WIP Campaign "Kampfgruppe Weber"

[Ts4EVER]

Kampfgruppe Weber

August 1944

Design by Ts4EVER

Do you have what it takes to lead a mechanised German Kampfgruppe out of the Falaise Pocket?

This is a hard campaign. You will not have time to refresh your troops, so keeping casualties low is paramount. Pick your fights carefully. Especially your Panthers would be a terrible loss.

Your core force consists of a Panzergrenadier Company supported by two platoons of Panzers. These are high quality, well equipped troops, but make no mistake: You are facing an enemy who enjoys total material and air superiority. You will not win this war, but you might be able to save your men.

Feedback is very much appreciated. This campaign probably still needs a lot of tweaking.

EDIT: FINISHED VERSION ON PAGE 3

[wulfir]

First battle done!




---- S P O I L E R S B E L OW ------

---- S P O I L E R S B E L OW ------

---- S P O I L E R S B E L OW ------

---- S P O I L E R S B E L OW ------





Turn 00, Radio message from KG Weber:

"On Ablaufline ready, standing by."

Kampfgruppe deployed along the lower road ("Southern road"). Aiming to size the wooded hill overlooking all objectives. Sptize; PzGren-Zug Kessler, on foot.

Turn 01, Radio message from KG Weber:

"Weber tritt an...!"

Kessler leads the attack on foot followed by Pz-zug Schneider (Panther) and Kp-Trupp Kompanie Tauber.

Turn 05-09, erste Fiendberührung. Kessler bumps into Ami infantry screening Objective Yellow. Pz_Zug Schneider is called forward and is engaged by 57mm Pak, two Panthers are damaged - both losing their main guns. Wooded hill is taken without resistance.

Pz-Zug Kramer (PzIV) is deployed on the hill, in cover. MG-Zug Scherrer deploys its MG42 on the hill. Bauers SdKfz 234/1s are brought forward on the hill.

PzGren-Zug Krause (Gep.) is kept in reserve behind the hill.

Turn 10-20, Objective Green taken without resistance by Tauber.

Kessler meets with moderate resistance advancing on Obj Yellow. Can not identify enemy Pak-Stellung, Panthers called back. MG and Grw fire drives the Ami infantry back and Kessler takes Obj Yellow but suffers losses.

The Moebelwagen damages one Lightning and shoots down another but is then in turn destoryed by Jabos. No survivours. Enemy artillery imobilise a half-track and both of Bauers two SdKfz 234/1s.

Kramer loses one PzIV and has one PzIV damaged to Pak-fire from Objective Red.

Turn 21-25, Radio message from KG Weber:

"Krause Objective Red, links umfassen."

PzGren-Zug Krause moves out to flank Obj Red on the left but is targeted by enemy Jabos. Only Krause's own section and half-track makes it, the rest of the platoon is wiped out. Attack on Obj Red is called off.

- - - - - - -

Very nice map, good deployment of the American forces. Fun to play.
I was somewhat careless and recieved a major bloody nose, and lost about half of the KG's combat-power. I see no need to change anything.

[wulfir]

Second Battle done

---- Spoilers Below -------

Turn 00, Pz-Zug Schneider with one fully operational Panther and two damaged but running ones, Pz-Zug Langkeit (PzIV - Kramer dead, Langkeit now boss) with one Jpz IV, one fully operational Pz IV and one PzKw 1c along with one barely running PzIV and PzGren-Zug Krause (one PzGren section and one half-track) are deployed forward.

The rest of the Kampfgruppe is deployed to the rear.
This includes:

*Stab KG Weber
*Ari VB
*Kp-Trupp Kp Kronz (Tauber dead, Kronz now boss), and one half-track.
*Bauer with one fully operational SdKfz 234/1, and one damaged.
*PzGren-Zug Kessler with two sections and one SdKfz 251/9 (the soft trucks are withdrawn off-map).
*MG-Zug Scherrer with three MG42 MMG sections, no transport.
*Grw-Zug (intact).

Turn 01-05, Schneider and Langkeit moves forward and blunt the Ami lead element. Shoots up a number of recon vehicles.

Turn 06-10, American artillery and Jabo's shoot up the deployment area of (Aux) Pak and FlaK platoons. Schneider and Langkeit conducta a fighting retreat, knocking out a number of enemy tanks without sustaining any losses.

Turn 11-15, artillery and Jabo's knock out two of the GrW-tracks and the rest are withdrawn off-map. The one SdKfz 251/9 is imobilized by arty fire. The one undamaged Panther is immobilized after being hit by Jabos. Crew bails out.

Turn 16 - 22, enemy advance basically held with the destruction of the bulk of enemy Panzers destroyed. Ami infantery presses on, regardless but moves too slow. The Kampfgruppe's last undamaged 251 half-track is destroyed by Jabo attack.

