Over 16 missions, Joe & Andrew will battle through the full campaign – each trying to secure victory in a desperate fight for control of Fortress Budapest.

---

It’s the penultimate game and it’s coming down to the wire! After the Supply Drop stalemate, the Axis were unable to secure victory and the Soviets remain in the lead by only a single Campaign Point. If Andrew’s Axis defenders can steal a win the Campaign will once again be tied. If Joe’s Soviet attackers win this game, he will lock up the overall victory. A Draw and it’s still anyone’s game.

The Last Redoubt, like most of the city missions, was played on a 4×4′ table. Our Commanders elected to play a 750pt game but the Axis received two additional free units (Reg. Med. Howitzer and a Reg. three-man Forward Artillery Observer) and the Soviets arrived with a whopping four free units (Reg. T-34/85, Reg. 10-man Buda Volunteer Regiment Section, Inexp. 12-man Rifle Squad, and a second Reg. 10-man Buda Volunteer Regiment Section per Big Push).

Andrew built his force from the Budapest Pocket Defenders and Joe went with Operation Bagration. For Siege Assets, Andrew was pre-selected with Street Barricades and Fortified Building (the Postal Palace). Joe picked Big Push.

Game 15 took place at Michigan Toy Solider, the home of Campaign: Fortress Budapest (bit thanks to Pete for letting us play late).

The whole of the Axis defenders deployed on the table. In a rather shocking turn of events, Joe held back not one but two events in Outflank! The rest of the Soviets would arrive via First Wave.

A total of five objectives were placed pure the mission. The Objectives 1, 2 and 3 are worth 1 VP, the Postal Palace (Objective 4) are worth 2 VP and the Varfok Street intersection (Objective 5) is worth 3 VP. Andrew placed his two Street Barricades on the front and left of the Varfok Street objective.

Objective scoring would take place at the end of the game. To secure victory you had to win by two.

The Pre-Game

The Axis Strategy

We are getting down the wire now! I need a strong defensive hold tonight if there is to be any chance of stopping the Soviet War Machine. I’d be feeling a little better if I wasn’t restricted to so many Hungarian units! They have served me will in previous games but I really need those Vet. German Grenadiers right about now. Spending all those extra points on Fanatic Hungarians (there was no non-Fanatic option) has left me with far fewer units than I would have liked. The two Med. Howitzers will need to really pull their weight and slow the Soviet advance. It’s a pretty open field of fire from the front but I am worried about those flanks!

Joe has always leans in for 100% First Wave but I’d be shocked if he didn’t’ take this opportunity to put a couple units in Outflank. He needs to get within striking distance to at least contest Objectives 4 and 5. If he leaves those in Axis control there will be no chance at Soviet victory. – Andrew

The Soviet Strategy

With the mission granting me a free T-34/85, free squad of Buda Volunteer Regiment, taking the free Rifle Squad, and taking Big Push from the City Siege Assets, before even paying a point, I had a solid foundation for a large assaulting force. I would build my actual force with a mix of Tough Fighter Veteran squads and lots of indirect fire to attack the Pocket Defenders and their barricades. I would round out my force with a Katyusha, because Rule of Cool, plus I already had a free tank. My plan was to use the free units to hold the middle of my board edge, along with the Mortar, Divisional Gun, and Katyusha. Meanwhile the Veterans would push up the flanks, using the buildings to get into positions to close assault his forces.

I chose the Operation Bagration Theater Selector over the Urban Assault Group as it offered more options and infantry flexibility. This game was critical for Andrew. Win and go into Game 16 tied, draw and it all comes down to Game 16. Lose and he would lose the Campaign. The battle for control of Hungary hangs in the balance! – Joe

The Game

Deployment

• Five objectives placed at the start of the game according to the mission.
• Andrew deployed his entire Axis force, Hidden, in the Deployment Zone:
  • Two units of Vannay Battalion Flying Squad and a Med. Howitzer covering Obj. 1, 2 and 3. with the third Vannay Battalion in support.
  • Grenadiers holding down Obj. 4, the Postal Palace, with Med. Mortar behind the building.
  • MMG Team and second Med. Howitzer covering Obj. 5.
  • Medic and Lt in the middle to move in support as needed.
• Both Axis Med. Howitzers start the game in Ambush.
• No Soviets are deployed. They will arrive First Wave with two units held back in Outflank – both units of Budda Volunteer Regiment.

Turn 1

• Katyusha arrived, rockets screaming and missed all four Axis targets in the blast radius.
• Middle Med. Howitzer fired out of Ambush and missed the Zis-3 that deployed up into the ruins on the back left.
• Grenadiers in the Postal Palace put a single Pin on the Light Howitzer moving up the road.
• In answer to the Katyusha bombardment, the German Med. Mortar hit indirect on a 6! The shell pens, Crew Stunned, 3 Pins.
• Axis FAO call in the barrage in front of the back right building, pressuring the Soviet Med. Mortar, Inexp. Rifle Squad, Guards Rifles and Lt.
• Last Order Die of the Turn, t-34/85 rolled up, MMGs blazing, but put only a single Pin on the Middle Howitzer.

