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RAMPAGE!covers the last great cavalry offensive of the 20th century with over 8000 Cossacks, a few armor cars, a few MkV and aircraft. On August 10th, Mamontov struck and ripped through the porous Red lines for Tambov, the key Red supply base for the Southern Front. The Reds were taken by surprise and even Trotsky and Lenin complimented on its execution and how pathetic their own Red soldiers were. Within six days, the Whites were near Tambov. Some sources say up to 10,000 defected to Mamontov. Denikin had directed Mamontov to destroy the key railroad centers, but he and his men were too busy looting, causing mayhem and raping, which turned their welcome sour. Success continued as the Reds tossed in men and aircraft trying find and destroy the fast moving Whites. By mid-Sept, many of Mamontov's men had returned to their homes with stolen loot or had been killed. The remaining core now faced being encirclement near Voronezh as Red forces finally had arrived in force. Denikin order the Kuban Corps to attack from the south hoping such an attack would allow Mamontov to escape. The last week saw White success turn into a fight to survive!
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PARE LOS FACISTS (Stop the Facists) is a simulation on the critical battle also known as the Battle for the La Coruna Road that took place from Jan. 3 to 16th, 1937. In this particular phase of this Nationalist offensive (planned by the German advisors and their Blitzkrieg tech-nique) it was the first time the German Panzers met the Russian T26B tanks. Although their numbers were small, both altered their doctrines because of them.
The goal for the Nationalists was to cutoff Madrid by seizing all roads to the west and the city water supply (just off the north map edge). It was also hoped that other Nationalists troops would be able to cutoff Madrid from the north and east. This game simulates the last phase of the Facists offensive. Weeks earlier, Phases 1 and 2 had proven successful. The Republicans were quite frail by the time this game begins. Had it not been for the Russian tanks and aircraft and International Brigades, the Spanish front would have collapsed and Madrid would’ve been in real danger. In a sense, it was an “outsiders battle”. The Moroccans, Germans, Italians and Spanish propelled the Nationalists, while the Russians and Internationals (French, American, British, Czech, German) desperately tried to save Madrid.
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On Dec.3, 1933, the largest and bloodiest battle of South America's only war began. General Kundt, the commander of the Bolivian Army, who had suffered defeats against the wily Paraguayans earlier that year at Nanawa, despite his use of tanks, would now receive a near death blow. The Bolivian overconfidence in their superiority over their foe would place his 9th, 4th and 7th Divisions into a pocket that would become their coffin. For Kundt, who had been warned by his field generals about a major Paraguayan build up, refused to listen to their own reconnaissance reports. The Paraguayans had massed without much secrecy 5-6 Divisions, all aimed at the Bolivian 4th and 9th Divisions. The massive buildup could hardly not be noticed, yet, the Bolivan's did nothing. Numerous gaps remained in their lines at critical junctions, units were shifted to beef up the weak 9th Division so it could hold Alihuata at all costs. Their flanks were dangling with no troops covering them as their were not enough. The battle opened up with Paraguay's largest artillery and air bombardments to date, yet there was no massive breakthrough. However, the numerous Paraguayan cavalry storming from the unprotected flanks would cut off the Bolivans. Cutting them off was easy. The real battle for the 9th and 4th Divisions in the pocket was the hard part.
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On October 11th, the White’s struck in a sudden assault with a force of around 20,000 men. The attack was well executed, with night attacks and manoeuvres to turn the flanks of the defending Red army. Yudenich also had six MK V British tanks that caused panic whenever they appeared. Night attacks were very effective. The White’s devastating blow threw the Seventh army completely off its balance, and it began to roll them back with little resistance, abandoning their arms and supplies. Lenin concluded fighting Yudenich’s army with the latest technical devices was useless unless at the cost of denuding and weakening other Red fronts. Lenin wanted to abandon Petrograd! Trotsky arrived at the Petrograd front just before Gatchina fell finding total confusion of the Red Staff. Panic was too rampant. On the 20th, Yudenich advanced as far as Krasnoye Syelo. His scouts on horseback could see the gilded dome of St. Isaac’s cathedral from the hill!
The Finnish radio prematurely reported the occupation of Petro-grad. All through Europe and the rest of the world the news spread that the Red Petrograd had fallen. October 21 was a critical day. Red troops had fallen back to their last defense on the Pulkovo heights ( about 15 miles from the city center). Red men and women armed with small arms began their “Heroic Frenzy” making a firm stand on Pulkovo Heights (75m). It was the turning point that caught both sides off guard.
