Panzer Grenadier Headquarters - Library: Polish Steel #1

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An Army at Dawn 2nd Ed #40 - April Fools' Battle	DAK '44 #4 - Night Raid
Afrika 1944 #1 - Beaches of Radazul	Dragon Rampant #3 - Hilltop Village at Takrouna
Afrika Korps #34 - Pursuit of 2nd Armored	Dragon Rampant #4 - Tank Battle at Enfidaville
Blackshirt Division #7 - On the Attack	Dragon Rampant #5 - On the Djebel el Srafi
The Last Horse Soldier #1 - Horses in Tunisia	Grossdeutschland 1946 #5 - Over the River
The Last Horse Soldier #2 - Rough Country	Hopeless, But Not Serious #14 - Defenders of the Republic
Divisione Corazzata #6 - Roll Over Togliatti	River Battleships #1 - Admiral Horthy’s Navy
DAK '44 #1 - Opening Moves	River Battleships #2 - A Hungarian River Fleet
DAK '44 #2 - Armored Thrust	River Battleships #3 - Iron Gates
DAK '44 #3 - Piecestrike	Secret Weapons #1 - Flight of the Valkyries

PG-HQ Library - Panzer Grenadier Hall > Scenarios > PoSt001

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Returned Across the Sea Polish Steel #1
(Attacker) Poland	vs	Soviet Union (Defender)

Formations Involved
Poland		16th Armoured Brigade
Poland		4th Infantry Division
Soviet Union		15th Rifle Division

	Total
Side 1	1
Draw	0
Side 2	0

Overall Rating, 1 vote
5 4 3 2 1 4
Scenario Rank: --- of 958

Parent Game	Polish Steel
Historicity	Alt-History
Date	1948-07-01
Start Time	06:00
Turn Count	26
Visibility	Day
Counters	138
Net Morale	1
Net Initiative	2
Maps	2: 27, 30
Layout Dimensions	56 x 43 cm 22 x 17 in
Play Bounty	179
AAR Bounty	166
Total Plays	1
Total AARs	1

Battle Types
Exit the Battle Area
Inflict Enemy Casualties

Conditions
Entrenchments
Off-board Artillery
Terrain Mods

Scenario Requirements & Playability
Cassino '44	Counters
Fall of France 1	Maps
Polish Steel	Base Game
Road to Berlin	Counters

Introduction
Soon after the disastrous American attempt to break the Berlin Blockade in June 1948, Soviet armored spearheads struck into the American and British Occupation Zones in western Germany. The withdrawal of US forces three years earlier to the lines agreed upon at Yalta gave the Soviets a ready-made salient from which to attack the British and Americans simultaneously. The British caught the worst of it and were driven back to the North Sea coast, with the port of Wilhelmshaven dubbed "The New Dunkirk" but holding out better than its predecessor due to its protected position on the Jadebusen. That gave the recently demobilized Polish I Corps time to muster in Britain and ship out to Wilhemshaven, a port which they had captured during the war and occupied until their departure. Having always been equipped with a wide variety of British tank models, the men of I Corps had eagerly trained with the new British heavy tanks that rolled off the assembly lines and into occupied Germany after the war. They were therefore able to jump right off the boats and down the hatches of waiting tanks as the Poles massed for the breakout effort against the Red Army fores investing Wilhelmshaven.

Introduction

Soon after the disastrous American attempt to break the Berlin Blockade in June 1948, Soviet armored spearheads struck into the American and British Occupation Zones in western Germany. The withdrawal of US forces three years earlier to the lines agreed upon at Yalta gave the Soviets a ready-made salient from which to attack the British and Americans simultaneously. The British caught the worst of it and were driven back to the North Sea coast, with the port of Wilhelmshaven dubbed "The New Dunkirk" but holding out better than its predecessor due to its protected position on the Jadebusen.

That gave the recently demobilized Polish I Corps time to muster in Britain and ship out to Wilhemshaven, a port which they had captured during the war and occupied until their departure. Having always been equipped with a wide variety of British tank models, the men of I Corps had eagerly trained with the new British heavy tanks that rolled off the assembly lines and into occupied Germany after the war. They were therefore able to jump right off the boats and down the hatches of waiting tanks as the Poles massed for the breakout effort against the Red Army fores investing Wilhelmshaven.

Conclusion
Polish soldiers fought for six years to liberate their homeland, shedding their blood in Africa, Italy, France and the Soviet Union only yo be betrayed at Yalta. Bitterness abounded in the veterans of the Polish exile formations, but could any of them pass up a chance to try to free their homeland?

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 Assault Gun: if closed-top, 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).
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
Assault Gun: if closed-top, 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

Poland Order of Battle

Wojska Lądowe
Foot Leader Mechanized Motorized Towed

Wojska Lądowe

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Motorized

Towed

Soviet Union Order of Battle

Army (RKKA)
Foot Leader Mechanized

Army (RKKA)

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Display Errata (2)

2 Errata Items
	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)

It was a fight for two hours

Author	Matt W
Method	Solo
Victor	Poland
Play Date	2012-12-12
Language	English
Scenario	PoSt001

In this scenario a large Polish armored force with some nasty Black Princes and even nastier Crocs and AVREs need to break through an RKKA defense loaded with AA, AT and tank destroyer support. The goal of the Poles is to break the crust and run for the exits. The Soviets want the Poles to stick around awhile. Unfortunately for the Soviets they just don't have the oomph to hold the Poles in place.

The Soviets see that the shortest route for the Poles is through the rural south end of the board and decide to place the majority of their serious weaponry there with belts of mines fronting them. They deploy a company of infatry with engineer support in the northern, more urban end of the board but also provide them with transport (trucks) to be able to move rapidly should the Poles ignore them.

The Poles, as projected approach the river with their weight in the south, cross the river and engage the entrenched Soviets. The early fighting greatly favors the Soviets and in the first hour step losses are 9-2 in their favor with heavy losses amongst the Polish engineers (note that the river is minor with no bridges - merely slowing down the Polish leg and mechanized forces but forming a complete boundary for the 17 pdrs as the only transport is motorized).

After shaking off the early losses the Poles get down to business on the Soviet first line, destroying 16 steps plus both steps of SU-100s in the next hour while losing only 3 steps and 1 step of Black Princes. After this it was merely a matter of cleaning up the battlefield. By the time turn 18 had finished the Poles had already exited 18 steps and had a 50 point lead in the scenario.

Despite the lopsided result I enjoyed the play quite a bit. The opporutunity to use these weapons in a scenario where the Poles have to move on is a blast. I anticipate a similar feeling with the scenarios in Patton's Nightmare as well as the upcoming Hammer & Sickle. The scenarios are typically large (this is one of the smaller ones) and have a variety of types of engagements. I give this one a "4" and look forward to the rest.

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