-------------------------

The map is very good. Another fun scenario to play. Veteran players will probably not have a too difficult time slowing down and halting the American attack. I still had possesion of the two last objective clusters, but was saved by the bell - if the scenario had been longer I would have have to fight over the second last cluster too (the houses in front of the bridge) - the Americans at that Point still had 5 tanks, 1 M10 and a somewhat reduced infantry company left.

All core force losses in this battle were to air and artillery.

[wulfir]

Third "battle" done


The text breifing says "The Southern route is shorter, but seems comparatively safe so far" - I assume it should read "The Southern route is longer...", regardless I'll go with safe given the poor state my KG is in...



Radio-message from Division;
"Erbitten Standort Weber."

Radio-message from KG Weber;
"Road fork North route, South route. Moving on South. No enemy."

Radio-message from Division;
"Report materiel and personnel situation."

Radio-message from KG Weber;
"Heavy losses. 2 mortar half-tracks in running order.
Kp Kronz heavily reduced, infanteriestärke of one platoon transport only trucks, one armoured car, one damaged.
Pz-Zug Schneider - one Panther, two damaged.
Pz-Zug Langkeit, one Jpz, one PzKw Ic, one PzIV, one damaged.
MG-Zug Scherrer, three MMG sections.

---------------------

Campaign branches - by choosing what which VH to take. It might be neccessary to state that for taking the South route one needs to select only the South VH or some players might still take both VHs.

[wulfir]

Fourth battle done.

----- Spoilers ----------


Turn 00, KG deployed in deployment zone village. Expect main enemy attack along main road.

Turn 01-05, Bauer's two armoured cars are sent on a recon mission, to keep an Eye on the KG right flank. (Now I notice the damaged armoured car is not a 234/1 but a SdKfz 234/3, ops). Pz-Zug Schneider is lead element.

Enemy infantry attack develops on the village held by Kp Ziegler.

Bauer spots American infantry, platoon strength, advancing on the flank of the KG - seemingly aiming for the village where KG Weber staff and mortar elements are deployed. Bauer engages.

One single PzIV, Kp Kronz HQ element, the remains of Krause's platoon (one section) and a MMG section from Scherrer's platoon are re-directed to defend the HQ village. Expect tanks to show up behind Ami infantry.

Turn 06-10, enemy infantry breaks into Ziegler's village. Heavy fighting. Ziegler is pushed back. Schneider and Langkeit reach Zieglers position. Enemy losses start to mount. Enemy tanks supporting the attack on Ziegler are engaged by Schneider and Langkeit.

Bauer withdraws fighting. Just as the lone PzIVh, commanded by Metzger, shows up a company of Shermans appear. Metzger knocks out three before retreating.

Turn 11-15, Ami Panzers reach HQ village. Metzger's PzIVh is knocked out. Remaining units in village to pull out. Pz-Zug Langkeit to disengage and pull back in case enemy tanks at HQ village strike for centre village, held by Major Ulrich, reinforced with Kessler and Scherrer. Enemy artillery hit our positions. Ziegler still master of his village.

Two StuG III arrive. Nice. StuGs reinforce Langkeit, engages enemy Panzers now advancing from HQ village, 4 knocked out.

Kronz and Krause manage to slip away on foot and avoid detection near HQ village.

Turn 16 - 20, enemy tank Company is ambused upon approaching Ulrich's village by Langkeit. 9 Shermans are shot up without friendly losses. Kronz and Bauer re-establish control over HQ village against minor resistance from American infantry.

Some fighting still rages in Ziegler's village. Enemy effort dies down. Heavy artillery fire.

Turn 21 - 30, fresh enemy infantry make another effort at siezing HQ village. One mortar half-track knocked out to close assault. Weber's command Lynx engaged. The PzKw 1c is taken out by a bazooka hit. A major tank attack also develops to the east. Both Langkeit and the StuGs are needed to check it. Elements in HQ village will have to cope on their own.

The last enemy tank attack against Ulrich and Zeigler's positions is defeated by fire from Schneider's three Panthers and Langkeit's single Jpz IV. Sherman return fire Bounces on the Panthers and most Shermans burn. Heavy artillery fire hit Zeigler's village and at battle's end there are both German and American elements present in the village.

At HQ village Bauer and Kronz restore order and dispatch nearly all of the infantry that managed to infiltrate. Close assault claims the last mortar half track.

---------

Excellent map. Better still is the set-up of the AI controlled American forces and the path of attack. Keeps the player guessing. I expected minor attacks on the deployment village along the "dirt road", but not a major attack as developed. I also expected a minor attack on the centre village from the "North" which did not happen and a major push along the main road against the village held by Ziegler - and I did not expect Ziegler's rather weak force to hold for long. Creative and fun setup!

(If I have time I'll play the North route too.)

