Bucha, Ukraine - 27 Feb 2022 - 15mm
Stalingrad Playtesting Continues
Just a few more screen shots of ongoing playtesting, scenario revision, and more playtesting grinding away at the ongoing Stalingrad Campaign Project for Valor & Victory.
The map and opening set up for Scenario 04, Mamayev Kurgan. This is a small hill overlooking the center of Stalingrad, that actually dominates the otherwise flat surrounding elevations (where the massive "The Motherland Calls" memorial statue currently stands). This map shows the southeastern slopes of the hill, where repeated attacks and counterattacks on both sides came so frequently in late September 1942 that soon they were more or less colliding into each other head-on.
When one of the playtest games is almost over, we finally see a Soviet SNIPER appear on the table. Snipers appear somewhat randomly in Valor & Victory (they are rarely under the command of the the company-level commanders on the field), and only if they included as a POSSIBILITY in your force pool. This is the first time we're including them in our campaign, and only for the Soviets. The reason is simple. This is the 1047th Rifle Regiment of the 284th "Tomsk" Siberian Rifle Division on their first day in the battle, the original regiment of the historical Senior Sgt. Vasily Zaitsev. He "personally" makes an appearance here long enough to eliminate a German mortar team before he is driven off the field (possibly wounded)..
Scenario 07: showing part of the massive Dzerzhinksy Tractor Factory, definitely one of the most blood-soaked battle sites in Stalingrad (itself arguably the worst battle in all of World War II). Note the map (a detail only) can only show part of the factory, the whole complex would never fit "true-scale" on this map. Also notice the building is drawn with partially-destroyed "tunnels" dug through it, allowing tanks to enter the building (otherwise illegal in Valor & Victory). With 14th Panzer Division and 84th Tank Brigade among the forces that locked horns in this death-factory, it's conceivable you will have INDOORS tank-on-tank duels in this gargantual structure, as some accounts claim did indeed happen.
The German assualt begins. Off-board artillery knocks out one of the M1910 Maxim positions while tanks lead the way into the factory, with German infantry and "sturmpioniere" assault engineers make their first deadly rush.
Your eyes do not deceive you, the Soviets have flamethrowers in this scenario, confirmed by the historical presense of 100th and 104th Separate Flamethrower Companies in the defense of Dzerzhinsky Tractor Factory.
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