Post by crazydima on Feb 15, 2011 14:50:31 GMT -5
Brian and I arrived on site around 3 pm on Friday and commenced to set up the squad tent and settle in for some good times. Other re-enactors began to arrive later in the afternoon and evening. However, Brian and I were the only Frontoviks brave enough (or stupid enough) to camp out in the Soviet squad tent. We dug a hole in a nearby snow bank and it became or icebox for perishable foods.
Saturday morning found us in good spirits and not frozen. The vintage kerosene heaters we employed worked great and I highly encourage folks to track one down at antique or junk stores. They should run you about $20 for a decent working one. Other re-enactors were staying in a nearby lodge used by hunters who visit the nearby hunting preserve so they soon arrived on site. The majority of the troops would be coming in for just the day.
We suited up and went to the café that had been set up in the workshop and it was great. The walls were decorated with period posters and various pieces of gear and period music played from a vintage radio. Sasha had arrived and had already registered and so he went to collect his gear from the van. So for a while some visiting took place in the café while we ate some light breakfast items and awaited the arrival of the rest of the troops.
By the time the S & A formation took place the numbers looked nearly equal. We had 20 German troops vs. 19 Russian soldiers. The Germans were armed with a single MG and a few sub guns and one sniper. The Russian forces were armed with 5 sub guns, 1 AT gun and one sniper. So needless to say it was pretty even. Soviet forces consisted of troops from the 9th Airborne, 343rd Rifles and some converts from the German 353rd infantry. It was nice to see numbers in the field.
The ground had plenty of snow on it and the temperatures started out in the 20’s and were headed up. The first scenario placed the Germans on defense holding a wooded area containing a series of improved foxholes and hasty bunkers with a CP bunker in the middle of it. The CP had a switchboard in it and wires run out to phones located in various positions around the wooded area. Ravines ran throughout the wooded bunker complex. It was a formidable target to take but we were confident we could do it.
The tactical began and Soviet forces pressed in on the woods but met stiff resistance and no matter what direction of attack we chose we took heavy losses and did not take much ground. The AT gun did a lot of damage to the bunkers and personnel manning them. Our sniper although a fresh fish also did some damage and with some more experience should be a fine asset. We made our PPS-43s speak loud and often but it was a hard row to hoe. Sasha cut his hand on one the magazines for his PPS 43 and left quite a bit of blood in the snow before we got it bandaged. It was a nice touch to the overall bleak situation our assaults were facing. One of Phillip’s boys ended up with a Locust tree thorn in his hand. Talk about some rough fighting.
Add to this the fact that a lot of unbelievable shots were taking place in wooded conditions thus resulting in very high casualty rates. Needless to say morale was not the best. Regardless of the calls the layout of the bunkers made it virtually impossible to take the complex with the assets we had at our disposal. So our assaults ground to a halt after two hours.
Umpires / OCs were on hand and there were plenty of them but it became apparent that their positioning did not work out very well to and made it difficult for them to get a handle on calling credible hits. So it appears there may be some room for improvement on having maneuver units stay cohesive and have the OCS stick to the Maneuver unit. Something to work on for next year.
So we broke for lunch and very delicious beef stew was provided to us with fresh baked bread and beverages. It made for a very nice lunch. The café was a lively place with period music, good food and tales of adventure being told at the various tables.
After lunch hostilities resumed with the Soviet forces now on the defense and in control of the fortified wooded area. It was now the Germans turn to try to assault the position. They made valiant attempt after valiant attempt to drive us out but they met with the same frustrations we Soviets experienced in the morning. So after a couple of hours they too realized the futility of the mission and made a mass charge to end it all. Thus concluded the fighting portion of the event and it was time for peace.
Supper was served and it was again the beef stew with fresh bread and beverages. Once the meal was over the café transformed into more of a beer hall and the celebration began. One of the German soldiers from Northern Illinois brought along his accordion and played many songs for the crowd and it was lots of fun. Soon it was time for bed and so Brian and I headed for the tent and settled in for long winters sleep. We were tired!
Sunday morning we awoke to more beautiful weather and set about taking down the squad tent and packing up to head for home. We went to the café to have some coffee and say our goodbyes and thank Jim, Tracey, Larry and the rest for such a great time.
