After their victory at Kursk, the Soviets launched their summer counter-offensive and broke the German front in several places. This small wargame represents operations of 4th Guards Tank Corps against 255th Infantry Division as part of the drive to reach the Dniepr River. The Soviet order of battle includes a Tank Brigade, plus a hidden flank attack by a Guards Cavalry Regiment. The Germans field a reinforced infantry battalion. Both sides have regular troops, with a morale edge to the cavalry. The battle was fought by the Gourmet Wargaming Club with 20mm miniatures, using our Hail of Lead homebrew ruleset. The scenario was adapted from Frank Chadwick's "Scenario 6: Pursuit to the Dniepr," pp.149-52 of the Command Decision: Test of Battle rules. Scroll down to see the action. Scroll to the bottom of the page for a list of miniatures and manufacturers.

The battlefield viewed from the Soviet base line. The line of red markers running from left to right across the table denotes the forward-most positions of the Russians at the game began.	In the center, a couple of motorized infantry companies slog forward on foot, led by a recon BA-10 armored car.	The "Head Red," left, studies the Soviet dossier, as other players watch for the next German ambush.	The "Top Hun" and his Teutonic Minion, behind, move numbered markers in an attempt to at least annoy the Soviets, if not halt their progress.	The first contact is made by the Soviet left flank. A platoon of BA-64 armored cars runs smack into entrenched German infantry, and promptly bursts into flames. The light tank battalion--with T-70's and T-34/43 mediums--prepares to flank the threat.
The crushing, grinding tracks of Red Army tanks move to entomb the enemy in their entrenchments. Things would be less dire if the Germans had panzerfaust antitank rockets--but this is August, 1943, so they must do with obsolete antitank rifles.	However, the Germans have some other armies in their sleevies. This potent little PAK38 50mm antitank gun begins a steady rain of armor-piercing shells.	At the front of the town, a German 75mm infantry gun pours shells on the approaching Soviets.	One T-70 light tank platoon has been destoyed by antitank fire, but the remainder have forced the infantry from their forward positions. Foot soldiers in the open dread this sort of development!	The Soviets carefully work their way up the center, along the road towards the town. Note the command unit (top right) that has been steadily taking mortar and infantry-gun fire.
Another Soviet armored car makes a spirited reconnaissance of the German left flank, in advance of the Soviet right flank force.	And speaking of nasty surprises: the German infantry is officially navigating Scheisse Creek without a plank or stick. The SU-122 regiment is mightily pissed that their BA-64 was torched!	The "after" shot. Scratch one enemy infantry company.	Ambush! The brave BA-10 moves up along the center road and immediately comes under fire from the flank.	And to make matters worse, another German infantry company darts from the cover of the woods and engages the BA-10 in close combat!
The SU-122 regiment trundles forward in a very direct reconnaissance move against a suspected enemy position. Fortunately--for both sides, really--there was nothing there.	The Germans control the road after sending the armored car fleeing to the safety of the woods.	After taking some fire, and running low on ammo, the 75mm gun limbers up and falls back into the town.	A Soviet AA-HMG platoon (upper right) moves up and fires in support of the advancing infantry. Note skulking BA-10 behind it.	Not knowing if a numbered marker was real or just a dummy, the Reds sent the survivors of the light tank battalion on what turned out to be a wild goose chase. It was a dummy.
Halfway into the battle, the town is still well-stocked with German markers. How many are dummies? The Red Army will have to move in to find out.	A company of StuG III G assault guns appear on the German right flank as the SU regiment tops a crestline on a small hill. The armor-piercing shells began to fly, but the Germans had appalling dice rolls.	The StuG's are hard-pressed, and fall back into the woods to their rear--only to make contact with a squadron of dismounted Soviet cavalry that had quietly moved in from the flank!	Two Soviet submachine-gun platoons (desantniki, or tank riders) charge from the woods into the stream. They discover the position of a section of German 150mm infantry guns!	The SMG men are blasted by the 150mm and a German engineer company deployed on the edge of the town. Important information gained at a cost!
The light tank battalion drives back to the sound of the guns, and confirms the suspected position of another enemy antitank gun: a 75mm PAK40. Only more bad German dice rolls prevent the loss of more Soviet tanks.	Having located the enemy, the SMG unit calls in the medium tank battalion, with its T-34/43's. (Okay, those are an earlier model of T-34, but just squint at them and you won't notice the difference.)	Hurrah! Two squadrons of Soviet cavalry emerge from the woods and take one of the two objectives: the exit road. In the background, German StuG's burn after a one-sided encounter with the SU-122's.	The German antitank gun is overrun, but infantry and engineers man the front line and hold back the enemy tanks.	Soviet motor infantry burst from a patch of woods and attack the front of the town. 82mm mortar fire brackets the German defenders.
The continuing attack by the medium tank company has luckily not resulted in any burning T-34's. German engineers give ground in the town, but are hardly subdued.	An overview of the Soviet attack as the battle draws to a close. Note the entire cavalry regiment attacking mounted and dismounted into the rear of the town.	A closer look at the Soviet Guards cavalry. Note the machine-gun carts (represented by wagons carrying MMG stands) coming up behind.	The German battalion mortar platoon is "discovered" by T-34's. Merely a speed-bump, unfortunately.	The second-to-last turn of the game. Note the German command stand (dubiously dubbed "the goggle guy" by one of the Soviet tank commanders) surrounded in the center of the photo. A few German stands remain, but the town is almost entirely overrun.
The game ended with a German victory, only because ONE STAND survived in the town, blocking the road. Naturally, the Soviets were non-plussed, but the Germans had done their job: slow the Soviet advance. The game ended randomly on a die roll, so it was more likely to be a Soviet victory, but C'est la Guerre!	Okay, everyone say "Soviet counter-offensive!" Or "cheese," if you prefer. (Gotta love cameras with shutter timers.)	Our reward for a long day of mayhem and simulated bloodshed. Chocolate cake smells like victory!