Battle of Dubno – Brody

Force vs. Finesse: Battle of Dubno - Brody

Scenario_Toulon_start_Allies

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

Card Balance:

Allies –

  • 4 cards for each half of the board

Axis –

  • 6 cards for each half of the board

Complexity:

5

Conditions:

Countryside

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)

medal allies

Allied Strategy:

1.  

medal axis

Axis Strategy

1. 

0
BR - Dubno-Brody

Author:

Willem Boersma

Complete Scenario Link:

https://generalhowitzer.com/bsk-pdf-manager/battle-of-dubno-brody/

Wittmann’s Final Battle

Wittmann’s Final Battle

scenario_Wittmann's-Final-Battle

Wittmann’s last ride came on August 8, ’44, when the Canadians kicked off Operation Totalize south of Caen. He rolled out in his Tiger, thinking he’d stop the Allied push cold—but this wasn’t the Eastern Front, and the Allies weren’t amateurs anymore.

Somewhere near Saint-Aignan-de-Cramesnil, his luck ran out. A Sherman Firefly—packing that damn fine 17-pounder—put a round through his armor and ended the fight before it started. Wittmann and his crew never saw it coming.

That day didn’t just take out Germany’s star tank ace—it proved the tide had turned, and our boys could kill Tigers just as fast as they came at us.

~~ General Howitzer

6 VP’s

card

Card Balance:

Allies – 5

Axis – 5

Complexity:

3

Conditions:

Countryside

Context:

Historical

Location:

France

Year:

1944

Theater:

Western

Campaign:

Battle of Normandy

Codename:

Operation Totalizer

Summary:

Objectives:

6 VP’s

Battlefield:

Countryside

Troops:

Allies – 9 Infantry, 4 Armor

Axis – 8 Infantry, 2 Armor, 1 Artillery

 

medal allies

Allied Strategy:

1.  Big Picture Strategy:  You need to move fast during the cover of night.  Every turn there is a possibility of getting a star which will increase daylight and extend the range of the enemy artillery. 

2.  You have four special forces units which can very quickly move in range to attack.  

3.  There are two objective medals in the right flank. You can keep pushing your forces in that direction as you have opportunity.

medal axis

Axis Strategy

1.  Big picture strategy; you will do well to delay and allow the presence of daylight to assist your defensive forces with your artillery.  Do not rush out to attack. Allow several turns to take place so that you get more daylight and thus more range for your artillery.

2.  Wittmann’s battalion is the four-tank unit with the special medal.  It can ignore the first retreat flag, which can assist you in close quarters battles with enemy armor.  

Battle Reports

2
BR - Wittmann

Author:

Days of Wonder

Resource:

BGA

Capture of Parry

Capture of Parry

Parry Island was a textbook assault—our 4th Marines hit the beach with tanks rolling, guns blazing, and the Navy pounding from offshore. The enemy was dug in and ready to die, and they did—every last one of them. In just over a day, we turned their fortress into a smoking ruin. That win locked down Kwajalein and put us one step closer to Japan’s front porch. Fast, brutal, and effective—just the way war ought to be fought.

~~ General Howitzer

6 VP’s

card

Card Balance:

Allies – 6

Axis – 4

Complexity:

3

Conditions:

Beach &  Jungle

Context:

Location:

Marshall Islands

Year:

1944

Theater:

Western

Campaign:

Marshall Islands

Codename:

Operation Flintlock

Summary:

Objectives:

6 VP’s

Battlefield:

Beach.

Troops:

Allies – 9 Infantry, 6 Armor, 1 Artillery

Axis – 9 Infantry, 2 Armor, 1 Artillery

 

medal allies

Allied Strategy:

1.  

medal axis

Axis Strategy

1.

Battle Reports

0
BR - Capture of Parry

Author:

Days of Wonder

Resource:

Campaign Book, Volume 2

The Defense of Wanssum Woods

The Defense of Wanssum Wood

The Defense of Wanssum Woods in 1945 was part of Operation Snowman, a late World War II engagement in the Netherlands. German forces mounted a stubborn defense in the wooded area near Wanssum to delay the Allied advance.

General Howitzer has some thoughts on this battle:
Wanssum Woods was a thick, muddy brawl—Germans dug in deep, using every tree and shadow to stall us. The Brits and Canucks had to fight for every damn yard, ambush after ambush. But they didn’t quit. They rooted the enemy out, inch by inch, and kept the advance rolling into northern Germany. Forest or no forest, when you’re relentless, no defense holds.

6 VP’s

card

Card Balance:

Allies (Great Britain) – 6

Axis – 5

Complexity:

3

Conditions:

Winter Forest

Context:

Location:

Netherlands

Year:

1945

Theater:

Western

Campaign:

Codename:

Summary:

Objectives:

6 VP’s

Battlefield:

Combination of woods and winter.

Troops:

Allies – 13 Infantry

Axis – 9 Infantry

 

medal allies

Allied Strategy:

1.  

medal axis

Axis Strategy

1.