All in all it was a good time and a great start for having Eastern front events at that site. This should help add to the number of Ostfront events in the region.
Again I want extend my thanks to the Phillips family and their friends for making it such a wonderful time. I look forward to future events at their site.
Sincerely,
Dima
9th Airborne
Saturday morning found us in good spirits and not frozen. The vintage kerosene heaters we employed worked great and I highly encourage folks to track one down at antique or junk stores. They should run you about $20 for a decent working one. Other re-enactors were staying in a nearby lodge used by hunters who visit the nearby hunting preserve so they soon arrived on site. The majority of the troops would be coming in for just the day.
We suited up and went to the café that had been set up in the workshop and it was great. The walls were decorated with period posters and various pieces of gear and period music played from a vintage radio. Sasha had arrived and had already registered and so he went to collect his gear from the van. So for a while some visiting took place in the café while we ate some light breakfast items and awaited the arrival of the rest of the troops.
By the time the S & A formation took place the numbers looked nearly equal. We had 20 German troops vs. 19 Russian soldiers. The Germans were armed with a single MG and a few sub guns and one sniper. The Russian forces were armed with 5 sub guns, 1 AT gun and one sniper. So needless to say it was pretty even. Soviet forces consisted of troops from the 9th Airborne, 343rd Rifles and some converts from the German 353rd infantry. It was nice to see numbers in the field.
The ground had plenty of snow on it and the temperatures started out in the 20’s and were headed up. The first scenario placed the Germans on defense holding a wooded area containing a series of improved foxholes and hasty bunkers with a CP bunker in the middle of it. The CP had a switchboard in it and wires run out to phones located in various positions around the wooded area. Ravines ran throughout the wooded bunker complex. It was a formidable target to take but we were confident we could do it.
The tactical began and Soviet forces pressed in on the woods but met stiff resistance and no matter what direction of attack we chose we took heavy losses and did not take much ground. The AT gun did a lot of damage to the bunkers and personnel manning them. Our sniper although a fresh fish also did some damage and with some more experience should be a fine asset. We made our PPS-43s speak loud and often but it was a hard row to hoe. Sasha cut his hand on one the magazines for his PPS 43 and left quite a bit of blood in the snow before we got it bandaged. It was a nice touch to the overall bleak situation our assaults were facing. One of Phillip’s boys ended up with a Locust tree thorn in his hand. Talk about some rough fighting.
Add to this the fact that a lot of unbelievable shots were taking place in wooded conditions thus resulting in very high casualty rates. Needless to say morale was not the best. Regardless of the calls the layout of the bunkers made it virtually impossible to take the complex with the assets we had at our disposal. So our assaults ground to a halt after two hours.
Umpires / OCs were on hand and there were plenty of them but it became apparent that their positioning did not work out very well to and made it difficult for them to get a handle on calling credible hits. So it appears there may be some room for improvement on having maneuver units stay cohesive and have the OCS stick to the Maneuver unit. Something to work on for next year.
So we broke for lunch and very delicious beef stew was provided to us with fresh baked bread and beverages. It made for a very nice lunch. The café was a lively place with period music, good food and tales of adventure being told at the various tables.
After lunch hostilities resumed with the Soviet forces now on the defense and in control of the fortified wooded area. It was now the Germans turn to try to assault the position. They made valiant attempt after valiant attempt to drive us out but they met with the same frustrations we Soviets experienced in the morning. So after a couple of hours they too realized the futility of the mission and made a mass charge to end it all. Thus concluded the fighting portion of the event and it was time for peace.
Supper was served and it was again the beef stew with fresh bread and beverages. Once the meal was over the café transformed into more of a beer hall and the celebration began. One of the German soldiers from Northern Illinois brought along his accordion and played many songs for the crowd and it was lots of fun. Soon it was time for bed and so Brian and I headed for the tent and settled in for long winters sleep. We were tired!
Sunday morning we awoke to more beautiful weather and set about taking down the squad tent and packing up to head for home. We went to the café to have some coffee and say our goodbyes and thank Jim, Tracey, Larry and the rest for such a great time.
All in all it was a good time and a great start for having Eastern front events at that site. This should help add to the number of Ostfront events in the region.
Again I want extend my thanks to the Phillips family and their friends for making it such a wonderful time. I look forward to future events at their site.
Sincerely,
Dima
9th Airborne