A Memoir 44 Strategy & Tactics Community
6 VP’s
Card Balance:
Allies (Soviet Union) – 6
Axis (Germany) – 4
Complexity:
2
Conditions:
Countryside
Context:
Historical
Location:
Crimea
Year:
1941
Theater:
Eastern
Campaign:
Codename:
Summary:
Objectives:
6 VP’s
Battlefield:
Open countryside with trees
Troops:
Allies –
Axis –
Special Rules:
Allied Strategy:
Axis Strategy:
Author:
Link:
Listen up—this is how wars are won.
In March of ’41, a hard-fighting outfit from the Belgian Congo—the 11th Battalion of the Force Publique—marched into Abyssinia to take the fight straight to the Italians. No hesitation, no excuses. They clawed their way up the brutal high ground of Mount Kirin, took their hits in ambushes near Asosa and Megale, and kept moving. That’s what real soldiers do—they advance under fire and don’t look back.
Then came the punch. On March 11th, they struck Asosa fast and hard. The Italians weren’t ready—caught off guard, unsure of what they were facing, and too slow to react. Their resistance crumbled, and they ran for Addis Ababa. That’s the power of speed, aggression, and surprise. You don’t give the enemy time to think—you hit him so hard he breaks.
That victory wasn’t just a win—it was a statement. The Force Publique proved they could take the offensive, seize ground, and drive the enemy out. The lesson is simple: take the high ground, keep moving, and when the moment comes—attack with everything you’ve got.
~~ General Howitzer
6 VP’s
Card Balance:
Allies – 6
Axis – 5
Complexity:
2
Conditions:
Desert
Context:
Historical
Location:
North Africa
Year:
1941
Theater:
Mediterranean
Campaign:
Codename:
Summary:
Objectives:
6 VP’s, plus an Allied Temporary Medal Objective for capturing the Hospital
Battlefield:
BThis is a desert combat field with little room to hide, so the goal is to hit hard and fast.
Troops:
Allies – 9 Infantry
Axis – 6 Infantry
Allied Strategy:
Axis Strategy:
Author: Jdrommel
Link:
The Battle of Dubno–Brody (June 23–30, 1941) was one of the largest tank battles of World War II, fought during the opening phase of Operation Barbarossa between Germany’s Army Group South and the Soviet Southwestern Front.
Results:
German Panzer forces decisively defeated the numerically superior Soviet armored units, destroying or capturing thousands of tanks.
Soviet forces suffered catastrophic losses and were forced into retreat.
Strategy:
The Germans used fast, coordinated Panzer thrusts and encirclement tactics to neutralize Soviet armor.
Soviet forces, hampered by poor coordination, mechanical breakdowns, and weak communications, failed to execute an effective counteroffensive.
General Howitzer summarizes its impact:
That win at Dubno–Brody blew the road wide open for the Germans into Ukraine and straight toward Kiev. It showed the Soviets their armor doctrine was a mess, and they paid for it in steel and blood. But they’re stubborn—those losses lit a fire under them, and the lessons they learned there would come back to bite the Germans hard later in the war.
24 VP’s (!)
[ This is a ‘break-lord’ scenario ]
Card Balance:
Allies –
Axis –
Complexity:
5
Conditions:
Countryside
Context:
Historical
Location:
Russia
Year:
1941
Theater:
Eastern Front
Campaign:
Codename:
Operation Barbarossa
Summary:
Objectives:
24 VP’s, plus many other conditions. Read the PDF special rules.
Terrain:
Countryside with rivers and roads
Troops: (check the PDF for specific the specific troop deployments)
Allied Strategy:
1.
Axis Strategy
1.
Author:
Willem Boersma
Complete Scenario Link:
https://generalhowitzer.com/bsk-pdf-manager/battle-of-dubno-brody/
“Listen up, men! In November ‘41, the British Eighth Army—under the command of General Auchinleck—thundered across the sands of the Marmaric Desert like a damn hurricane, aimed straight at those Italian-German armored divisions. Cunningham’s boys rolled out with 700 tanks, ready to grind the Germans and their Italian buddies into the dirt and lift the siege at Tobruk.
For three weeks, it was a seesaw slugfest around Sidi Rezegh, with that garrison at Tobruk busting out to join the main show. The German Panzergruppe fought like devils, but they were no match for the sheer weight of British armor and artillery.
Rommel might have been a cagey fox, but even he had to admit defeat when he saw the Eight Army rolling over his battered panzers. He ordered the survivors to pull back to Gazala, leaving Tobruk free and the British in charge of the field. That’s what happens when you bring overwhelming firepower to a knife fight, boys—you don’t just win, you drive the enemy clean out of the desert!”
~~ General Howitzer
12 VP’s
Card Balance:
Allies – 6
Axis – 6
Complexity:
4
Conditions:
Desert
Context:
Historical
Location:
Libya
Year:
1941
Theater:
Mediterranean
Campaign:
Tobruk Breakout
Codename:
Operation Crusader
Summary:
Objectives:
12 VP’s, plus a Territorial Objective Medal for the Axis.
Battlefield:
Desert with a ridge of hills in the center of the battlefield.
