KG Krafft, 27 August, 1942 - Eastern Front
Resupply: ammo stocks only, no time for replacements or repairs.
Situation: The defeat of the Russian advance in the previous battle opens up an opportunity for KG Krafft. If the Russians are successfully attacked before they have a chance to reinforce, this area of the front might be made much more stable for the Germans. The Russians have fallen back to an area that is roughly flat but with numerous gullies and a few stands of woods. There are two roads in this area, one runs east west about a kilometer south of the northern edge, the other runs northwest/southeast leaving the area in the centers of the northern and eastern edges. the two roads intersect about one and a half kilometers from the eastern edge. To the east-southeast of the intersection is a stand of woods covering most of two objective areas. The third objective area lays in the open a kilometer and a half south and a few hundred meters east of the intersection. [Advance special mission, visibility 22, length 43, standard victory hexes, map size 80x80]
Orders: KG Krafft is to eject the Russians from the area, securing it for follow-on forces. One company of motorized panzergrenadiers is attached to KG Krafft for the duration of the operation. Corps is providing counterbattery coverage which covers the area (17cm K18 battery), this battery is *not* available for fire missions.
Battle Plan: Attack group 1 will be comprised of StuG platoon F and panzergrenadier platoon N; it will advance towards the intersection along the road, drawing the enemy's attention and pinning the northern enemy force in place. Attack group 2 will be comprised of the remainder of the force. Panzergrenadier platoon L will ride the StuGs of platoons D and E during the initial approach. Using woods and gullies for cover, AG2 will advance in the far south deep into the enemy rear areas. AG2 will delay dismounting as long as possible, preferably dismount location is in the gullies to the south and southeast of the southern objective. After dismount advance with panzergrenadiers in the lead using two up formation supported by StuGs, secure the southern objective area and then advance north taking the remaining two objective areas from the south/south-east. Sturmpioniers will be held in reserve.
Execution: Roughly twenty minutes into the operation, a Maxim HMG squad opens up on squad N2 in the north. The StuGs of platoon F move into firing positions and send the HMG squad packing, heading east in full rout. In the south, the lead spaehtrupp climbs up out of the gully and immediately spots a rifle section two hundred meters to the northeast and an AOP truck 600 meters east-northeast. The spaehtrupp freezes in position and passes word back for platoon D to advance.
Game note: this is the tricky part, the southern force cannot bypass the rifle section or AOP truck due to their positions but must not engage them until the enemy is fully occupied with the northern feint lest artillery be drawn down on the soft vehicles following in the south.
Another HMG squad opens up on squad N2 in the north but this one is hard to spot. The StuGs of platoon F advance closer to the suspected firing position and squad N2 draws fire from the HMG once more. StuG F1 spots the HMG and opens fire, joined shortly by F0, they manage to pin the HMG but it is located in the edge of the woods and doesn't rout easily. Squads N1 and N2 advance into the next gully taking cover from the HMG.
In the south, the StuG's advance carefully staying out of los of the spotted enemy units and a fire mission is called in to the sIGs to suppress the rifle section. With a bit of luck, it may be possible for dismounted infantry to deal with the enemy blocking the southern passage without the accompanying StuGs drawing attention to themselves. The second spaehtrupp unit quietly moves into position and spots three more rifle sections near the first.
Up north the StuG's finally machinegun the HMG into retreat and platoon N advances. In the south, the force awaits the arrival of the 15cm rounds. The enemy takes the bait and mortar fire falls near the northern StuGs, additional mortar and local artillery fire at phantom targets in the center. The first 15cm rounds fall too far south and an adjustment is quickly called in.
The remaining HMG in the north is finally put to rout, the path seems clear to the westernmost objective area. However AG1 soon discovers two rifle sections south of their position, delaying any possible move towards the objective area. One rifle section in the south is routed by 15cm fire, a followup mission is called, Oberstlt Krafft is in no hurry at the moment.
Up north, AG1 continues to exert slow steady pressure on the enemy and two rifle sections are routed. The sIG fire mission in the south is closer to being on target this time and only a small adjustment is required. After the adjusted fire arrives, the scout vehicles engage the AOP truck, destroying it with a few shots and the StuGs advance to firing positions and put the southern enemy infantry platoon in retreat. Panzergrenadier platoon L begins to advance to put the enemy to rout and all hell breaks loose. At least two more platoons in supporting positions north of the retreating platoon fire on the panzergrenadiers bringing the entire operation into jeopardy.
Platoon L pops smoke and the lead trucks of platoon M make a mad dash eastward to gain the next gully. They make it without coming under fire and a new plan is formulated on the spot, to use smoke to mask the soft vehicle's advance while the StuGs and platoon L deal with the enemy infantry. In the north, things are much smoother, AG1 is meeting very little opposition. Just when they start to relax, a 76.2mm ATG opens up and causes a bit of panic though no damage. The panzergrenadiers of AG1 begin to advance on the ATG position only to be fired upon by the first HMG that has now rallied. It is sent back into rout by a StuG and both of the northern StuGs hide in the nearest gullies.
