Panzer Grenadier Headquarters - Library: Iron Wolves #4

Panzer Grenadier Battles on June 2nd:
Broken Axis #35 - Operation Katja Scenario 3: Commence Operation Katja	Broken Axis #36 - Operation Katja Scenario 4: Calculated Risk

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Common Cause Iron Wolves #4
(Attacker) Germany (Attacker) Lithuania	vs	Poland (Attacker)

Formations Involved
Germany		1st Cavalry Division
Lithuania		Cavalry Division
Poland		Suwalki Cavalry Brigade

	Total
Side 1	1
Draw	1
Side 2	0

Overall Rating, 2 votes
5 4 3 2 1 3.5
Scenario Rank: --- of 969

Parent Game	Iron Wolves
Historicity	Alt-History
Date	1939-09-01
Start Time	08:00
Turn Count	18
Visibility	Day
Counters	95
Net Morale	0
Net Initiative	1
Maps	4: 15, 17, 18, 19
Layout Dimensions	86 x 56 cm 34 x 22 in
Play Bounty	169
AAR Bounty	167
Total Plays	2
Total AARs	1
Duplicates	LIWo010

Battle Types
Meeting Engagement

Conditions
Off-board Artillery
Joint Forces Battle

Scenario Requirements & Playability
Eastern Front	Counters
Iron Wolves	Base Game
Road to Berlin	Maps
White Eagles	Counters

Introduction
Fearing security leaks, the Germans did not approach the Lithuanians until after their attack on Poland was under way. Therefore, as with their Slovak allies on Poland's southern border there was no joint planning before the attack. But Lithuania did have a mobile formation that would have been useful if joined with the German Army's similar brigade.

Conclusion
Lithuania decided against aligning itself with Germany, leading to occupation by the Soviet Union and loss of the nation's independence. But personal freedom had already been lost, and after 1926 the only question was the language of oppression. The German cavalry brigade was simply not as good as its Lithuanian or Polish counterparts.

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) 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).
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)
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

Heer

Foot

Leader

Lithuania Order of Battle

Army
Foot Leader Motorized Towed

Army

Foot

Leader

Motorized

Towed

Poland Order of Battle

Wojska Lądowe
Foot Leader Towed

Wojska Lądowe

Foot

Leader

Towed

Display Errata (3)

3 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 movement allowance on the counters in Airborne is misprinted. It should be "3." (rerathbun on 2012 Jan 30)
	One unit of Polish Calvary from White Eagles has a printed movement of 5, it should be 6 like the rest. (garbare83686 on 2023 Aug 13)

Display AARs (1)

They really do shoot horses

Author	Matt W
Method	Solo
Victor	Draw
Play Date	2010-12-09
Language	English
Scenario	IrWo004

Lithuanian, German and Polish cavalry clash in a wildly messy fight. The final score of this one was Axis (Lithuanian and German) 33, Polish 30. the Germans and Poles enter the largish mapboard directly across from each other and only an initiative roll for the Axis on Turn 2 permitted the capture of a two hex town by the Germans to establish an early 24-8 lead for the Axis (two points per town hex). If the Poles (who had a 4-3 edge in initiative had won the initiative they would have held the town and the Axis lead would only have been 20-12. Given the superiority of the Polish troops as opposed to the Germans it seems likely that the Poles would have held the town and been in great position to fight off the Germans.

That is, of course, speculation. What did happen is that the Poles got organized for an assault towards the Germans and to their complete surprise needed to turn to fight the Lithuanians who were attacking after only an hour and a half. By turning the Poles attention to the Lithuanians the attack on the Germans was halted and a draw created. It took the Poles the better part of three hours to stop the Lithuanians and by that time there was no time to turn to attack the Germans again. Even at this, the Lithuanians and Germans had a period in the middle of the game where they had such stunningly marvelous luck with the dice that one had to feel that they could pull the win (1/2 way through the Axis led 31-16)

Tactically both sides gleefully pounded the other with artillery. All the troops were cavalry and were especially vulnerable to artillery. This even prompted both sides to hit assault hexes with artillery if they had a "morale advantage" and felt that they could cause demoralization and/or loss by the artillery fire. If either side had infantry it is clear that the infantry would have crushed the cavalry since it would not have had the fire penalty of the cavalry.

This was a wonderful scenario to try out your cavalry tactics and frankly quite suspenseful. With a little luck the Poles would have won.

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PG-HQ Library - Panzer Grenadier Hall > Scenarios > IrWo004

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