Panzer Grenadier Headquarters - Library: Fire in the Steppe #18

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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The Seventh to the Rescue Fire in the Steppe #18
(Defender) Germany	vs	Soviet Union (Attacker)

Formations Involved
Germany		16th Panzer Division
Soviet Union		7th Mechanized Division

	Total
Side 1	3
Draw	0
Side 2	1

Overall Rating, 4 votes
5 4 3 2 1 3.25
Scenario Rank: --- of 940

Parent Game	Fire in the Steppe
Historicity	Historical
Date	1941-06-28
Start Time	11:00
Turn Count	20
Visibility	Day
Counters	67
Net Morale	0
Net Initiative	1
Maps	1: 6
Layout Dimensions	43 x 28 cm 17 x 11 in
Play Bounty	147
AAR Bounty	171
Total Plays	4
Total AARs	1

Battle Types
Breakout
Delaying Action
Inflict Enemy Casualties
Rural Assault

Conditions
Off-board Artillery
Smoke

Scenario Requirements & Playability
Fire in the Steppe	Base Game

Introduction
Commissar Nikolai Popel's battle group had succeeded on the 27th in large part thanks to poor German deployment. By the time the other two divisions of Eighth Mechanized Corps had extracted themselves from their front and shifted eastwards behind the Soviet lines to attack, the Germans had corrected their mistake. Popel and 34th Tank Division were now trapped behind enemy lines. Col. A.V. Gerasimov sent the first arriving battalion of his 7th Mechanized Division forward, along with support from his tank regiment and an artillery battalion, before the Germans could further reinforce their positions.

Introduction

Commissar Nikolai Popel's battle group had succeeded on the 27th in large part thanks to poor German deployment. By the time the other two divisions of Eighth Mechanized Corps had extracted themselves from their front and shifted eastwards behind the Soviet lines to attack, the Germans had corrected their mistake. Popel and 34th Tank Division were now trapped behind enemy lines. Col. A.V. Gerasimov sent the first arriving battalion of his 7th Mechanized Division forward, along with support from his tank regiment and an artillery battalion, before the Germans could further reinforce their positions.

Conclusion
While German anti-tank weaponry proved mostly useless against modern Soviet tanks, Gerasimov's division had none of these, only lightweight BT fast tanks. The 300th Motorized Infantry Regiment pushed back the German defense at least ten kilometers, but did not advance far enough to free 34th Tank Division from entrapment. With reinforcements, it appeared that the Soviets could make their breakthrough.

Conclusion

While German anti-tank weaponry proved mostly useless against modern Soviet tanks, Gerasimov's division had none of these, only lightweight BT fast tanks. The 300th Motorized Infantry Regiment pushed back the German defense at least ten kilometers, but did not advance far enough to free 34th Tank Division from entrapment. With reinforcements, it appeared that the Soviets could make their breakthrough.

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)

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)

Display Order of Battle

Germany Order of Battle

Heer
Foot Leader Mechanized Motorized Towed

Heer

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Motorized

Towed

Soviet Union Order of Battle

Army (RKKA)
Foot Leader Mechanized Motorized

Army (RKKA)

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Motorized

Display Errata (6)

6 Errata Items
	The reduced direct fire value of the Heer HMG became 5-5 starting with Fall of France. (plloyd1010 on 2015 Jul 31)
	The Pz IVe appearing in the original Panzer Grenadier game had an Anti tank value of 4-7. As of Afrika Korps (2002), continuing onward through the 3rd and 4th edition games, the anti tank value has been 4-4. (plloyd1010 on 2016 Jul 25)
	Two German PzJr. 1 counters have their full strengths printed on the back, and reduced strengths on the front. (Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
	The morale and combat modifiers of German Sergeant #1614 should be "0", not "8". (Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
	The reduced direct fire value in Kursk: Burning Tigers is 4-4. (plloyd1010 on 2015 Jul 31)
	Kommissars never get morale or combat modifiers. Ignore misprints. (Shad on 2010 Dec 15)

Display AARs (1)

The 7th Did Not Ride to the Rescue

Author	SARACV3
Method	Solo
Victor	Germany
Play Date	2018-08-01
Language	English
Scenario	FitS018

All Optional Rules Used except Smoke. I was not aware that this was available in this scenario.

I set up the situation at least three times in the beginning because of confusion with the victory conditions. I believe they could hareally have been written somewhat clearer such as "Russians need to get 20 units off North edge for X victory... (Ala Panzerblitz type writing). Thus the scenario lost a point with me. The way the conditions are written led me to stop the game earlier than necessary (tur.n 12; 3 hour battle). But it can be said that orders issued from higher were confused and garbled. All in all the del message to the Soviet is "Kill them All." For the German it is merely "Hold Territory Six Hexes off of the North edge of the Board."

The Soviet strategy was flawed from the be beginning The armor was sent as a complete group around the German left flank. It was chased down by the slower German armor and after a sharp one hour engagement, destroyed enmasse. It proved an axiom that one can outrun the AFV but not it's gun.

The German setup proved better than anticipated. I originally thought they were quite weak and would have problems covering the entire front. There are two large stands of trees covering 2/3res of the one play map.

The Germans lost 5 steps, but the 3 steps that remained helped win assaults and breakthrough Soviet lines. The BT7s should have integrated with the Infantry for max assault capabilities. This may have cause much bigger headaches for the Germans.

The final tally on the 12th was Germans 20 steps, Soviets 10. The battle was no cakewalk for the 16th Panzer Division, which was only in Russia for 3 days at that point. The game was stopped on 12 because the Russians were too weak to win and a retreat was called. Not a good start to the St. Virus counterattack.

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