Diving Eagles in Russia - FoW

A Flames of War 1800 point game recently attempted in my basement by four players.  The Soviets deployed first with a reserve off table.  Germans were fearless/veteran and the Soviets fearless/conscript.  A click or two on the pictures will enlarge them.

The (Hovels) village was the objective for the para/glider attack by the Germans.  The Soviets deployed first and then the Germans picked their drop points.  Six mortar stands in the middle with six anti-tank guns in the lower left.  A mass of infantry on the opposite side.

A company of Soviets was marching towards the village and were surprised when a stick of Germans dropped nearby.  The rest of the Germans landed off camera to the left.

Here is the German main force and their arms canisters after the drift and landing.  One squad landed off table and was lost for the game.  You may note that the canisters have not been cooperative and most lay in a open area swept by six Soviet anti-tank guns.

The opposite side of the village with a huge mass of Soviet naval and regular infantry.  I suppose the sight was too intimidating for the Germans, however easy to hit the conscripts might be.

The rules allow for an extra move for the paratroopers to make it possible for them to recover their weapons.  As they learned at Crete in 1941, fighting a modern battle armed with pistols is highly undesirable.  The race is on to get the 37mm anti-tank guns set up along with the 75mm recoilless rifles to neutralize the Soviet guns.

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The German heavy machine guns grab the top of the high in the left foreground where they ply their trade with an observation team that lived a charmed life.  Ahead of them in dead ground is their opposite number, the Soviet Maxim machine guns.  Troops begin to emerge from the village to take up position next to the anti-tank guns who for now have only infantry to engage.

Luftwaffe!  The first of three appearances by the Luftwaffe in support of their paratroopers.  He survived the AA fire and eliminated three Soviet stands.

The German guns are in position and, along with glider borne mortars begin to exact a toll of the Soviet guns in the open.  The pace of the action was such that no one attempted to dig in all game on either side.

Uh-oh.  Turn five sees the arrival of five T-34s and the dreaded rocket battery.    This could be bad since the biggest anti-tank weapon the Germans have is their "door knocker" 37s.

But suddenly in turn six, like a flash from "Saving Private Ryan," the lead T-34 explodes!

Ach ja, ich verstehe.  This was the third and most timely appearance of the Luftwaffe in the game.

At this point I got too wrapped up in the game and forgot to take more pictures.  The game quickly reached a stalemate point where the Germans, who had lost too much precious infantry,  couldn't make any progress against the surviving Soviet infantry and tanks.  Although the mortars and aircraft pinned the Soviets repeatedly, their fearless nature and fear of their Commissars (who shot one stand that was falling back) kept them coming back for more.  The Luftwaffe was unlikely to reappear and little else was going to give the Germans the chance to break through.

A satisfactory game for the four players as we continue to learn the game and nuances.  At least, I still need to.  Another game is coming soon.