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Blow by Blow simulates the largest use of tanks since WW2. The Pakistani 1st Armor Division’s bold plan to cut off the entire Indian 11th Corps by severing the Grand Trunk Road in the Jullundhur area. Both the Indian and Pakistani had planned offensive operations to begin around the same time. India was to secure Pakistani territory up to Ichhogil Canal, which in this area was about 4 km from the Indian border, destroy the bridge over Ichhogil Canal over road at Khem Karan-Kasur, and to occupy a defensive sector to contain a possible Pakistani offensive. This was accomplished to some extent in the early days of September, 1965. Pakistan's 1st Armored Division was the best equipped division and far superior to any armor formation the Indians had. Armed with over 200 M-48 tanks. The Pakistanis planned to be "like Rommel" with a daring 100 mile advance!
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Operation Westindien simulates the devastating effects of the German U-boats in the Caribbean from Feb. 16 to March 16. While Operation Paukenschlag (an upcoming ATO game) began along the US East Coast at the same time (equally devastating), a handful of U-boats, Group Neuland, were ordered to deploy in the Caribbean to destroy the Allied oil fields and refineries!
Unknown to most today, in 1942, the oil refineries at Aruba, Curacao, and Trinidad were vital in refining the oil arriving from Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela. Canada heavily relied on this oil, the US and England, also needed this oil for aviation fuel. The handful of U-boats assigned for this mission had been ordered to sink ships and shell oil refineries between Aruba, Lake Maracaibo (with its vast oil fields) and Trinidad. The Allied forces were totally unprepared for this. Using B-18 and A-20 bombers, a few Destroyers, Dutch ASW ships, locating and sinking Group Neuland, proved difficult. The U-boats shelled the refineries and sunk a half million tons.
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The Bridge at Remagen played a critical role in the waning months of WW2 as the American forces fast approached the insurmountable Rhine River. It is a dramatic setting, which was well captured in the movie, The Bridge at Remagen.
With the German army is disarray and weakened, the US 9th Armored Division was ordered to probe in the direction of Remagen, the site of the Ludendorff Bridge. As the unit did so, it met with very light resistance. As it continued, much to American surprise, the bridge had yet to be demolished!
Operation Loralie, the codeword to destroy this key crossing and been fumbled. Fumbled badly by the Germans. Confusion reigned on the German side and the Americans seized the bridge. Now what? That was the question both foes were asking.
Thus, the bitter battle began. Germany’s “wonder weapons” were all directed at the bridge, from V-2 Rockets (which came close), jet bombers, massive Jagdtiger, Jagdpanther, Tiger II tanks and even SS Frogmen, all took their turn at sending the bridge to the bottom of the Rhine. The 9th, 11th and Lehr Panzer Divisions attempted to destroy the American bridgehead but were low of fuel. Luck was on the US side and could have changed in an instant. This is captured very well in the game.
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On October 14, 1920 at 0430, the last White offensive of the Russian Civil War erupted. It was extraordinary for it was only the second time Mk V, Whippets and FT-17 tanks would mass and attack with air support (the first time was in 1919 near Kharkov). It was a precursor to the more famous Kursk battle of WW2 but on a much smaller scale. General Wrangel put blind faith in his armor troops. They were well trained by the British and by allowed his army to bust out of the Crimea in June. The small town of Kakhovka (also spelled Kahovka)on the Dnepr River was tactically nil in value, however, the Reds occupied it and after two White attacks to oust them in September had failed, Wrangel wanted a showdown. His army was outnumbered by at least 2 to 1 in all aspects, yet, he felt confident his tanks with DH9A bombers in support could shatter the Red defenses. The Reds had developed a set piece battle: three trench lines in depth, mines, barb wire, antitank units made up of Mk V and FT-17, artillery in direct fire mode, and a small number of the American made Maklen 37mm AA guns. The Maklen could easily pierce any armor at long ranges. The mass of tanks on the horizon appeared daunting to the Red soldiers in their trenches, which had no antitank capabilities to defend with. Would they flee as they had in the past? The next six hours would decide the fate of the RCW!
