Schwerpunkt: A Forum of Independent ASL Scenario Design

This issue's 24-page booklet contains: Mark Pitcavages article, Throwing Snowballs in Hell and Brook White's article, Reconnaissance in Sustained Combat, as well as our trademark analyses and designer's notes for Scenarios SP205-SP216. Each of the 12 scenarios are printed on cardstock in our easy-to-read format. The scenarios are in keeping with the Schwerpunkt tradition of tournament-sized as well as medium-sized actions. There's something is this pack for players of all experience levels!

SP205 Mius Mischief: Near STEPANOVKA, Russia 27 July 1943: A company of German infantry with supporting StuIG 33Bs and PzVIHs defends the village on board 5a against an attack by the 4th Guards Mechanized Brigade and six T-34/85s. This 5.5 turn, medium-sized scenario has plenty of tense action.

SP206 The Fraternal Grave: ANDREEVKA, Russia, 13 July 1943: 18th Tank Corps attacked with the 170th Tank Brigade as the spearhead along the SS Totenkopf divisional boundary, south of the Psel River to clear the Germans from the villages of Mikhailovka and Andreevka. The second echelon consisting of Major Plissev’s Churchill tanks of the 36th Guards Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment, supporting the 127th Guards Rifle Regiment had fought its way to the edge of Andreevka, but found itself in a bitter fight with anti-tank guns and several panzers, including at least one Tiger tank. Equipped with Churchill IVs, the Russian crews referred to it as the “Fraternal Grave” for good reason. At 1600, the 32nd Motorized Rifle Brigade and the remaining Churchill tanks continued their attack westward toward the SS Totenkopf Panzer Division that was awaiting them at Vasil’evka. This 6.5 turn scenario uses boards 62 and 63.

SP207 Resiste et Mords: BODANGE, Belgium, 11 May 1940: The German1st Panzer Division attacked Bodange where they ran into Major Maurice Bricart, commanding the 5th Company, 1st Regiment Chasseurs Ardennais. Bricart’s bicycle troops occupied strong battle positions on the key terrain in Bodange that overlooked the Sûre River crossing. At 1400, the Germans hit the Chasseurs hard. Major Bricart’s brave Belgian bicyclists pelted the Germans with plunging machine gun fire. The Chasseurs were so effective in their delaying tactics, that the Germans had to bring 88mm guns up to blast them out. Belgian casualties mounted and their ammunition was running low. As Major Bricart was withdrawing, a burst from a German machine gun killed him instantly. The Chasseurs Ardennais made the most valiant stand of the Belgian Army in 1940, costing the Germans an eight-hour delay. This 5.5 turn tournament action uses boards 2 and 41.

SP208 Portomaggiore: PORTOMAGGIORE, Italy, 19 April 1945: B Squadron, 56th Reconnaissance Regiment had to find a way to clear the town of Portomaggiore. With Sherman tanks in support, B Squadron was trying to cross the canals of Portomaggiore, but were thwarted by a German strongpoint near the northern exit of the town. While B Squadron was effectively screening the advance of the British 6th Armored Division, the town still had to be taken. The “reconnoiterers” of B Squadron and the Hussars were reinforced by a company of infantry, but the German infantry, supported by the two self-propelled guns, still held out. The strongpoint finally fell during the morning of the 19th. Brook White designed this 5.5 turn scenario that uses board 23.

SP209 Farmer's Market: SCHOMERICH, Germany, 6 March 1945: During the early hours of March 6, the 6th SS Gebirgs Division launched a savage attack. As daylight broke, the Americans were pushed off Hill 468 and parts of Schomerich. In town the Germans captured a halftrack with ammunition, which the GIs promptly destroyed with grenades. Fortunately the company runner braved enemy fire and brought more ammo in via a jeep. The fighting became desperate, with Americans defending from cellars and local farmers joining the SS. U.S. relief eventually broke through, clearing Hill 468 and Schomerich. German assault guns counterattacked, but were quickly stopped. Unfortunately for the Americans, they could not reach Kummlerhof, whose defenders had to surrender. This 6.5 turn action uses boards 1a, 19, and 61.

SP210 Tea at Three: LE MUY, France, 15 August 1945: US Airborne Engineer Hal Roberts jumped into southern France as part of Operation Dragoon. Unfortunately his unit landed in a vineyard covered by an MG-42. Roberts concealed himself, and after daybreak, began slowly making his escape with another paratrooper. The vineyard and orchards surrounded several buildings, including a building with guards on the roof. The paratroopers crawled past the building and took out a machine gun nest. They eventually hooked up with British paratroopers.The British needed to take out a headquarters unit, which happened to be the same building the Americans just crawled past. The British scaled a high wall, and ran in, firing their Tommy guns, while tossing Gammon bombs. Although outnumbered, the paratroopers quickly captured the objective. Roberts soon found out why the Brits were in such a hurry – they took out their stoves so they could have a "spot of tea" at three in the afternoon. This 5 turn tournament scenario uses board 4a.

