The German Counter-Attack on the
Magnuszew Bridgehead, Poland, 8th August 1944.
Somewhat late in the day, Craig and I decided that we would try and put on another demo game for Colours. We thought about trying a Maurice SYW game using Keith's lovely figures, but only having had a few trial games settled upon Blitzkreig Commander, our favourite ruleset and one that we know very well. Again for sheer ease, we would go Eastern Front and I offered to set up the scenario.
I wanted to do something a bit different and after a bit of research the background of the 1st Polish Liberation Army seemed to tick all the boxes. All that remained was to come up with a battle upon which to base the scenario. After a good few lunchtimes and evenings searching the internet I settled upon the Magnuszew Bridgehead and the German counter-attack upon it, details of which can be found on page 78-79 of the Osprey Operation Bagration book.
The actual battle fitted in well with the forces that we had as well as the scenery. The action itself would make a good scenario with plenty of opportunities to throw in some suprises for both sides. It also involved the 1st Polish Liberation Army which was important. So with the basics sorted out I set about coming up with all the details required for the scenario. Fortunately all of my regular wargamings friends were happy to take part, with Craig and Keith taking on the role of the Germans, using their own figures etc, and KiwiDave and Christian the Russians and 1st PLA using my figures.
Each side was given their own background info, plus OOB, objectives etc. Neither side knew what the others forces consisted of. Below are the details given to each side before the game:
German Background
Soviet
forces have crossed the Vistula in several places and successfully
established bridgeheads on the Western banks of the river. These
bridgeheads are constantly being re-inforced and expanded, but are
now coming under increasing German pressure.
Your
forces from the 45th
Volksgrenadier Division are holding the Southern edge of one such
bridgehead. You have been fighting against elements of the 4th
Guards Rifle Corps for three days now, and so far have managed to
contain Soviet attempts to expand the bridgehead.
An
attack is to be launched with the aim of breaking through the Soviet
front and attacking into the Soviet rear areas with the aim of
cutting off the bridgehead and destroying the trapped forces in
detail. To Assist in this the Panzer Division Hermann Goring has been
withdrawn from the front and sent to your sector to add weight to the
attack.
The
Soviet army is constantly re-inforcing the bridgehead and soon it
will be too strong to destroy. It is therefore vital that your attack
succeeds in breaking through the Soviet front so that the bridgehead
can be destroyed.
Scenario Details
- The attacker has 50% more points than the defender.
- The defender deploys first up to the centre of the table.
- The defender may purchase field defences for hasty defence.
- The 45th Volksgrenadier Division deploys opposite the attacker using static deployment. See map below for details.
- The Hermann Goring FallschirmPanzer Division deploys opposite the defender using mobile deployment. See map below for details.
- The attacker has scheduled artillery assets as per their OOB.
Objective.
The
objective of the attacker is to break through the Russian defences
and exit his force via the Russian table edge. The attacker will
achieve a minor victory if he occupies the third of the table edge
nearest the defender and a major victory if he exits 25% of his
battlegroup via the Russian table edge.
Turns.
The
game is limited to 10 turns.
Special Rules.
- Dawn Attack. Turn 1 takes place as the early morning mist from the Vistula starts to clear. To replicate this the first Turn counts as Poor weather as per page 24 of the BKCII rulebook.
- Auto-Suppression.
As per page 134 of the BKCII rulebook.
- Final
Defensive Fire. As per page 134 of the BKCII rulebook. This is to
replicate the large amount of artillery that the Russians had on the
East bank of the Vistula.