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By 1938, the Second Sino-Japanese war was not going well for the Chinese. Since July 7, 1937, the Japanese conquered huge swathes of Northern and Eastern China and were steadily pushing deeper into China. With the conquest of Shanghai, Beijing, and Nanjing in 1937, Jiang Jie Shi (Chang Kai Shek) had moved his headquarters to Wu Han. The Japanese seeing an opportunity struck to capture the impor-tant rail junction of Xuzhou endangering Wu Han and forcing a Chinese capitulation. On January 26, 1938, the Japanese launched their offensive towards Xuzhou and by the evening of March 24, 1938, the Japanese 10th division (with around 25,000 men and around 100 tanks and armored cars) had reached the Taierzhuang area. The stage was set what ended up being a massive battle for a small stoned town, which would exchange hands many times. It was the Samurai Stalingrad! Designed by Terence Co. Graphics\Development by Perry Moore.
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It was the grand finale, at least for Denikin as his White Army attempted to fall back and evacuate at Novorissk, March 1920. The British had finally felt compelled to overtly show their support as the Red Bolsheviks tried to cut them off. The British landed an infantry battalion to thwart the enemy, while British battleships, aircraft carriers, tanks tried to pause the Red steamroller that seemed to be everywhere. Failing to evacuate would, in effect, end the Russian Civil War. A successful evacuation would allow Wrangel to continue on until November. Outnumbered by 2 to 1, the White and British forces carefully fell back. One bad step might allow the Reds to cut them off into one large pocket. It was a near thing. More >> |
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The burden fell upon the 76th Panzer Corps now armed with some of Germany’s most advanced tanks: Tigers, Brummbar, Elephants, Na-shorns, and Panther. Fischfang (Fish Trap) depicts the German operation starting on February 16th, 1944 to destroy the Allied invasion landing at Anzio. Of all the operations to smash the Allies back into the sea (10 miles away), Fischfang was the most destructive and determined. To the Gods above, the opposing foes cancelled each other out. The Germans had their strength in armor and numbers, while the Americans had determination and overwhelming airpower and artillery! To add more suspense into the fray, the Gods tossed in the great equalizer in battles-weather. Rain and sun caused havoc for both sides in different ways, it smiled on both sides at different times. Thus, Fischfang deteriorated into a powerful WW1-like slugfest with massive losses for all parties. Luck was on the American side and reluctance played havoc on the German. After four horrendous days, the Germans had reached the Flyover, several miles from where they had started-exhausted-but unknowing to them, the Americans were at their end also. Then, it stopped. Fischfang was over. It was a near thing. Who knows how it would've played out had the Germans continued to push even another 12 hrs or had sent in the 26th Panzer Division days earlier. More >> |
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It was barbaric. The thought that "German" tribes would dare to impede mighty Rome's advance into modern day Germany! It was and remains the classic example of David vs. Goliath, of deception and ruse from Rome's own favorite son, the 27 year old German born Arminius. Arminius would be the ultimate traitor and led the unsuspecting Roman army (20,000 men)to a wicked narrow. On one side, an impassable moor. On the other, a heavily wooded hill. Along the only path through the narrows, there was the hidden 5-7 ft wall. Behind this wall and camouflaged in the moor, some 15,000 Germans waited. Waited for Arminius' order. Waves and waves of frenzied German men attacked the totally unsuspecting Roman legions who thought they were moving through "friendly" territory. They were butchered. Slaughtered. Decapitated. Massacred. Only a handful would escape. Rome would be in shock for years. Germany would never be Rome's! More >> |
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The Koltov Corridor simulates yet another disaster for the German Army in 1944. This time, in July, from the 13th to 23rd, the German front at the Koltov area shattered from the weight of the Russian 3rd and 4th Tank armies breaking through a narrow 3-4 km gap in the German lines. As the 8th and 1st Panzer Divisions counterattacked, Russian aircraft filled the skies and wrecked carnage upon the 8th Panzer. The division was rendered null and void! Further north, a large German pocket had been created, which attempted to breakout. This scenario had already happened many times before and it played out once again with no less desperateness from each side. As German forces were tossed into the relief effort, tossed into the Russian meatgrinder that smashed the skulls of men, the front shattered like glass. Pieces of metal and flesh became a stench no survivor would ever forget. It was a morbid smell. The Germans tossed in their already weak 16th Pz and 20th PG Divisions to stall the devouring enemy. But, they could barely hold their positions and became food as the two massive Russian tank armies streaked for the Vistula River! More >> |
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It was the final curtain of a very long standing war spanning 30 years. Nobody would have ever guessed that it would end at Xuan Loc, let alone with the South Vietnamese 18th Division, known to be an unreliable unit. Yet, it was here at the small town that the division stood and the world watched in amazement the defiant, heroic last stand from April 9 to 21. The NVA really had not planned for such a battle, they too, were surprised for their Spring Offensive was steamrolling everywhere and now focusing on Saigon with huge forces. For the NVA 4th Corps with three divisions, they had been meeting little resistance as they traveled down Highway 1 and Highway 20. The ARVN 18th had already repulsed the NVA in mid-March but now had fallen back into their final defensive positions in and around Xuan Loc. Then the miracle began.
