Panzer Grenadier Battles on April 27th:
Arctic Front Deluxe #40 - Children's Crusade Broken Axis #14 - Târgu Frumos: The Second Battle Scenario 3: Sledge Hammer of the Proletariat
Army Group South Ukraine #6 - Consternation Road to Berlin #73 - She-Wolves of the SS
PG-HQ Library - Panzer Grenadier Hall > Scenarios > WoaP018
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Over the River
Workers and Peasants #18
(Defender) Germany vs Soviet Union (Attacker)
Formations Involved
Germany 1st SS "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler" Division
Soviet Union 97th Guards Rifle Division
Display
Balance:


Overall balance chart for WoaP018
Total
Side 1 0
Draw 1
Side 2 1
Overall Rating, 2 votes
5
4
3
2
1
3
Scenario Rank: --- of 913
Parent Game Workers and Peasants
Historicity Historical
Date 1941-11-25
Start Time 09:45
Turn Count 26
Visibility Day
Counters 159
Net Morale 0
Net Initiative 1
Maps 2: 30, 31
Layout Dimensions 56 x 43 cm
22 x 17 in
Play Bounty 180
AAR Bounty 171
Total Plays 2
Total AARs 1
Battle Types
Bridge Control
Inflict Enemy Casualties
Urban Assault
Conditions
Off-board Artillery
Reinforcements
Severe Weather
Terrain Mods
Scenario Requirements & Playability
Eastern Front Counters
Fall of France 1 Maps
Road to Berlin Counters
Sinister Forces Counters
Workers and Peasants Base Game
Introduction

The Germans entered Rostov on the 20th and secured the city two days later. Recognizing the vulnerability of his position, General Ewald von Kleist wanted to withdraw to a more defensible location but was overruled by Berlin. On the 25th the Soviets swarmed over the Don River, confirming Kleist's fears.
Conclusion

Led by " Panzer Meyer" (who would later write a popular book on the recon battalion of SS Lifeguard), the Germans managed to turn back the first of three waves of Russian attackers. The fourth wave broke into the German lines, where it was routed by fresh troops. SS Lifeguard claimed 300 Russian dead and 400 captured while admitting to two dead and seven wounded.
Additional Notes

In the scenario book army trucks and SPW250's are substituted for the SS pieces.
Display Relevant AFV Rules
AFV Rules Pertaining to this Scenario's Order of Battle
  • Vulnerable to results on the Assault Combat Chart (7.25, 7.63, ACC), and may be attacked by Anti-Tank fire (11.2, DFT). Anti-Tank fire only affects the individual unit fired upon (7.62, 11.0).
  • AFV's are activated by tank leaders (3.2, 3.3, 5.42, 6.8). They may also be activated as part of an initial activating stack, but if activated in this way would need a tank leader in order to carry out combat movement.
  • AFV's do not block Direct Fire (10.1).
  • Full-strength AFV's with "armor efficiency" may make two anti-tank (AT) fire attacks per turn (either in their action segment or during opportunity fire) if they have AT fire values of 0 or more (11.2).
  • Each unit with an AT fire value of 2 or more may fire at targets at a distance of between 100% and 150% of its printed AT range. It does so at half its AT fire value. (11.3)
  • Efficient and non-efficient AFV's may conduct two opportunity fires per turn if using direct fire (7.44, 7.64). Units with both Direct and AT Fire values may use either type of fire in the same turn as their opportunity fire, but not both (7.22, 13.0). Units which can take opportunity fire twice per turn do not have to target the same unit both times (13.0).
  • Demoralized AFV's are not required to flee from units that do not have AT fire values (14.3).
  • Place a Wreck marker when an AFV is eliminated in a bridge or town hex (16.3).
  • AFV's do not benefit from Entrenchments (16.42).
  • AFV's may Dig In (16.2).
  • Open-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables, but DO take step losses from X and #X results (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT). If a "2X" or "3X" result is rolled, at least one of the step losses must be taken by an open-top AFV if present.
  • Closed-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables. Do not take step losses from Direct or Bombardment Fire. If X or #X result on Fire Table, make M morale check instead (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT).
  • Closed-top AFV's: Provide the +1 modifier on the Assault Table when combined with infantry. (Modifier only applies to Germans in all scenarios; Soviet Guards in scenarios taking place after 1942; Polish, US and Commonwealth in scenarios taking place after 1943.) (ACC)
  • Tank: all are closed-top and provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable
  • APC – Armored Personnel Carrier: These are Combat Units, but stack like Transports. They can transport personnel units or towed units. They are not counted as combat units for the +1 stacking modifier on the Direct Fire and Bombardment Tables (4.4). They may be activated by regular leaders and tank leaders (1.2, 3.34, 4.3, 5.43). They do not provide the +1 Assault bonus (ACC).
  • Armored Cars: These are Combat Units. They are motorized instead of mechanized. All have their own armored car leaders, who can only activate armored cars (6.85). Do not provide the +1 Assault bonus (ACC).
  • Reconnaissance Vehicle: 8.23 Special Spotting Powers Both foot and vehicle mounted recce units (1.2) possess two special spotting abilities. The first ability is that they can spot enemy in limiting terrain at one hex further than the TEC specifies for other units and leaders. For example, an enemy unit in town can normally be spotted at three hexes or less, but a recce unit can spot them at four hexes.Their second ability is that they can place a Spotted marker on any one enemy unit they can spot per turn, just as if the enemy unit had "blown its cover" by firing. Such Spotted markers are removed as described earlier.
Display Order of Battle
Germany Order of Battle
Schutzstaffel
  • Mechanized
  • Motorized
Soviet Union Order of Battle
Army (RKKA)
  • Mechanized
Display Errata (1)
1 Errata Item
Overall balance chart for 951

