Panzer Grenadier Battles on November 21st:
Desert Rats #16 - The Panzers Pull Back Desert Rats #19 - The Panzers Return
Desert Rats #17 - The Tomb Of Sidi Rezegh Jungle Fighting #7 - Line Of Departure
Desert Rats #18 - A Pibroch's Skirl South Africa's War #5 - Irish Eyes
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Slovak Surprise
First Axis #26
(Attacker) Slovak Republic vs Germany (Attacker)
Formations Involved
Germany Kampfgruppe Schill
Slovak Republic Weinhold Combat Group
Slovak Republic Wienhold Recon Company
Display
Balance:



Overall balance chart for FiAx026
Total
Side 1 0
Draw 0
Side 2 1
Overall Rating, 1 vote
5
4
3
2
1
3
Scenario Rank: --- of 940
Parent Game First Axis
Historicity Historical
Date 1944-09-09
Start Time 07:00
Turn Count 16
Visibility Day
Counters 101
Net Morale 1
Net Initiative 1
Maps 3: 1, 19, 4
Layout Dimensions 84 x 43 cm
33 x 17 in
Play Bounty 161
AAR Bounty 171
Total Plays 1
Total AARs 1
Battle Types
Meeting Engagement
Road Control
Urban Assault
Conditions
Off-board Artillery
Randomly-drawn Aircraft
Scenario Requirements & Playability
Eastern Front Maps
First Axis Base Game
Road to Berlin Maps + Counters
Sinister Forces Counters
Introduction

While the Slovak National Uprising achieved some surprise, they had never had the Germans' total trust. Bratislava, the Slovak capital, had been garrisoned by a regimental-size SS battle group that immediately provided a strong mobile force for crushing the insurgency. The group disarmed the Bratislava garrison and quickly captured a string of key towns in southern Slovakia. The insurgent command gathered a large force to counter-attack them, but instead of striking the SS in their camps found them already on the attack themselves.

Conclusion

The Slovaks had numbers, but few other advantages and the Germans ran over them in short order. The Germans captured the Slovak commander as well as most of their heavy weapons. "The men sit in the shade and play cards, while they should be building defensive positions," raged Czechoslovak Army Headquarters, which was attempting to coordinate the uprising. "They often do not know why they are fighting, the commanders have no reserves and no plans about what to do if the defense is breached."

Additional Notes

Slovaks use 10x Partisans (Soviet)

Substitute German Army counters for Schutzstaffel as needed.


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
  • Tank Destroyer: do not provide the +1 Assault bonus, even if closed-top (SB)
  • 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).
  • Prime Movers: Transports which only transport towed units and/or leaders (May not carry personnel units). May or may not be armored (armored models are open-top). All are mechanized. (SB)

Display Order of Battle

Germany Order of Battle
Schutzstaffel
  • Motorized
Slovak Republic Order of Battle
Slovenská Armáda
  • Mechanized

Display Errata (2)

2 Errata Items
Overall balance chart for 439

All SS 75mm IG guns are direct fire weapons (black), not indirect (white).

(Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
Overall balance chart for 424

The reduced direct fire value of the SS HMG is 5-5 in Beyond Normandy and Road to Berlin.

(plloyd1010 on 2015 Jul 31)

Display AARs (1)

Stand Up
Author Matt W
Method Solo
Victor Germany
Play Date 2011-07-17
Language English
Scenario FiAx026

During the American Civil War, after the Peninsula Campaign, the Army of Northern Virginia executed a plan of daring and finesse against the Union's Army of Virginia, led by General Pope. Jackson's corps made a huge left hook and got to the Union Army's rear and went to ground. It was important to the entire plan that he be "found" so that the Union Army would be fixed against Jackson while Longstreet swept in and hit their flank.

Pope's Army, however, blundered about so badly that Jackson was forced to reveal himself by attacking a passing Union division. In the attack the two lines stood parallel to each other and blasted away. No assaults, just firepower.

This scenario is a meeting engagement and it revolves around a rush for certain territory, especially the town in the middle board. The Germans have superior mobility and a slight edge in initiative, giving them the odds to take the town, which in this case they did. The Slovaks set up a large infantry line, outside of the town and the SS moved up to engage. What followed was a two hour fire fight with the Slovaks slowly melting away. The goal, however, was to facilitate a left hook by the Slovaks with their tanks and cyclists to take the town from the rear.

The tanks did make it into the town but all that did was leave wrecks in the town at the end of the game. The cyclists were shot down by German guns on their way and never made it to the town. SS firepower was the deciding factor in this one as they were able to easily disperse the largest portion of the Slovak force of infantry and partisans from Direct Fire alone within those two hours, leaving them enough time to clean up behind them.

Note, unlike other scenarios of this segment of First Axis, the SS in this case are actually reasonably trained and carry a morale of 8/6 which permitted them to withstand the morale checks of the firefight. An interesting fight but one which is tough on the Slovaks. I give it a "3" for the head on crash.

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