Counter Attack at Trebendorf
17th April 1945
v2.1 (revised in light of play test)
This scenario represents a little known counter-attack by the 21 Panzer Division against the 54th Tank Brigade of the 7th Guards Tank Corps in Eastern Germany near the village of Trebendorf.
The low level details of the OB of both sides are sketchy so what follows is my "best guess" as to the forces involved. The OB is accurate to battalion level and tank strengths are correct.
Soviet Deployment
The forward detachments of the 7th Guards tank Corps and the 147th Rifle division start on table and are deployed as shown on the map in the areas delineated by the pink dashed lines
The 54th Tank Brigade arrives turn 4 down road G or F (or both). It arrives in column
It is followed by the 26th Motorised Rifle Brigade which arrives turn 5 also down roads G or F in column. However the infantry may be placed either side of the roads up to 6" away from the road. Deployed infantry are not in column
The 56th Tank Brigade arrives turn 6 between points H & I
The Corps HQ and its AA escort arrives turn 6 down either road G or F. It is in column.
stands that are part of units entering in column have their moves reduced 3" for each stand in the column that enters the table before them, this turn, down the same road.
German Deployment
22 Panzer Regiment enters the table turn 1, it can be deployed 12" either side of road C
1 Kompanie 21 Pz AufK Abt enters the table turn 1 it can be deployed 12" either side of road A. The deployment areas does extend around the corner of the table
I/192 Panzergrenadier Regiment enters the table turn 2 it can be deployed 12" either side of road C
The majority of 200 Panzerjäger Abt enters the table turn 2 up to 12" either side of road A.
3 Kompanie 200 Panzerjäger Abt enters the table turn 4 down road A in column (see above for column restrictions)
Stab 22 Panzer Regiment enters the table turn 4, it may enter down road A or C.
Terrain Notes
The table is 5ft x 6.5ft if playing 1" = 50m
The area is open farm land crossed by drainage ditches. The battlefield is in a shallow valley with a slight rise in altitude to the north and south
The blue lines are drainage ditches or streams. The are no impediment to tracked vehicles or personnel stands, but wheeled vehicles and man-handed guns require a BMA to cross. Personnel (not towed guns) touching the ditch are assumed to sheltering within and get +2 cover
All woods are dense woods, so are prohibited to vehicles and half speed to infantry. However the outer 3" are open allowing vehicles and guns to be deployed on the edge. Despite this movement is only allowed perpendicular to the wood edge not laterally (ie no sneaking along the edge of the wood inside the wood). The open woods are only adjacent to the wood edges proper not adjacent to the roads and trails
Red lines are roads
Green dashed lines are trails - they count as open for movement purposes
Where rails and roads penetrate the forest max visibility down then is 6". Units on the road or trail in the forest still get the benefit of cover when being shot at. Visibility applies when whether the spotter is inside or outside the wood.
All towns are brick and wood. and give +2 cover. The simple town fighting rules are in effect
Green dotted lines are tree lines, they break LOS, unless they stand is adjacent to the line, and give +1 cover. Where roads are tree lined stands on the road are always considered to be adjacent to the tree line. Tree lined streams are considered one obstacle so as long as a stand is toughing the stream or the trees it is considered adjacent to the tree line.
Sandy dashed lines are ridgelines. They break LOS. AFV's touching get +2 cover against all fire crossing the ridgeline. They count cover for morale but not for spotting
The grey broken lines along some of the roads are walls. They give -3 cover to personnel stands and -1 cover to towed guns and vehicles; only if the stand is adjacent to the wall . The walls break LOS, though stand adjacent to the wall can see and be seen. All stands on the road are considered adjacent to the wall. (in reality the walls are actually a line of houses along the road, but there are not enough to warrant a BUA. The walls are an attempt to simulate this)
Special Rules
The game starts at 08:00 and ends at circa 16:00 At the end of turn 15 roll d10, on a 1-5 the game ends on a 6+ the came continues in to turn 16
The 155 Pz Art Regt provided a barrage before the 21 PD attacked. To simulate this all elements of the 7th TC on table at the start of the game start suppressed. This means there is no other German artillery fire on turn 1.
Weather and visibility are good
Aircraft
The Germans had fighter cover from Jagdgeschwader 6 flying Fw-190D out of Cottbus. The Soviets had IL-2's of 93 GShAP escorted by LA-7's of 5 GIAP.
Each turn the Germans roll 1d10, on an 9+ they get 1 Fw-190D
Each turn the Soviets roll d10, on a 7-8 they get an Il-2m, on a 9 an LA-7 on a 10 they get an IL-2m and an LA-7
Victory Conditions
The Germans score a point for each Soviet tank or SU killed regardless of where the Soviets are at the end of the turn. The Soviets score a point for each Panther, Pz-IV or JgdPz-IV killed
As long as the Soviets are not in their victory locations the Germans score 1 points for each "combat" personnel stand in good morale within 6" of either point E, F or G and two points for each AFV stand (armed 20mm +) in good morale within 6" of either point E, F or G
The Soviets score 3 points for each tank or SU (of the 7th TC) that exits road B or C before end of turn 14. (this is not a "victory location")
They score 1 point for each for each "combat" personnel stand; tank or SU (of the 7th TC) that ends the game within 6" or points B & C (this is a "victory location")
Combat personnel are: zampolit, cmd infantry, infantry, recce infantry MMG, weapons and PTRD
Good morale mean not shaken and not demoralised
References
5th Guards Fighter Air Regiment: http://5gviap.1gb.ru/content/view/1/1/
21 Panzer Division, Jean Claude Perrigualt
AMVAS website: http://rkkaww2.armchairgeneral.com/maps/1945W/Germany/54GdsTBr_7GdsTC_s41reg_Apr17_45.jpg
Axis History Forum: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=83159
Fire Brigades: Kamen Nevenkin
Flugplatzmuseum Cottbus: http://www.flugplatzmuseumcottbus.de/index.php/geschichte-des-flugplatz-in-der-lausitz.html
Mappy WIG (more detailed map): http://www.mapywig.org/m/German_maps/1919-1945/Gross_and_Einheitsblaetter/Einheitsblatt_Nr._90_Spremberg-Sorau-Niesky-Kohlfuhrt.jpg
Soviet order of Battle WW2 Vol 3: Charles Sharpe
