THE LAST WAVE

Warning page still under construction! All rights reserved, (c) Jeff Shields, 1995.

Hill 249.6, south of Krasnodar, mid January, 1943: The Soviet winter offensive was to expand the victory of Stalingrad by trapping Army Group 'A' near the Caucuses. The Germans were withdrawing everywhere with the intent of reforming strong defensive lines. One such line was near Krasnodar where the German 125th Division had dug in on a crucial hill. Its role was to prevent the Russian 56th Army from capturing Krasnodar before the withdrawal was complete.

VICTORY CONDITIONS: The Russians win if they control all of the 2nd level hill hexes on board e.

MAPBOARDS

     N
     /\
     ||
+------------+
|           e|
|            |
+------------+
|           g|
|            |
+------------+
|            |
|h           |
+------------+

TURN RECORD CHART:
German sets up first. Russian moves first
The game is 6 turns long.

AUSTRALIAN BALANCE

• G3: G2 + Add 10x5-2-7, and an 8-0 to the Russian OB.
• G2: G1 + Add a HMG to the Russian OB.
• G1: All of the buildings are stone.
• R1: Replace the HMG with a MMG in the Russian OB.
• R2: R1 + Add a 4-6-7, and a MMG to the German OB.
• R3: R2 + Add a German radio with one module 81 mm battalion mortar having scarce ammo.

GERMAN FORCES
Elements of the 3rd Battalion, 421st Regiment, 125th Infantry Division setup on or within 1 hex of any hill hex. [ELR 4] {SAN 5}
7x4-6-7, 2-2-8, 9-2, 9-1, 8-1, 8-0, HMG, MMG, 5xLMG, 75*INF, 4xTrench, Pillbox (1+5+7), 3xWire

RUSSIAN FORCES
Elements of the newly raised 9th Mountain Division, 56th Army set up on board h. [ELR 2] {SAN 3}
20x4-4-7, 10x5-2-7, 9-1, 8-1, 8-0, 2x7-0, MMG, 4xLMG, 3xDC

SPECIAL RULES

1. Ground snow is in effect. Streams and marshes are frozen. The buildings on board h are stone.
2. Hedges do not exist.
3. Prior to the start of play place 5 snowdrifts on each board as per E3.75 (along north hexsides). The snowdrifts represent the carnage from previous attacks. They act like hedges (E3.752), except that it takes all MF to move through; they can be removed as per roadblocks.
4. The Russian player must carry out at least one Human Wave on the first game turn.

AFTERMATH: For several days, waves upon waves of men from the newly formed 9th Infantry Division, 56th Army crashed into the defenses on Hill 249.6. The Russian officers openly exhorted their troops over their radios and thus alerted Captain Winzen of the 3rd Battalion, 421st Regiment to the timing of the attacks. With this information Winzen's men met every assault with concentrated fire that left mounds of dead on the slopes. The situation grew desperate with the continuous onslaught and only through a desperate counterattack was Winzen able to hold the hill and help protect the withdrawal of Army Group "A."

Scenario design: Jeffrey Shields, jeff@vims.edu