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Designed by Perry Moore, developed in part with Paul Rohrbaugh and Dennis Bishop, this is the most detailed look at the events surrounding the Warsaw Uprising and Panzer battles (which were critical and heavily influenced Warsaw) from August to mid-September, 1944. It is all here. Two maps. One of Warsaw (with sewer lines!) and one with the flat terrain east of the city. Both maps have a different scale. The Battle for Warsaw and its environs was pivotal for both sides. The Uprising's success all depended upon what happened with the tank battles east of the city as the Russian 2nd Tank Army raced towards their objectives. Meanwhile, German SS and Panzer Divisions were reeling back to these same objectives, Prada (the east bank of Warsaw). The two tank armadas clashed in a desperate battle resulting in the destruction of the Russian 3rd Tank Corps. The Uprising caused a severe drain on the German resources as it forced them to fight two separate types of battles: a grinding urban brawl and a swirling, chaotic panzer battle with weak Panzer Divisions, all as they tried to fall back to safer positions! While detailed, the game can be completed in three hours or less. More >> |
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Crazy Horse, Black Shield, White Cloud covers the first disaster that befell upon the U.S. Cavalry when attempting to coerce the Indian tribes along the Bozeman Trail. While accounts vary to some degree, the bottom line was that the US forces located at Ft. Kearney were lured out of their secure positions. To do this, the Indians under Red Cloud, first attacked the wood train that had been sent out to gather firewood (it was December, snow and freezing temperatures) which came under attack. A relief force under Lt. Col. Fetterman, consisting of 80 men, was sent out to rescue. Almost immediately after their departure from the fort, a small group of Indians appeared, took a few shots, and fled across the hills. Fetterman, an avid Indian hater, took the bait. His cavalry gave chase and attempted to cut off the fleeing redskins. Fetterman and the cavalry continued across the Peno Creek and onto Massacre Hill. By now, it was Noon. It was now that 1000 warriors appeared from seemingly nowhere. The cavalry armed with Spencer repeaters, blasted at astonishing rates of fire from as far as 400 yards.
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i cobre o horror e carnificina da famosa ofensiva de Kursk. Uma pequena e insignificate estação de trem em Ponyri, tornou-se o ponto focal de ambos os lados. Os Alemães tinha penetrado a primeira linha defensiva e estavam agora frente a segunda linha em Ponyri. Com ordens de ficar e lutar, barrando qualquer avanço Alemão e sem pensar em recuo, estava a 307a. Divisão Russa, com apoio de uma divisão de artilharia completa e numerosas brigadas de tanques. Todo este poderio estava ali entrincheirado, esperando o inimigo. Os Alemães atacaram as linhas utilizando-se da 18a. Panzer mais duas divisões de infantaria, apoiadas pelos novos blindados Elefante e Brummbar e uma brigada completa de canhões de assalto.
O que se sucedeu foi nada mais que uma carnificina e um massacre de homens e blindados, lutando por uma pequena estação de trens e seus arredores durante três dias. O progresso Alemão realizado podia ser medido em metros, confrontado pelos Russos. Os Alemães começaram a sentir que as coisas estavam mudando em toda a Batalha de Kursk, jogaram as suas reservas, representada pela 10 Divisão dos PanzerGrenadier, perto de uma brecha da retaguarda Russa, que através dela poderia alcançar a terceira linha de defesa. Os Russos em contra-partida jogaram suas reservas blindadas, incluÃÂÂÂndo seus "devoradores de feras", na batalha. No fim do trceiro dia de luta, 10000 homens tinham perdido a vida, por um pequenino pedaço de terra.
