Panzer Grenadier Headquarters - Library: Fire and Sword #37

Panzer Grenadier Battles on March 31st:
An Army at Dawn #40 - Task Force Benson	Conquest of Ethiopia #27 - Salt Spring
An Army at Dawn 2nd Ed #39 - Restless Energy	Spearhead Division #19 - The Cats Return
Afrika Korps #8 - Ambush!	Spearhead Division #20 - Wewer

PG-HQ Library - Panzer Grenadier Hall > Scenarios > FiSw037

Errors? Omissions? Report them!

Panzer Grenadier Headquarters Library - select the previous scenario item

Panzer Grenadier Headquarters - select the next scenario item

Firestorm at Lovasberény Fire and Sword #37
(Defender) Germany (Defender) Hungary	vs	Soviet Union (Attacker)

Formations Involved
Germany		6th Panzer Division
Hungary		1st Hussar Division
Soviet Union		170th Tank Brigade

	Total
Side 1	1
Draw	0
Side 2	1

Overall Rating, 2 votes
5 4 3 2 1 3.5
Scenario Rank: --- of 957

Parent Game	Fire and Sword
Historicity	Historical
Date	1944-12-22
Start Time	09:00
Turn Count	14
Visibility	Day
Counters	43
Net Morale	0
Net Initiative	2
Maps	1: 50
Layout Dimensions	43 x 28 cm 17 x 11 in
Play Bounty	159
AAR Bounty	166
Total Plays	2
Total AARs	1

Battle Types
Inflict Enemy Casualties
Road Control
Urban Assault

Conditions
Off-board Artillery
Randomly-drawn Aircraft
Joint Forces Battle

Scenario Requirements & Playability
Fire and Sword	Base Game

Introduction
Located at the north-west corner of the Pázmánd battlefield, the village of Lovasberény housed a collection of German and Hungarian troops from shattered units, some supply elements, and several damaged tanks. At 0800, the attack on Vereb led some elements of the Soviet 170th Tank Brigade to bypass the west side of the village and to approach Lovasberény. There, at 0915, the Soviet tanks ran into the German-Hungarian rearguard.

Introduction

Located at the north-west corner of the Pázmánd battlefield, the village of Lovasberény housed a collection of German and Hungarian troops from shattered units, some supply elements, and several damaged tanks. At 0800, the attack on Vereb led some elements of the Soviet 170th Tank Brigade to bypass the west side of the village and to approach Lovasberény. There, at 0915, the Soviet tanks ran into the German-Hungarian rearguard.

Conclusion
When the Soviet tanks burst into the village, they met 13 German tanks and assault guns in a wild melee. The few Hungarian hussars and some anti-aircraft guns set up a strongpoint in a brick works, while the artillery occupied the railway station. Tanks, assault guns and even self-propelled howitzers shot it out at point-blank range. Most of Lt. Col. Tomka’s hussars fled as more vehicles were set ablaze everywhere in the village. Screened by the thick smoke of the flaming wrecks, most of the German artillery left the village. Meanwhile, the German tanks held Lovasberény and knocked out a dozen attacking Soviet AFVs, thanks to the intervention of Lt. Col. Hans Rudel’s tank-killing Stuka dive bombers and Hungarian FW190 fighter-bombers. “The enemy pressure in front of Lovasberény became so great that the non-combat elements had to be evacuated” recalled Lt. Leopold Graf Rothkirch, leader of I/26 Panzer Regiment’s headquarters company. “No sooner had I driven out of the village when a Russian T34/85 came towards me in the same hollow along which I was driving. We were about 50 meters apart. I fired first and immediately scored a hit. After the third shot, the enemy tank was in flames. Then, as I was driving my tank up a hill, the engine suddenly quit. I climbed out and ran up the hill, where to my surprise I discovered that numerous tanks and armored troop carriers had already driven around the depression and the hill. The radio equipment was quickly removed from my tank and I climbed into a tank of Panzer Regiment 11. We then fired on my tank and set it on fire. With the three remaining damaged tanks we succeeded in setting ten more enemy tanks on fire and forcing the others to veer away. I myself destroyed five tanks, an AA/AT gun, and an AT gun. With four damaged tanks we had succeeded in destroying eleven enemy tanks and foiled the enemy’s armored attack, thus creating the conditions necessary for a planned evacuation of the village.”

Conclusion

When the Soviet tanks burst into the village, they met 13 German tanks and assault guns in a wild melee. The few Hungarian hussars and some anti-aircraft guns set up a strongpoint in a brick works, while the artillery occupied the railway station. Tanks, assault guns and even self-propelled howitzers shot it out at point-blank range.

