Collision at Reichenburg

18/4/45

On the 16th of April 1945 the Soviet army unleashed its last offensive against the German Reich. The bridgeheads over the Oder River split asunder and spewed forth red infantry and armour which forged forward to take Berlin. Although by this late stage in the war the German army was on its knees, it had a strong defensive position on the Seelow heights and gave a good account of itself, selling each meter of the Reich dearly.

Pressure began to mount and the German line broke. Soviet forces flowed either side of Seelow and pushed along Reichstrasse 1 into the country beyond. As the best German forces were deployed along the road, which was the direct route to Berlin progress was slow. However to the north of the road the Soviets had penetrated several km's further. This meant that the Germans around Reichstrasse 1 were on a salient. At the tip of the salient was the 48th Tank Brigade acting as the forward detachment of the 12th Guards Tank Corps. They were camped in the woods to the north of Reichstrasse1 but beyond was open farm land which promised a faster advance. Before them were the depleted paratroops of 9 Fallschirmjäger Division and the Grenadiers of 309 Infanterie Division, mostly lacking significant AT assets. However if they could hold on long enough the 11SS, delayed by fuel shortages, would be there to block the gap

This scenario takes place to the North East of the Vulkow scenario at the same time

Map and Order of Battle

German Deployment

Most of the German units start on table deployed in the areas delineated by the pink dashed lines.

The Regiment Stab of 653GR must be deployed in a BUA of Batzlow. The BUA in the top left of the map is considered as part of Batzlow

2 Kp 309 Panzerjäger Abt can be deployed in either of 653's deployment areas

Elements of the 25 Fallschirmjäger Regiment may start on table or may not. Before the game roll 1d6 each for I Btl, II Btl and the Stab - on a 5 or 6 they start in their deployment area. If not they enter later in the game. Before orders are decided for turn 2 (ie in turn 1) roll d6 for each element yet to arrive, on a 3-6 they enter as a reinforcement between points C&D. Any remaining elements arrive turn 3 between points C & D

11SS PR is a reinforcement most of the unit arrives turn 6 between points E & F, however the Stab and Stabs Kompanie arrives turn 7 between points E & F. Note point F is the point where the BUA's of Batzlow are closest to the table edge.

Soviet Deployment

The recce company of the 48th Guards Tank Brigade enters the table turn 1, the bulk of the unit enters turn 2. All stands enter between B & C

The recce company of the 37th Mechanised Brigade enters the table turn 6, the bulk of the unit enters turn 7. All stands enter between A & G

Deployment Note

No reinforcement, except elements of 48th Guards Tank Brigade, can arrive within12" and LOS of an un-demoralised enemy stand. If entry is impossible, the reinforcements can enter a turn later up to 12" from  their indicated entry location. If entry is still impossible move 12" further away every turn until entry is possible.

Terrain

The map depicts a 6.5 x 5 ft table if playing 1" = 50m. North is towards the top of the page

The open ground is fields, with no significant cover on their boundaries.

The red lines are roads. Some roads have hedgerows on  both sides  and all stands on the road are considered to be touching both hedgerows.

The light green areas is are open woods. No impediment to personnel, half speed for vehicles and man-handled guns. Light cover (-1 vs non HE).

The grey areas are 4x4 BUA. They represent fairly scattered stone houses. Infantry within get -3 cover. Towed guns and vehicles are assumed to be in gardens between houses and only get -1 cover. there are no firing restrictions

The green dotted lines are tree lines, these provide light cover  (-1 vs non HE) and break LOS

The broken brown lines are ridgelines. These break LOS. Any AFV stand touching the ridgeline is considered hull down.

Air Support

The Soviets allocated significant air support to this push, the overstretched Luftwaffe was concentrated further south however Tiefenangriffsgruppe Bu-181 was based immediately behind the area of the battle

Each urn the Soviets roll 1d6: 1-2 no planes, 3 Il-2m attack 4 Il-2m & P-39 fighter, 5 Boston Bomber & 6 Boston Bomber & Yak-9 Fighter

The Germans roll 1d10 each turn - on a 10 they get a Panzerfaust armed Bu-181 trainer

Special Rules

The game starts at mid-day and last 14 turns

The yellow area is NOT in play for the Germans until turn 6 and the Soviets until turn 7, no stands may voluntarily enter it. Forced back stands and stands that have retreated due to bad morale may enter the area but must move out as soon they are able. HQ units may enter to rally shaken or demoralised troops but must leave as soon as the job is done. If a Soviet stand within the area fails a morale check "away from the nearest enemy" is assumed to be towards the closest border of the area. If the retreat move is enough to leave the area then the stands must do so.

Victory Conditions

The Soviets score VP's for: eliminating German tanks, capturing BUA's and exiting tanks off the table

The Soviets can get no better than a draw if they do not exclusively occupy Ringenwald at the end of the game

Each German tank eliminated scores 2 VP (tanks for this purpose means StuG-III, Panther and Tiger)

Each BUA exclusively occupied by a Soviet personnel stand in good morale by the end of the last turn scores 1 VP. Exclusively occupied means the Soviets have at least one stand wholly within the BUA and the Germans have no stands wholly in the BUA

If any Soviet tank leaves the table in good morale between points E & F AFTER and including turn 7 it scores 2 VP. Any Soviet tank voluntarily leaving the table may not re-enter. For this rule "tank" means T-34/85, SU-76 or ISU-122

8 or less points is a German decisive victory - maybe next year Comrade?
9-13 points is a German Minor victory - Hitler breaths a sigh of relief
14-18 points is a draw - tomorrow is another day
18-23 points is a Soviet minor victory - Berlin here we come!
24+ points is a Soviet decisive victory - dinner in the Reichstag tomorrow Ivan?

Good morale means not shaken and not demoralised

References

11SS Panzer Regiment during the battle: http://www.stengerhistorica.com/History/WarArchive/Ritterkreuztraeger/Kausch.htm

309ID Panzerjäger: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?p=1028614

Panzerfaust armed Bu-181:  http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=69&t=138901

Russian 1:200000 map of the area used in conjunction with that in Zhukov at the Oder and Google Earth http://en.poehali.org/maps/200k--n33-33.html

Russian account of the battle: http://militera.lib.ru/h/isaev_av7/17.html

Zhukov at the Oder - T. Le Tissier