Panzer Grenadier Headquarters - Library: Tank Battles #22 - Operation MARS Scenario # 10: Hell's Fury II

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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Operation MARS Scenario # 10: Hell's Fury II Tank Battles #22
(Defender) Germany	vs	Soviet Union (Attacker)

Formations Involved
Germany		430th Infantry Regiment
Germany		5th Panzer Division
Soviet Union		1st "Moscow Proletarian" Motorized Rifle Division
Soviet Union		20th Cavalry Division
Soviet Union		247th Rifle Division

	Total
Side 1	0
Draw	0
Side 2	1

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

Parent Game	Tank Battles
Historicity	Historical
Date	1942-11-30
Start Time	09:00
Turn Count	19
Visibility	Day
Counters	171
Net Morale	1
Net Initiative	1
Maps	2: 4
Layout Dimensions	56 x 43 cm 22 x 17 in
Play Bounty	187
AAR Bounty	171
Total Plays	1
Total AARs	1

Battle Types
Inflict Enemy Casualties
Urban Assault

Conditions
Off-board Artillery
Randomly-drawn Aircraft
Severe Weather
Terrain Mods

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

Introduction
General Kriukov's 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps along with the 1st Guards Motorised and the 247th Rifle Divisions again attacked both Maloe Kropotovo and Podosinovka. Marshal Zhukov would again try to impose his will on the battlefield.

Conclusion
The Soviet attack came close to succeeding, but the stubborn German defenders would not be forced out of the towns. The attack would continue. More brave men on both sides would pay the ultimate price to conclude this battle.

Additional Notes
Two copies of Eastern Front Deluxe will be required to play this scenario requiring 2 x board 4 and the amount of BM-13's and T60's required. Also note that where Red Warriors is not available, Heroes of the Soviet Union will suffice in its place. Soviet Guards transport counters may be downloaded from Avalanche Press. Otherwise, use RKKA trucks and wagons in place of Guards Wagons as needed.

Additional Notes

Two copies of Eastern Front Deluxe will be required to play this scenario requiring 2 x board 4 and the amount of BM-13's and T60's required. Also note that where Red Warriors is not available, Heroes of the Soviet Union will suffice in its place.

Soviet Guards transport counters may be downloaded from Avalanche Press. Otherwise, use RKKA trucks and wagons in place of Guards Wagons as needed.

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 APC – Armored Personnel Carrier: These are Combat Units, but stack like Transports. They can transport personnel units or towed units. They are not counted as combat units for the +1 stacking modifier on the Direct Fire and Bombardment Tables (4.4). They may be activated by regular leaders and tank leaders (1.2, 3.34, 4.3, 5.43). They do not provide the +1 Assault bonus (ACC). 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. 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).
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
APC – Armored Personnel Carrier: These are Combat Units, but stack like Transports. They can transport personnel units or towed units. They are not counted as combat units for the +1 stacking modifier on the Direct Fire and Bombardment Tables (4.4). They may be activated by regular leaders and tank leaders (1.2, 3.34, 4.3, 5.43). They do not provide the +1 Assault bonus (ACC).
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.
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 Misc Motorized Towed

Heer

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Misc

Motorized

Towed

Soviet Union Order of Battle

Army (RKKA)
Foot Leader Mechanized Motorized Towed

Army (RKKA)

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Motorized

Towed

Guards
Foot Leader Motorized Towed

Guards

Foot

Leader

Motorized

Towed

Display Errata (10)

10 Errata Items
Scen 22	I suspect 12 X BM-13 is not correct, but I don't know what it should be. (triangular_cube on 2023 Jan 12)
	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)
	All SPW 251s have an armor value of 0. (Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
	Strongpoints are single step units and can be eliminated with X results like any other single step unit. (Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
	The standard mix of strongpoints may be downloaded from Avalanche Press: http://www.avalanchepress.com/German_Strongpoints.php This is the standard mix found in Airborne, Airborne-IE, and Edelweiss Expanded. The strongpoint mix in Cassino '44 is different from that of other PG games. (plloyd1010 on 2012 Feb 01)
	Strongpoints are affected by the terrain in their hex just like any other unit. Even though they can't move, they can attack using Assault Combat if an enemy unit moves into their hex. They may not dig in or benefit from entrenchments. (rerathbun on 2014 Apr 21)
	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)
	These units should have a Direct Fire rating of 2-3, just like the RKKA and NKVD counterparts. (danradz on 2011 May 04)

Display AARs (1)

Tank Battles #22

Author	triangular_cube
Method	Solo
Victor	Soviet Union
Play Date	2023-01-15
Language	English
Scenario	TaBa022

I suspect this scenario needs errata, as the excessive amount of BM-13s seems wrong. Nevertheless, I played as written as there was no obvious, correct number available. Germans have to defend two towns from 3 Soviet formations while the earth around them quite literally blows up. To do this they have a skeleton recon force. There really isnt much to say, this one is a breeze for the Soviets.

The German's only real hope is to heavily contest the entry of the Soviet BM-13s onto the board. Through AT guns, OBA, and air strikes they have a chance to knock some of them out before they can begin firing. Ultimately though, its not enough, and the other Soviet threats will still be able to get the job done.

Not much else to say.

Edit: I felt bad for ending abruptly. There is one more interesting thing about this scenario, although it doesnt salvage it from the massive amounts of rocket artillery. The Germans have 2 very small detachments that are assigned to the individual towns, while the rest is at large. Soviet VCs say they must control both towns, or only one while achieving enough kills. Because of this, the Germans can choose to evacuate one town and turtle in the other, and if doing so, the Eastern town seems to be optimal so you can still deploy with enough combat power forward to do an early fight over the BMs.

That being said, this town is the one with the bulk of the Soviet force to contend with, the Western one only having a Cav force, and in PzG Cav is generally pretty poor, especially when of the 1 range variety. A few bits assigned here might be able to fend off Cavalry probes into the town with the initial skeleton force. However, this is obviously less to add to the main effort if done this way.

My play attempted the abandon the West and turtle in the East approach, with the goal of eliminating the BMs with everything available. It didnt work. Still too many Soviets and not enough Germans.

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