GAJO Games

The first half of 1944 saw continued Soviet success in the western Ukraine, culminating with a large encirclement trapping the entire 1st Panzer Army in the area of Kamenets – Podolskiy, which was christened the Hube Pocket. Faced with the loss of an entire Panzer Army, Hitler finally authorized a breakout.

Rather than push south towards Romania, Hube chose to break out to the west and northwest in the direction of Tarnopol, where he could link up with Hungarian forces holding the city. Our scenario was based on the breakout, in the area between the Zbruch and Seret Rivers, as the German forces drove toward Tarnopol and relief.

We had an excellent turnout for the game, with six German and five Soviet players facing off. Total points level was 1400, with 700 on each side.

The action at this stage of the battle saw the attacking Germans entering from the east on turn one, facing an initial screen of Soviet units, which were steadily reinforced by a unit per turn for each player.

Historically, the German forces were just barely able to hold the Allied advance, at a very heavy cost.

The action was intense right from the start, with the Germans desperate to break through, and facing an ever growing tide of Soviet opponents.

When the dust settled, the Germans had just barely managed to take 5 objectives (of 9), earning them a narrow marginal victory.