Panzer Grenadier Headquarters - Library: Panzer Grenadier #14

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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Night Ride through the Caucasus Panzer Grenadier #14
(Defender) Germany	vs	Soviet Union (Attacker)

Formations Involved
Germany		198th Infantry Division
Soviet Union		11th Guards Cavalry Division
Soviet Union		Azov Flotilla
Soviet Union		Maikop Tank Brigade

	Total
Side 1	1
Draw	0
Side 2	2

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

Parent Game	Panzer Grenadier
Historicity	Historical
Date	1942-08-01
Start Time	02:00
Turn Count	20
Visibility	Night
Counters	80
Net Morale	1
Net Initiative	1
Maps	2: 2, 3
Layout Dimensions	56 x 43 cm 22 x 17 in
Play Bounty	140
AAR Bounty	165
Total Plays	3
Total AARs	2

Battle Types
Urban Assault

Conditions
Off-board Artillery

Scenario Requirements & Playability
Panzer Grenadier	Base Game

Introduction
NORTH CAUCASUS FRONT: As the Germans began Operation Braunschweig to capture the Caucasus region, Soviet troops put up fierce resistance. At Kuschevskaya along the Yeya River, Cossack cavalrymen supported by the Black Sea Fleet's Azov Flotilla and a scratch tank brigade of training vehicles made a daring nighttime assault on the Germans to disrupt their upcoming advance.

Conclusion
Infantry support for the attack never materialized, but the Cossacks cut their way through the defenders, inflicting over 1,000 casualties and leading off 300 prisoners.

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 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. River Vessels: see Rule 15.2 ~ 15.22

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
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.
River Vessels: see Rule 15.2 ~ 15.22

Display Order of Battle

Germany Order of Battle

Heer
Foot Leader Towed

Heer

Foot

Leader

Towed

Soviet Union Order of Battle

Army (RKKA)
Foot Leader Mechanized Motorized

Army (RKKA)

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Motorized

Navy
Misc

Display Errata (5)

5 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 morale and combat modifiers of German Sergeant #1614 should be "0", not "8". (Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
	The movement allowance on the counters in Airborne is misprinted. It should be "3." (rerathbun on 2012 Jan 30)
	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 (2)

No Armor, but Illumination Serves the Soviets Well

Author	CavDo (Germany)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Soviet Union
Participants	treadasaurusrex
Play Date	2023-09-24
Language	English
Scenario	PaGr014

This was a 5-session scenario with the tenacious Treadasaurus winning the coin toss and leading a large Soviet cavalry and tank, nighttime attack vs. my solid German infantry in a pair of towns and some woods. We played with the FOW, excess initiative and smoke/illum optional rules. We drew crummy sets of leaders, but the Soviet ones were slightly better. The Soviet side also had MUCH better luck in morale recovery rolls. By the end, the Russian cavalrymen and tankers that survived the stubborn defenders had captured all the required town hexes for a win. This was a costly one for both sides!

Others have already covered this battle in-depth, so I will just say that a few well-timed, illuminated attacks made all the difference in our play-through. There was limited scope for maneuver in this one, and the Soviet CAV units hard a hard time getting where they could do the most damage. Unfortunately, I did not set up as well as I should have, and the rather porous German defense, proved easier to penetrate than I had hoped. Losing the German senior officer during turn 11 made for chaos and confusion in one of try 2 town as the Russians advanced from the south. As is his want, my opponent concentrated on destroying the German's AT guns a priority in close assaults, bombardments and adjacent-hex shoot 'em ups. In later turns, with adjacent-hex firefights, the T-35 made the difference repeatedly, in spite of the many useless, combat 7-die rolls thrown by both sides.

We had fun with this scenario, but I think that this was much harder pull for the Bolshevik player and his more mobile force. Without illumination, this was a very close scenario. Key Soviet decisions and the exploitation of the gaps in the Axis lines are a crucial piece of this scenario. I like it enough to award a solid, 4 and recommend it for solo or shared play as it is a great way to learn how to maneuver in mixed terrain and fight at night.

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Panzer Grenadier Scenario 14

Author	triangular_cube
Method	Solo
Victor	Germany
Play Date	2017-01-07
Language	English
Scenario	PaGr014

This scenario shows a large Russian cavalry and tank attack at night, against an infantry force of Germans fortified in 2 towns. The Russians must capture all of the town hexes to win, which is never easy. However, due to night visibility, careful maneuvering of their T-35s can provide them with a heavy base of fire power to lay down, without getting eaten up at range by AT Guns.

The Germans put all of their MGs and AT/ART in the town on board 3 in order to intercept the Russian tanks as they try to link up with their Cavalry. They place a large infantry force in the woods north of the board 3 town, with their mortars to block the terrain, leaving the advancing tanks only the option of the town or woods to travel through, either way going through German defenses. The rest of the German INF and CAV set up in the town on board 2 as a reserve force.

The Russians moved their armored cars and tanks across the bridge and into the open terrain between the woods/town/river. Here they could lay down fire support for a CAV attack against the town, but that was the extent of what they could do until the CAV arrived. They hoped that the CAV would assault the town before they would be pinned down by assualting German infantry from the woods, and fired upon by then moved AT guns from the town. It was risky, but sitting on the other side of the river would ensure the CAV would fail anyway.

The Russian CAV moved up the south end of board 3 towards the town, on the west side of the river (there was no room to pull up the east bank of the river and cross the bridge due to the tanks). The Germans moved out thier reserve force from the town on board two and engaged the CAV left in the open terrain. This ended up in a series of 3 assaults that the Germans came out on top on due to their morale advantage. In the north, the Germans assaulted the tanks, but the T35s made them pay dearly for it.

The Germans moved their MGs south from the town of board 3 to engage the CAV tied into asssault which became the deathblow. Russian concedes at this point, German victory.

Fun scenario with a lot of options for the Russians with how to coordinate their CAV and tanks, unfortunately none of them seem that great : /

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