Pete Atack - Apr 17, 2006 2:21 pm (#13348 Total: 13376) S&T Cold War Battles : Budapest '56 Initial Setup. Most Rebel forces set up in Objective hexes and along the major roads into the city center. The few Hungarian Army units to initially support the uprising have positioned themselves around the key buildings in the city center. GT1 4 Nov Soviets columns make a rapid approach march from several directions. Units of the Special Corps immediately head for several outlying objectives. Main force units quickly strike out for the city center in an attempt to disrupt the city defenses. By the time the lead units slow, the 33d Guards is massed southeast of Stalin's Statue, the 2d Guards is clsoing in on the Ministry of Defense, and the 128th Guards is preparing to assault The Castle. To the south and east, 2 railroad stations quickly fall as the defenders turn out to be as few unruly civilians as opposed to combatants. Attacks by the 2d and 33d Gds take a few worthless city blocks, but leave scores of burned out tanks as testimnoy that heavy fighting may lie ahead. Only attacks by the 128th Gds take significant rebel positions as the Castle complex falls VPs : +2 Hungarian GT2 5 Nov Reinforcements and continued attacks have now left the city encircled east of the Danube (the perimeter runs roughly from the MoD to Stalin's Statue to Magyvaila Square). After suffering heavily on the initial drive into Budapest, Soviet commanders are given free reign to use artillery and air support. Several heavy strikes greatly aid in the rapid capture of 4 rebel positions. West of the river, the 128th stalls when a poorly led attack on the Police HQ (an attack that included a quick thrust over an unguarded bridge) fails, leaving a tank and infantry battalion with no way to pull back. Dozens of Soviet prisoners are reported to have been marched past the US Embassy. VPs : +7 Hungarian GT3 6 Nov With a shrinking perimeter, the mass of Sov attacks becomes telling. Five attacks along the east front of the Rebel positions receive heavy air and artillery support resulting in the collapse of all five rebel positions. Only fighting near the Soviet Embassy goes the Hungarian way. On the west bank, Kiscell and the far western RR station finally fall. Rebel positions within Budapest now center on the Citadel and a tight perimeter running from the Killian Barracks to the Writer's Union to the MoD on the banks of the Danube. VPs : +12 Hungarian GT4 7 Nov The 33d Gds repositions several units and reorganizes into assault columns to try and break the center of the line. Again with heavy artillery support, the attacks capture the Writer's Union and the adjacent RR Station, but losses leave the division at about 60% strength. Two disasterous attacks by the 2d Gds near the MoD result in two mech battalions being destroyed in house to house fighting with no impact on rebel positions. Heavy weapons from a Hungarian army mech unit and supporting air defense units are identified in the defense. To the south however the Russian paratroopers of the 81st Regiment storm the Killian barracks and secure the position after severe losses. A quick rebel counterattack fails to dislodge the paras. A nasty gap now exists on the Hungarian flank along the banks of the Danube. VPs : +19 Hungarian GT5 8 Nov Ever determined to put down the revolt, Soviet planners decide to crush the scattered positions in western Budapest. KGB and 81st Para units cross the Petofi Bridge and help capture the Technical University. To the northwest the 128th Gds masses against the Citadel and crushes the final rebel units dug in there (1HQ and 1 Hun Army mech unit). Losses are heavy (2 battalions) again as the Soviets go for mass as opposed to tactical finese. To the east, Soviet units slowly gather and reorganize for the final attack. VPs : +20 Hungarian GT6 9 Nov Coordinated air, artillery, and ground attacks capture the Cinema and radio station and force the collapse of the rebel line east of Oktogon Square. With little ammo and fewer men, the Hungarians pull back into the downtown area surrounding the US Embassy. VPs : +20 Hungarian GT7 10 Nov With the liberal use of artillery and air power, Soviet units pushinto downtown. The Police HQ falls even after the lead Soviet mech battalion in cut to pieces and destroyed. A further series of attacks on the MoD and adjacent RR Station fail with light Soviet losses. VPs : +20 Hungarian GT8 11 Nov The Soviet pressure continues relentlessly. Only 4 major rebel positions remain as wearly assault troops form up behind the Soviet lines. Paras from the 81st Regt, supported by the 128th attacking across the main bridge takes the Ministry of the Interior building. At the same time,two battalions of mech infantry from the Special Corps overrun ragged defenders at the Hungarian Worker's Party HQ. Inside the Soviets find the last operational rebel HQ detatchments. Across form the US Embassy the 33d Gds takes the RR Station but sees two more battalions shattered amongst the rail terminals. Battered, the 33d can now only muster 2 non-artillery battalions. Lastly, the MoD falls as point blank tank fire crushes the last defensive outposts. All that remains is a Hun tank battalion dug in at the Parliamaent building. VPs : +16 Hungarian GT9 12 Nov Out of fuel and low on ammo, the Hungarian tankers quickly fall or scatter. As KGB troops begin hunting down survivors, CIA and military staff in the US Embassy begin destroying the hastily drawn up plans for a drop by the 82d Airborne on the city center and outskirts. VPs : +13 Soviet; a tactical victory. Pete Atack - Apr 17, 2006 2:47 pm (#13349 Total: 13376) A Few Lessons Learned. The CRT can be pretty bloody for the Soviets who have the burden of attack. Most Soviet attacks went in via the Assault CRT (due to terrain and desire to push hard) which runs up the losses quickly and gave the Hungarians a good run on VPs. Luckily the Soviet capture of all Objective hexes countered this, but kept their vistory level low. Rebel defenses. Keep these centered on Objective hexes and close to a HQ. The shifts on the CRT will keep all but the heaviest Sov attacks at low odds. Rebel attacks. They did a poor job above. My guess is to form a 2-3 battalion task force of known units to hit exposed Sov units - or make a run at an uncovered VP hex. This is made even more difficult by the Untired units - you never know what you are putting into the fight; and by the time a good portion of your units are 'Tried' they may be bogged down in the defense anyhow. Air and Artillery. Don't fear giving the Rebels a few VPs by demolishing a few city blocks. Use it everywhere you can and use it liberally. ----- Overall take on the game. The B'56 map is very nice. The rules are well done with only some minor fixes out from S&T - none of which I felt impacted the overall play. There are some recommended optional rules too that are posted on the game folder. Gameplay - goes quick (only 9 turns) and smooth (simple sequence of play) with very limited flipping back throught the rules except to hunt down some charts. At about GT2-3, it does seem like it bogged down into a very predictable and methodical repitition of play that lacked any feel of variability (Sovs move up and pound rebels; rebels pull back to new lines; repeat until GT9). Based off this, I'm not sold on the replayability factor other than the variants (involving the US 82d Airborne or full participation of the Hungarian Army), but will try and replay in the near future to see if there's a good way for the Hungarians to keep from getting pocketed.