Political tensions had been mounting for months. The combined effects of glasnost (political openness), perestroika (economic restructuring), and uskoreniye (speed-up of economic development) were breaking the strangle hold of the powerful conservatives in the communist party. The news that Gorbachev had been deposed was overwhelmed by the tide of violence that swept towards West Germany.

The orders to deploy to our prepared positions came from I Belgian Corps at 4am. This time accompanied with the chilling phrase, “This is NOT, repeat NOT, an exercise”. As 17^th Belgian Armoured Brigade moved east from Siegen reports started to come in from 1^st and 2^nd Jaagers te Paard (reconnaissance battalions). Both were fighting hard and dying to buy us time.

Schwalmstadt:

As we approached our initial positions the survivors of 1^st and 2^nd Jaagers te Paard withdrew through 2^nd Cyclists (Mechanised battalion). The Soviets were almost upon us. 2^nd Cyclists deployed defensively on the left in a line of woods to halt the Soviet pursuit of the Jaagers. 1^st Cyclists (Mechanised battalion) and 1^st Guides (Armoured battalion) attempted to launch an envelopment on the right while 2^nd Guides (Armoured battalion) waited in reserve in the centre.

As the right flank stagnated on the left the Soviets launched an attack on the right of 2nd Cyclists position. They were met by concentrated fire from both the AIFVs and Leopards and a limited counter-attack by the left company of 2nd Cyclists. This discouraged any further action on this flank.  Both forces withdrew slightly to re-group.

This game was an Advance to Contact Scenario against Andrew Taylor. The Belgians had one battalion on table, 2^nd Cyclists. I held the two objectives on my side of the table for 4 VPs. Andrew held the three objectives on his side of the table and had broken 1^st Cyclists for 8VPs.

Willinghausen:

As 17^th Belgian Armoured Brigade regrouped orders arrived to moved south to support III West German Corps that was suffering major blows. As we moved cautiously south we met a re-enforced Soviet BTR regiment. 2^nd Cyclists moved up on the left and secured the village of Wasenberg. 

1st Cyclists pushed forward onto a wooded ridge south of Willinghausen. 1st Guides was ordered to advance around the southern edge of this ridge, through the wood beyond it and to capture the bridge over the stream. 2nd Guides was ordered to make an outflanking move and capture Merzhausen east of the ridge. As the two Motor Rifle battalions attacked the ridge 2nd Guides arrived and inflicted heavy casualties on the right most Soviet battalion from behind.

As this battalion scattered to find cover two air strikes and two flights of Hind attack helicopters were called in. It was 2nd Guides turn to seek cover! Night was drawing in and both sides need to reorganise, rearm and refuel.

This game was a Mutual Encounter and again I had ended up with only two objectives on my side of the table. Keith had captured the three objectives on his side of the table for 6 VPs but I contested the right most village with a company of 2^nd Guides and Keith had taken an option A for 4 VPs. I controlled the two objectives on my side but the ridge was contested for 3 VPs.

Oberaula:

We spent the majority of the day reorganising, rearming and refuelling. Late in the afternoon a call from help from 2^nd West German PanzerGrenadier Divison was passed via I Belgian Corps. A gap had opened in their line and enemy follow-on forces were pushing west. Our mission was to push further south and slow the advance of these forces so that the West Germans could stabilise their defence.

The situation was confused and the exact location of the enemy was unknown. Intelligence indicated that these were second or third line forces. We advanced on a broad front to ensure that we made contact.

2nd Cyclists on the left, then 1st Guides, then 1st Cyclists and 2nd Guides on the right. 2nd Cyclists made contact with a large Motor rifle battalion supported by tanks near the Kuhrhessischer  Golf culb. This battalion was rapidly re-enforced by a tank battalion and another large Motor rifle battalion supported by tanks. 1st Guides moved onto the hill to the right of the golf course to support 2nd Cyclists but was soon confronted with a tank and a motor rifle battalion!

Both battalions came under heavy sustained fire including rocket launchers.

We had stumbled across what appeared to be a Czech Motor Rifle Regiment AND a Czech Tank REGIMENT supported by most of their division’s artillery! 1^st Cyclists managed to occupy a village on the right in line with the hill occupied by 1^st Guides. Advancing any further faced with a large well supported Motor Rifle Battalion and a Tank Battalion was impossible. 2^nd Guides on the far right was trying to find a crossing point over the stream and then manoeuvre through unfamiliar lanes to launch a flank attack on the large Czech force. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately for the out numbered 2^nd Guides, darkness fell as they reached the area.

This game was an Advance to Contact, the Czechs had one battalion on table. Luke Ueda-Sarson used this battalion to grab one of the three objectives on my side of the table before I could reach it due to the golf course (wood). I held the two other objectives on my side for 4 VPs. Luke held three objectives for 6 VPs.

