"Pictures of my 10mm Kursk Convention game posted!" Topic

I just posted a preview of my "Kursk: Drive on Prokhorovka" game that I'm scheduled to run for HMGS on September 1st at the Gateway 2012 convention in Los Angeles.

link

This game simulates the 1st SS Panzergrenadier Division's attempt to seize Prokhorovka Station during the Kursk campaign. Unfortunately for the Germans, the newly-created 5th Guards Tank Army wasn't eager to let them have it.

Feel free to email me if you're interested in participating. It's a nice game to try out if you're new to miniature wargaming or you just want to join in for part of the time to try it out.

Dave

Very impressive.

I keep collecting 1/144 WW2 stuff hoping one day to achieve such heights!

How long do you think it will take to play (assuming all that kit gets into the game)?

Phil

I'm planning on about 8 hours of game play and we'll break for beverages and food.

The game basically breaks down into phases:

1) the initial German attack on Storozhevoe and the western defenses on 10 July
2) the 11 July German advance through the Soviet antitank defenses vs. 9th Guards Airborne Division
3) the 12 July counterattack by 2 Soviet tank corps from 5th Gds Tank Army
4) the final German attempts to launch their assault on Prokhorovka, if they have the will and reserves to carry through with it.

Very nice.

An impressive amount of modelling, and it sounds like a great game is coming!

Your research in setting up the scenario looks pretty good too.

But in looking at the models, I could not help but note a some issues on the Soviet side. The SU-85 did not come into service until September of 1943 -- it was not present at Kursk. There were few if any KVs at Prokorovka (despite the popular myth of a KV ramming a Tiger), the only heavy tank regiment I have been able to identify was equipped with lend-lease Churchils. And perhaps most importantly, about 1/3rd of the tank strength of Rotminstrov's 5th GTA was T-70 light tanks, which appear to be absent from your formations.

Still, looks like a fun fight brewing up!

-Mark
(aka: Mk1)

@Mark1

Good critical questions and great attention to detail! I don't consider myself the ultimate expert and I do welcome discussion about the battle. At the scale of this game, I had to make some compromises when it came to choosing the models for the units that are represented.

The KV-1 tanks were from the 57th Heavy Tank regiment which was attached to the 9th Gds Airborne Division during the battle. According to Glantz, it had 21 KV-1 tanks at that time. I beefed it up a bit to compensate for breakdowns, etc.

The Churchills are enroute from Pithead and will make their appearance in the 36th Gds Sep Hvy Tank Regiment on the night of 11 July. They will probably fare badly in the Soviet counterattack.

The SP guns for the actual fight will be SU-76's (painting), SU-122's (proxied for now, eventually will be true), and SU-152's (enroute from Pithead)

There were a surprising number of light tanks in the Soviet tank brigades and I mention why I omitted them in the Designer Notes of the scenario (Appendix A and you can follow the link from the page on my blog). Check out the notes. I'd be interested in what you think.

Great looking game!

With my own growing 1/144th (10/12mm) collection can only marvel at all you have accomplished. Well done and looking forward to your after action report!

@Mark1

The SP Gun Regiments are the 1446th and 1529th.

@Marc33594

These Pithead accessories are perfect for modifying existing plastic models with tank riders, fuel tanks, etc.

link

Great tip and much appreciated! Pithead was recommended to me by other enthusiasts to scale well with WTM, Dragon and Wargames South.

Hey Mark 1,

No response back? I'd hoped to have a discussion with you about the battle.

Good news! After reading through my blog, Pithead has decided to manufacture a T-70 tank!

Nicely done. I like the way you link the hills. I must try that for travelling scenery.