Panzer Grenadier Headquarters - Library: Tank Battles #31 - Operation MARS #19: Molodoi Tud River Blues II: The Penetration, Try Again (Failure is not an option)

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 #19: Molodoi Tud River Blues II: The Penetration, Try Again (Failure is not an option) Tank Battles #31
(Defender) Germany	vs	Soviet Union (Attacker)

Formations Involved
Germany		301st Infantry Regiment
Soviet Union		158th Rifle Division
Soviet Union		879th Rifle Regiment

	Total
Side 1	0
Draw	0
Side 2	1

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

Parent Game	Tank Battles
Historicity	Historical
Date	1942-11-26
Start Time	09:00
Turn Count	23
Visibility	Day
Counters	102
Net Morale	0
Net Initiative	1
Maps	2: 13, 6
Layout Dimensions	86 x 28 cm 34 x 11 in
Play Bounty	170
AAR Bounty	171
Total Plays	1
Total AARs	1

Battle Types
Inflict Enemy Casualties
Road Control

Conditions
Off-board Artillery
Severe Weather
Terrain Mods

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

Introduction
Following the previous day's poor performance, Marshal Zhukov patiently explained the consequences of failure. With the speech ringing in his ear Colonel M.M. Busaro went out with a renewed sense of purpose.

Conclusion
The Germans fell back to Bortniki. The Soviet attack had taken the first step in creating the breach needed. Marshal Zhukov knew how to get the best out of his commanders.

Additional Notes
Counters from Heroes of the Soviet Union may be used in place of those from Red Warriors.

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 Misc Towed

Heer

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Misc

Towed

Soviet Union Order of Battle

Army (RKKA)
Foot Leader Mechanized Motorized Towed

Army (RKKA)

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Motorized

Towed

Display Errata (10)

10 Errata Items
	Two 105mms (ID#s 1204, 1205) have "16-31" fire values in black (direct fire), when they should be in white (indirect fire). (Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
	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)
	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 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 #31

Author	triangular_cube
Method	Solo
Victor	Soviet Union
Play Date	2023-02-01
Language	English
Scenario	TaBa031

This is unfortunately one of many scenarios in Tank Battles that clearly never saw the table in design/development.

Soviets are supposed to be clearing the road of the German defenders who are dug into a defensible forest with a full compliment of strongpoints and INF/HMG mix. But instead the map configuration and VCs have this small German force leaving the woods to root out the massed Soviet combined arms force, leaving behind their strongpoints and getting shot to bits quickly and mercilessly. Which is exactly what happens. Its completely inbalanced, and ahistorical.

There really is nothing here unless you do a complete rewrite of the scenario, but at that point its no longer Tank Battles #31.

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