27 November 2008

NEW Scenario: Wiking At Maciejow - 1944

Get the last part of the Wiking Series RIGHT HERE! The story goes like this:

_______Tank Battle In Maciejow**

___German Defend, Russian Assault*
_________Maciejow, Poland*
_______1000 hrs 7 July 1944*
_____________Turns 15*
_______Scenario Size: Small*
_______Best played as Germany*
_____________C&C Off**

Design: Henk "Dutchiexx" Neumann*
_______Dutchiexx@spwaw.com*
_____MADE FOR ENHANCED SPWAW**

______________Visit:*
__________www.spwaw.com*
_______________and*____
http://www.spwawfort.blospot.com/**

________SCENARIO NOTES:**

In July 1944 the Russian forces had chased the German troops from their Motherland. Heavy fighting took place in Poland.**

___HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:**

from "Wiking", by Henk Kistemaker:**

"Seventh and eight July 1944 were two days I'll never forget.After the Russian artillery fired an eneormous amount of smokegrenades on our positions, the enemy followed up with a very big tank attack. It must have been 400 to 500 tanks. Our positions were concealed, meaning that our tanks were positioned - for the mostpart - behind a hill. To the left of our position was a Finnish officer, Ola Ulli, who belonged to the 7th Kompanie. His tank lay in ambush and fired on the Russian column from that psoition. Then something amazing happened: the Russians kept moving toward the Finn, while we could hit them from the flank."**

_________PLAYER NOTES:**

Defend your VH against the Russian onslaught. Hals und Beinbruch!**

SOURCES:**

"Wiking", Henk Kistemaker**

20 November 2008

Assault On East Prussia

Since part of my roots lay in East Prussia - my father was born there - I'm very interested in what happened in that little part of the world at the end of the Second World War. Here's a five piece movie series which was posted on Youtube with interviews and movies.

Assault On East Prussia, part 1, 9:58

Assault On East Prussia, part 2, 10:00

Assault On East Prussia, part 3, 9:49

Assault On East Prussia, part 4, 9:50

Assault On East Prussia, part 5, 9:55


11 November 2008

Slaughter At Halbe


Here's the latest addition to my library. A birthday present from my wife and one of the books I've wanted to read for years. The storyline goes like this:

Operation 'Berlin', the Soviet offensive launched on 16 April, 1945, by Marshals Zhukov and Koniev, isolated the German Ninth Army and tens of thousands of refugees in the Spreewald 'pocket', south-east of Berlin. Stalin ordered its encirclement and destruction and his subordinates, eager to win the race to the Reichstag, pushed General Busse's 9th Army into a tiny area east of the village of Halbe. To escape the Spreewald pocket, the remnants of 9th Army had to pass through Halbe, where barricades constructed by both sides formed formidable obstacles and the converging Soviet forces subjected the area to heavy artillery fire. By the time 9th Army eventually escaped the Soviet pincers, it had suffered 40,000 killed and 60,000 taken prisoner. Teenaged refugees recount their experiences alongside Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS veterans attempting to maintain military discipline amid the chaos and carnage of headlong retreat. While army commanders strive to extricate their decimated units, demoralised soldiers change into civilian clothing and take to the woods. Relating the story day by day, Tony Le Tissier shows the impact of total war upon soldier and civilian alike, illuminating the unfolding of great and terrible events with the recollections of participants.

Operation Amherst - 1945


Almost everyone knows that the Netherlands were liberated by Canadians, Poles, Americans and English troops. Less known is the fact that French troops played a role in the Dutch liberation too.
'Operation Amherst' is a richly illustrated book (unfortunately only in Dutch) which describes the battles of more than 700 French troops in the Dutch province of Drenthe in the spring of 1945. These French troops were part of the famous British SAS (special air service).
In the night of 7 April they were dropped behind the German lines in Drenthe and had to prepare bridges, airports, etcetera for the advancing Canadian troops.
The author, who took part in the operation, describes the clashes with the German troops and the role of the local people.