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S & G covers the horror and carnage that the Kursk offensive is so famous for. The small, insignificant railroad station at Ponyri became the focal point of both sides. The Germans had pierced the first line of defense and now were on the second line at Ponyri. Ordered to stand and die-let no German pass-was the Russian 307th Division supported by a full artillery division and numerous tank brigades. All dug in and waiting. The Germans assaulted the lines using the 18th Panzer and two infantry divisions supported by the new Elephant and Brummbar tanks plus a full assault gun brigade. What ensued was none other than slaughter and carnage of men and tanks for the small railroad station and its environs for the next three days. The Germans made progress measured in yards only to be checkmated by the Russians. The Germans, sensing the tide was turning for the whole Kursk Offensive, tossed in their reserves, the 10th PG division, nearly breaking the Russian back, which would have allowed them to reach the third defensive line. However, the Russians tossed in their reserve tank units including their "beast eaters". By the end of the third day, 10,000 men had lost their lives for a very little piece of real estate.
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The 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment was composed mainly of conscript soldiers.
The Viet Cong D445 Local Force Battalion had dominance in this area but the Australians were increasing their activity. Most contacts with the Viet Cong were small squads and so Australian doctrine was to carry light loads and attack aggressively.
The local Viet Cong commander, Colonel Nguyen Than Hong, aimed to make a large attack on 6th Bn causing a politically unacceptable loss, hoping to cause its withdrawal. The Viet Cong 275 Regiment moved south intending to attack. The VC continually formed assault waves and moved forward but were decimated by artillery fire. The soldiers of D Company showed excellent discipline holding their line and repulsing any VC that got through the artillery barrage. D Company were supported by 24 105mm and 155mm guns from Australian, New Zealand artillery units and the US 2/35 Battalion, which fired deeper into VC positions. Over 3,000 rounds of artillery were fired. The Australian A Battery fired rounds every 15 seconds for three hours. The VC were decimated with over 500 killed and 750 wounded.
Australian loses were 18 killed and 24 wounded.
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The German garrison within the city of Breslau defied all odds. After being cut off in mid-February, the garrison held onto the city until AFTER the war had ended!
The task of taking the city had been given to the Russian 6th Army with eight divisions, four armor regiments and two artillery divisions. The task itself was daunting: urban warfare and a very determined defender. Since 6th Army also had to use some of its force to garrison the surrounding suburbs, in reality, the task really fell upon the 74th Corps and 3-4 tank brigades. The 2nd Air Army was to provide ample destructive power.
The German garrison had 50,000 men (30,000 were Volksturm). The main focus of the Russian attacks fell upon the western part of the city to avoid the Oder River, which sliced up the city in many parts. The Russian 6th Army contained 80,000 + men, excluding the tanks regiments and artillery divisions assigned to lay siege to the city. Noted author, Col. David Glantz, provided the Order of Battle.
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EO is a complete naval, ground and air system simulating what might have happened had the invasion of Oahu been carried out immediately after the Pearl harbor raid. The game uses a double blind system for the naval aspects, as the US\Japanese carriers attempt to locate one another and destroy them. Each player is put in their historical counterpart's position just after the PH raid. The game uses two maps, a tactical map showing the island of Oahu for the ground battle, and a operational map for the naval and air operations. Solitaire rules included. This plan to invade Oahu almost happened, afterwards, the Japanese High Command regretted that it had not been done. Game has 280 counters, Operational and Tactical map, rules.
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The Battle for Hue is an area movement game (no hexes) using two 11 x17" maps, 280 counters, rules. Unique in that the game also uses two decks of regular cards (not supplied). These cards are used to activate various units or random events. The game scale is platoons, 2-6 AFVs. Each turn is two days for a total of 10 game turns. AFVs include M-60 tanks, M-109, Ontos, Katyusha, and M-113. Other units include Cobra gunships, airstrikes, naval. This is not your typical Vietnam game--it is a slugfest in an urban area akin to recent battles in Grozny or those in WW2. The US Marines were hard pressed as they tried to regain areas of the city by a very clever enemy-the NVA. The NVA caught the US off guard with this city attack and quickly occupied large areas. When the Marines arrived, it was a very bloody business that played well on American TV during the dinner news hour in their favor. Although the NVA would eventually rout or be destroyed, the US paid a heavy price in terms of losses and political reform-1968 was a presidential election year. The Marines won the battle in Vietnam, but it fueled the anti-war movement, which grew to massive demonstrations thoughout the land.
