Khalkin Gol - the game(s)!

 With my blogging hiatus, I realised that I never posted any links to the culmination of the Khalkin Gol project - the game(s) themselves!

I ran two games at club for this, firstly the short attack by the Japanese at the start of the campaign, the attack of the Azuma detachment which served as a preliminary battle in the campaign.

Khalkin Gol - Azuma

and next, the main battle itself!

Khalkin Gol - main

It reminded me that I never did refight the final battle at club, what with moving and packing.....looks like I will have to refight the other two again then!

(Rapid Fire 2 rules used)

Mil Mi-24 'Hind'

 A new project! One that will be a slow burner and one that I will add to, piecemeal, over time. 

10/12mm 1983 Cold War, to play Battlegroup 'NorthAG' or 'Seven Days to the River Rhine'. 

Here is a 'Hind' helicopter:

Khalkin Gol Diorama

 Before Christmas, I entered the #kitoff competition for the 'We Have Ways of Making You Talk' podcast. There were some great models entered and I didn't win (it was more the 1/35 crowd proper modellers it was aimed at I think) but I did produce this little diorama of Khalkin Gol.

Some other photos of the piece:

Khalkin Gol/Nomonhan - Soviet forces

 I've been collecting Soviet forces for some time, as you will see from my Rostov project. I've used many of those figures for my Khalkin Gol Russian contingent, but with other figures added as well.

The main unit represented in the scenario is the 149th Motor Rifle Regiment:

149th Motor Rifle Regiment

Regiment HQ:

Three Battalions of infantry: HQ with Anti-Tank Rifle, 3 Rifle companies, a Heavy Weapons company with a Maxim MMG and a 81mm mortar, and an M1927 76mm Infantry Gun:

Artillery Company:76.2mm M1902/30 Field Gun, and Anti-Tank Company with a short-barrelled 45mm:

Heavy Weapon Platoon with a 12.5mm DShK HMG and a sniper team:

1st Battalion, 175th Artillery Regiment

2 x 122mm M1910/30 Howitzers plus OPs:

9th Mechanised Brigade

HQ (car); GAZ AA truck; Recon Platoon of a BA20 Armoured Car:

241st Armoured Car Battalion

HQ - BA20

3 Armoured Car Companies, each of 2 x BA6 or BA10:

240th Recon Battalion

HQ - BA20

Light A/C Coy - 2 x BA20

Medium A/C Coy - 2 x BA6

Motorcycle Coy - 3 x motorcycle combos

2nd Battalion, 11th Tan Brigade

3 x BT-5

Air Support

1 x R-5 light bomber (shown by a Po-2 at present)

1 x I-153 Chaika fighter

Finally, a team photo!

Khalkin Gol project

 It's been a while - nearly two years - since last posting. Life has been busy as always, even in the pandemic (key worker!) but I have been modelling and painting still, albeit not much wargaming recently.

My main project over the past couple of years has  been Khalkin Gol, the Japanese/Soviet border dispute of summer 1939. However, the forces could also be used for Lake Khasan in 1938. I'll get a few Chinese troops at some point for a small Sino-Japanese wargame.

Why Khalkin Gol - or Nomonhan, as the incident was known in Japan? I'd recommend this book by Stuart D Goldman. In short, the conflict 'cast a long shadow', and affected the timing of the Soviet invasion of Poland, and the ongoing tension between Japan and the Soviets also had an influence on the timing of the Soviet counterattack relieving Moscow in 1941. There are also rumours that Japan would invade the Eastern portion of the USSR if Stalingrad fell hence the terrible battle there. Goldman also argues that the events at Khalkin Gol influenced the decision by Japan to attack Pearl Harbour and 'go South'.

It is worth remembering that the USSR was the only major nation in the war to avoid a two-front conflict. The events at Nomonhan/Khalkin Gol were a key factor in that outcome.

I've found an old scenario for Rapid Fire written by Brad Smith - alas since disappeared into the ether - but I will try and post my scenario files up on the blog for folks to use. I've adapted it and plan to run it as a 'mini campaign' if I can.

In short, it covers the days in early July 1939 when the Soviets tried to consolidate their beachhead over the Khalkin Gol River, and the Japanese launched an attempted pincer move to cut them off. The Soviets launched a large counter attack under the command of someone named Zhukov (!) and the Japanese faultered.