10 November 2008

NEW Scenario: Wiking At Malgobek - 1942

_______Assault On Malgobek**


___German Assault, Russian Defend*
________Malgobek, Russia*
_____0700 hrs 5 octobre, 1942*
_____________Turns 30*
_______Scenario Size: Medium*
_______Best played as Germany*
_____________C&C Off**


Design: Henk "Dutchiexx" Neumann*
_______Dutchiexx@spwaw.com**

_____MADE FOR ENHANCED SPWAW**


________SCENARIO NOTES:**

In Octobre 1942 the German forces reached the Kaukasus. Malgobek, a relatively small town situated in a valley in the Kaukasus mountains, was a keypoint in the oil pipeline running north to south. And therefore a strategically important place for the Germans as well as for the Russians.**

___HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:**

from "Wiking", by Henk Kistemaker:**

"Nothing good was waiting for us. A General addressed us and explained the situation. Somewhere in the vicinity was a town called Malgobek. This is a Chechen name I will never forget. This town was a keypoint in the oil pipeline running north to south. Whoever took this town would possess the pipeline. The General told us that the Wehrmacht had tried to take the village several times. They were not howver able totake it. We, together with a Finnish battalion, had to finnish this job.**

"From our Kompanie of around 200 fighting troops, thirty had died and 130 were wounded. Only forty men were left."**

_________PLAYER NOTES:**

Take Malgobek and all V-Hexes. You have plenty of hardware available. But be careful. This town is as important to the Russians as it is to you!**

SOURCES:**

"Wiking", Henk Kistemaker**

ENH Wiking At Malgobek

02 November 2008

NEW Scenario: Wiking At Mius - 1941

_______Massacre At The Mius**
___German Defends Russian Assault*
________near Isjun, Russia*
_____0200 hrs 6 Decembre, 1941*
_____________Turns 30*
_______Scenario Size: Medium*
_______Best played as Germany*
_____________C&C Off**
Design: Henk "Dutchiexx" Neumann*
_______Dutchiexx@spwaw.com**
_____MADE FOR ENHANCED SPWAW**
________SCENARIO NOTES:**
In Decembre of the year 1941 the German armies reached their farthest points of advance during their attack on Russia. They literally stood at the gates of Moscow.**

They were not, however, equipped for the harsh Russian winter. The Russians who were well equipped for winter warfare, seized the opportunity and attacked over the whole front. Shoving the Germans back from Mother Russia bit by bit.**

At the river Mius near the town of Isjun lay elements of the SS-Wiking Division on a strategically important hill.**

___HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:**

from "Wiking", by Henk Kistemaker:**

"These were the hardest days we had experienced yet. Our positions were situated at the front of a hill. We were shot at heavily by Russian artillery, mortars, machineguns and tanks. Our Schuetze 5 had a nervous breakdown, caused by the relentless artillery bombardment. By nightfall he was brought behind the lines. I never saw him again. In the meantime the Russians kept attacking our entrenchments. Every attack could be repelled however. In front of our lines lay lots of dead Russians"**

_________PLAYER NOTES:**

Hold this hill at all costs! Your defenses are bolstered by a firebrigade consisting of a few Panzer IIIs and some StuGs with their accompanying Panzergrenadiers. Use them wisely!**

SOURCES:**
"Wiking", Henk Kistemaker**


Get the scenario here:
http://spwaw.com/phpBB2/download.php?id=19706

Have FUN!

Battle For Budapest - 1944-1945



I bought this one during my last visit in London.

The battle of Budapest (December 1944 to February 1945) was one of the longest and bloodiest city sieges of the Second World War. From the appearance of the first Soviet tanks on the outskirts of the capital to the capture of Buda Castle, 102 days elapsed. In terms of human trauma, it comes second only to Stalingrad, comparisons to which were even being made by soldiers, both German and Soviet, fighting at the time. This definitive history covers their experiences, and those of the 800,000 non-combatants around whom the battle raged. Makes use of a wealth of fresh historical evidence locked until recently in the secret archives of Russia and eastern Germany...the result is excellent scholarship and gripping reading.