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H2H - Operation Unthinkable vol 1. - Road to Motherland

Operation Unthinkable vol 1. - Road to Motherland Image
Campaign Series Ladder

Operation Unthinkable vol 1. - Road to Motherland V.2.0

By Marw
Rating: 5.87 (4)
Filesize: 13.88 KB
Games in Progress: 0
First Side: Allies
SM: 5
Turns: 25
Type: Fictional
Second Side: Axis
Hypotetlical battle between elements 2nd Polish Corps vs. Soviet. Best play H2H. Scenario inspired a book by Jonathan Walker "Operation Unthinkable: The Third World War: British Plans to Attack the Soviet Empire 1945". Operation Unthinkable was a code-name of two related plans of a conflict between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union. Both were ordered by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in 1945 and developed by the British Armed Forces' Joint Planning Staff at the end of World War II in Europe.

The first of the two assumed a surprise attack on the Soviet forces stationed in Germany in order to "impose the will of the Western Allies" on the Soviets and force Joseph Stalin to honour the agreements in regards to the future of Central Europe. When the odds were judged "fanciful", the original plan was abandoned. The code-name was used instead for a defensive scenario, in which the British were to defend against a Soviet drive towards the North Sea and the Atlantic following the withdrawal of the American forces from the continent. The initial primary goal of the operation was declared as follows: "to impose upon Russia the will of the United States and the British Empire. Even though 'the will' of these two countries may be defined as no more than a square deal for Poland, that does not necessarily limit the military commitment". The word "Russia" is used heavily throughout the document, as during the Imperial period the term was used as pars pro toto for the Czarist Empire, with which the USSR was almost coterminous.

The Chiefs of Staff were concerned that given the enormous size of Soviet forces deployed in Europe at the end of the war, and the perception that the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin was unreliable, there existed a Soviet threat to Western Europe. The Soviet numerical superiority was roughly 4:1 in men and 2:1 in tanks at the end of hostilities in Europe. The Soviet Union had yet to launch its attack on Japan, and so one assumption in the report was that the Soviet Union would instead ally with Japan if the Western Allies commenced hostilities.

The hypothetical date for the start of the Allied invasion of Soviet-held Europe was scheduled for 1 July 1945. The plan assumed a surprise attack by up to 47 British and American divisions in the area of Dresden, in the middle of Soviet lines.This represented almost a half of roughly 100 divisions (ca. 2.5 million men) available to the British, American and Canadian headquarters at that time.
The plan was taken by the British Chiefs of Staff Committee as militarily unfeasible due to a three-to-one superiority of Soviet land forces in Europe and the Middle East, where the conflict was projected to take place. The majority of any offensive operation would have been undertaken by American and British forces, as well as Polish forces and up to 100,000 German Wehrmacht soldiers. Any quick success would be due to surprise alone. If a quick success could not be obtained before the onset of winter, the assessment was that the Allies would be committed to a total war which would be protracted. In the report of 22 May 1945, an offensive operation was deemed "hazardous". source wikipedia
Finished games
Marw' avatar Marw Warhorse Warhorse' avatar
Scud' avatar Scud Boisforas Boisforas' avatar
Test ratings
Member Balance Enjoyment Briefings
Marw' avatarMarw 2 4 5
Warhorse' avatarWarhorse 9 9 10
Scud' avatarScud 6 8 8
Boisforas' avatarBoisforas 4 5 5
Marw
Private 1st Class
Marw Thu Jul 03, 2014 3:16 pm
The Result of the game
Draw

My Side
Axis

Balance and Enjoyment
Soviet Force too strong

Warhorse
Captain
Warhorse Sun Nov 23, 2014 12:57 pm
The Result of the game
Minor Victory

My Side
Allies

Turns Played
25

Balance and Enjoyment
At first I thought again the Soviets might have too much forces, especially tanks, but as the Fireflys took their toll, it seems just about right now. I thoroughly enjoyed it, although seemingly impossible as the Poles at first, it is a very fun scenario.

Victory Conditions
These seem about right as well, there are exit hexes for the Poles, which are probably unnecessary, but perhaps another player with another style of play, may be able to use them?

Map & Terrain
Map and terrain were fine.

Historical Introduction
The introduction is very long, but it does fill the player in very well!

Game Length
This length is about right, I was able to take back two VH's just in the nick of time.