Troops:
Allies – 10 Infantry, 8 Armor, 3 Artillery (Big Guns and Mobile)
Axis – 10 Infantry, 5 Armor, 3 Artillery (including a Flak88 and a Big Gun)
Special Rules:
1. The German Medal in the Campaign Headquarters on the Allied baseline [F1] is a Permanent Medal Objective for the Axis player.
2. Oasis Recovery rules are in effect at Bir el Chleta, Bir el Gobi and Gabr Saleh, and each sides HQ tent.
3. The Allied player lays out the minefields around Tobruk and the Axis player everywhere else.
4. The Axis Artillery at L3 is a Flak 88, and hits at 2,2,2,2. It must have line of site, and can ignore terrain protections.
1. Make use of your Tobruk forces and especially the Artillery as much as possible.
2. You have a massive force gathered together in the center section. You will need to peel off a few to deal with the isolated Axis forces at hex 6 and 7 on your right section, and the rest towards the Axis forces on the other side.
Overall Strategy
1. Both sides have to make immediate decisions on overall strategy. Do the Allies move straight for Tobrouk, or the Axis main force, or do they clean up the battlefield from A to M as they go? [~Admiral Frigate]
2. There are four Oasis hexes; two primarily in Allied territory and two mainly in the Axis territory. This is a long scenario, so take the opportunity to restore your units back to strength.
3. ADVICE FROM JDROMMEL, THE CREATOR OF THIS SCENARIO:
1. If you can surround and wipe out the forces at Tobrouk quickly, then your forces can swing around and assist your brothers at arms further north.
2. Your Big Gun at I15 is in range to attack the units in Tobruk. Once you get one hit, your permanent targeting reticule will give you one extra dice roll for that hex. Through the course of a long game, you can earn one or two medals this way if you faithfully fire it at every opportunity given.
3. You have a Mobile Artillery, keep moving it forward at every opportunity. You can make for the hills to your right. It will serve you well against the mass of Allied forces headed your way.
Battle Reports
Author: Jdrommel
Link:
Bardia, January 1941—now that was a proper kick in the teeth for the Italians, and the Aussies delivered it with style.
This was the first big ground fight cooked up and led by an Australian outfit—6th Australian Division, under General Mackay—and let me tell you, those boys weren’t there to play games. Their target? Bardia, a heavily fortified Italian stronghold in Libya. Italians thought they were sitting pretty behind wire, guns, and concrete. Big mistake.
The 16th Brigade hit ’em from the west—smart move, weakest spot in the line. The engineers crawled through hell, cut through barbed wire, filled anti-tank ditches, and cleared a path like pros. Then came the punch: Matilda II tanks from the Brits’ 7th Royal Tank Regiment rolled in with the infantry. After that, it was a hammer-and-anvil job—17th and 19th Brigades came crashing in to finish the job.
By the end, Bardia was ours. Thousands of Italians surrendered, and the whole damn front cracked wide open. That victory let the Allies charge deeper into Libya and gave Rommel a reason to pack his bags for North Africa.
The Aussies proved two things at Bardia: one, they could plan and fight like hell; and two, when you combine tanks, grit, and coordination—you win. That’s the kind of war I like: fast, bold, and overwhelming.
~~ General Howitzer
7 VP’s
Card Balance:
Allies – 6 + 2 Combat Cards
Axis – 6 + 2 Combat Cards
(Note that Italian rules call for a loss of one Command Card for every Italian unit/hex lost, until 3 remain.)
Complexity:
2
Conditions:
Desert
Context:
Historical
Location:
Libya
Year:
1943
Theater:
Mediterranean
Campaign:
Western Desert Campaign
Codename:
It was part of Operation Compass
Summary:
Objectives:
7 VP’s, including two building territorial objectives and two hill territorial objectives for the Allies
Battlefield:
Desert terrain with a branching roads running through it, and some dunes.
Troops:
Allies – 8 Infantry, 4 Armor, 2 Artillery
Axis – 10 Infantry, 1 Armor, 2 Artillery
1. Big Picture Strategy: follow the roads that points like an arrow to your targets in the center section, which contains four territorial medals awaiting you at the two towns and two hills.
2. Watch out for your right half of the battlefield which is dominated by the Italian artillery.
1. Big Picture Strategy: stay behind the sandbags! The Italians are in a defensive posture, and tactical wins are not worth the cost to your forces should you venture forth from your sandbags.
2. Be aware that the rules of engagement for the Italian nation is that for every unit/hex which gets destroyed, you lose one command card, down to three cards in your hand. This makes the loss of any unit devastating to your offensive capabilities.
3. You have a strong set of Artillery on the left side of the battlefield. Use them at every opportunity.
Battle Reports
Author:
Days of Wonder
Link:
September 1941—Odessa’s under siege, and the Soviets are getting hammered by Romanian artillery. So what do they do? They go on the offensive—hard.
