by Eduardo Manuel and Gil Martinez.
Softcover (7.1×9.8 inches). 131 pages. 2024.
Subtitle: Schwedt, Zehden, Eberswalde, Seelow, Berlin
The book covers the SS Fallschirmjager Battalion 600 and the 9th Fallschirmjager Division and their various defense battles against the Soviets towards the end of WWII. Attempted breakouts from Berlin are also covered.
The subtitle notes the battles and each can be adapted to the tabletop. The maps are light on the terrain, and sometimes lack a scale, although the text explains the defensive lines.
Interesting that SS Fallschirmjager Battalion 600 was led for a time by special operations genius Skorzeny in a pure defense role. The 9th Fallschirmjager Division sent troops to Breslau, so was never really a whole division although it functioned like a regular infantry division.
Both units showcased the Soviet abundance versus the German shortages at that point in the war. How balanced a scenario could be in such circumstances is questionable, but a clever GM may focus on part of a battle where attack and counter-attack generated a fluid combat in a small part of the larger battle.
The book contains 99 black and white photos, 11 black and white maps, one black and white illustration, and three color maps.
It’s a nice little unit history.
Enjoyed it.
— Reviewed by Russ Lockwood
