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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Completely Out of Action
Fire in the Steppe #36
(Defender) Germany vs Soviet Union (Attacker)
Formations Involved
Germany 68th Infantry Division
Soviet Union 32nd Tank Division
Display
Balance:



Overall balance chart for FitS036
Total
Side 1 0
Draw 0
Side 2 2
Overall Rating, 2 votes
5
4
3
2
1
3
Scenario Rank: --- of 940
Parent Game Fire in the Steppe
Historicity Historical
Date 1941-06-24
Start Time 08:00
Turn Count 30
Visibility Day
Counters 91
Net Morale 1
Net Initiative 2
Maps 3: 3, 4, 5
Layout Dimensions 84 x 43 cm
33 x 17 in
Play Bounty 168
AAR Bounty 165
Total Plays 2
Total AARs 2
Battle Types
Inflict Enemy Casualties
Road Control
Urban Assault
Conditions
Off-board Artillery
Reinforcements
Smoke
Scenario Requirements & Playability
Fire in the Steppe Base Game
Introduction

Sandwiched between two hard-charging divisions, the German 68th Infantry Division had trouble maintaining its own rate of advance despite the devastation wreaked on the opposing 97th Rifle Division by the German Air Force and the neighboring German 257th Infantry Division. Noting the weakness in the opposing enemy lineup — one of the Red Army's few intelligence successes in the early days of the Great Patriotic War — the Soviet Sixth Army ordered IV Mechanized Corps to strike the lagging formation with all three of its own divisions.

Conclusion

Battered by multiple waves of Soviet attackers, 68th Infantry Division's advance stalled and soon the formation began to retreat. Army Group South reported that the division had been put "completely out of action" and on the 25th ordered it removed from the front and replaced by 4th Mountain Division, a unit from the army group's reserves. The switch had been made by the morning of the 26th and the Germans resumed their slow advance in this sector.


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).
  • 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

Display Order of Battle

Germany Order of Battle
Heer
Soviet Union Order of Battle
Army (RKKA)
  • Mechanized
  • Motorized

Display Errata (6)

6 Errata Items
Scen 36

In the scenario OOB for the Soviets no Tank Leaders listed for a force of 12 Soviet tank platoons

(Juiceman on 2023 Jan 23)
Overall balance chart for 20

The reduced direct fire value of the Heer HMG became 5-5 starting with Fall of France.

(plloyd1010 on 2015 Jul 31)
Overall balance chart for 63

The morale and combat modifiers of German Sergeant #1614 should be "0", not "8".

(Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
Overall balance chart for 54

The movement allowance on the counters in Airborne is misprinted. It should be "3."

(rerathbun on 2012 Jan 30)
Overall balance chart for 951

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

(plloyd1010 on 2015 Jul 31)
Overall balance chart for 993

Kommissars never get morale or combat modifiers. Ignore misprints.

(Shad on 2010 Dec 15)

Display AARs (2)

Soviets overrun German blocking force
Author ChrisPetito
Method Solo
Victor Soviet Union
Play Date 2021-03-20
Language English
Scenario FitS036

A strong Soviet mixed arms force easily overran the German blocking force. Since the victory conditions awarded points to the Soviets for control of the two towns and the highway, I set up the Germans primarily in the town and fields on board 04, with infantry, heavy MGs and AT guns in the town and a smaller infantry force, MGs and the mortars set up in the fields, to try to hold the town or delay the Soviets as much as possible. I also set up infantry concealed in the fields next to the road on board 05 and in the town on board 03, to be prepared when the Soviets pushed past the positions on board 04. The The Russians relied on their large contingent of T34s and K1s to disrupt and demoralize the German forces in the town on board one and to suppress the guns and mortars in the fields north of the town. The Germans had no answer to the Soviet tanks, as the German ATs and IGs were not strong enough to pierce the German armor, even at a range of 1. Once sufficient German troops in the town had been disrupted or demoralized, the Soviets then captured the town through combined tank and infantry assaults. The Soviets then focused on the German forces in the fields. By turn 15, the Soviets had complete control of the town on board 04 and the remaining German troops on that board were in flight. While part of the Soviet forces pursued fleeing Germans, the bulk of the Soviet forces then proceeded down the highway to push the German infantry on board 05 away from the highway and pin the German infantry on board 03 in place. I halted the game after turn 25, as there was no possibility that the Germans could prevent a major Soviet victory. I do not see how the Germans could win this scenario. I The Soviet tanks and higher moral give them an insuperable advantage, notwithstanding that the Soviets have no artillery and my leader draw did not include any combat or morale leadership factors, until I received one with reinforcements.

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#36 - Completely Out of Action
Author Juiceman
Method Solo
Victor Soviet Union
Play Date 2023-01-01
Language English
Scenario FitS036

The only hope the Germans have in this scenario is to hold up in the two towns, bleed the Soviets in close assault, hope their OBA can do some damage to the advancing Soviet infantry and knocking out a couple of steps of T34s or KVs, while keeping their own casualties low because every 10 steps eliminated generates a new reinforced Soviet infantry company. The Germans did just that at first but right around turn 12 the wheels come off, the Soviets finally took the first town and were moving on to the next objective with three fresh infantry companies to replace their previous losses and only one tank step eliminated.

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