The reduced direct fire value in Kursk: Burning Tigers is 4-4.

(plloyd1010 on 2015 Jul 31)
Display AARs (1)
Swarm over the River
Author campsawyer
Method Solo
Victor Soviet Union
Play Date 2022-02-12
Language English
Scenario WoaP018

This scenario features the Soviets on the attack with a lot of units and initially a token SS force to block them from taking the town north of the river. Logistically challenging for Soviets who have 75 units to keep in command during the attack. But there is plenty of low grade officers to keep them moving. The Germans do not have enough units to block of kill the Soviets and will be overwhelmed as time goes on. This is what happened in this play through.

The Germans need to hold town hexes, presumably Rostov on board 30 and even more important and towns on board 31. So a forward setup was required and look to kill as many Soviet units before they could get over the frozen river. This was a tall order and they were not able to stop them despite some fierce assault defenses and fanatical rallies, there was just too many to get away from without giving up key VP's. Eventually had to give in on turn 16, 1:45pm due to the Soviet mastery of the field.

From the Soviet perspective, logistics is the issue and maintenance of command was extremely important. At the start the Soviets can arrange good chains of command, but they start to break down two turns in with units going their own ways. Average morale challenged good leaders to have to rally many units hit by opportunity fire and bombardment. But there is always more Soviets than SS and these early war political soldiers don't stand very long.

Key highlights were the Soviets, breaking through river west of Rostov. Here the German defense was a bit thinner and relied on the SS reinforcements to bolster the line. Once the bridge and the town fell the Soviet center could advance and the SS needed throw most reinforcements to that area. This included their armor support of 2 platoons of Stugs. Unfortunately, the SS infantry was hit with Soviet 76mm bombardment fire that keep them hide in the woods and the unsupported Stugs needs to hold back the swarm of Soviets. Eventually overrun the Stugs were reduced and had to flee back. On the attack against Rostov directly, the SS held longer and still contested the city by the 1:45 stop time, but at that point they were in danger of encirclement.

At the end the SS losses were 39 steps to the Soviets 7 steps, but there were 12 demoralized Soviets and an equal number of disrupted, that were slowing the Soviet attack. From the town perspective, 14 Soviets and 9 Germans hexes were controlled with 5 contested. Final VP was Soviet 53, German 34 vp.

I would have rated this higher with the amount of action, but the I could see the end at the beginning with all the Soviets and half as much for the SS. As all other factors were roughly the same of slightly in the Soviets favor, save leadership, I could see a Soviet victory. Dice are always a variable, but they were fair for both sides in the play. If in the future, this is revised, I would add some time constraints for Soviets to balance it off for the Germans.
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PG-HQ Library - Panzer Grenadier Hall > Scenarios > WoaP018
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