Panzer Grenadier Battles on March 29th:
Spearhead Division #16 - Final Accounting
Stronger, but still not enough
Author campsawyer
Method Solo
Victor Soviet Union
Play Date 2013-07-29
Language English
Scenario WoaP023

This is a continuation of the Borodino mini-campaign in the W&P supplement. After the loss of Armenki, the Germans throw the 10th Panzer Division with the 2nd SS Division to retake the town. The Soviets have a purely defensive force of infantry and guns to defend the town. The Germans have the advantage of the number of troops, number of tanks, OBA and aircraft. But the Germans have some flaws, namely morale of the SS troops and that the 10th must attack the farthest away from attack on Armenki. This will force them to reduce the other towns of Borodino Station and Ozety before they join the main attack.

The Soviets understand this issue and setup to defend Armenki but position enough of a force to make the 10th Panzer Division attack before pivoting south. This is slow them down and burn through time, which is also an issue for the Germans. The 2nd SS Division is too weak to attack alone against the defended town. They will need to probe for weak spots and force them while waiting for the 10th to arrive.

The 10th advances onto board 24 and proceeds to close on both Borodino Station and Ozety. Two groups of battle groups close on the towns but Soviet defenders are tough and put up a stiff fight. This ties up the 10th for most of game but they do reduce Ozety and Borodino Station, but this keeps them out of the fight for Armemki, which is left to the 2nd SS. There fight is the one that is a bit more interesting.

The 2nd SS move to attack the town of Armemki along the southern edge. The Soviets have placed 76.2mm AT guns to guard the western approaches with dug in infantry to their front. With the lower morale this will make assaults tougher to close on and more infantry units will be disrupted and demoralized before any assaults. In the southern end of the town there is only a Soviet INF and reduced HMG. As the Germans close the Soviets shift infantry to support the INF/HMG. The SS men are able to close and assault but not after having to recover from the OP fire. Soviet artillery was keep to slowing the Germans. Just as the SS STUG rolled up to help with initial town assault, they are hit with OBA and the STUG is demoralized. Later the OBA hits and kills the SS Colonel leading the battalions. Slowed and temporarily stop the SS floundered at the outer Soviet defenses. Repeated assault finally take two town hexes but this is not enough to get twice as much VP's than the Soviets, so the German assault fails.

Despite this short AAR the scenario is quite fun and can go either way. German luck was failing with several repeat assaults were required by the 10th. Soviet troops were in good spirits to hold the towns while the Germans seemed easily broken by fire. The SS were particularly a challenge with the lower morale and with the 7-0-0 Colonel who panic and was killed.

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