Panzer Grenadier Headquarters - Library: Tank Battles #20

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

PG-HQ Library - Panzer Grenadier Hall > Scenarios > TaBa020

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Operation MARS #8: To the Highway Tank Battles #20
(Defender) Germany	vs	Soviet Union (Attacker)

Formations Involved
Germany		215th Infantry Regiment
Germany		Heer
Soviet Union		247th Rifle Brigade

	Total
Side 1	1
Draw	0
Side 2	1

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

Parent Game	Tank Battles
Historicity	Historical
Date	1942-11-26
Start Time	10:00
Turn Count	37
Visibility	Day
Counters	172
Net Morale	1
Net Initiative	0
Maps	4: 1, 4, 6, 8
Layout Dimensions	86 x 56 cm 34 x 22 in
Play Bounty	202
AAR Bounty	171
Total Plays	2
Total AARs	1

Battle Types
Inflict Enemy Casualties
Road Control
Urban Assault

Conditions
Off-board Artillery
Reinforcements
Severe Weather
Terrain Mods

Scenario Requirements & Playability
Eastern Front	Maps + Counters
Red Warriors	Counters
Tank Battles	Base Game

Introduction
Colonel P.M. Arman's 6th Tank Corps had been ordered to help the 247th Rifle Division to capture Bol'shoe and Maloe Kropotovo from the Germans. He was also ordered to cut the important Rzhev-Sychevka Highway. A tall order indeed.

Conclusion
The Germans stubbornly defended both villages. The 247th Rifle managed to wedge itself into Bol'shoe Kropotovo only to be ejected in a counterattack. The Soviet 22nd Tank Brigade under Captain M.S. Pinsky had captured a portion of the Rzhev-Sychevka Highway. Although all objectives had not been taken, it was a good day's work indeed.

Additional Notes
Counters from Heroes of the Soviet Union may be used in place of those from Red Warriors. 2 copies of East Front or a copy of Workers & Peasants is required to provide enough T-60 tanks.

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 Unarmored Weapon Carriers: These are unarmored halftracks (Bufla and Sk7/2) or fully-tracked vehicles (Karl siege mortar) with mounted weapons. All are mechanized, except the BM-13 (Katyusha rocket launcher mounted on a truck). They are weapon units, not AFV's, so they are never efficient and cannot be activated by tank leaders. (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
Unarmored Weapon Carriers: These are unarmored halftracks (Bufla and Sk7/2) or fully-tracked vehicles (Karl siege mortar) with mounted weapons. All are mechanized, except the BM-13 (Katyusha rocket launcher mounted on a truck). They are weapon units, not AFV's, so they are never efficient and cannot be activated by tank leaders. (SB)

Display Order of Battle

Germany Order of Battle

Heer
Foot Leader Mechanized Motorized Towed

Heer

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Motorized

Towed

Soviet Union Order of Battle

Army (RKKA)
Foot Leader Mechanized Motorized Towed

Army (RKKA)

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Motorized

Towed

Display Errata (7)

7 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 Pz IVe appearing in the original Panzer Grenadier game had an Anti tank value of 4-7. As of Afrika Korps (2002), continuing onward through the 3rd and 4th edition games, the anti tank value has been 4-4. (plloyd1010 on 2016 Jul 25)
	The morale and combat modifiers of German Sergeant #1614 should be "0", not "8". (Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
	The StuG IIb appearing in the original Panzer Grenadier game had an Anti tank value of 4-7. As of Eastern Front Deluxe (2005), continuing onward through the 3rd and 4th edition games, the anti-tank value has been 4-4. (plloyd1010 on 2022 Jul 21)
	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 (1)

Tank Battles #20

Author	triangular_cube
Method	Solo
Victor	Soviet Union
Play Date	2023-01-12
Language	English
Scenario	TaBa020

The set up for this one feels a bit off. The highway that is being contested is in fact two parallel roads instead of one continuous stretch, and the town on board 4 begins contested between the 2 forces. This doesnt really make sense, but thats what it tells us.

Germans deploy to protect their objectives, with the AA and a reinforced company in the town on board 1, all the AT guns along the road in the woods on 6, and the IGs on the edge of the forest overlooking 4 on 6, and the rest in position to contest the town on 4. The goal is to play aggressive and cut down the low morale soviets before their armor support arrives.

Soviets mass all their forces contesting the town on 4 and ready to make a push into it. Their mortars and some left over bodies hide in the woods on 4, and their AT guns set up on their right flank overlooking the StuGs.

With forces already in contact, this one is just a pure grind with the Soviets throwing their bodies forward. They get lucky shots on the StuGs and take them out and wear down the Germans as the Soviet bodies pile up. There were 4 continuous assaults through most of this all on or adjacent to the town on 4. The company on board 1 moves to reinforce the Germans as the defense thins out.

Eventually the Germans are just too wore down, and the massive amount of Soviet armor enters the board and cleans up. German tanks arent enough to turn it back around, and the Soviets win a pretty convincing win, with a massive body count for the cost of it.

It almost feels like this was intended to be a horizontal rather than vertical set up so the Germans can fire on the approaching Soviets, but im not sure. As I said, something was off with this set up.

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