Spearhead – Eastern Front 1944

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played a WW2 game using the Spearhead rules and 3mm (Pico) figures.

The Belostock Offensive was part of the third and final phase of the Belorussian Strategic Offensive of the Red Army in summer 1944, commonly known as Operation Bagration. The Belostock Offensive was part of the third, or ‘pursuit’ phase of Operation Bagration, and was commenced after the completion of the encirclement and destruction of much of Army Group Center in the Minsk Offensive.

The scenario was the counterattack that was launched by the 19th Panzer Division against the Soviet 50th Army on July 23rd, 1944 near Grodno.

Russian artillery deployed. They rarely answered the phone.

Russian infantry reinforcements arrive.

German advance on the center village.

German mechanized infantry sweep around the right.

Massed tank battle when Russian reinforcements enter on the German left flank.

German fire reduces the defenders of the two occupied villages. The village on the left was taken without opposition.

Two Russian brigades (one of T34s, one of SUs) have broken and left the field.

The initial Russian forces were able to deploy in two of the three objective villages. The third village was out of command range. German armor advanced on the German left, expecting the Russian reinforcements on that flank, while infantry attacked the center village and mechanized infantry advanced unopposed on the right. After about 4.5 hours of play, the Russians still had toeholds in the two occupied villages, but no reasonable hope of keeping them or retaking them when lost.