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The Battle for Leros uses two 11 x17" maps, 280 counters, rules. The focus of the game is the central sector where the paratroops dropped and many of the successful amphibious assaults occurred. Each turn is 8 hrs. Unit scale is platoon, each hex is 100-125 yards. The game is unique for it uses two distinct and different game sequences: an Invasion Sequence, which simulates units landing on shore and a Normal sequence for units already ashore. The game is filled with nuances: the obsolete stuka DB wreaked havoc on the British, the use of colored smoke to ID friend or foe, possible use of AFVs, the impact of naval destroyers, a realistic command and control activation system for the British, leaders, Bf109s and Ju 88s, use of German Brandenburger special forces, the most detailed and realistic paratroop drop method, and waffenbehalters (which are so critical to augment the paratroop combat strength!). The game covers the four day battle from Nov. 12 to 16. Up until the 15th, it was anyone's game! Now it can be yours! $24.00
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BLOODBATH simulates the horrific, turning point, battle in the Greek attack towards Ankara in August, 1921. The Greek Army had been unstoppable up to now and the Turks were reeling back to the last stand defenses in the hills just across the Sakarya River. Their morale had taken a serious blow, so serious, that orders were to shoot any Turk soldier caught fleeing during the battle. The Greeks paused for two weeks before advancing across the river, giving the Turks time to build a two lines of defenses. Greek divisions averaged 10,000 men, while Turk divisions averaged 5000. Both sides were feeling the pinch of supply issues, both quite determined to crush the other. If the Greeks won, Ankara, Turkey's new capitol, would fall and perhaps part of Turkey would become part of Greece. The battle and war all reached this pivotable situation, critcal to both sides. It would be bloody--over 18,000 died on the hills from August 23 to 30. The game comes with one 11x17 inch map, 280 counters and rulebook. More >> |
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BREAKOUT simulates the great combined arms offensive of the Russian Civil War during the Summer of 1920. The game comes with one 11x17 inch map, 280 counters and rulebook. The battle was unique, for General Wrangel combined his airforces (British bombers) and 20+ MkV tanks into one crushing concentrated blow to bust out of the narrow confines of the Crimea. Within days, the White Army that had been defeated six months earlier was once again a major threat to the Reds. The White forces once again seemed to be invincible as their tanks rolled towards Kahovka along the Dneipr River. The Reds were in a state of shock as Polish Armies also threated them! As Wrangel's forces continued to advanced onto the open and vast plains, the size of his small force (25,000-30,000 men) lost its edge as they tried to cover the vast expanses. By mid-June, the Reds had handled the Polish attack and focused their attention on Wrangel, whose forces at taken Melitpol. The Red counterattack using a full cavalry corps ripped through the gaps and forced wrangel's right flank to turn and retreat. Wrangel hardly had any cavalry to halt them rampage--but he did have DH9A bombers. His bombers took off and met the cavalry in one of history's great air to ground attack. More >> |
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HEAVY PANZERS covers the brutal and epic battle at tactical level near Snovo and beyond. The Germans sent in their most powerful armor and even to their own surprise, broke through the first defensive line by 0930. The surrounded Russian regiment fought well and bled for it. The Tigers, Elephants and Brummbars became the King of the battlefield until met by the Russian Beast-eaters. Once the Germans had encircled the Russians in the first defensive line, there was a slight problem: their supporting infantry lagged far to the rear and what infantry had arrived was far too few to destroy the pocket. Immediately ahead was the 2nd Russian defensive line, manned by a Guards infantry division with armor. The first defensive line had crumbled under the classic German pincer movement, but German reserves were not ready to be committed. Nevertheless, piercing the 2nd Defensive belt and reaching the critical hills further south was not the same animal. It was nothing less than a head-on, in your face, battle. After regrouping, the German animals gathered in a armor wedge and began their breakthrough to the other side. More >> |
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“The Germans will have to fight from behind the gates, windows, ruins, day and night. The Germans will have to fight for months on end. If we can get all the arms we need, the enemy will pay with a sea of blood.”
--Mordecai Anielewicz, April 18th, 1943.
