Bob Mackenzie's web Page

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. Guarding the North edge of the Salient was the village of Wulkow. The Soviets wished to take it and push to the south east to support their advance down the road to Berlin.

The main assault fell to the 301st Rifle Division, supported by the 220th Tank brigade. Behind were the tank brigades of the 11th Tank Corps and 1st Mechanised Corps waiting to exploit the the breakthrough. All the Soviet troops were seasoned fighting men.

The majority of the defenders were from the 18 Panzer Grenadier division. This had been destroyed in March and rebuilt almost from scratch in a couple of weeks. Their performance on the battlefield reflected the unit's hasty formation. The 9 Fallschirmjäger Division had been in existence only a month longer and had already seen several days intense combat. 11SS Panzer Grenadier Division was a well seasoned unit. The Muncheberg Panzer Division was an new unit which had only been in existence for a couple of months. However its panzer battalion had a solid core of experienced men and it had fought well in battles on the Oder in March

The battle to the south of this one, along Reichstrasse 1, is depicted in the Diedersdorf scenario

27 Fallschirmjäger Regiment, and 18 Artillerie Regiment are deployed in the areas delineated by the pink hashed lines. The Regiment Stab of 18AR is deployed with III/18 AR

30 Panzer Grenadier Regiment is marked on the map for reference only. Area ABXY is out of bounds for this scenario and 30 PzG Regt is not under player control

Stab and I/51 Panzer Grenadier Regiment are "reinforcements" (actually they are retreating after their position in the woods to the North East became untenable). they enter the table anywhere between points F & G on turn 2. II/51 Panzer Grenadier Regiment enters between F & G on turn 3

1 Kp 11SS PzAufK arrives turn 4 anywhere between roads M & K. It is followed turn 5 the rest of the Abteilung

9Kp III/24SS arrives down road M on turn 7. 10 Kp with the stab and stabs kompanie follow turn 8, with 11 & 12Kp following turn 9.

II Abt Muncheberg Panzer Regiment APPEARS on the edge of wood GHZ at the start of turn 7. It is assumed to have moved a BMA to get there.

1050th, 1052nd and 1054th Rifle Regiments may start on table in the delineated areas. This includes all attached units. Stands may also enter the table turn 1 moving into the delineated deployment areas. The 1054th may also enter between points C & D. Note none of the deployment zones touch the edge of the wood, but they do get within an inch.

Divisional units of the 301st Rifle Division enter the table turn 2 between points B and F

The 219th Tank Brigade enters the table on turn 7 between points F & G. Note the 219th is withdrawn for the battle on turn 11 (i.e. last turn in combat is turn 10)

The 36th Tank Brigade enters the battle on turn 11 entering between points H & K

Turn	Unit	Entry
2	301st RD, divisional units	BF
2	Stab and I/51PGR	FG
3	II/51PGR	FG
4	1 Kp 11SS PzAufK	MK
5	Rest 11SS PzAufK	MK
5	118 Pz Abt	ML
6	65th Tank Brigade	FG
7	219th Tank Brigade	FG
7	9Kp III/24SS	M
8	10Kp III/24SS	M
9	11 & 12Kp III/24SS	M
10	219th Tank Brigade LEAVES	-
11	36th Tank Brigade	HK

The map depicts a 12ft x 6ft table if playing 1" = 50m. North is towards the top of the page

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

The blue areas are lakes, impassable to all stands. They are surrounded by trees, threat them as 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 green line is a trail. It counts as open ground for movement purposes.

Where the railway, train or road goes through a wood the ground is still considered cover. Max visibility along the road etc is 6"

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

The treble brown line is an AT ditch. Its probably not completely finished. Infantry take a BMA to cross. Tracked vehicles take 2xBMA to cross. Wheeled vehicles and manhandled guns can not cross. Personnel within get -2 cover.

Both sides put considerable effort in to supporting the troops on the ground. However the fuel shortage limited the activity of the Luftwaffe

1-7: no planes; 8: Fw-190D fighter; 9: Fw-190F8 fighter-bomber & 10: Fw-190D fighter and Fw-190F8 Fighter-bomber

The Fw-190F8 has a 50% chance of being armed with bombs and 50% with Panzerblitz rockets. (2x hit 5, pen 11)

1-5: no planes; 6: Il-2m attack; 7: La-5FN fighter; 8: Il-2m and La-5FN fighter; 9: Boston Bomber & 10: Boston bomber & La-5FN fighter

In any turn where both the Germans and Soviets have air support the Soviets place their planes on table first if using aircraft house rules

The day starts with a ground mist. Turn 1 visibility is 6", on turn 2 its 12. On turn 3 the sun is out and the mist is no longer. The mist does NOT preclude aircraft making ground attacks

Area ABXY is NOT in play, 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. Soviet troops within are assumed to always be in proximity to enemy infantry when within this area. If a Soviet stand within the wood 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.

Area GHZ is NOT in play until turn turn 7, until that time 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. Soviet troops within are assumed to always be in proximity to enemy infantry and armour when within this area. If a Soviet stand within the wood 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.

The 219th Tank Brigade is "lost" and is withdrawn for the battle on turn 11 (ie last tune in combat is turn 10). In game terms all stands of the brigade are picked up and moved at the end of turn 10. Historically they moved off to the north to join the bulk of the 1st Mechanised Corps

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

Each German tank eliminated scores 1 VP (tanks for this purpose means PzKfw-IV, Panther, Hetzer and JgdPz-IV)

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 L & N up to and including turn 12 it scores 1 VP. If it leaves the table on turns 13 or 14 it scores 1/2 VP. Any Soviet tank voluntarily leaving the table may not re-enter. For this rule "tank" means T-34/85 or IS-2

5 or less points is a German decisive victory - maybe next year Comrade?
6-10 points is a German Minor victory - Hitler breaths a sigh of relief
11-15 points is a draw - tomorrow is another day
16-20 points is a Soviet minor victory - Berlin here we come!
21+ points is a Soviet decisive victory - dinner in the Reichstag tomorrow Ivan?