Onslaught to Orsha

Published by: Heat of Battle. January 2002
(Log in to add this module to your collection
or to see your play details)

Introduction:

The Minsk-Moscow Highway, Belorussia, 23 June 1944:
The 16th Guards Rifle Division was one of three heavily reinforced infantry divisions that were to create holes in the German lines and allow tank forces of the 2nd Guards Tank Corps of the 5th Tank Army to make rapid and deep penetrations along the Moscow-Minsk Highway. The zone of the 16th was south of the highway, and along the Smolensk-Minsk Railroad. They were reinforced with the following units: 148th Tank Regiment (PT mineroller tanks), 63rd Guards Heavy Tank Regiment (KVs), 517th Tank Regiment (FT tanks), elements of several Self-Propelled Artillery Regiments, 2nd Guards Assault Engineer-Sapper Brigade, as well as numerous towed artillery units. The Soviet forces trained as a combined arms team prior to the attack, and were well prepared. In most sectors of Army Group Center, the Germans had relatively thin lines, and most armor and heavy artillery was stripped to defend expected areas of attack. The area of the highway had seen much heavy fighting in the winter of 1943-44, and the Germans expected an attack to come in this direction. When German intelligence detected the buildup of artillery and armored forces, as well as the movement of ammunition, their reaction was to ensure forces in this area retained significant combat strength. The 78th Sturm Division, already the most powerful infantry division in Army Group Center, maintained its structure which included the 189th Assault Gun Battalion (StuG), a Heavy Tank Destroyer Battalion (PzJgIII/IVs), 5th Nebelwerfer Battalion (120mm Mortars), and Army Antiaircraft Battalion 293 (mix of 88s/20s). These forces defended from probably the most dense network of mines, trenches, and bunkers in Army Group Center, including special rotating bunkers housing machine-guns.

Years of extensive on-sight research along with vigorous play testing by the veteran game designers at Heat of Battle brings you ONSLAUGHT TO ORSHA.

ONSLAUGHT TO ORSHA contains:
Color 29x56" historical map featuring 1" hexes of the Smolensk-Minsk Railroad area
Chapter OtO, that includes rules for new units, terrain types and vehicle notes
Campaign Game, 22 scenarios and 2 Solitaire Missions
17 Page Map Study and Order of Battle
And, over 180 new, full color counters covering vehicles and weapons not seen in an tactical wargame system are included for free!

Articles and Resources:

TitleAuthorDescriptionPage/url
Operation Bagration Map StudyChas SmithReference MaterialOTO34-OTO37
After Action ReportAfter Action ReportOTO37-OTO39
Orders of BattleReference MaterialOTO40-OTO50

Reviews:

This publication has been rated: 10/10 by 1 users. Write a review
Zowie - it's cool.
nathan wegener: 10.0 out of 10. [Review score: 5] [Agree] [Disagree]

I just received my out of print copy of OTO! This has to be the single most impressive piece of gaming material I have ever seen. I remember almost 20 years ago when I first got my ASL Rulebook. I was blown away by the style and substance. I know I paid more for it than I did my ASLRB and BV back then but I am equally blown away by the components in this beauty. The massive colorful map, the... Read full review...

Scenarios:

ScenarioPlayedTotalRatingLocationTheatreAttackerDefenderLengthBalancePopularity*
OB1: Down in a Hole033 4.80East of Gorki, BelorussiaETORussianGerman5.8 hrs61% Russian5%
OB2: Hornet's Nest038 5.80East of Gorki, BelorussiaETORussianGerman12.3 hrs64% German6%
OB3: Close Quarters038 5.67Rogachev, BelorussiaETORussianGerman5 hrsBalanced6%
OB4: Motoring to Mogilev05 7.20Chernevka, BelorussiaETORussianGerman3.3 hrs80% German1%
OB5: Tangle at Tolochin025 6.33Tolochin, BelorussiaETORussianGerman10.1 hrs64% Russian4%
OB6: Hoffmeister's Charge028 7.60Titkova, BelorussiaETOGermanRussian11.4 hrs58% German5%
OB7: Where's The Beef?035 6.60Kostriza, BelorussiaETORussianGerman6.7 hrs63% Russian6%
OB8: Bloody Bobruisk02 4.00Bobruisk, BelorussiaETORussianGerman14.1 hrs100% German0%
OB9: Oriola Force052 6.38Krugloye, BelorussiaETOGermanRussian5 hrs57% German8%
OB10: Lapitschi Fit013 7.00Lapitschi, BelorussiaETOGermanRussian8.8 hrs82% German2%
OB11: Shootout at Slutsk014 7.00Slutsk, BelorussiaETORussianGerman12.7 hrs67% Russian2%
OB12: Bridgehead on the Berezina017 7.00Near Glovino, BelorussiaETORussianGerman (SS)7.2 hrsBalanced3%
OB13: The Cat's Lair06 6.43Radoskovichi, BelorussiaETORussianGerman11.5 hrsBalanced1%
OB14: Berated at Baranovichi011 6.64Baranovichi, BelorussiaETORussianGerman7.8 hrs59% German2%
OTO1: Funnel of Death07 South of the Minsk-Moscow Highway, BelorussiaETORussianGerman31.2 hrs86% Russian1%
OTO2: Bunker Burning03 6.33South of the Minsk-Moscow Highway, BelorussiaETORussianGerman5.1 hrs67% German0%
OTO3: Fire from the Hole01 7.00South of the Minsk-Moscow Highway, BelorussiaETORussianGerman5.1 hrs100% German0%
OTO4: The Orsha Plain014 7.67South of the Minsk-Moscow Highway, BelorussiaETORussianGerman10.9 hrsBalanced2%
OTO5: Another Bloody Morning09 South of the Minsk-Moscow Highway, BelorussiaETORussianGerman19.5 hrs56% Russian1%
OTO6: Sparkplug01 5.50South of the Minsk-Moscow Highway, BelorussiaETORussianGerman3.9 hrs100% German0%
OTO7: Falling Like Dominos014 6.00South of the Minsk-Moscow Highway, BelorussiaETORussianGerman3.4 hrs57% German2%
OTO8: Tooth and Nail05 South of the Minsk-Moscow Highway, BelorussiaETORussianGerman9.6 hrs60% German1%
OTO-S1: Breakthrough to Orsha00 Near Orsha, BelorussiaETO71% 0%
OTO-S2: The Cross Roads01 10.00Near Orsha, BelorussiaETOUnknown0%
OTO CG 1: On Track to Orsha01 8.00Smolensk-Minsk Railroad, RussiaETORussianGerman100% German0%

 * Popularity is the sum of Roar and Archive reported playings based as a percentage of the parent publication's total games.

 (Dark) grey rows indicate Night scenarios.

Median length of scenarios: 8.3hrs

Average rating of scenarios: 6.62

Total playing time: 210.4hrs

All Rights Reserved. (c)2022 Dave Ramsey.