The southern advance continues, though at substantially greater risk than planned. A hidden T-26 fires on StuG D0, it pops smoke while E1 returns fire. No damage to either D0 or the T-26, until E1 fires two more shots and destroys the T-26. The sIGs have relocated to new firing positions and are given a fire mission targeting the ATG that fired upon AG1 earlier. The northern force continues to make small advances but the StuG's are running low on HE and need to reload before pushing further.
Just past the one hour mark, Russian artillery hits far too close for comfort both in the north and south, in the north one squad is routed requiring a StuG to fire smoke rounds to mask the squad from direct enemy fire. In the south, a truck was destroyed but no other losses occurred, at least initially. After the bombardment, things quieted down for a moment. The last volley from the sIGs before relocating forced the crew of the ATG to abandon it. In the north the infantry hunkered down while the StuGs were resupplied, and in the south, the advance through the gully resumed.
As the southern force maneuvered through the gullies, largely unseen by the enemy (hopefully), enemy artillery resumed firing and this time concentrated mostly on the northern positions. No casualties resulted as the northern infantry was staying put for the moment. Continuing artillery fire makes further advance of soft vehicles, even via the gully route, inadvisable. Panzergrenadier platoon M, having reached a position 600 meters southeast of the southern objective area, spots a pair of T-26 M1939 tanks between them and the objective area. The StuGs of platoon E make short work of the northernmost tank of the pair but cannot get los to the remaining T-26.
Artillery fire continues to keep panzergrenadier platoon N pinned down in the north, however the situation is even worse for panzergrenadier platoon L in the south as continued incoming artillery causes the L3 squad to rout. Oberstlt Krafft orders the pioniers to advance using a more southerly gully, with platoon L out of the picture, the pioniers will need to take up the slack. A further bit of maneuvering allows StuG E1 to fire upon the second T-26 near the southern objective area, two shots and a shell penetrates, knocking out that obstacle.
StuG platoon F finishes resupply in the north and the advance there resumes, engaging an enemy infantry squad in the northwestern objective area. The StuGs of E platoon in the south begin their resupply as all southern StuGs have run out of HE ammo. Panzergrenadier platoon L is on the move again, squad L3 having rallied, the platoon is currently escorting the sIG Ib's eastward through the southern gully.
The southern advance seems to have caught the Russians flatfooted, enemy infantry squads are moving in all directions even when not under fire. The MG34s of the panzergrenadier company, supported by StuGs from platoon D, take advantage of this situation and procede to encourage Russian units to choose westward movement. Panzergrenadier platoon M advances by bounds towards the southern objective area.
A 76.2mm ATG just northeast of the southern objective area fires on StuG F1 but inflicts no damage. The MG34s of the panzergrenadier company engage the ATG at long range from behind, inflicting casualties among the crew and the ATG is then destroyed by a single shot of 7.5cm HE from StuG F1. Panzergrenadier platoon N advances and flushes out a 37mm AA-gun which is promptly destroyed with assistance from StuG F0.
Another pair of T-26 tanks are spotted far to the east of the southern objective, the southernmost of the pair is destroyed by fire from StuG E0 as it emerged from the gully after resupply. Two more ATGs are spotted northeast of the southern objective area when they open fire on StuG E0, which promptly pops smoke avoiding damage. With the help of panzergrenadier platoon M and the SdKfz 250/10's of the scout section, the StuGs of platoon E and section C not only put an end to the two ATGs but also destroy the remaining T-26 to their east.
The northern group continues to slowly advance on the northwestern objective area, a Russian sniper brings progress to a halt for a moment. The advancing pioniers discover a Russian AAA park and the accompanying StuGs proceeded to dismantle them with 7.5cm HE. Another T-26 was discovered nearby hiding in a gully. Pioniers, under cover of smoke, are advancing on it as StuGs maneuver for a flank shot.
One hour left to go, time is getting short but the plan has, more or less, gone unexpectedly well. The northern group is poised to seize the northwestern objective area, panzergrenadiers in the south are advancing steadily on the southern objective area with assistance from sIG Ib's and StuG's. The question of the hour is, will the northeastern objective area be too heavily defended to overrun in the time remaining?
StuG E1 is hit by a hidden ATG, the tank is destroyed but the crew survives. The pionier platoon overruns the Soviet HQ and engages with SMG fire at short range, the Soviet HQ ceases to exist. All objective areas under control except for the northeastern one, the pionier platoon will attempt to advance upon it.
The pionier platoon runs into a nest of interlocking 47mm ATG positions, though a halftrack is lost, the platoon destroys the ATGs and secures the northeastern objective area. The Russian forces made a heroic effort to regain the southern objective area, it was hard at times to pick out units which were firing from those which were just running east. Finally the combination of sIG Ib fire and the advance of panzergrenadier platoon L broke the counterattack.
Decisive victory, KG Krafft!
Game notes: this was a tough fight despite the use of gullies as 'protected' infiltration routes. The StuGs run dry on HE rounds very quickly and it can be rough to decide when to use them and when not to. Frequent resupply is necessary!
Last turn file attached, thanks for reading
Brian
Re: DAR: GE Long campaign - small core
I haven't had time to do the next battle yet, hopefully before next weekend.
Hybrid Mode
