Tank Crew Night Sat 9th Jan 2021 - Volokolamsk Highway Campaign

[Friar]

Salute

I have converted a 5 mission single player campaign into dog fight maps (all player v AI). All the hard work(and believe me from looking at the mission editor, it was HARD work!) was done by a chap called Elliot543 (https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/64060-volokolamsk-highway-t-34-scripted-campaign/). 

It is my intention to run these on Saturday night, or start them anyway.

The details of the campaign are below. Sid has been working on some T34 skins with a player number on them (1-20, its my bat and ball so I am taking #4) for just such an event, which we can use to assist with ID. I will be making these available as soon as I can so you can download them in time. You will download them....won't you?....

It would be great to have you there (also be good to have some idea of numbers attending so I can adjust the missions if needed. Please leave a note in the thread below).

Usual time 19:30ish / 20:00 messing about. Then I think I will aim to start the missions around 20:15.

Volokolamsk Highway

Tank Crew Campaign
Moscow, October - December 1941
Order from Lieutenant General Rokossovsky: 
“Immediately move to the offensive in the direction of Pushkino, Ivantsevo, Kalinin with the aim of blowing the flank and rear of the enemy to assist our troops in the destruction of the Kalinin troop grouping.”

In mid-October of 1941 the German Wehrmacht captured the city of Kalinin, only 180 kilometres north-west of Moscow, leaving the Soviet capital dangerously exposed to German attack.  The Stavka concluded that Kalinin must be re-taken at any cost and chose the 21st Tank Brigade for this near impossible task.  The decision was made that the assault on German occupied Kalinin would not be supported by any other units or aircraft.  Thus, the 21st Tank Brigade was alone and solely responsible for the successful execution of what was to become one of the most famous tank raids in the history of armoured combat.

The 21st Tank Brigade, primarily consisting of T-34’s, was organized into three groups for the raid on Kalinin.  Group 2, commanded by Major Lukin, was to cross into occupied territory near Panigino, then move north along the "Volokolamsk Highway" towards Kalinin, meeting up with Group 1, commanded by Captain Agibalov, in the vicinity of Pushkino.  Group 3, commanded by Senior Lieutenant Makovsky, would move north along the road from Il’inskoe -Tsvetkovo, meeting up with Group 1 and 2 near the airfield directly south of Kalinin.  Along their routes, all three groups were ordered to cause as much havoc as possible to German vehicles and infrastructure and to primarily focus on the destruction of the Kalinin airfield and train depot.

This campaign re-enacts historical armoured engagements leading up to and including the 21st Tank Brigade’s raid on Kalinin.  You will begin in the 18th Tank Brigade defending areas around Gzhatsk and Mozhaisk, resisting the German advance toward Kalinin and Moscow.  The final mission allows you to take part in the December Soviet counter-offensive at the gates of Moscow, commanding a platoon of T-34's in the 127th Tank Brigade of the 16th Army, pushing west along the Volokolamsk Highway.

[Friar]

Thanks to Sid, Skins are now available

 

[Friar]

Player       Tank Number

Sweeper  #2

Sid            #3

Friar          #4

FT             #6

Painless    #9

Perfesser #11

Squawk    #12

Parts         #13

 

 

 

[Sid]

Number 3 please

[Sweper]

Great! Numero 2 please

[Painless]

I would like number 9 please ☺️

[Friar]

These are the details of the missions in the campaign. I doubt we will get to complete all 5 on a single Saturday session as you can see they are quite detailed.

Mission Details

Mission 1
October 9, 1941 16:30 hours 18th Tank Brigade

Village of Budayevo

10 km southeast of Gzhatsk

Order of the Day: The fascists are advancing eastward towards Mozhaisk, creeping slowly and brazenly in the direction of Moscow. In the nearby Vyazma pocket our surrounded comrades struggle to escape a torpid death, devoid of ammunition, supplies, and hope. Even more bad news plagues us - Gzhatsk has fallen to the German infantry SS-Regiment Deutschland. And they are not waiting for us to catch our breath. Further Waffen-SS troops have been sent to probe territory east of the city, towards our location.

The 18th Tank Brigade is ordered with all haste to impede the continued German advance eastward by establishing a blocking position at Budayevo, southeast of Gzhatsk. Reports indicate that Hausser's SS-Regiment Der Führer comprised of infantry and light armor is heading in our direction on the road to Mozhaisk. Our ambush cannot fail. The farm houses in Budayevo will provide us cover and our unshakable union will provide us strength.Notes: Support from ”little forty-five” anti-tank guns .Mission success upon impeding enemy advance towards Mozhaisk.

Mission 2
October 11, 1941 15:00 hours 18th Tank Brigade

Mozhaisk

Order of the Day: It seems the last mission have merely poked the lion, as now two regiments of the 2nd SS-Panzer-Division Das Reich and a detachment of the 10th Panzer Division are bearing down on our position. We should not fear this over-ambitious enemy. Instead, we should be courageous and assured, as Comrade General Zhukov has been transferred from Leningrad to assume command of our forces here in front of Moscow. He has already laid our path to victory by ordering a defensive line across which the fascists cannot and will not advance. Mozhaisk will be held by the 5th Army, Rokossovsky’s 16th Army will defend Volokolamsk, and the 43rd Army will guard Maloyaroslavec.Be strong comrades. Polkovnik Sergey Kalihovich’s 19th Tank Brigade has arrived by rail in Mozhaisk and is now moving toward our position as reinforcement. We must hold this point on the Mozhaisk Line with our very lives.

