Battlegroup: Warsaw 8.09.1939.

Battlegroup with the Blitzkrieg expansion, focusing on the defensive war in Poland in 1939. I have decided to recreate the first German attempt to capture Warsaw on September 8, 1939, when tanks from the 4th Panzer Division attempted to seize the Polish capital with a frontal assault. This initial attempt was unsuccessful, and Warsaw did not surrender until September 28, 1939. What will the outcome be this time?

SCENARIO: Die Hexenkessel, Bartek Żynda
UMPIRING: Bartek Żynda

SCENERY: Bartek Żynda, SESWC

FIGURES & MODELS: Bartek Żynda

1. Forces.

POLES:

(Mike)

Forward Headquarters

Infantry Platoon (Regular)

Heavy Machine Gun

2 x Light Mortar

AT Gun

75mm Schneider Gun

Wz.34 AC (Gun)

7TP (Gun)

26BR

GERMANS:

(Alasdair, Jimmy)

Forward Headquarters

Infantry Platoon (Regular)

Heavy Machine Gun

Medium Mortar

ATG + Medium Truck

IG + Medium Truck

4 x Medium Truck

Panzer I Platoon

Panzer II Platoon

Sd.Kfz. 222

2 x Sd.Kfz. 221

32BR

2. The Game.

Mike positioned his forces on the outskirts of Warsaw, with infantry in the front and artillery in the rear. When the German vanguard entered the battlefield, they had the opportunity to flank the Polish troops but chose not to take advantage of it. Instead, they pushed forward through a narrow corridor. This decision greatly aided the Polish defenders, who effectively pinned down the Germans with grenade launchers and rifle fire. A 7TP tank also made its presence felt, inflicting significant damage on the German armoured cars. Although the Germans eventually managed to disable this tank, the crew remained inside, continuing to destroy or disable additional German vehicles with their weapons.

The Germans found themselves trapped in the suburbs, but their tanks managed to push into the streets of Warsaw. Despite this, they were effectively pinned down by Polish grenade launcher fire. The Germans called in artillery support, but not before Mike drew an air support token—his second token, in fact. Unfortunately, his initial attempt to request an airstrike was unsuccessful. However, this time was different. A PZL-23 Karaś appeared, equipped with six light bombs, which turned the tide of the battle. 

The bombing raid on the German positions in the open field severely damaged their morale, causing it to collapse. Just as in the actual historical battle, the Germans were forced to retreat. Their dream of quickly conquering the Polish capital failed to materialise.

3. Links.

SESWC:

https://www.facebook.com/Seswc.co.uk/posts/1102295478594449

FLICKR: 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/asienieboje/albums/72177720331639520/

First figures in 2026: Soviets 28mm

With the return of two systems to our club—Bolt Action and Chain of Command—I decided to enhance my 28mm Soviet forces. I needed to add a few tanks and support weapons. All the figures and models featured in this post are from Warlord Games.

Let's start with the T-34/85 tanks. I've decided to create a platoon of these tanks and painted one in Polish colours. I believe that all kids my age, as well as those who grew up in the 1960s and 1970s, were fascinated by the wartime series "Four Tank-Men and a Dog." Although the plot was heavily propagandistic, promoting the "brotherhood in arms" between the soldiers of the Red Army and the "Reborn" (which means "subordinate" to the Soviets) Polish Army, the adventures of the brave crew captured the attention of generations of Poles, including myself.

The next tanks I worked on are the T-34/76. Warlord Games offers three versions in their set: one is the 1940/41 model, while the other two feature enlarged turrets—a rounded turret from 1942 and a hexagonal turret from 1943. I decided to build one model of each version. Instead of using the decals that came with the models, I replaced them with decals from the book "Eastern Front Part I" by Stanisław Jabłoński and Rafał Dudziński. This book not only provides paint schemes but also includes decals. Although the decals are in 1/35 scale, I carefully selected those that fit my models perfectly.

The final components of my upgrades include two support weapons: a 120mm heavy mortar and a flamethrower.

It is important to note that all the models presented in today's entry are part of the Forum Strategie painting competition. It is a non-competition work, as I am one of the jurors for the competition.

The link to the thread below outlines the steps for painting these models. Please note that the thread is in Polish.

https://strategie.net.pl/viewtopic.php?f=231&t=23358

Chain of Command: Cold War.

The Chain of Command system has always been popular in our club. Recently, however, our attention has shifted to other games. In light of this, the second edition of the rules has just been released. Mike has suggested we play a training game to refresh our memories, review the differences, and try out a fan-made expansion that simulates a hypothetical NATO vs. Warsaw Pact conflict in the 1980s.

SCENARIO: Mike Evans
UMPIRING: Mike Evans

SCENERY: Mike Evans, SESWC

FIGURES & MODELS: Mike Evans

1. Forces.

2. The Game.

Warsaw Pact forces were gradually advancing through the rural areas of northern Germany. However, they soon fell into a trap set by a British infantry unit. Initially, NATO forces struggled to halt the invaders and experienced some losses. Polish and Soviet vehicles continued to push forward, but this situation was about to change.

In our game, I was in command of the entire Pact forces along with a platoon of two T-55 tanks. Jimmy had an additional squad in a BTR-40, while Alasdair led an infantry platoon in a BMP-1. Facing us was a British infantry platoon commanded by Tim and David.

The situation quickly intensified for the Warsaw Pact soldiers. The British deployed their anti-tank weapons, and although the initial shells missed their targets, they forced the Soviets to abandon their first combat vehicle. What followed was a systematic destruction of the enemy. The British first targeted and destroyed the leading BMP, subsequently eliminating all its crew. Despite Alasdair's efforts to support the infantry with the remaining vehicles, he could not prevent the destruction of the first squad.

My first mistake in this game became clear when I realised I had spread our forces too thin. I should have concentrated my BMPs and tanks in one area and used the BTRs as a distraction. To rectify this mistake, I decided to regroup my forces. However, I encountered some problems along the way. I discovered an enemy infantry squad on my flank, but I had already collected a Chain of Command (CoC) die, which allowed me to interrupt the enemy's phase and activate one of my units.

First, I moved one of my tanks into position, deliberately exposing its rear to the enemy to act as bait. When David's unit activated, I chose to activate Jimmy's vehicle next. Unfortunately, Jimmy's shot at David's unit was ineffective. In retaliation, David fired a missile at the rear of my vehicle, and that was the end of my clever plan. The T-55 exploded!

Alasdair was struggling to regain his bearings and manage the chaos caused by British gunfire targeting his troops. An attempt to rescue the first squad failed, resulting in the death of the third officer. While he was able to force the British to retreat briefly, they soon mounted a renewed attack, inflicting even more casualties on Alasdair's platoon. I endeavoured to salvage the situation on the right flank, where Jimmy was trying to capture the British jump-off point. However, Alasdair's losses were affecting morale, which in turn led to a reduction in our command dice. Eventually, our morale dropped to zero, and we were forced to withdraw.

Regarding the rules, it's difficult for me to provide a detailed opinion at this point. However, my initial impression is that the game has become smoother overall, and the QRS (Quick Reference Sheet) is clearer. We'll play a few more games, and then I'll be able to share my thoughts more comprehensively.

3. Links.

SESWC:

https://www.facebook.com/Seswc.co.uk/posts/1102295478594449

FLICKR: 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/asienieboje/albums/72177720331515677