Wasenberg:

We withdrew somewhat to the northwest during the night and then resumed the southward push in the early morning. As we approached Wasenberg we were warned of the approach of an East German Motor Rifle Regiment. 2^nd Cyclists deployed on the right defending two woods covering Wasenberg. 1^st Cyclists advanced up the far left aiming to attack a village southeast of Wasenberg from the flank. 1^st Guides advanced through a village east of Wasenberg and aimed to attack the same village frontally. 2^nd Guides remained in reserve between 1^st Guides and 2^nd Cyclists.

The East Germans rapidly occupied three villages south of Wasenberg including the objective of 1^st Cyclists and 1^st Guides. They then pressed on to the north. One Motor rifle battalion, re-enforced with tanks, headed for the village that 1^st Guides had captured. Two Motor rifle battalions, re-enforced with tanks, headed for Wasenberg. One from the south and the other from the southwest.

As 1st Cyclists and 1st Guides approached a line of fields and woods half way between the two villages, on the left, an East German Tank battalion from another regiment appeared from the east. The East German Motor rifle battalion on that flank had been delayed by woods, leaving the tanks to face two Belgian battalions.  For a change the Leopards were superior to the enemy armour and were able to quickly overwhelm the battalion.

The delayed Motor rifle battalion now faced two Belgian battalions, one moving around it’s right flank. It fought bravely but broke as casualties steadily mounted. 1^st Cyclists and 1^st Guides moved on to capture their objective.

On the right the Belgians had fewer resources. 2^nd Cyclists had detached a company of AIFVs to 1^st Guides and received 2 platoons of Leopards in exchange. This effectively left the battalion with two re-enforced companies. One was deployed in each wood with Battalion HQ and some attached M167s defending Wasenberg. In the centre as East German Motor rifle battalion had advanced to capture a village south of Wasenberg and deployed defensively. This pinned one of the two available companies. The other company was faced with an assaulting Motor rifle battalion supported by a company of tanks. Out numbered 5 to 1 they called for help and prepared to go down fighting.

Repeated close assaults supported by accurate tank fire destroyed three of the four platoons of this company. They had inflicted significant casualties on the East Germans and they had bought enough time for 2^nd Guides to reach the wood from their reserve position. After some intense close fighting the East Germans broke.

This game was an Advance to Contact, the Belgians had one battalion on table. Peter Page used his used alternate (East German) army. I was lucky that his flank march arrived on time and therefore in front of my battalions rather than “late” as Peter had allowed for. Peter wanted to break off his battalion attacking my right to avoid my reserve. Unluckily he had killed all the stands he could see of the battalion that had caused casualties on him and so could not break off. Once my reserve had inflicted casualties it was too late to break off.

I held the two objectives on my side of the table and one on the left on his side for 6 VPs, I had also broken three battalions for another 6 VPs. Peter held two of the three objectives on his side of the table for 4 VPs.

My Belgians had spent two days and four games basically attacking. I hadn’t had a chance to use my defend list at all. Given that the real strength of the Belgians was the Milan of the AIFVs this had made all four games very challenging but also a lot of fun. I didn’t know it yet but day three was to be another day of attacking, with Soviets for a change.

Hasselhorst:

Most players had a secondary force so we could avoid blue on blue or red on red games. Gerard Dale’s primary force was British, we diced off and he decided to use his British. I got to use my Soviet list for the first time ever.

The 23^rd Motor Rifle Regiment was ordered to drive northwest in the direction of Hasselhorst. The other regiments of the division had already broken through the forward British defences and our role was to drive through their reserve forces. As we were forced more west by the river Hagen we were advised that British infantry were holding a hill and series of large fields on our route, foot infantry?!

3MR Battalion advanced on the right clearing a village and then occupying a ridge near the river Hagen. 1 and 2 MR Battalions, both re-enforced by a company of T-80Us from the Independent Tank Battalion, pushed forward on the left across a stream before turning right and attempting to take the enemy in the flank. The Tank Battalion was in reserve between 2 and 3 MR Battalion.

The initial advance went well with 3 MR Battalion reaching both objectives and deploying defensively on the partly wooded ridge. 1 and 2 MR advanced over the stream and wheeled right unopposed. This was about to change. As they moved towards the stream both battalions came under accurate anti-tank missile fire and heavy artillery fire. Heavy concentrations of divisional artillery dealt with the anti-tank missile positions but there little that could be done about the artillery.

As planned the divisional helicopter squadron arrived ready to take on enemy armour. Unfortunately there was no enemy armour in sight. As the frustrated helicopter crews flew over the enemy infantry they suddenly came under fire from enemy anti-aircraft missiles, finally a target they could engage effectively! 

As 1 and 2 MR Battalions approached the stream the enemy launched an armoured counter attack and suddenly the Hinds had a target rich environment. They managed to inflict some casualties before the enemy armour managed to take cover in a wood.  As the helicopters withdrew to refuel the surviving enemy armour moved up to the stream and exchanged fire with the tanks supporting 1 MR Battalion. Casualties were mounting on the enemy tanks and they withdrew into the wood.

The Tank Battalion moved up to support 1 and 2 MR Battalions and soon all three battalions were

assaulting the enemy infantry in the complex of fields by the stream. Loses were rapidly mounting on both sides in the intense close quarters fighting but both Motor Rifle battalions fought extremely bravely. Unfortunately they were forced to withdraw before breaking the more numerous enemy infantry.

With three of the regiment’s four battalions forced to withdraw to regroup we adopted a defensive posture. The enemy armour and mechanised infantry advanced around the fields that were littered with our burning vehicles and their dead infantry. They were aiming for the village that 3 MR Battalion had cleared earlier. At the same time the other enemy infantry battalion launched an attack on the ridge held by 3 MR Battalion.

Unable to adequately defend both the village and the ridge 3 MR Battalion decided to secure the village and attempt to break the morale of the surviving armoured and mechanised infantry. One company was left to contest the ridge with the advancing foot infantry. The British moved onto the ride but were unable to push on further as the attack on the village stalled unwilling to risk any more casualties.

The game was a Hasty Attack. Gerard Dale’s 6^th British Air Mobile Brigade defended. I held one objective for 2 VPs. Gerard held four objectives for 8 VPs. He had broken three of my battalions for a further 6 VPs. I contested one objective and he had taken an Option A so ended up with 12 VPs.

Despite the score it had in fact been a very close game. One of Gerard’s infantry battalions was one stand off taking a morale test and the armoured / mechanised battalion was two off. If they had withdrawn or broken I would have captured two more objectives and not had to concede one so it could have been 12 - 2 the other way. A most enjoyable game!

Celle:

Joel McNelly, my next opponent, only had a primary force so my Soviets got to face his American mechanised brigade.

The 24^th Motor Rifle Regiment pushed west, slightly further south than the ill-fated 23^rd. Having driven for two days and nights pausing only to refuel everyone was tired. This perhaps explained the confusion in regimental headquarters when the plan was developed. Reconnaissance indicated that an enemy mechanised battalion was holding Celle and a pair of woods to the north west. Despite this information 2 Motor Rifle Battalion was tasked with capturing Celle. 1 Motor Rifle Battalion was to drive past Celle as 2 MR was assaulting it and capture a ridge beyond it. 3 MR was to capture a small hill north of Celle and then support 2 MR in Celle. The Tank Battalion was sent on a much more northerly route and was to capture two large hills in the enemy’s rear.  

As 2 MR approached the town it came under fire from every conceivable type of American artillery and before it managed to enter the town it was destroyed. 1 MR pushed on as fast as possible hoping to avoid a similar fate. They succeeded in reaching their objective without loss.

As planned the divisional helicopter squadron arrived north of the ridge at the same time. The Americans had launched a counter attack lead by Abrams tanks against 1 MR but the Hinds and the attached T-80Us quickly dealt with this. The survivors of this counter attack hide in a nearby wood but were destroyed by 1 MR as they moved on the capture the hill north of the ridge.

Meanwhile 3 MR was attempting to support 2 MR in its attack on Celle. For reasons still to be investigated there was a serious communication breakdown and 3 MR was never advised of the fate of 2 MR or given new orders. 3 MR therefore gallantly continued to attempt to support 2 MR in its attack on Celle. It managed to engage some American forces in the outskirts of Celle before being driven off by artillery and anti-tank missile fire. Despite this it bravely returned to the attack despite mounting casualties. At the end of the battle orders finally got through to screen Celle from a safe distance.

The Tank Battalion was slightly delayed on it’s northerly route but captured the first hill without opposition. As it approached the second hill it came under fire by the American mechanised battalion in the pair of woods. An attack was quickly mounted and the Divisional Helicopter Squadron returned from refuelling in time to assist in the destruction of this battalion.

The game was a Hasty Attack with the Americans defending. It had been a long 3 days and for some reason I thought that I could take the large town that Joel was holding on my side of the table. I might have stood  a chance of getting into the town if I had screened my attack with smoke but I wasn’t thinking well enough to do that. The one small compensation as I watch a battalion disappear in three moves under a storm of artillery was that it let the other MR battalion rush past the town.

My flank march on the right had taken Joel completely by surprise as well, fortunately it had been delayed long enough for him to have already committed his reserve.

I held four objectives and had broken two American battalions for 12 VPs. Joel held one objective, Celle, and had forced two of my battalions to check morale for 6 VPs. He had taken artillery as option A and I contested his objective so ended on 4 VPs.

Summary:

Overall a hugely enjoyable weekend. I had played six entirely different games, all of them interesting and all were close. My one small regret was that I didn’t get to defend with the Belgians. I ended up fifth out of a very strong field of ten so was fairly happy.

Thanks to all who played in the competition, thanks to Peter Page and Peter Connor for providing the Belgians and Soviets and a special thanks to Keith for organising and umpiring the competition.