SP211 The Apiary: KUSTRIN, Germany, 10 February 1945: The Vistula-Oder offensive ended with the Soviets having seized bridgeheads north and south of Küstrin. The Soviets did not have the manpower to take the town by storm, so settled for a semi-siege and wearing down the garrison by smaller attacks. One goal was to take the Bienenhof (apiary), a cluster of buildings south of Küstrin. The Soviets launched an attack against the Bienenhof supported by tanks. The German defenders fought well, aided by the open ground and inundated terrain. The Soviets took the Bienenhof, but were unable to hold it as the defenders regrouped and, with reinforcements, pushed the Soviets back with losses. The hamlet would change hands several more times before the Soviets would finally capture it in late March. Mark Pitcavage designed this 6.5 turn gem that uses boards 7, 33, and 16.

SP212 Merchant of Venice: MITKYINA Airstrip, Burma, 17 May 1944: H Force had reached Myitkyina airfield undetected. Colonel Charles N. Hunter set the time for the attack on the airstrip at 1000. Chinese troops from the 1st Battalion, 150th Regiment, 50th Division moved into attack positions southwest end of the airstrip. The 150th Regiment then executed the attack on the airstrip. The Japanese garrison withdrew into positions in the jungle and bamboo groves some distance away. The 150th assault made good progress. The airfield was not strongly defended and the Japanese were caught by surprise. There was sporadic fighting in the separated fields around the airstrip, but the airstrip was in H Force's hands by noon. When Colonel Hunter determined that the airstrip was secure, he transmitted the coded message “Merchant of Venice”, indicating that the process of glider-borne supply and reinforcement could begin. Bill Sisler designed this tournament level PTO action that uses boards 38 and 62.

SP213 The Mighty Have Fallen: BALIUAG, The Philippines, 31 December 1941: The commander of the Japanese 48th Division, General Tsuchibashi ordered a small task force of infantry and armor to remove the American defenses around the Calumpit bridges. The unit defending this area was General Jones’ U.S. South Luzon Force. General Jones ordered the withdraw of the defending units. The 71st Infantry Division PA had already withdrawn and the 91st Infantry Division PA was executing a fighting withdraw when the main thrust of the Japanese attack hit them. They received armor support from the 192nd Tank Battalion and some 75mm self-propelled mount, halftracks. Through heavy fighting, with tank on tank combat in the streets, the U.S. forces were able to withdraw, thanks to the actions of the rear guard. Hugh Downing designed this 5.5 turn PTO thriller uses boards 59 and 63.

SP214 Makela's End: CASPE, Spain, 17 March 1938: The XVth found that when they moved to an assigned area, the Nationalist forces got there before them. Elements of the Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion and the Abraham Lincoln Battalion, XVth International Brigade, numbering less than 500 effectives, made it to the city of Caspe. The brigade commander, Dave Doran had the men dig trenches that crossed Cemetery Hill on the edge of town. On the 17th, Nationalist forces attacked Caspe. Tanks of the Condor Legion swung around the town while infantry of the Navarre Brigades captured Cemetery Hill. The fighting was desperate. Republican tanks countered the Condor Legion and Colonel Smith, commander of the Mac-Paps, organized a counterattack and retook the heights. During the fighting, Niilo Makela, a legend in the Mac-Paps was mortally wounded by a mortar round. A square in the village of Capçanes was named after Makela by his comrades. This Mike Faulkner scenario uses 5.5 turn scenario uses boards 18, 59, 60, 61.

SP215 Encircle That!: NYIREGYHAZA, Hungary, 21 October 1944: A pattern was developing by the second week of the Debrecen operation: Russian mechanized and cavalry groups would encircle German and Hungarian formations, which would then break-out or get relieved by counterattack and often in turn, encircle the Russians while so doing. This was wearing down Malinovsky's 2nd Ukrainian Front, making it difficult to keep up the attack. By the end of October, the German 6th and 8th Armies were across the Tisza in force, and able to establish defensive lines before Budapest. Pete Shelling designed this 5.5 turn action set on boards 46 and z.

SP216 Toothless Tiger: Shlisselburg, Russia, 18 January 1943: After forcing a retreat from the town of Shlisselburg on Lake Ladoga, the 2nd Shock Army gave relentless pursuit. This caused the German army to abandon all heavy weapons, but the Russian troops kept coming even as several Tiger tanks were destroyed by their crews. In the case of Tiger #100, the crew had to evacuate before charges could be set off. Not wanting to leave such a valuable piece or weaponry in Russian hands intact, a counterattack was made to recover or destroy the vehicle. This failed, with several PzIIIs lost in the attempt. After five T-60s were used to pull the Tiger from its boggy trap, it was towed to Russian lines and recovered intact. The Tiger tank was found not to be such a wonder-weapon, after all. Pete Shelling rounds out Schwerpunkt Volume 18 with this 5.5 turn scenario set on boards 13 and 44.