Historical Background: In the first hours of Operation "August Storm", the 36th Soviet Army, part of the Transbaïkal Front, crossed the border and ran to the city of Hailar. In the evening of the 9th August the 205th Tank brigade had reached the north of the city. The attack of the Soviet tank brigade in the night was a success and the central station was captured on the 10th of August in the morning. This assault was combined with an attack of the 152nd Rifle Regiment arriving in the south of the city. If the center of Hailar had been captured by Soviet troops, in the suburbs, the Japanese 80th Independent Mixed Brigade was defending two main fortified areas in the north-west and in the south-east of the city. The Japanese heavy resistance continued until the 18th of August even though emperor Hiro Hito had asked to the radio three days before the total surrender of Japanese troops. The stage is set, the battle lines are drawn, and you are in command. The rest is history.
Briefing: Axis player [Japan] : 6 command cards. Allied player [Soviet Union] : 6 command cards, you move first.
Conditions of Victory: 12 medals. The central station and the main hexagon of the airfield are each a temporary medal objective for the Allied player.
Special Rules: - Use "Japanese Imperial Army" rules (Nation 3). - Use "Mobile Artillery" rules (Troops 14) to the Soviet artillery unit. - Use " Supply Trucks" rules (Troops 17) and " Re-supply" rules (Actions 24) to the Allied player. - Exceptionally in this surrounding scenario, the Soviet troops on the top of the map can withdraw to the Axis baseline. - "Cocktail Molotov" rules (Actions 36) only for Japanese units with a Battle Star and "Armored Car" rules ( Troops 31) are optional if you have the battle map "Khalkhin Gol".
Scenario Bibliography: - Magazine "Batailles & Blindés" n° 78 - "Tempête d'Août". - "August Storm, The Soviet 1945 Strategic Offensive in Manchuria" - David Glantz.
Remember, find with Google Earth the remnants of the Japanese defensive positions in the suburbs of Hailar (Trenches and anti-tank ditches).
Warning: Please note that this scenario was not approved by Richard Borg or Days of Wonder, so you have to check yourself about playability, potential gaming issues, etc.
|