Iron Cross Rules - 1944 Russian Front Game

Monday was a public holiday so we fired up the BBQ and after that hit the gaming table with the Iron Cross rule book in hand, George and I played the Breakthrough Scenario using an an Eastern Front late war setting. Soviets vs Germans. During the night we had to refer to the rules quite regularly initially but were going gang busters by the last turn!

Forces

Soviets Attacking

1 x Infantry HQ
2 x T34 76
1 x T 70

6 x Infantry Platoons

2 x Mortar Units

Germans Defending

1 x Infantry HQ

1 x Stug III G

2 x PAK 

4 x Infantry Platoons with Panzerfausts

1 x HMG Unit

The AAR

The Soviets selected to have a pre attack barrage as per the special rules which inflicted a grand total of 1 hit on the Germans, not a good start. They then advanced on their left with the Mortars and their T70 anchoring their centre. The Germans rapidly redeployed to the cover the Soviet advance, which included limbering up a PAK 38 and moving their Stug. over the next few turns the Soviets Mortars slowly wore down the German foot units while the STUG III successfully took on all three Soviet vehicles, one T 34 was destroyed and the other two were hit repeatedly, the Stug itself was pretty impervious to the Soviet AT fire but still morale hits were taken and precious Commands were required to keep it in fighting condition! On the last turn (seven, there was an extra turn option that came to nothing) the Germans were close to breaking due to losses but the Soviets had been prevented from fulfilling the breakthrough conditions...a draw really!

Some Pictures

German PAK and HMG Crewmen await the Soviet advance.

While the Soviet Mortars played hell with the German foot troops the Stug III in true fire-brigade tradition rushed to and fro duelling it out with the Soviets...here a T 34 brews up!

Later in the game the Stug III stalled the Soviet armour well away from their objective.

The German HQ and Mortar Unit, neither did much during the game!

The Soviet Mortars on the other hand were deadly knock out both PAKs, the German HMG Unit and some Infantry! They took a few hits from the Fascist's Spandaus before silencing them.

These Mortars decimated the Germans holding the centre of the line but the Fascists help out long enough to delay the Soviets advance, there'd be no breakthrough today!, here are their target

Soviet infantry keep their heads down in a village while the armour fights it out!

A great little action was fought on the night and we finished with plenty of time for coffee and Wagon Wheel biscuits. We played by the rule book no home rules were used! Still even though Iron Cross is advertised as a set of cut down rules they are a little bit to cut down! I've made a list of what we need to addressed before our next game and with the help of some Queensland gamers version of the rules and our own thoughts we'll be set for a fuller experience next time!