Force Mix
Force mix is very good, a nice array of material for both sides, one must use the limited amount of Archer SPAT vehicles to good advantage, and also the Fireflies.

Initial Setup
The only thing I would change personally is the Poles setup, leave all the artillery as off-map for one thing, and maybe not have the units on vehicles, as the map gets very cluttered, and one must exit all the transport off the map to be able to move about!

What I really liked about this scenario
I mostly like the pick of combatants, the Poles versus Soviets, not much done in this vein, also a very see-saw type battle, which keeps one guessing for most the game as to the outcome!!

What I really did not like about this scenario
Not much here, just the setup for the Poles is all I would change.

Victory points total
359

Any other comments
Marcin is a great source for the Polish combat scenario type, early and late war, stay tuned for more fun!!

Meine Ehre heisst Treue



http://www.cslegion.com/
Scud
Lieutenant General
Scud Sat Jul 04, 2015 4:50 pm
The Result of the game
Major Victory

My Side
Axis

Turns Played
6

Balance and Enjoyment
By turn 6 I had destroyed all but maybe 8 SPs of tanks, divided into 4 partial and disrupted platoons. If there had been a turn 7 my opponent would have continued without armor. Although his fireflies out-range the Soviet heavies, he obviously felt a need to get closer to the danger. Plus I kept out of sight as much as the map allows. He took most of his force north.

I protected the northeast objective as reinforcements arrived and brought most of my T34's west and south. Most, by turn 6, were well within his sight range. I think it freaked him out. :)

The Poles took the first two northeastern objectives with ease, surrounding, disrupting my fixed units (not a fan of fixed units) and then assaulting.

Victory Conditions
If the first two objectives were increased, giving the Poles a draw, or near draw, the subsequent battle might be more interesting. The need to take the farther objectives might not be so critical and they could move more cautiously, maybe to the south (which is most likely what I would have done had I been allies). As it stands, I think the Poles would have arrived at any important victory hex too beat up to have a chance at a draw, much less a win.

Map & Terrain
I like the map. I always play with an eye towards keeping out of sight as much as possible. Hard to do with this map. For me I found this challenging. On the negative side, not too many hiding places make it pretty hard for the Poles to advance. I'm pretty sure I could have knocked them out, slowly but surely, even if my opponent had employed a more cautious approach

Historical Introduction
Said what it needed to.

Game Length
Based solely on this test I'm confident I could have wiped out the attack by turn 15, so 25 turns is too much unless you increase Polish forces or decrease Soviets, or both.

Force Mix
LOVED the Soviet heavies, but there are too many T34s. Too easy to send some in as fodder to absorb enemy fire, then send the others in to start whittling down the shermans and stuarts. Pretty much what I was doing.

Initial Setup
Poles overwhelm at first, which would be expected. I HATE fixed units. I feel they should only be used in historical scenarios. I would have preferred the option of retreating my guys in those hexes, provided I could.

What I really liked about this scenario
Obviously the Soviet fire power, since it's lethal. Fun if your're playing them...not so much for the other guy.

What I really did not like about this scenario
Just think it's lopsided. Try giving the Poles some breathing room point-wise if you don't want to mess with the unit strengths.

Resolve then, that on this very ground, with small flags waving and tinny blasts on tiny trumpets, we shall meet the enemy, and not only may he be ours, he may be us. --Walt Kelly
Boisforas
Major General
Boisforas Mon Jul 06, 2015 10:43 pm
The Result of the game
Major Loss

My Side
Allies

Turns Played
9

Balance and Enjoyment
Poles come on strong but are soon way outmatched by IS-2s & masses of T-34/85s. Even with allot of airstrikes & smoke, the Russians are way too strong

Victory Conditions
Poles just cant get to the exit hexes without attacking IS-2s & being flanked by T-34/853

Map & Terrain
Nice

Historical Introduction
Hypothetical

Game Length
ok

Force Mix
Poles Shermans just cant stay with the Russian heavies & have a hard time taking on the T-34/85s

Initial Setup
Poles come in fast but still cant make it to the other end of the board without being creamed by the IS-2s & T-34/85s

What I really liked about this scenario
not much

What I really did not like about this scenario
Too many Russian tanks

Any other comments
The idea is a good one for a scenario but the Poles Shermans just cant stand & fight against the heavy Russian armor so they then become victims of the massed T-34/85s