Tons of EW tanks and armoured cars, what's not to like?

Soviet Cavalry Regiment for Rapid Fire

Here is my finished Cavalry Regiment for Rapid Fire, taken from the original second supplement ‘Unit Organisations for the Russian Front, 1941-1945’. It is set up as an early war Regiment from 1939-1942. Most of the figures are Britannia, but I have supplemented some of the figures from my existing Russian forces. The HQ horsemen are from Sgts Mess and the Tachankas are from Kelly’s Heroes.

Regimental HQ:

4 x Sabre Squadrons, existing figures to be used if dismounted:

Engineer Platoon:

Regimental Gun Battery:

Regimental A/T Battery:

Regimental MG Battery:

AA Platoon:

Painting technique

I’ve been able to paint a bit more recently which has been nice.

A while ago I was fortunate enough to be ‘handed down’ some Britannia Russian Cavalry from a wargaming friend. Looking at the Rapid Fire Orbats I realised I was very close to having an early war Cavalry Regiment.... so I’ve been working on those!

Churning out so many has given me the opportunity to describe my painting technique for my 20mm ww2 figures. I use a different one for my ships of course, and I’ve also used slightly different techniques on my 28mm Aztecs.

So, here we are. I use a similar technique to the standard ‘block and wash’ method.

Firstly, I wash and prep the figures. By washing them in a little detergent water, it removes some of the chemical that is used to remove the model from the mould. I then stick them to their base and use filler (spackle) to mould a little base.

Secondly, I undercoat with a black spray paint - nothing expensive, just a cheap car spray paint from the auto store.

Next, I block in the main colours (note I am just painting the rider here, not the horse) and I’m not concerned how neat it is. This will be tidied up in a later stage.

Now I apply a wash. This is usually Vallejo Sepia Dipping Wash, although I apply it with a brush, not by dipping. I like it with the WW2 models as it really sinks well into the creases and also gives the figures a dirty tone which I think is appropriate for soldiers in the field. It also covers up some of the little bits of model that perhaps the first coat didn’t apply to properly, and gives the face definition as the models are a little too small in my opinion for the full face treatment with eyeballs!

The first highlight follows, which involves taking the original colours and over painting them, albeit leaving the crevices with the wash in not covered. I concentrate on the broad raised areas where light would hit.

The second highlight is either a suitable different colour - eg I use Green Grey (Vallejo) as a second highlight on German Fieldgrey (Vallejo) or a slightly lightened original colour, with a touch of white or Ivory added. I then add the finer details, such as cap colours or metal bits on the rifles or cavalry swords.

 

I don’t always apply both the first and second highlight to all areas. The helmet on this figure has just had a first highlight, while the cavalry scabbard didn’t have the ‘first’ highlight, just the second one. But, the tunic and breeches, blanket, satchel and rifle have had both.

And there we are! Hopefully it has been of use to you.

NKVD company

With Lipovec complete, I have been working on a few bits for Rostov 1942 recently. I've updated the Slovak mountain guns (so they are the correct ones!), and also painted up a few German vehicles for my Normandy collection.

However, I've had my eye on the lovely TQD Castings 20mm WW2 NKVD figures to defend their HQ in Rostov. They are wonderful models (I have a few TQD/CP models in my Panzer Lehr collection) and are a pleasure to paint.

The infantry company:

Support is provided by a maxim team and 80mm mortar:

Meanwhile, an A/T rifleman hides in the long grass waiting for an unsuspecting Panzer:

The is a HQ unit, with commanding officer:

Finally, a the first of the snipers for Rostov. There will be a couple more to come!

Lipovec, 1941 at NBHW

I took my Slovaks and Russians up to NBHW this week, and put on a version of the Rapid Fire Lipovec scenario.

Historically, this was the first proper action by the Slovak Rapid Brigade on the Eastern Front in July 1941. The Slovak tanks and A/Cs, supported by infantry, managed to fight their way into the town, only for a strong Russian counter attack to cut them off and destroy their artillery. They then staged a fighting withdrawal back to their lines pursued by the Russians, before they managed to hold the line with the help of their German allies.

