Counter-Attack at Mokre
13th August 1944
v2.1 - added aircraft
On August 10th 1944 elements of the 1st Ukrainian Front crossed the mighty Vistula River. This created the "Sandomierz Bulge", a bridgehead over the Vistula that the Germans were determined to eliminate.
On the 11th of August the 6th Guards Tank Corps took the town of Szyldów and then dug in on the outskirts just south of a village called Ogledów. The Germans first counter attack was a disaster. Early on the 13th eleven Tiger II tanks of the 501 schwere Heers Panzer Abteilung attacked the entire 6th GTC supported by a few grenadiers in half-tracks. These were the first Tiger II's to see combat and they suffered for mechanical reliability problems; despite seeing no combat yet, eleven runners was all the battalion could muster. The crews were new recruits and their commander was not particularly competent, attacking over unsuitable terrain with no reconnaissance. The result was inevitable Germany's new super tank was defeated and the attack vanquished.
Emboldened by their victory the 6th GTC resumed the offensive, taking the village of Ogledów and then pushing further north, capturing some abandoned Tigers in the process.
Around midday the Germans launched a much stronger attack. The armoured elements of the 16 Panzer Division started to move over the hill at point 272.1 towards Yablonitza with the intention of pushing back towards Ogledów. Unfortunately for them the 52nd Tank Brigade was all ready in position on their flank.
The scenario covers the counter-attack of the 16 Panzer Division, supported by the few remaining Tiger II's against the 6th Guards Tank Corps
1920's 1:100000 Polish map of the battlefield
German Deployment
Kampfgruppe Collin is deployed in the area indicated by the pink dashed line. At least half the tanks must be south of ridge PQ. All tanks start facing east
I Abt 64 Pz Gren Regt is deployed anywhere in the area indicated by the pink dashed line. All elements of the battalion, excepting the vehicles, can be entrenched (-3 cover)
Soviet Deployment
52nd Tank Brigade is deployed on the outskirts of Mokre or the western edge of the large wood as indicated by the pink dashed line
53rd Tank Brigade is deployed as indicated by the pink dashed line, no elements should start the game in LOS of Kampfgruppe Collin.
289th Rifle Regiment enters the table turn 1 between points B&E
The 385th Heavy SU Regiment is the Soviet player's "commander's reserve" and uses all the CDTOB rules for such. It can be deployed from the start of turn 2.
Starting the end of turn 2 the Soviet player rolls for reinforcements every turn. On the next turn they enter anywhere along the southern or eastern board edges as long as they are over 24" from any German stands in LOS. First turn's loses a BMA Roll on the following table, if a reinforcement is already gone then no reinforcement appears that turn
1 - no reinforcement
2 - Commander/FO 1645th Artillery Regiment
3 - Commander/FO 185th Howitzer Regiment
4 - 1893rd SU Regiment
5 - 51st Tank Brigade (eastern edge of table only)
6 - Soviet player's choice
Terrain
The map is designed for an 8'x5' table.
Red lines are roads
The green dotted lines along the roads are tree-lines. There are two types on the table. The light green dotted lines are intermittent trees and are considered open blocking terrain, they do not break LOS. The dark green dotted lines are high hedges which do block LOS and give stands light cover. Where tree-lines run along the road any stand on the road is considered adjacent to the tree-line. Where a tree-line runs adjacent to the stream any stand touching the stream is considered adjacent to to the tree-line and visa versa.
The green areas are woods. Those with thick borders are dense woods (i.e. half speed for infantry and impenetrable for vehicles and manhandled guns). However the fringes may be occupied by vehicles. Vehicles may traverse the woods at their edges as if they were open woods but always count as being on the edge of the wood (i.e. can be seen from outside the wood). All the other wooded areas are open woods (no impediment for infantry half speed for vehicle and guns)
The green dotted lines are tracks through the woods, units may move down the track at normal cross-country speeds. LOS down the tracks is 6" and stands on the track still count as in cover (-1). The edges of the tracks can not be entered by vehicles
The grey areas are towns with mostly wooden framed houses and extensive back yards. Medium cover (-2) for infantry stand and light cover (-1) for vehicles and towed guns.
The brown dotted lines are ridge lines which break LOS. Any stand adjacent to a ridge gets hull down if fire crosses the ridge line, unless the ridge is overlooked by another. The dark brown ridges are higher than the light brown ridges and any stand touching a dark brown ridge can see over any light brown ridges that touch the dark brown ridge they are themselves touching.
The thin blue lines are streams. Ordinarily they are mostly no impediment. Only wheeled vehicles and manhandled guns require a BMA to cross. Where the stream is represented with a treble line, infantry and tracked vehicles (including half tracks) require a BMA to cross. Wheeled vehicles and manhandled guns require 2xBMA to cross. The thick blue line is a river and impassable. The brown bridge is a foot bridge and good for personnel and manhandled class I guns only
The light blue area is boggy meadow. Tracked vehicles and infantry half speed. It is impassable to wheeled vehicles and man-handled guns
The open terrain is a series of small strip shaped fields, they provide no significant cover.
Aircraft
Both sides roll 1d10 every turn: 8 = fighter, 9 = attack plane & 10 = fighter + attack
For the Soviets the attack plane is an Il-2 Sturmovik and the fighter could be any of the types available in 1944.
For the Germans the attack plane will be an Hs-129 or Fw-180F8. The Fighter will be Fw-190A or Me-109G
Special Rules
The game starts at mid day and runs until dusk at 8:00pm - 14 turns
The game starts with the opportunity fire phase turn one. Kampfgruppe Collin is assumed to have made a cautious advance as are the 53rd Tank Brigade
Before the arrival of the FO for each of the Soviet Artillery regiments one gun in each regiment, only, may fire H&I fire missions
Victory Conditions
If any BUA in Jablonica remains in German hands (i.e. there is any German stand of good morale wholly within the BUA at the end of turn 14) then the best result for the Soviets is a draw
If Jablonica is taken and the Germans lose more Panzers or StuGs than the Soviets loose T34's, SU-85's, ISU's or IS-2's then its a minor Russian victory
If the Russian make their minor victory conditions and kill the King Tiger they win a major victory
The Germans win a minor victory if they capture ONE exit from the board: C, D, F or G. They win a major victory if they capture two locations, C or D and one of F or G
To capture the exit point the Germans must have a stand in good morale within 6" iof the middle of the road where it exits the board at the end of the game and the Soviets must not have a stand in good morale with 6"
Good morale is not shaken or demoralised
Historical Outcome
The battle was a disaster for the Germans. The 16 Pz was ambushed by the 52nd Tank Brigade and shot to pieces. The Soviets didn't loose a single tank
References
Axis History Forum: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=76225
Fire Brigades - Kamen Neverkin
Mapywig - http://www.mapywig.org/m/WIG100_300DPI/P46_S32_STASZOW_300dpi.jpg
Russian Battlefield: http://www.battlefield.ru/content/view/167/85/lang,en/
