Panzer Grenadier Headquarters - Library: Slovakia’s War #9

Panzer Grenadier Battles on October 24th:
Afrika 1944 #22 - PAKfront	Leyte '44 #12 - Flying Wedge
Fronte Russo #9 - Potemkin Village	Leyte '44 #13 - Failure at Buri Airfield
Red & White #28 - Bastion

PG-HQ Library - Panzer Grenadier Hall > Scenarios > SlvW009

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Crimean Gateway Slovakia’s War #9
(Defender) Slovak Republic	vs	Soviet Union (Attacker)

Formations Involved

	Total
Side 1	0
Draw	0
Side 2	1

Overall Rating, 2 votes
5 4 3 2 1 2.5
Scenario Rank: --- of 1094

Parent Game	Slovakia’s War
Historicity	Historical
Date	1943-10-28
Start Time	07:00
Turn Count	24
Visibility	Day
Counters	104
Net Morale	0
Net Initiative	2
Maps	4: 3, 4, 5, 7
Layout Dimensions	86 x 56 cm 34 x 22 in
Play Bounty	184
AAR Bounty	168
Total Plays	1
Total AARs	1
Duplicates	FiAx015

Battle Types
Bridge Control
Hill Control
River Crossing
River Control

Conditions
Off-board Artillery
Randomly-drawn Aircraft

Scenario Requirements & Playability
Broken Axis	Counters
Fire in the Steppe	Maps + Counters
Slovakia’s War	Base Game

Introduction
Reorganized, more or less, as an infantry division, the Slovaks spent the spring and summer of 1943 behind the German lines. That changed when the Soviets opened a powerful offensive in southern Ukraine that fall, and the Slovaks were rushed to hold the Molochna River north of Melitopol. Known as the “gateway to the Crimea,” the city and its vital rail lines had to be held or the entire peninsula would fall to the Red Army.

Introduction

Reorganized, more or less, as an infantry division, the Slovaks spent the spring and summer of 1943 behind the German lines. That changed when the Soviets opened a powerful offensive in southern Ukraine that fall, and the Slovaks were rushed to hold the Molochna River north of Melitopol. Known as the “gateway to the Crimea,” the city and its vital rail lines had to be held or the entire peninsula would fall to the Red Army.

Conclusion
Flung into the line as a last reserve, the Slovaks stood up poorly. The division went into battle with a ration strength of less than 8,000; on top of casualties suffered, at least 2,000 of them deserted to the Soviets during the course of the battle. The Red Army sliced through the Slovak defenders and quickly moved forward to the Dnepr River, where the front stabilized for many months.

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 Self-Propelled Artillery: do not provide the +1 Assault bonus, even if closed-top (SB) Prime Movers: Transports which only transport towed units and/or leaders (May not carry personnel units). May or may not be armored (armored models are open-top). All are mechanized. (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).
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
Self-Propelled Artillery: do not provide the +1 Assault bonus, even if closed-top (SB)
Prime Movers: Transports which only transport towed units and/or leaders (May not carry personnel units). May or may not be armored (armored models are open-top). All are mechanized. (SB)

Display Order of Battle

Slovak Republic Order of Battle

Slovenská Armáda
Foot Leader Mechanized Towed

Slovenská Armáda

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Towed

Soviet Union Order of Battle

Army (RKKA)
Foot Leader Mechanized Towed

Army (RKKA)

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Towed

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)

Another Miserable Scenario in Ukraine

Author	treadasaurusrex (Soviet Union)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Soviet Union
Participants	Dougal1951
Play Date	2025-04-08
Language	English
Scenario	SlvW009

This was a 5-session play through that was about as unbalanced & nonplaytested as they come. We had fun playing it, but this was just a conflict simulation that is virtually impossible for the Slovakian Army to win. It is also too long at 24 game turns - the Soviets had this one sewn up by the and of the 17th game turn - with no hope for the brave-but-doomed Slovak defenders.

This one deserves a 2, at best, but I played with a determined & stimulating opponent who put up the best fight that is likely possible in this stinker of a 1943 scenario, that needs a a thorough rewrite.

As published, this is probably a decent training scenario in SOLO play. Avoid it in SHARED play.

1 Comment

Dougal1951

2025-04-08 19:54

Concur on all points with my distinguished opponent. We flipped a coin to pick the side to play in this historivcally correct but awful scenario-from-hell.

I sure need a double-headed penny!

This one is OK for solitaire play, but is completely unsuited for shared play.

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PG-HQ Library - Panzer Grenadier Hall > Scenarios > SlvW009

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