Senno
7/7/41
V3.1.1 - added missed trucks to OB
On 5 July the Soviets ordered a counter attack by the 5th and 7th Mechanised Corps against the lead elements of the 2 & 3 Panzergruppe. 7th Mechanised Corps had the northern flank and was divided in to two attacks. The 14th Tank Division of the 7th Mech was the 7th's Northern flank, the 18th Tank Division was on the southern flank The northern flank met with little success meeting the main body of the 7 Panzer Division, including the SP 88's of 1.8 Panzerjäger Abt, as the tanks tried to ford the Cherenkov River. The tanks of the 14th Tank Division were repulsed. The 18th Tank Division had more success as it met with much less resistance. On the 6th July it bumped the 7 Panzer Division's flank guard, the 7 Kradschützen Bataillon, out of Senno, and in the process cut the battalion off from the main body of the division.
The Germans reacted violently to this setback. On the 7th July the 7 Panzer Division ordered III Abt 25 Panzer Regiment to counter attack to the south and link up with the orphaned 7 Krad Btl. Simultaneously the lead elements of the 17 Panzer Division were approaching from the west intent on turning south at Senno to attack Orsha. Atypically for the Germans these two moves were coincidental and were not co-ordinated. This scenario depicts the German counter attacks
Map and Order of Battle
German Deployment
Only the 7 Kradschützen Btl starts on table, deployed in the designated deployment zone. Alternatively its stands may start off table and enter 6" either side of point F when the battalion is activated (see special rules)
The III Abt 25 Panzer Regiment may enter table turn 1 down the trail A. It enters in convoy, Alternatively some or all of the battalion may enter down trails A, H or road B in convoy on turn 2
27 Panzer Aufklärungs Abt enters turn 2 in convoy along road G
I Abt 40 Schützen Regt enters turn 3 in convoy along road G
Stab KG Licht enters turn 4 in convoy along road G
If a unit enters in convoy each stand after the first loses 3" from its move for each stand that went before it.
Side 2 Deployment
The 18th Motorised Rifle Regiment starts on table in the delineated deployment zone. All personnel stands are dug in in foxholes (-2 cover)
The 35th Tank Regiment starts on table in the delineated deployment zone. However one battalion of the player's choice may be deployed in the 18th MRR's deployment zone (but not in a BUA). The forward deployed battalion may be split up and individual tanks attached to rifle companies.
The Divisional Staff starts in 35th Tank Regiment's Deployment zone
Terrain
The table is 5ft x 6.5ft if playing at 1" = 50m
The open ground is mostly fields, there is little cover
Blue areas are lakes, they are impassable to all stands with the exception of the T-37, which has a BMA of 4" in the water. The lakes have tree lines around their edges
The dark green areas are forests. These are impenetrable to vehicles and half speed of personnel. LOS down roads or trails within is 6". Stands on the road/trail still count cover.
The light green area represents a semi-open area dotted with trees. Its is open blocking terrain with a max visibility into or within of 12". It does not give cover. (ie if a target is within it cant be seen over 12" away no matter where the spotter is located. LOS down roads within is limited to 12" also. This area counts as open ground as far as air attacks are concerned.
Grey squares are urban BUA. The town fighting rules are in effect. Building are for the most part wooden giving -2 cover for infantry. Vehicles and towed guns do not get cover within and are ROF 0.
Red lines are dirt roads. Stands on the roads are considered adjacent to tree lines at the side of the road.
Blue lines are marshy streams. Infantry are unimpeded crossing. Tracks and halftracks take a BMA to cross. Wheeled vehicles & man-handed guns take 2xBMA to cross.
Green dashed lines are trails. Stands move along them as if crossing open ground.
Brown dashed lines are crest lines. They break LOS. AFV stands touching get hull down bonus against all fire that crosses the ridgeline
Green dotted lines are tree lines. They break LOS unless a stand is adjacent and give -1 cover
Air Support
Although the VVS was tasked with supporting the offensive their resources were scant compared with the Luftwaffe
Each turn each side rolls 1d10. The German side gets air support on a 9-10. The Soviet player gets air support on a 10
The German player rolls on the following table: 1-5 Stuka, 6-7 Bf-10E, 8-10 Stuka & Bf-109E,
The Soviet Player rolls on this table: 1-4: I-16 or I-153Fighter, 5-8 I-16 or I-153 Fighter Light Attack, 9, I-16 or I-153 Fighter Light Attack & I-16 or I-153 Fighter. 10 Il-2 Attack & MiG-3 Fighter.
If playing with my air rules the Soviets place planes first
Special Rules
The game last 11 turns with a 50% chance of a 12th
The Soviets were taken by surprise. They may not move on turn 1, call IDF turn 1 or opportunity fire turn 1.
The KV-2 has no AP ammo
The Germans are uncoordinated, the players with the 7 Panzer Division can not talk to the players with the 17 Panzer Division
The 7 Kradschützen are cut off from communications with the main body of 7 Panzer Division. They may not move out of their initial deployment zone until any other 7 Panzer division stand ends a turn adjacent to the Btl Stab of the Kradschützen (both stands have to be in good morale). As this will be AFTER the orders phase of that turn the Kradschützen will not move until the turn after. Stands may be forced back out of the zone and the BHQ may move out to order them back in to the zone or rally them. All stands must return as soon as the job is done.
Victory Conditions
In a three+ player game the Soviets, 7 Panzer Division and 17 Panzer Division each tot up points separately, only one can be the winner. In a two player game the German total is HALVED
Each personnel stand destroyed counts as 1 point. Note stands destroyed by "friendly" air are not counted. Soviet surrendering stands are given to the German player with stands closest to the surrendering stand
Each Soviet AFV destroyed counts 1 point unless a KV-2 when it counts 2 points
Each German panzer count as 6 points, PzKfw-I, armoured cars and 251's count 3 points *if* at the end of the turn there are two or more Soviet stands closer to point B (if a 7PD AFV) or point G (if 17PD AFV). Note you must measure around lakes when determining distance.
Each side gains a bonus point for each BUA they exclusively occupy
7PD automatically lose if they do not manage to get a stand from main body of 7PD in contact with the BHQ of 7 Kradschützen at the end of any turn or if they fail to exclusively occupy one of the BUA's of Senno
17PD automatically loses if it fails to have exited at least one AFV off point E.
The player with the highest points wins
In all cases to count for victory conditions stands must be in good morale, i.e. not shaken or demoralised
References
7th Mech Corps - http://mechcorps.rkka.ru/files/mechcorps/pages/7_meh.htm
1870's Map: http://depositfiles.com/files/os76xqvan
Axis History Forum: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=125874&sid=37e8ed4c6e5121bdbb9fc40ce42d0c40
Barbarossa Derailed Vol 1 - David Glantz
German WW2 Organisation Series Vol 3/I - Leo Neihorster
Initial Period of War on the Eastern Front - David Glantz
N-35-48-B (Modern Map) - http://loadmap.net/en/m38922
Panzertruppen Vol 1- T Jentz
Unknown 1941. Blitzkrieg Stopped - Alexei Isaev - http://statehistory.ru/books/Aleksey-Isaev_Neizvestnyy-1941--Ostanovlennyy-blitskrig/