Most of Lt. Col. Tomka’s hussars fled as more vehicles were set ablaze everywhere in the village. Screened by the thick smoke of the flaming wrecks, most of the German artillery left the village. Meanwhile, the German tanks held Lovasberény and knocked out a dozen attacking Soviet AFVs, thanks to the intervention of Lt. Col. Hans Rudel’s tank-killing Stuka dive bombers and Hungarian FW190 fighter-bombers.

“The enemy pressure in front of Lovasberény became so great that the non-combat elements had to be evacuated” recalled Lt. Leopold Graf Rothkirch, leader of I/26 Panzer Regiment’s headquarters company. “No sooner had I driven out of the village when a Russian T34/85 came towards me in the same hollow along which I was driving. We were about 50 meters apart. I fired first and immediately scored a hit. After the third shot, the enemy tank was in flames. Then, as I was driving my tank up a hill, the engine suddenly quit. I climbed out and ran up the hill, where to my surprise I discovered that numerous tanks and armored troop carriers had already driven around the depression and the hill. The radio equipment was quickly removed from my tank and I climbed into a tank of Panzer Regiment 11. We then fired on my tank and set it on fire. With the three remaining damaged tanks we succeeded in setting ten more enemy tanks on fire and forcing the others to veer away. I myself destroyed five tanks, an AA/AT gun, and an AT gun. With four damaged tanks we had succeeded in destroying eleven enemy tanks and foiled the enemy’s armored attack, thus creating the conditions necessary for a planned evacuation of the village.”

Additional Notes
One or two of the German trucks should be considered Hungarian.

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 Assault Gun: if closed-top, provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable Self-Propelled Artillery: do not provide the +1 Assault bonus, even if closed-top (SB) Anti-Aircraft Weapon Carrier: apply a -1 modifier to an air attack if within three hexes of the targeted hex (15.14). 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.

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
Assault Gun: if closed-top, provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable
Self-Propelled Artillery: do not provide the +1 Assault bonus, even if closed-top (SB)
Anti-Aircraft Weapon Carrier: apply a -1 modifier to an air attack if within three hexes of the targeted hex (15.14).
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

Heer
Foot Leader Mechanized Motorized Towed

Heer

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Motorized

Towed

Hungary Order of Battle

Army
Foot Leader Motorized Towed

Army

Foot

Leader

Motorized

Towed

Soviet Union Order of Battle

Army (RKKA)
Foot Leader Mechanized

Army (RKKA)

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Display Errata (2)

2 Errata Items
	The reduced direct fire value of the Heer HMG became 5-5 starting with Fall of France. (plloyd1010 on 2015 Jul 31)
	One Wespe (ID# 1201) should have an armor value of 1 on the front and back of the counter. (Shad on 2010 Dec 15)

Display AARs (1)

Fire & Sword, scenario #37: Firestorm at Lovasbereny

Author	JayTownsend
Method	Solo
Victor	Soviet Union
Play Date	2024-12-07
Language	English
Scenario	FiSw037

Fire & Sword, scenario #37: Firestorm at Lovasbereny

The last scenario I played from Fire & Sword was #7 a much larger one, this time I was looking for a smaller one to play and this one hit the mark, with an interesting mix of units. The German/Hungarian player is defending with an odd sort of mixed German & Hungarian armor and infantry. The Soviets have three victory objectives and can achieve different level of victory or defeat depending on how well they do.

There are a lot of different ways to set this up for defense for the Axis and also for attacking as the Soviets. I put most of my axis units in the town hexes defending in depth but with my German Armored cars in the approaching hills to ambush Russians if they moved down the road and I also put my German Self-Propelled Guns: Hummel & Wasp SPGs further back from the action, as they have range. I decided to just push west down the main road as the Russian side, knowing I would take some early loses. One unit of T34//85 & ISU122 led the charge followed by the rest. One side note, I could not find a Soviet M17 in the counter mix and borrowed one from Broken Axis.

The Soviets used numbers in armor and when they finally took out that half step of German Panther tanks they could breathe a bit easier but not much. They have to protect their only three SMG Infantry units at all cost to get them into assault hexes in the town. The Russians also lucked out and rolled two air-strikes to the German none and they came in very handy at the right times.

With some luck on the dice, the Soviet achieved all three victory objectives and lost 13 steps to the Axis 27 steps for a major victory. The Soviets were fortunate to clear the town and the East-West road, or it would have been as Axis minor victory, so even though the Soviet won this one, it was a very close battle and I can see a huge replay value for this scenario with a lot of different outcomes.

0 Comments

You must be a registered member and logged-in to post a comment.

FiSw036

FiSw038

PG-HQ Library - Panzer Grenadier Hall > Scenarios > FiSw037

Errors? Omissions? Report them!