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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Courland Pocket
Road to Berlin #45
(Defender) Germany vs Soviet Union (Attacker)
Formations Involved
Germany 19th SS "2nd Latvian Grenadier" Division
Soviet Union 379th Rifle Division
Display
Balance:



Overall balance chart for RtBr045
Total
Side 1 0
Draw 1
Side 2 0
Overall Rating, 1 vote
5
4
3
2
1
3
Scenario Rank: --- of 940
Parent Game Road to Berlin
Historicity Historical
Date 1945-03-13
Start Time 07:30
Turn Count 30
Visibility Day
Counters 149
Net Morale 0
Net Initiative 1
Maps 4: 15, 17, 18, 19
Layout Dimensions 86 x 56 cm
34 x 22 in
Play Bounty 135
AAR Bounty 171
Total Plays 1
Total AARs 1
Battle Types
Road Control
Rural Assault
Conditions
Entrenchments
Minefields
Off-board Artillery
Severe Weather
Scenario Requirements & Playability
Road to Berlin Base Game
Introduction

When Soviet armies surged through the German lines in October, 1944 to the Baltic Sea, they trapped 400,000 soldiers of the German Army Group North in western Latvia. Adolf Hitler repeatedly refused to evacuate them to help defend Germany, and they occupied the attention of several times their number of Red Army troops (just how many is still disputed). The Soviets made numerous attempts to liquidate the "Courland Pocket," one of the most serious coming in March near the town of Saldus.

Conclusion

The Latvian "volunteers" fought off the Soviet attacks with heavy losses, and were on the brink of collapse when the weather suddenly warmed above freezing. Heavy mud brought the Red Army to a total halt as both sides found themselves unable to move vehicles or artillery except on the regions very few paved roads. The Courland Pocket would outlast the Third Reich, only surrendering when Germany herself gave up.


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
  • Assault Gun: if closed-top, provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable
  • Self-Propelled Artillery: do not provide the +1 Assault bonus, even if closed-top (SB)

Display Order of Battle

Germany Order of Battle
Heer
  • Foot
Schutzstaffel
  • Mechanized
Soviet Union Order of Battle
Army (RKKA)
  • Towed

Display Errata (5)

5 Errata Items
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 439

All SS 75mm IG guns are direct fire weapons (black), not indirect (white).

(Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
Overall balance chart for 424

The reduced direct fire value of the SS HMG is 5-5 in Beyond Normandy and Road to Berlin.

(plloyd1010 on 2015 Jul 31)
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 (1)

Mud Mud Glorious Mud
Author waynebaumber
Method Solo
Victor Draw
Play Date 2011-06-13
Language English
Scenario RtBr045

This scenario pits a Soviet strong mixed arms force against entrenched SS units.The Soviet's have to clear one of the two North South roads. They have 30 turns with good artillery support to help them carry out the mission. The downside is from Turn 11 mud appears and gets worse every five turns slowing the attack to a crawl. This game was played solo. The German set up is relatively straight forward there are two roads to defend the Germans don't know where the main thrust will be so I think the German must split his forces and fortification pretty evenly defending each road. The only question is how much of a reserve to keep hidden in the central woods. The Red Army commander has several options, assault just one road, both roads with roughly equal resources or a minor attack on one road with the majority of the force committed to a single axis of attack. In my game I went for the latter option. The games starts with the Soviet juggernaut rolling down the road and clearing up the German outposts quite easily, however when they come up to the entrenchments things get tougher, this combined with the mud and FOW rolls, which could play a large part in this games as the attack gets more dispersed, make it hard for the Soviets to win this one. The Germans though can not afford to trade losses as they have to cause double the amount of step losses to gain a victory and this too will be tough especially if the Soviet player realizes he will not clear the road and goes on the defensive and let his artillery knock off the odd German step so as to avoid defeat. In my game the major German losses came when I had to switch more units to defend the threatened road as the reinforcements had to cross open ground to be able to assist their hard pressed comrades. This is a scenario which would have to be played to the finish (losses in my game were German 30 step losses to the Soviet 56 step losses) so very hard to call as two more T34 losses would have resulted in a German win and there are enough options to keep both sides interested that said when the mud starts the game does slow down to a real slugfest which some might consider a little boring. It gets a solid 3 rating from me and I would play it again as a FtF.

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