Notes: Support from 19th Tank Brigade and anti-tank guns. Mission success upon stopping enemy advance towards Mozhaisk.

Mission 3
October 17, 1941 08:00 hours Kalinin Tank Raid - part 1 21st Tank Brigade Group 2

Order of the Day: The fascists creep ever closer to Moscow, with giant pinchers forming to the north-west and south.  You are to take part in an assault on German occupied territory along the front lines just outside of Moscow, centering on the city of Kalinin.  Begin the assault in the staging area near Turginovo, infiltrating the occupied villages of Panigino, Pushkino, and Kvakshino as you move north along the Volokolamsk Highway.  Cause as much destruction as possible to German vehicles and infrastructure en route to Kalinin.

In order to confuse the enemy, the 21st Tank Brigade will advance upon Kalinin from three different points of origin in three groups.  Group 1 will cross the front lines between Pushkino and Kvakshino and join your push north towards Kalinin.  Group 3 will advance north along the road from Il’inskoe -Tsvetkovo, and later join you and Group 1 near the airfield directly south of Kalinin.  All three groups will then push into Kalinin, escaping to friendly territory south of the river Volga along the highway towards Gorodnya and Zavidovo, if able.

Notes: Follow the path of the red line. Expect anti-tank guns around villages. Rearm / refuel available near Pushkino. Join Group 1 after rearming. Mission success upon taking Kvakshino. The assault on Kalinin continues in the next mission.

Mission 4
October 17, 1941 09:00 hours Kalinin Tank Raid - part 2 21st Tank Brigade Group 1

Order of the Day:The raid on Kalinin is well underway with Group 2 reaching Kvakshino, half the distance to Kalinin.  You are to join with Group 2 in Kvakshino and advance north along the Volokolamsk Highway, taking the villages of Troyanovo and Naprudnoye along your route (in red).  As you approach the airfield south of Kalinin and turn north-west towards the train depot, Senior Lieutenant Makovsky's Group 3 will advance on the airfield.  Your primary task of this mission is to destroy the Kalinin train depot.  Escape to friendly territory south of the river Volga along the highway towards Gorodnya and Zavidovo, if able.

Notes: Follow the path of the red line. Expect anti-tank guns around villages.Mission success upon destruction of Kalinin train depot.

Optional: participate alongside Group 3’s raid on airfield.

Optional: escape Kalinin to friendly territory.

Mission 5
December 6, 1941 08:15 hours 127th Tank Brigade 16th Army

Order of the Day: The situation is grim.  German Army Group Center is at the gates of Moscow.  Panic has hit the streets, with people fearing we will soon meet our end, encircled by the enemy, like our starving comrades in the city of Leningrad.  During the past few hours, however, our despair has suddenly given way to a unique form of courage that can only be born of desperation.Soviet 16th Army, commanded by Lieutenant-General Rokossovsky, is positioned west of Moscow with the task of defending the Volokolamsk Highway.  Today you will help launch the Soviet counter-offensive to drive the fascists away from our capital city.  You command a platoon of T-34's in the 127th Tank Brigade of the 16th Army, pushing west along the Volokolamsk Highway.  You must punch a hole in the German front line, allowing our troops to liberate the villages of Nakhabino and Dedovsk.

Notes: Punch through the enemy lines. Liberate Nakhabino and Dedovsk.Join Group 2 outside of Nakhabino. Mission success upon liberation of Dedovsk.

[FoolTrottel]

Can I have number 6?

(Reasoning:  when the boche kills my tank, and the turret flies off, and it lands upside down ... then y'all look and see Painless bought the farm!)

[Parts]

 

Привет друзья

Privet druz'ya

I am inserting my feet into my thermals just thinking about it. I am very much looking forward to this little outing and as well as thermals will bring all I need to keep me warm.

I am not attached to any number sentimentally so if I am allocated one I will wear it with pride.

Best I get me skins downloaded tomorrow and try to get my TIR sorted.

Nice one worker bees See you Saturday. (tomorrow)

[Painless]

 Be a rebel Parts... go for number 13 ?

FT, we will have to always park “6” and “9” nose to tail?

[Perfesser]

I'll be 11 please

[Squawk]

Squawk's in for 12 please

 

[Parts]

18 hours ago, Painless said:

 Be a rebel Parts... go for number 13 ?

FT, we will have to always park “6” and “9” nose to tail?

I'll have 13 please

[rox]

I'll have a number 17 please, if possible.

 

[Perfesser]

Still having trouble getting the 20 skin file. Downloads about halfway and leaves a part file on desktop.

Any chance of splitting the regular skins into 2 files?  1 to 10 and 11 to 20?

[Sid]

@Perf, I have PM'd you the skins as requested