Battle Reports

0
BR - Wanssum Woods

Author:

Days of Wonder

Resource:

Campaign Book, Volume 2

Umurbrogol Pocket

Umurbrogol Pocket

The Battle of the Umurbrogol Pocket in November 1944 was one of the fiercest and most grueling phases of the Battle of Peleliu during World War II. U.S. Marines faced deeply entrenched Japanese defenders in a mountainous, cave-ridden area known as “Bloody Nose Ridge.”

General Howitzer’s summary:

The Umurbrogol Pocket was a nightmare carved into rock—our Marines went up against die-hard defenders holed up in caves. The Japanese were dug in deep, fighting to the last man, and made us pay for every inch in blood. Flamethrowers, grenades, and guts—that’s what it took to root them out. It was slow, savage, and costly, but in the end, we crushed them. That ridge showed just how far the enemy would go—and how much farther we were willing to go to win.

5 VP’s

card

Card Balance:

Allies (US Marines) – 5

Axis – 4

Complexity:

3

Conditions:

Jungle Beach

Context:

Historical

Location:

Marianas & Palau Islands

Year:

1944

Theater:

Pacific

Campaign:

The Battle of Peleliu

Codename:

Operation Stalemate II

Summary:

Objectives:

5 VP’s plus a Last to Occupy Medal Objective

Battlefield:

Combination of hills and hills with caves .

Troops:

Allies – 9 Infantry, 4 Armor, and 2 Artillery

Axis – 8 Infantry

 

medal allies

Allied Strategy:

1.  Use your Artillery and Armor as much as you can to attack the Japanese defenders at a distance.  When they are sufficiently weakened, you can move in your infantry, beginning with your Engineers to finish up the forward units.

2.  The fresh water river is a victory medal which goes to the  Last to Occupy.  Keep some forces on hand to grab it as a final victory point.

medal axis

Axis Strategy

1.  You have a very strong defensive position which allows you to quickly move between caves and hide your weak units when necessary.

2.  Take advantage of your Seishin Kyoiku powers and attack any enemy troops using the Banzai War Cry which come within two hexes of your Infantry.

3.  Guard the fresh water source, and keep the enemy away from it, as they will attempt to grab it on their final move. 

Battle Reports

0
BR - Umurbrogol Pocket

Author:

Days of Wonder

Resource:

Campaign Book, Volume 2

Singapore

Singapore

The Battle of Singapore in February 1942 was the climactic phase of Japan’s “Bicycle Blitzkrieg” during the Mare Shinko Sakusen (Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere offensive). Japanese forces, using speed, surprise, and bicycles to maneuver swiftly through Malaya, overwhelmed British Commonwealth defenses and pushed them back to Singapore.

Despite its strong coastal defenses, Singapore fell after a week of land-based attacks and psychological warfare. General Percival surrendered on February 15, 1942, in one of Britain’s worst military defeats, with over 80,000 Allied troops taken prisoner. The fall of Singapore stunned the Allies and gave Japan control over a key strategic stronghold in Southeast Asia.

General Howitzer sums it up in one sentence:
The Japanese rolled through Malaya on – can you believe it! – bicycles, outmaneuvered the Brits, and took Singapore without breaking stride—proof that arrogance and poor leadership lose wars faster than bullets.

11 VP’s, including at least 5 Medal Objectives for the Axis player.

card

Card Balance:

Allies – 5

Axis – 6

Complexity:

4

Conditions:

Jungle Beach

Context:

Historical

Location:

Singapore

Year:

1942

Theater:

Pacific

Campaign:

Bicycle Blitzkreig

Codename:

Summary:

Objectives:

11 VP’s including Permanent Medal and Temporary Majority Medal Objectives

Battlefield:

Combination of beach assault and jungle terrain and the city of Singapore.

Troops:

Allies – 10 Infantry including Machine Gun, 2 Artillery, a gun boat, and optional British Hawker Hurricanes

Axis – 10 Infantry, 4 Armor, 3 Artillery

 

medal allies

Allied Strategy:

1.  You have a gun boat in the corner right next to the enemy. Use it as many times as you can before they take it out.

2.  You have a couple of Artillery. Use them well, but note that the unit at Changi only has enough ammo for three hits. 

3. You have many Permanent Medal Objectives to guard, so in most cases you will need to keep your forces in a defensive position.

4.  Air rules are optional. It is important for British defenses to make use of them as you have two Hawker Hurricanes at your disposal.

medal axis

Axis Strategy

1.  You have many forces which can be brought to bear but you will need to use your landing craft to get them ashore. 

2.  You need to take out the enemy gun boat in the corner of your right flank ASAP. That will only take one Grenade. 

3.  Once you have dealt with immediate threats near the beach, you can take some time to repair the causeway, which will take two Stars.  Then you can advance your three Armor units into battle.

4.  Your right flank is your strongest. Once you get your forces ashore with the landing craft, you can advance against Tengah and capture your first Medal Objective. Then you can continue deep into enemy territory.

Battle Reports

0
BR - Singapore

Author:

Days of Wonder

Resource:

Campaign Book, Volume 2