For our Firestorm Kursk Day 2 Game 4 I developed and briefed a scenario loosely based on the GrossDeutschland Panthers operating around the
Pena River on the 7th July 1943:
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| Ghost Panzers objective marker! |
Situation Major Meinrad von Lauchert’s
Panzer Regiment 39, consisting of 2 battalions of Panther tanks, famously had a
poor introduction to the Battle of Kursk on 5th July, seemingly to
gravitate time and again to quagmires or minefields. However after a few days,
on drier more open ground, they began to justify the faith showed in them.
Incredibly, however, on the 7th July they were then asked to move to another waterlogged bog replete with minefields, to spearhead the assault on the Pena river to firm up II SS Panzer Korp’s western
flank …
They would form part of Oberst Strachwitz’s Kampfgruppe,
consisting of 30 Pz IIIs and IVs, and the remaining 43 Panthers, as well as
Panzer Grenadier support. They would be opposed by AT guns, mines and T-34s of
General-major Andrei Getman’s 6th Tank Corps, part of Lt-Gen Mikhail
Katukov’s 1st Tank Army.
The Pena river was shallow and only 10 metres wide (Cross
check), but its banks were lined with bogs and marshes… A 6” strip each side of
the river constitutes terrain and also causes bog checks to all vehicles and
guns.
Strachwitz, applying the lessons of the disastrous Panther
debut, opted to lead the assault crossing with the Panzer Grenadiers, the
long-armed Panther’s supporting with direct fire from the German side of the
river.
Mission – No
Retreat (Except Soviets get 3 minefields)
Forces – 120*
points each side, ideally 2 or more formations. Germans are encouraged to use
some Panthers*, as well as Pz Grenadiers and other medium tanks. Soviets are
encouraged to concentrate on AT guns and T-34s, with a minimum of infantry… No
Air, No AA. (Actually on the day Colin and Peter deployed 178 points between them, Bryan and I had 120 + 3 minefields)
* If Germans field a Panther Tank
Coy at least 2 Panther platoons of 3 Panthers each, they may spend an
additional 60 points on that formation, so up to 180 in total.
German objectives must
be placed north of the Pena River.
This was now the fourth game in our Firestorm Kursk
campaign, and the Germans had yet to make a firm lodgement in the Russian
lines, so I had skewed the points slightly to both nudge them towards a
historical scenario, and boost their morale and interest. However I still
wanted a challenging scenario, but, given the disparity in Soviet armour where
Panthers are concerned, the terrain and minefields would have to do a lot of
the heavy lifting!
With the Soviet having to put half their platoons into
immediate deep reserves, Bryan wisely kept all his Red tanks off table, which
meant I, as the Red infantry commander, was able to deploy all my platoons
except for one Mortar battery.
With two Hero
Rifle infantry platoons, my plan was to set one up around our objective,
but to deploy the other well forward with the intention of rushing them forward
into the German sector, using the cover of the large woods to harass the German
light armour from the rear with their PTRDs.
Perhaps a rash decision, as the
German team had the first move, but all infantry start the No Retreat scenario dug in and gone to ground, so they should
survive the limited German artillery which was bound to come their way? Viewed
with some scepticism by some, at least at this stage of the war, I retain some
affection for PTRDs, at least the way that FOW treats it as with a high rate of
fire concentrated on a large base, and I hoped this aggressive forward
deployment would distract at least some of the German light armour and infantry
from the objectives deep in our end of the table. Our 76.2mm ZIS-3 AT battery
was kept in ambush, and the 45mm AT battery deployed in woods to cover the
German objective which was out in the open.
The Germans deployed with Peter’s Panthers on their left and
centre, and Colin’s light armour and panzer grenadiers on the right, stretching
across the table. Deliberately or not, given the ambush deployment rules with
minimum 16” from enemy when in the open, this scotched our hopes of being able
to spring a ZIS-3 ambush on the weaker Panther side armour – and front shots
would simple bounce! As expected, a barrage fell on the forward rifle platoon
but, dug in and gone to ground, all bar one team survived.
With our opening move my lead rifle platoon scurried forward
into as much cover as they could manage, and my lovely 120mm mortars laid down
smoke to increase their protection from the armoured cars that were hunting
them. However they still suffered further light casualties. Bryan succeeded in
bring some armour on; he opted to play safe and keep them concealed behind the
woods.
Whilst the Panthers kept pushing straight on for the river
bank, affording no opportunity for a flank ambush, the Panzergrenadiers had
definitely taken the bait and were deploying serious firepower against my
forward infantry platoon. Concluded their lifespan was going to be short
anyway, and since they had served their function, I launched an assault on the
flanks of the armoured cars – a forlorn hope which was duly cut down in a
lethal spray of unsuppressed, multiple, 20mm automatic fire – it wasn’t pretty…
By this time the Panthers had been milling around their side
of the river bank/swamp and Peter was getting bored them just with plinking at
hidden and gone to ground AT guns, since Bryan was wisely refusing to present
worthwhile armoured targets. Peter therefore took the plunge, and unfortunately
for the cause of socialist fraternity and free beer for everyone, by dint of Cross Here movement orders the Panthers traversed
the multiple hazards of both swampy river banks and the river crossings
seemingly without pause! Not even a gearbox fire! Still no chance for a side
shot ambush either, and space to deploy the AT guns was running out…
By this time the German light armour and pzgrenadiers were
crossing the river, and it was very satisfying to whittle them down and pin
them with the 120mm death dealing mortars! However as they recovered and
started to close on the German objective, it was time to repurpose the ZIS-3s and 45s in the anti-personnel role - German smoke screens permitting!
Meanwhile Bryan had continued moving his armour from reserve
to the concealed forming up point and was ready to engage the Panthers...
A labour in vain for the T34s, even the 57mm Special Tank Company 100...
Our
main hope rested on the 2 SU-85s – succeeding in a blitz move their initial salvo would be at full ROF despite
emerging from the woods…
They succeeded in bailing one Panther – no mean feat for the
Soviets in 1943! But retribution was not long in coming...
However, by move seven the Germans were in unopposed
possession of their objective and it was game over – the Germans had finally
broken through the first line of Soviet Defences!
So the campaign remains uncannily historical in its pattern. Our next game returns to the Northern Front, and Peter is working up a scenario based on the 11th Pz Div on the Belgorod- Kursk road:
"Having successfully broken through the second line of Soviet defences to the west of Syrtsevo the 11. Panzerdivision advanced up the Belgorad-Kursk road towards Oboyan."
Suggested Terrain: Rolling hills with the road winding through a valley, perhaps a few farms and fields.
Can't wait!
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