The Brusilov offensive has run out of steam. The Russian army is reeling backwards under the sustained assaults of the German army, and is becoming increasingly fragile as the seeds of revolution foment within it ranks.
The town of Pokrov stands in the path of the German advance, defended by the 5th Division. An armoured train sits in the rail yards outside the town, the rhythmic bang of its donkey pump echoing across the fields on the outskirts. It's guns pointed westward. The Russian commander is confident, although he feels some concern about the growing rates of desertion amongst his troops. Is his confidence well founded?
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| Source: https://www.gettyimages.co.nz/search/2/image?phrase=wwi+russian+army |
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| The battlefield from the German right, Pokrov just below centre |
This fictional scenario was set in very early 1917, although no snow lies on the ground. A German Corps is attacking a Russian division settled into positions outside the fictional town of Pokrov. It is supported by a unit f Russian cavalry, and an armoured train. The Russian infantry are all rated as 'green' to reflect their fragility in then face of the growing forces of revolt. The game was fought using my 6mm armies from Irregular Miniatures.
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| The German attack plan, which featured a flank attack on both flanks |
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| The German 13th Division attacked on the right flank. The plan was to advance to positions confronting Pokrov, to hold until the flank attack arrived, and then on issuance fm new orders to directly assault the town. |
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| An overview of Pokrov, the armoured train in the background, and fields of high vegetation in the immediate foreground. The fields blocked line of sight, but offered no protctive cover |
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| The Russian armoured train in direct support of Russian infantry |
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| Pokrov and its defences |
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| The German 52nd Division attacked on the left, one regiment advancing directly to hold the defenders, the second to hook around their right, with a third regiment (supported by Uhlans) delivering a flank attack. |
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| The defences of the pass can be see with some light entrenchments and wire, which were one of the targets of the german pre-planned artillery fire |
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| The second objective was to take the pass through which the rail line ran. This position effectively blocked all use of the line. The heights on either side were uncrossable |
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| Pokrov was defended by deep entrenchments and wire to the front |
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| 13th Regiment came under fire |
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| 52nd Division's advance rapidly came under heavy artillery fire from a regiment of Russian 150mm guns, with immediate effect |
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| However German pre-planned fire began to fall on suspected Russian positions (which proved to be unoccupied) along with a quickly developing fire fight between opposing infantry companies |
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| German artillery fire also fell on Russian defenders opposing their right |
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| The 13th Division's reserve regiment came under fire, and so went in to defend orders. The flexibility of the reserve had been lost |
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| A flight of German fighters appears to attack the Russian defenders opposing the German right around Pokrov, but was immediately driven off by fire from the machine guns protecting the armoured train |
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| Meanwhile on the right German casualties mount from Russian artillery fire |
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| Russian casualties do start to mount on the right, opposing the German left flank assault |
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| Action on the German left. The Russian commander commits his cavalry reserve (top left of the photo) to bolster his right flank but they are caught by German fire while mounted |
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| Another air atack ... |
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| The German left flank march arrives, led by the Uhlans |
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| The Uhlans |
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| On the German right, artillery fire is falling on the Russian defenders causing casualties |
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| The action is getting intense here on the German right |
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| More heavy fire on the Germans |
Throughout this, German counter battery fire keeps the Russian heavy guns suppressed, saving heavy casualties
