medium tanks but missed and lost one tank in return.

The Spanish Blue division was assaulted by Pete’s 7th Infantry Division, and the Spanish lost two units. The Soviets had almost broken through the blocking force, but hadn’t quite managed it, and the German 32nd Infantry Division approached the exhausted Soviet 7th Infantry Division from the Hill. The Soviets were stuck and we appropriately called a halt to the game…

Conclusion

Overall this was an ambitious and panoramic game which became increasingly embroiling after the German counterattack arrived. In the event, the Soviets gradually faced insurmountable odds but none of that impeded our enjoyment. Trevor’s rules were relatively simple, as appropriate for a game and scenario that was actually more operational and strategic than tactical in scope. The game showed just how difficult the relief of Leningrad was in reality, and how the best laid plans cannot always withstand first contact with the enemy. Thanks to Trevor for putting on a historical battle that is relatively unknown, with his usual cheerful commitment, very good umpiring, and very nice terrain and figures. The Soviets did not manage to link up (the historical relief also failed), and we ran out of time to get close, but had fun in the process! (Thanks to Rob for hospitality.)

The furthest advance of the Soviet Forces in their Sinyavino Offensive (19 August – 10 October 1942)