Captain Koren takes the lead at sea with the 3rd Naval Infantry Regiment, nearly 2,000 marines, while a small team of 23 paratroopers drops inland. The plan? Hit ’em from the front and the rear—paralyze their command, cut their lines, and blow those damned guns to hell.
Night of September 21st, the paratroopers jump near Hill 57.3—not clean, not pretty, but they get the job done. Took out a whole Romanian regimental HQ—with two dozen men. Meanwhile, Koren’s marines land at Grigorevka under a curtain of naval fire from the destroyers Bojkij and Bezuprechnyj, and they take those artillery batteries by storm.
By sunrise, they’re linking up with the 421st Rifle Division, and the Romanians? They’re pulling back—the 13th and 15th Divisions, thrown into reverse. That’s pressure off Odessa, and a big black eye for the Axis.
This wasn’t some massive Soviet steamroller. This was initiative, coordination, and guts. A rare joint strike—air, land, and sea—and it worked. Captain Koren didn’t wait to be hit—he hit first.
That’s how you win a war. Not by sitting in the trenches—but by getting out, striking hard, and making the enemy bleed where they thought they were safe.
~~ General Howitzer
12 VP’s
Card Balance:
Allies – 5
Axis – 4
Complexity:
4.5
Conditions:
Countryside
Context:
Historical
Location:
Ukraine
Year:
1941
Theater:
Eastern
Campaign:
Codename:
Summary:
Objectives:
12 VP’s, plus Objective Medals for Allies for the Romanian HQ, and each Artillery battery destroyed.
Battlefield:
Countrsyide and beach in a deep breakthrough battlemap
Troops:
Allies (Soviet Union) – 14 Infantry, 2 Destroyers!
Axis (Romania ) – 10 Infantry, 3 Artillery
1. Soviets, as Allies, do a six unit paradrop. Drop them where you have the best set of cards to assist your attack.
Also, note that the paratroopers will not battle the first turn they are dropped, so they have to endure one round of enemy fire before they can attack.
2. The Axis outnumber you on your right flank at the start of the game, and the three forward units are in strong defensive positions, which suggests attacking elsewhere.
3. As Allies, you have two Destroyers at the start of the game. Two factors affecting their performance are visibility and location.
Visibility: Because of the night visibility rules, the Axis units may have time to move out of range of the ship guns before daylight arrives.
Location: This concerns the ability to get the Destroyers onto the border line so they have more flexibility on which section cards can activate them.
Once daylight arrives the Destroyers have a range of eight hexes, so their maximum firing range is row ten. Of course, that is their maximum range, but their effective firing range (of 2D attacks), is actually row six.
4. There is a Temporary Medal Objective at the Romanian HQ on row 13. If you keep pushing in that direction to keep pressure on the enemy, it should afford you some success.
5. Each of the enemy Artillery is worth two! victory points, so target them when you can.
6. Because the enemy has three very powerfully placed artillery, and you have a lot of artillery, your plan will have to be to so overwhelm the artillery that you are able to take them out with your superior numbers before they take you out with with their superior firepower.
7. Possible Attack Vector: completely by-pass the territory controlled by the enemy Artillery when you do your para-drop. Aim for the back of the battlefield around the Romanian HQ, and the town of Novi Bilvari. There are plenty of Infantry units to take out, while you wait for daylight to arrive, so that your Destroyers can engage with the Artillery batteries.
Big Picture Strategy:
1. This is a Breakthrough game.
The field of battle is very deep. It is more than likely your troops are not going to be placed where they need to be. Therefore, all the section cards which allow you to attack in one section and then move units anywhere, are your friend. In the beginning of the game it is actually as important to make use of cards that might have limited attack power (like 1 or 2), but allow you to move two units around. This will allow you to get them into play.
2. Nightime attack rules.
The game starts in complete darkness, where you can only attack units that are next to you. We know that daylight is definitely an advantage for the Allies, because once you reach full daylight, the power of the Destroyers begins to be felt, as they can reach out to row 10, and pummel you from above. But what about Nightime settings from 2-5? These are actually better for the Axis, as it allows them to use their Artillery and attack at a distance any of the Allied Infantry coming for them. Because the Allied Infantry can move two hexes and still battle, they can very quickly get to the Artillery an overwhelm them. So allowing some range attacks up to 3 hexes away is good for the Axis Artillery forces. (See pic2 above)
1. Your first defensive objective is to respond to wherever the Allied paratroopers happen to land. Respond immediately with available Infantry and Artillery to address the threat.
2. Bring your reserve units into play as soon as you can by moving the rear units forward on the map.
3. Because each Artillery unit is worth two! Medals, you will need to protect them in some way. Either move them back from the Destroyers’ range, or protect them from Infantry attacks by bringing your own Infantry into play.
4. The enemy forces are elite, so they can move two hexes and still attack. So be aware of this so that a single Infantry unit doesn’t get surrounded and destroyed.
5. It is going to take an average of six turns before the daylight arrives and the Destroyers are fully activated to row 10. This will give you time, if you want to, to move your Artillery further back on the battlefield out of their range.
Battle Reports
Author:
Jdrommel
Link: