My interest in the Russian Naval Infantry of WW2 was sparked when reading accounts of the fighting at Stalingrad and in the Crimea. Sometime later I purchased and painted a Russian Naval Infantry Battalion to use for Crossfire. My challenge now is scenarios where I can use them.
Eastern Front
During World War II the Axis powers tried and failed to defeat the Soviet Union. The Germans called this theatre the “Eastern Front Campaign” or “Russian Front Campaign” but to the Soviet citizens it was the “Great Patriotic War”. The battles on the Eastern Front constituted the largest military confrontation in history. Fighting in this theatre was characterised by unprecedented ferocity, wholesale destruction, mass deportations, and immense loss of life variously due to combat, starvation, exposure, disease, and massacres. Fighting lasted from the Axis invasion of the USSR (22 June 1941) to until the Soviet capture of Berlin (9 May 1945).
Bidermann – In Deadly Combat
Gottlob Bidermann (2000) was a German officer fighting with the 132nd Infantry Division on the Eastern Front of World War II. Formed in September 1940 the Division fought during the brief Balkan campaign of April-May 1941, but Bidermann’s account takes up when the Germans crossed the Russian frontier on 30 June 1941. Bidermann fought during Operation Barbarosa, at the siege of Sevastopol in 1942, on the Leningrad Front in 1943, and in the Courland pocket in 1944/45. Up to 1943 he served in the anti-tank company of the 437th Infantry Regiment, but then moved to the infantry.
Mekensievy-Gory – A Crossfire Battle Report
John Mclennan and I tried out my Mekensievy-Gory Scenario. I was the attacking Russians and John the defending Germans. We both had a company of infantry. I had a small pack of supporting light tanks and John had a Panzer III and a couple of 3.7 cm Pak 36 anti-tank guns. (John should have had a Stug D or E, but I don’t have any models so we substituted something that was appropriate for the period.)
Volkhov Bridgehead – A Crossfire Battle Report
Rich Wilcox and I played out my Volkhov Bridgehead / Posicin Navarro scenario the other day. As Rich took some photos, I thought I’d write up a battle report. This is one of my Blue Division scenarios, so features the 250th (Spanish Volunteer) Division on the Eastern Front.
Volkhov Bridgehead – A Crossfire Scenario featuring the Blue Division
A Crossfire scenario with II/269 battalion of the Spanish Blue Division attempting to establish a bridgehead across the Volkhov River and hold it against Soviet counter-attacks. See also my Battle Report.
SU-76i in 1902nd SAP – A Crossfire Scenario
A Crossfire scenario that features a couple of SU-76i for no other reason than I have two of these converted StuGs.
The ‘Old Chapel’ – A Crossfire Scenario featuring the Blue Division
A Crossfire scenario with two companies of the 1/269 battalion (Spanish Blue Division) attacking a Russian battalion at the ‘Old Chapel’ near the Vokhov River. This is an assault where the defender doesn’t really want to defend.
The scenario is draft at the moment.
Kodorov – A Crossfire Scenario
A Crossfire scenario featuring German infantry and anti-tank guns – from the 437th Infantry Regiment, 132nd Infantry Division – defending the village of Kodorov against an infiltrating Russian battalion on 29 Aug 1941. It is based on an incident described in Bidermann. See also my Battle Report.
Kamenets-Podosk – A Crossfire Scenario
A Crossfire scenario based on an incident as Soviet T34/76s approached Kamenets-Podosk on 24 Mar 1944. The tanks were carrying tank riders – men of the 1st Motor Rifle Battalion, 49th Mechanized Brigade, 6th Guards Mechanized Corps, 4th Tank Army. In command of 2nd Platoon, 1st Company was a Junior Lieutenant Evgeni Bessonov – who subsequently wrote a book about his experiences as a tank rider.
Sitno – A Crossfire Scenario featuring the Blue Division
A Crossfire scenario with II/269 battalion of the Spanish Blue Division defending the village of Sitno north of the Volkhov against massed Soviet assaults.
Mekensievy-Gory – Sharp shooting PAKs – A Crossfire Scenario
A Crossfire scenario that has, on 29 Dec 1941, Gottlob Bidermann defending Mekensievy-Gory with his 3.7cm PaK 35/36 and some very understrength infantry from 437th Infantry Regiment, 132nd Infantry Division. They are facing Russian infantry and light armour . It is based on an incident described in Bidermann (2000).