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 > MaLB004
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Cuts Like a Knife
Maple Leaf Brigade #4
(Defender) Canada vs Soviet Union (Attacker)
Formations Involved
Canada 27th Brigade Group
Soviet Union 10th Guards "Uralsko-Lvovskaya" Tank Corps
Display
Balance:
Overall balance chart for MaLB004
Total
Side 1 2
Draw 0
Side 2 0
Overall Rating, 2 votes
5
4
3
2
1
3.5
Scenario Rank: --- of 957
Parent Game Maple Leaf Brigade
Historicity Alt-History
Date 1951-10-10
Start Time 09:00
Turn Count 30
Visibility Day
Counters 143
Net Morale 0
Net Initiative 1
Maps 2: 22, 23
Layout Dimensions 56 x 43 cm
22 x 17 in
Play Bounty 187
AAR Bounty 166
Total Plays 2
Total AARs 1
Battle Types
Road Control
Conditions
Off-board Artillery
Scenario Requirements & Playability
Elsenborn Ridge Maps
Hammer & Sickle Counters
Maple Leaf Brigade Base Game
Road to Berlin Counters
Introduction

The Canadian unit’s “fire brigade” role meant that it would be flung into the breach wherever needed on the central front. It would be very likely, therefore, to have to face the Soviet Army’s best divisions. On the British Army of the Rhine’s sector that would be the Third Shock Army’s 10th Guards Tank Division, a Red Banner unit with a proud history as a unique workers’ volunteer tank corps during the Great Patriotic War. In facing the 10th Guards they would have to blunt the sharp end of Third Shock Army's spearhead.
Conclusion

Armor support would help the Canadian defense, but even the mighty Centurion would be outmatched by the Josef Stalin III. The Canadians would have to count on their superior morale and leadership to overcome the Soviet edge in tanks, but that calculation was the basis of the NATO alliance’s strategic thinking for the entire Cold War.

As October ground on, the Soviets needed to penetrate the screening efforts of the Canadians to try to move towards the rear assembly areas where additional NATO forces would be constituted. It was clear that the BAOR was beginning to move from defense to offense and a breakthrough would delay that transition.
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
  • APC – Armored Personnel Carrier: These are Combat Units, but stack like Transports. They can transport personnel units or towed units. They are not counted as combat units for the +1 stacking modifier on the Direct Fire and Bombardment Tables (4.4). They may be activated by regular leaders and tank leaders (1.2, 3.34, 4.3, 5.43). They do not provide the +1 Assault bonus (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
Canada Order of Battle
Army
  • Mechanized
  • Motorized
  • Towed
Soviet Union Order of Battle
Guards
Display Errata (1)
1 Errata Item
Overall balance chart for 912

Kommissars never get morale or combat modifiers. Ignore misprints.

(Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
Display AARs (1)
Canada takes some hits
Author scrane
Method Solo
Victor Canada
Play Date 2020-01-08
Language English
Scenario MaLB004

This was a bloody brawl that was resolved in relatively few turns. The Soviet guards have roughly 3 battalions of mechanized infantry and tank-riding SMGs, plus about a battalion of T44 tanks supported by some JS3 platoons. Their task is to pick one of the two main east west roads and control all the hexes by the end of 7.5 hours. The Canadians have two battalions of mech infantry, a company of tanks, and numerous AT guns to stop them with.

The Soviet plan was to attack in strength along the northern road, including a deep penetration by tanks and SMGs to try to unhinge the Canadian defense of a forward town. The Soviet plan appeared to be working, as Canadian forces were losing their grip on the town and taking casualties like they had never experienced in the earlier battles. But a Canadian mechanized counterattack swept around the Soviet force and hit their flank, and Canadian tanks began to finish off the Soviet tanks.

Ultimately the Soviets sustained heavy losses but held the eastern town in strength, the Canadians retreated to form a new defensive line protecting the western end of the road. As the Soviets lacked the strength to continue the attack against a solid defense, they accepted defeat with half the road under their control.

I imagine in reality this would be seen as a marginal Canadian defeat. They lost a lot of infantry and a few tanks, gave up half the territory they needed to hold, and would be sorely pressed by any follow-on attack. And the Soviets always have more mechanized regiments to throw into battle.
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PG-HQ Library - Panzer Grenadier Hall > Scenarios > MaLB004
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