Panzer Grenadier Headquarters - Library: Tank Battles #48

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 > TaBa048

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Italian Opposition #2: Carristi Tank Battles #48
(Defender) Germany	vs	Italy (Attacker)

Formations Involved
Germany		17th Infantry Division
Italy		32º Reggimento Corazzato

	Total
Side 1	5
Draw	0
Side 2	1

Overall Rating, 5 votes
5 4 3 2 1 1.8
Scenario Rank: 940 of 940

Parent Game	Tank Battles
Historicity	Historical
Date	1938-03-01
Start Time	10:00
Turn Count	30
Visibility	Day
Counters	57
Net Morale	0
Net Initiative	1
Maps	3: 11, 6, 9
Layout Dimensions	84 x 43 cm 33 x 17 in
Play Bounty	161
AAR Bounty	165
Total Plays	6
Total AARs	2

Battle Types
Inflict Enemy Casualties

Conditions
Off-board Artillery

Scenario Requirements & Playability
Afrika Korps	Counters
Battle of the Bulge	Maps
Desert Rats	Counters
Eastern Front	Maps + Counters
Tank Battles	Base Game

Introduction
While the celere divisions tried to block the panzer advance, Italy's tank force would seek out non-armored German units and attack them. At this point, despite experience in Ethiopia and Spain the need for combined-arms forces had not filtered down to the army's organization. By the end of the year Italy would be setting up its first two armored divisions, but in March the tanks would still have operated alone.

Introduction

While the celere divisions tried to block the panzer advance, Italy's tank force would seek out non-armored German units and attack them. At this point, despite experience in Ethiopia and Spain the need for combined-arms forces had not filtered down to the army's organization. By the end of the year Italy would be setting up its first two armored divisions, but in March the tanks would still have operated alone.

Conclusion
This represents the Italian textbook use of an armored force, to catch the enemy in march order and destroy him while he is the most vulnerable. And with a battle-worthy tank it might have even been a valid doctrine.

Additional Notes
Requires 2 sets of Afrika Korps and/or Desert Rats for the Italian L3s.

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

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

Display Order of Battle

Germany Order of Battle

Heer
Foot Leader Towed

Heer

Foot

Leader

Towed

Italy Order of Battle

Regio Esercito
Mechanized

Display Errata (5)

5 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)
	The movement allowance on the counters in Airborne is misprinted. It should be "3." (rerathbun on 2012 Jan 30)
	The L3/35 with ID# 1505 has the incorrect movement factor printed on it. The movement factor should be 7, not 8. (plloyd1010 on 2014 Nov 24)

Display AARs (2)

Tank Battles #48

Author	triangular_cube
Method	Solo
Victor	Germany
Play Date	2023-02-09
Language	English
Scenario	TaBa048

This is an interesting premise, but the scenario itself isnt that great if the Germans game the setup. Germans can deploy almost their entire force in the woods on board 6 while being every other hex and still adjacent to the road. Knowing the opposition is a spam of light tanks, they deploy with AT guns forward and infantry in the back, planning on running up and defending against whatever the Italians do from the woods.

Hardly "on the march" as the scenario should be representing. Germans are actually densely packed by the time the Italians get close as its going to be 2-3 turns before they get into combat anyway. From here the Italians suffer from the general problem of the CV33 being very poor at everything, and they get picked off from the AT guns until they are gone while the infantry chase them about in a constant state of nearly ready to assualt/waiting for init to pin/liquidate and repeat.

Really was a no contest due to gamey tactics, but was an interesting way to cap off the module. Some tweaks here could make this fun.

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Another one to Avoid

Author	treadasaurusrex (Germany)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Germany
Participants	unknown
Play Date	2023-02-19
Language	English
Scenario	TaBa048

This was a truncated 3-session, play-through with the mighty & rapidly-learning, ACav,, playing the attacking Italian horde of CV33 tankettes. I led the German side in this untested, mess of an unbalanced, overlong scenario. We quit after only 12 game turns of this gamey encounter. This encounter is badly-conceived & designed -- and clearly not play-tested. As others have already reported, if the Germans deploy in the woods, but adjacent to the road, the Italian onslaught is basically doomed from the get go.

This is supposed to be an ambush by the mobile Italians in their tankettes, but the setup instructions do not require that the Germans be packed together closely on the road, where they may be engaged "enroute and vulnerable." Without this, the Italians are not gong to ever get a win out of this mess. We quit by mutual agreement, with a German decisive victory, when we became aware that there was no hope for an Italian win , or even a draw.

I give this disaster of a scenario, a very generous 1. It might work as a SOLO effort, if one fixes the setup instructions, or selects more appropriate terrain for the battle map.

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TaBa047

TBRa001

PG-HQ Library - Panzer Grenadier Hall > Scenarios > TaBa048

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