Slovak Surprise First Axis #26 |
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(Attacker) Slovak Republic | vs | Germany (Attacker) |
Formations Involved | ||
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Germany | Kampfgruppe Schill | |
Slovak Republic | Weinhold Combat Group | |
Slovak Republic | Wienhold Recon Company |
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Overall Rating, 1 vote |
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3
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Scenario Rank: --- of 940 |
Parent Game | First Axis |
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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 |
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Meeting Engagement |
Road Control |
Urban Assault |
Conditions |
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Off-board Artillery |
Randomly-drawn Aircraft |
Scenario Requirements & Playability | |
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Eastern Front | Maps |
First Axis | Base Game |
Road to Berlin | Maps + Counters |
Sinister Forces | Counters |
Introduction |
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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 |
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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 |
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Slovaks use 10x Partisans (Soviet) Substitute German Army counters for Schutzstaffel as needed. |
AFV Rules Pertaining to this Scenario's Order of Battle |
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2 Errata Items | |
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All SS 75mm IG guns are direct fire weapons (black), not indirect (white). (Shad
on 2010 Dec 15)
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The reduced direct fire value of the SS HMG is 5-5 in Beyond Normandy and Road to Berlin. (plloyd1010
on 2015 Jul 31)
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Stand Up |
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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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