Resistance Is Not Futile covers the Insurrection of the Warsaw Ghetto in April 1943. With most of its remaining population already having endured years of privation and growing squalor, mass deportations, and learning that soon the Nazis would be back to send the remainder to Concentration Camps, an insurrection broke out on the eve of Adolf Hitler’s birthday. Local SS commander, Jurgen Stroop, believed the troops he had on-hand would make for a quick end to this impudent act of defiance by the Jews and the Polish Home Army members who choose to rise up against the Third Reich. His underestimation of the Jewish and Polish defenders was a costly mistake, as the fight lasted for weeks and cost the Germans and their fascist allies dearly. More >> |
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After the military failure of the North Vietnamese Tet offensive in January, the NVA conducted their first divisional attack in the Tay Ninh environs during a hot, monsoonal August. It was the last attempt to "spill American blood" in large quantities. Politically, the January attack was a success as the American media heavily reported it. Mili-tarily, it had totally failed in the assigned objectives.
For the August offensive, the NVA concentrated two divisions, the 5th and 9th. The 5th had grown to 15,000 men and elements of the plan called for the capture of American M113 APC's from the 10lh ARVN squadron to infiltrate into the US headquarters for it's destruction. The plan also called for the divisions to be used piecemeal with the objective of killing Americans and occupying Tay Ninh City. Such an event would reap a political bonanza equal to the Tet Offensive. It was thought this would decimate US morale because War Zone C was well occupied by American troops. More important to the NVA plan was the hope that the awesome American airpower would be neutralized by the August monsoons. For the next 11 days, a hectic, fierce battle strung out the Americans and their M-48 tanks. Whent he NVA occupied over five city blocks of Tay Ninh, it was the worst nightmare for the US.
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Nawana was a turning point battle. It was here, a Bolivian Army led by German General Kundt, armed with new weapons (tanks, flame-throwers, fighter-bombers) assaulted the Paraguayan defenses not from Paraguay's capitol. Kundt had been led to believe the defenses were weak, that the tanks would break through and that once Nanawa fell, the road would be open to Paraguay’s capital. This was in fact true, however, that was the only thing which was true. However, the Paraguayan forces had been issued special antitank ammo and built well defended trenches with mines. Their lines were not weak and numerically almost as strong as the Bolivian! The Paraguayans had proved themselves many times during this war as a very dangerous foe even when outnumbered.
After three days of fighting and a combined body count of over 4000 men with little real gain, the Bolivians halted.
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Nawana foi uma batalha que mudou o rumo de uma guerra. Lá estava o exército Boliviano, comandado pelo general Alemão Kundt, equipado armamentos modernos (tanques, lança-chamas, caças-bombardeiros) atacando as defesas Paraguaias formada por tropas não de primeira linha. Isto de fato era verdade, a única verdade desta batalha. A forças Paraguaias estavam armadas com uma munição antitanque especial e bem defendidas por uma linha de trincheiras e minas. As suas linhas não eram fracas e quase tão forte quanto o ataque Boliviano. Os Paraguaios porvaram a si mesmo muitas vezes nesta guerra que eram muito perigosos, mesmo que em quantidade inferior. Depois de 3 dias de batalha e com a perda de 4000 homens, com um pequeno ganho de vantagem, o exército Boliviano foi detido.
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With Baghdad the target and the road network limited, the easiest and most practicable plan was to seize the Iron Bridge over the Euphrates River at Falluja. An elaborate plan was created and carried out without a loss. Iraqi resistance was non-existent. With the town in British hands, the attacking force was dispersed elsewhere. The British did not think the Iraqis would counterattack. On May 22, in the early morning, the Iraqi 6th Briagde\3rd Division (800 men) with CV33 tankettes attacked. Iraqi artillery pulverized the two British companies holding the town in their trenches surrounding it. They were forced to pull back into the town. The three Iraqi battalions with tanks were as good as the British by accounts in combat but for one thing: steady morale.
From 3 a.m. to 10 a.m., the two British companies held but were nearing their end in this urban type combat. Luckily, the Luftwaffe had failed to support this attack (although they did the following day!). At 10 a.m., the tables began to turn when two additional British companies arrived. The battle did not stop but raged onward until the Iraqis gave up at 6 p.m. The road to Baghdad was now open. It had been a near thing!
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Mark Woloshen's epic game covering the Russian Civil War has been teaching history students the nuances of this complicated period. Now, Firefight Games offers it as a wargame. The game is unique for the rules cover everything in simplicity yet making the correct decision makes it tough to master! Political influence and recruiting plays a vital and realistic role, for these decisions will impact military units and their use! Technology (tanks, aircraft) is important but it alone cannot win the game. The beautiful area map conveys at a glance the massive expanses of the war, for each area plays a critical political role. The game is deceptively simple to learn, yet, like Chess, hard to master. More >> |
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