Soviet VPs	Axis VPs
0 VP	8 VP

Turn 2

• Artillery Barrage arrived, 10″ blast, and delivered 2 Pins onto the Guards Rifles, 1 Pin on the Lt, 3 Pins and 4 kills on the Free Rifle Squad, 1 Pin on the Med. Mortar and 2 Pins on the second unit of Guards.
• T-34/85 repeats Turn 1 with 10 MMGs at the Med. Howitzer in the middle, forced it Down, no hits.
• Axis Med. Mortar follows up on its first shot, sets the Katyusha on fire and with 7 Pins total, the crew bailed out.
• Soviet Med. Mortar shakes its single Pin and blasts the Grenadiers in the Postal Palace killing 2, 3 Pins.
• The Grenadiers pass their Order Test and retreat out of the building to shake the indirect range in.
• Guards on the right Rally. Guards on the left Run.

Soviet VPs	Axis VPs
0 VP	8 VP

Turn 3

• T-34/85 repeats Turn 2 with 10 MMGs at the Med. Howitzer in the middle, forced it Down, no hits.
• Zis-3 hits the Med. Howitzer on Obj. 5, killing one of the four crew.
• Two Guard Squads on the left move into each of the two sections of ruins and start to apply pressure to the Vannay Battalion covering Obj. 1.
• Guards on the right move up towards the Vannay on Obj. 3.

Soviet VPs	Axis VPs
0 VP	8 VP

Turn 4

• Axis Order Die first! The middle Howitzer fires and hits the T-34/85 but bounces the shell and only puts on a single Pin.
• Axis Med. Mortar hits the Zis-3 on a 5+, kills 2 crew. The remaining Zis-3 crew pass their Morale Check.
• Guards on the left ruins assault the MMG Team on Obj. 5. Simultaneous combat, the MMG kills 1 Guard but is destroyed.
• In response the Med. Howitzer on Obj. 5 attempts to pivot and fire Point Blank at the Guards who killed the MMG Team but the Howitzer failed its Order Check.
• Soviet. Med. Mortar hits the Vannay Squad on Obj. 1, kills 1, 3 Pins.
• The T-34/85 finally destroys it’s nemesis, the Med. Howitzer on Obj. 2 with a 1″ HE template.
• The first unit of Outflanking Budda Volunteers arrive at the 36″ mark on the right flank.

Soviet VPs	Axis VPs
0 VP	4 VP

Turn 5

• Grenadiers attempt to stop the Budda Volunteers from reaching the Postal Place but only manage to kill three, no Morale Check needed.
• Guards Rifles launch an assault at the Vannay Squad covering Obj. 1. The Fanatics fought hard but were overwhelmed but the Tough Fighting Vet Guards.
• Med. Howitzer on Obj. 5 is killed by a wild 6+ Med. Mortar shot.
• The FAO Team abandon their building to contest Obj. 5.
• Vannay Squad push up to Obj. 2 to ensure a contest.
• Vannay Squad on Obj. 3 hold to contest the objective as two Soviet Squads rush forward.
• Sadly, our Commanders had to call time after Turn 5 and were not able to play Turn 6.

Soviet VPs	Axis VPs
1 VP	0 VP

Soviets: Controlled one 1 VP objectives, contested Obj. 2, 3, 4 and 5.
Axis: Controlled zero objectives, contested Obj. 2, 3, 4 and 5.

Final Result – Draw
Joe maintains the Soviet Campaign lead!
It will all come down to Game 16.

The Post-Game

The Axis Conclusion

I’m gonna need to take a minute after that game just to calm down! Wowza! What a nail bitter! I held the Soviets at bay better than expected but in the end they crashed in to contest every last Objective and they had too many units to engage! I think I misplayed my Howitzers. I should have been aggressive with Fire Orders and less reliant on the reactive Ambush Orders. I can’t believe I almost had a point-blank shot on the outflanking Soviets on Obj. 5, that really would have been something. I considered abandoning the front three Objectives and go full turtle on the back two but with Joe having so many additional units, he would have been able to contest too easily. These 4×4′ urban games, I tell ya, they are tough to manage.

I was lucky. I think if we had played Turn 6 it would have been a solid victory for Joe. He played one hell of game and knew the exact moment to strike. It was damn impressive. Well done! – Andrew

The Soviet Conclusion

What. A. Mission. Seriously. I know I basically say this in each recap but this was absolutely amazing. The well dug-in defenders, the hoard of attackers. The battlefield. All of this creates a whirlwind of excitement, frustration, stress and disbelief all while playing with plastic soldiers. Completely forgetting that Andrew’s Vannay Flying Battalion Squads were Fanatics, my plan of Tough Fighters assaulting his barricades fell apart. My Artillery faltered early and didn’t get much better as the game went on. As time went on and I was still bogged down I had to start throwing the young workers of the world forward into the jaws of the fascist defenders to just try and contest some objectives. Just as Andrew and I had hoped, this Campaign would come down to the wire. An all or nothing, no holds barred… Game 16. As always, thank you to my amazing opponent Andrew and to Michigan Toy Soldier for hosting and providing terrain. – Joe

Soviet Campaign Score	Axis Campaign Score
8	7
6-5-4	5-6-4

Soviet Campaign Kills	Axis Campaign Kills
65	59

Game 14 – Supply Drop | Game 16 – Death Ride of the Panzers