[DRG]

When this campaign is finalized I would be happy to include it ( and it's maps ) with the next patch

Don

[wulfir]

Fifth battle done

Turn 00,

Kampfgruppe strength:
HQ track (PzKw II Luchs)
Ari VB
PzGren Kp Kronz ,
- HQ section
- Pzspäh-Zug Bauer (two armoured cars, fully operational),
- PzGren-Zug Krause (one section)
- PzGren-Zug Kessler (two reduced sections, three trucks, one damaged SdKfz 251/9)

and

Pz-Zug Schneider (two fully operational Panthers, one damaged)
Pz-Zug Langkeit (one JpzIV, one damaged PzIVh)
MG-Zug Scherrer (three MMG sections)

KG and attached units all deployed on the lower road. I expect the town to be defended by minor forces but at least one platoon of AT guns that will be dangerous. Aux elements in the lead. Sacrifice the orphans first.

Turn 01-07, upon appraching the town lead elements draw fire. Bauer's SdKfz 234/1 is knocked out by a 57mm ATG. HMG fire also directed against the KG knocking out a truck.

Through a gap in our smoke screen HMG fire knocks out our Bus-Nag and a bunch of troops from the attached Kompanie Heinelt. Remaining inf deployed on foot, advancing. American infantry and AT guns engaged. One AT gun knocked out, one own Strumpanzer IV knocked out.

Turn 08-15, infantry breaks into the town, identfies another AT gun and knocks it out. Third AT gun manages to knock out the SdKfz 234/3 and the SdKfz 252/9. Infantry and Panthers fight their way into the town towards the VH. An enemy light tank platoon shows up and is taken under fire.

Turn 16 - 22, infantry drives off the remaining Ami troops from the VH area. SP-artillery is destroyed.

-----------------

Map as always fine. My rather beat up KG just about managed to fight its way to the single VH by turn 14. I figured there were more AI infantry in town that would counterattack the VH once I took it, so I waited until turn 21 as not to trigger a counterattack I might not be able to withstand. The American light tank platoon and Armored inf plt counterattacks, but not the M20/M10 Group (<-- these had not moved by the end turn). Were they meant to be triggered by the capture of the Victory Hex?

[wulfir]

Sixth "battle done"

I go for the single Tiger.

--------------------

It would be helpful if there could be some map text included that indicates which VH captured leads to which result.

[wulfir]

Final battle

--------Spoilers below -----------

Turn 00, KG Weber strength:

HQ track (PzKw II Luchs)
Ari VB

PzGren Kp Kronz
-HQ Section
-PzGren-Zug Kruase (one pzgren section of 6 men)
-PzGren-Zug Kessler (two pzgren sections of a total of 8 men (3+5), one opel truck, not a scratch on it.

and

Pz-Zug Schneider(two fully operational Panthers, one damaged)
Pz-Zug Langkeit (one fully operational Jpz IV and one damaged PzIVh)

MG-Zug Scherrer (three MMG sections)

Turn 01-08, British scout teams probe the defences at the bridge. Truck mounted British infantry appear on the centre Ridge. Mortar and 25 pdr's bombard the bridge defences. Infantry and Churchill tanks attack. Despite trying to mask the movement to the bridge by KG Weber, British infantry fire upon the opel Truck. Kessler is killed. American infantry attacks from the opposite direction of the British. Caught in a pincer. The King Tiger knocks out three Churchill tanks.


Turn 09-15, American infantry attack also against the bridge. American tanks show up but run into fire from the deadly Panther crews (now veteran). British infantry reaches the bridge and their 6 pounders claim both the un-damaged Panther tanks. Schneider is killed. The last PzIVh is taken out by 6 pdr fire. Mortar fire kills the last opel.

Weber makes it across the bridge.

The last Panhter makes it across.

Langkeit in the JpzIV makes it to the bridge with our Ari VB.

Kronz, Krause and Scherrer are stuck on the wrong side. There's no hope for them. They all fall or surrender.

Allied artillery pounds the small German pocket. A Bazooka team knocks out the King Tiger on the bridge.

Turn 14-19, the far end (one VH) is defended by what remains of KG Weber - Webers own Luchs, the Ari VB team, one damaged Panther and the JpzIV.

The game ends on turn 19 when the last VH falls to allied infantry crossing the bridge.

-------------

The last scenario is hard. I tried to set up a small bridgehead from where I intended to burn the attacking AI forces, which failed. I then had to rush whatever could get across the bridge and try to hold the enemy off from the other side which failed too. I had only four untis left of the entire KG at the end, and only one - Langkeit's JpzIV/48 F1 was undamaged (this unit was also the only to achieve elite status, with 28 kills).

I managed to kill a fair number of AI infantry units but did not face the majority of American tanks because of the game ending before these could get into action.

[wulfir]

I greatly enjoyed the campaign. IMHO it is very well done. The "atmosphere", especially, is great.
The maps look great and I found no problems with deployment zones or anything else.

The size of the campaign is probably ideal - for the vast majority of players it will not get overwhelming or tedious.

The lack of refitting points is punishing but fits well with the theme I think - however the game did allow some lightly damaged units to be refitted back to full health.

The most dangerous enemy units were AT-guns, artillery and fighter bombers...