In our battle, the Slovaks consisted of a Recce battalion (bicycle company, motorised infantry company, OaVz30 Armoured Car and a 75mm infantry gun company), 2 companies of tanks (1 of Lt.35s and 1 of Lt.38s), a motorised infantry battalion and a battery of 105mm artillery. They entered the game across three turns. They also had an Avia B534 fighter/bomber for some extra support.

Facing them, split across a rearguard group and the Lipovec garrison was a Russian infantry battalion, with 3 x 122mm artillery pieces (direct fire only), A/T company, infantry gun and Quad Maxim AA truck. A second infantry battalion was also in line to provide the counter attack.

The table was set up and the motley crew took their positions:

The lead Slovak units, the A/C and bicycle company, moved up the road towards Lipovec but soon came under fire from a reinforced infantry company dug in on the hill to the north, and another just off the road, ahead of them to the east, as well as a 122mm battery over the river.

A hidden A/T rifle unit in the maize field also got off a couple of shots, to no effect, before being killed by the remainder of the bicycle company.

Turn 3 saw the bulk of the Slovak forces on the table. The brave Armoured Car was taken out by reserved A/T fire from Lipovec just before the bridge. The reinforced infantry company on the hill to the east was attacked with HE fire from two of the Lz35 tanks, to little effect, while one of the tanks received some light damage from the artillery in the woods.

The air support soon arrived, dropping its two bombs on an artillery battery on the hill, destroying the gun and killing some crew.

Meanwhile, on the northern flank, a Slovakian infantry company from the motorised battalion joined the motorised recce company and prepared to attack the wooded hill. They were supported by the battalion A/T company, firing HE, as well as the recce infantry gun and 105mm artillery battery.

On the southern flank, the rest of motorised battalion moved up towards the high ground in their Praga trucks, with the BHQ in its Tatra car following.

In the centre, more anti tank fire from Lipovec damaged an Lz35.

This spurred on the Russian defenders, whose RHQ ordered the defending infantry and A/T gun across the bridge to take on the Slovakian tanks. This was too late for the 122mm battery in the woods, whose crew was killed by HE fire from the armoured unit. The crew from the other, destroyed, gun mounted their limbers and headed across to man the still functional gun.

The B534 returned to strafe the infantry company on the eastern hill.

The attack on the northern, wooded, hill was having little effect despite a huge amount of ordnance dropping on it, while on the southern flank the MG company truck was destroyed by artillery fire from the final 122mm gun, albeit not before the MG had debussed and deployed.

The infantry from Lipovec passed a Heroic action test and assaulted the Lz35 tank with molotov cocktails, causing the crew to bail and the rest of the company to fall back in good order, firing on the northern hill as they did so. The B534 attempted to strafe the same company on the eastern hill but was driven off, while on the northern flank the infantry moved across the open ground to attack the wooded hill under MG fire from the unit deployed there. The barrage of HE fire started to eat into the defenders.

The A/T gun deployed on the bridge but could not damage the Lt38s crossing the river.

The infantry, however, continued to assault the empty Lz35, destroying it and causing the remainder of the Lz35 tank company to rout off the table. Things went better on the northern flank, as the mixed assault under heavy artillery support wiped out the final resistance on the wooded hill, including the battalion HQ. Nevertheless, the rest of the rearguard and the garrison held strong. To the south, the infantry companies debussed and moved across the river under fire from the 122mm, 76mm and Quad Maxim from Lipovec and from the reinforced company on the hill. The B534 attempted to strafe that company again, but was driven off for a second time and forced to return to base for lack of fuel.

As the evening drew to a close, the Lz38s moved into Lipovec itself, with the northern flank beginning to get themselves back into their trucks, and the southern flank finally wiping out the crew of the 122mm, while to the north the 'other' 122mm crew had reached the 'other' 122mm gun. Fire from the company on the hill destroyed the Slovak BHQ to the south.

We ran out of time to bring on the Russian reinforcements, but as we reflected we felt that with the new Russian battalion about to come on and overrun the trucks to the south, and with a tank company gone, the Slovaks would probably be forced to withdraw, especially as the Lipovec defenders still had 2 infantry companies, a 122mm, the 76mm infantry gun, A/T gun and quad maxim available on top of the reinforcements.

As such, the battle played out much as it had done historically. Well played to all and thanks to the guys at NBHW for a good game! Thanks also to Ryan and Andy for some of these photos.