German OOB
45th
Volksgrenadier Division OOB
1st
and 2nd
Battalions of the 135th
Grenadier Regt (Linz)
1
x CO (CV9)
1
x FAO (CV7)
3
x Artillery units 75mm (off table)
2
x HE assets per gun
1
x smoke asset per gun
Each
Battalion:
2
x HQ (CV8)
1
x Recce unit (infantry)
9
x Infantry unit s(Heer)
3
x MG units
3
x 81mm mortars (off table)
1
x 20mm Flak unit
Hermann
Goring FallschirmPanzer Division
Panzer
Grenadiers Battalion
1
x CO (CV9)
1
x FAO (CV7)
3
x Artillery units 75mm (off table)
1
x Assault Gun unit (Brummbar)
1
x HQ (CV9)
1
x HQ (CV8)
1
x Recce unit (Puma)
9
x PzGdrs units (count as Waffen SS and can also ride on tanks)
3
x AT upgrades Panzerschreck
3
x MG units
3
x 81mm Mortar units
1
x Support unit (SdKfz 251/9)
2
x ATG units (Pak 40)
2
x Trucks
3
x Sdkfz 250 half-tracks
Panzer
Battalion
1
x HQ (CV8)
1
x Recce unit (Puma)
3
x Stug III
3
x Pz IV
1
x Panther
1
x SdKfz 7/1
1
x Wespe
Russian Background
Soviet
forces have crossed the Vistula in several places and successfully
established bridgeheads on the western banks of the river. These
bridgeheads are constantly being re-inforced and expanded, but are
coming under increasing German pressure.
Your
forces from the 4th
Guards Rifle Corps are in one such bridgehead, located on the
Southern edge. You have been fighting against elements of the 45th
Volksgrenadier Division for three days now and are coming under
increasing pressure from the German attacks.
Intelligence
reports from several sources indicate that the Germans are planning
to launch an attack in your sector, with the aim of breaking through
your defences, and pushing on towards the base of the bridgehead with
the aim of eliminating it. It is believed that the Panzer Division
Hermann Goring has been withdrawn from the front and sent to your
sector to launch an attack in combination with the 45th
Volksgrenadier Divison.
To
counter this threat to the bridgehead, the 1st
Armoured Brigade and 3rd
Infantry Division of the 1st
Polish Liberation Army are being sent as quickly as they can to
re-inforce your sector.
You
must hold your sector at all costs to prevent a German breakthrough
to the bridgehead.
Scenario Details.
- The attacker has 50% more points than the defender.
- The defender deploys the 4th Guards Rifle Corps first up to the centre of the table.
- The defender may purchase field defences for hasty defence.
- If the defender reaches his breakpoint, or the Germans reach the third of the table nearest the Russian table edge, then the 1st PLA units arrive on the table as per the map at the start of the defenders turn.
- One German battlegroup deploys opposite the attacker using static deployment. See map below for details.
- Another German battlegroup deploys opposite the defender using mobile deployment. See map below for details.
- The attacker has scheduled artillery assets as per their OOB.
Objective.
The
objective of the defender is to prevent the German forces breaking
through the defences and exiting his force via the Russian table
edge. The defender will achieve a minor victory if he occupies the
third of the table edge nearest his baseline and a major victory if
he prevents the attacker from exiting 25% of his battlegroup via the
Russian table edge.
Turns.
The
game is limited to 10 turns.
Special
Rules.
- Dawn Attack. Turn 1 takes place as the early morning mist from the Vistula starts to clear. To replicate this the first Turn counts as Poor weather as per page 24 of the BKCII rulebook.
- Auto-Suppression. As per page 134 of the BKCII rulebook.
Russian OOB
4th
Guards Rifle Corps, 35th
Guards Rifle Division,
101st
Guards Rifle Regiment OOB
1
x CO (CV8)
1
x FAO (CV6)
6
x 75mm Artillery units (off table)
2
x 57mm ATG units
?
x Trenches (enough for all units to be dug-in if required)
1
x Marked minefield (rear areas)
1st
and 2nd
Battalions, each Battalion with:
1
x HQ(CV8)
1
x HQ (CV7)
1
x Recce unit (infantry with the ability to call in artillery)
9
x Infantry units (Veterans)
3
x MG units
1
x ATR team
2
x ATG Support units (45mm)
2
x 81mm Mortar units
1
x IG unit
Reserve
Units consist of: (these held in reserve without the Germans knowing)
1st
Polish Liberation Army,
Elements
of 1st
Polish Armoured Brigade (Heroes
of Westerplatte) & 2nd
Infantry Division (Jan
Henryk Dabrowski)
1
x CO (CV8)
1
x HQ (CV8)
1
x HQ (CV7)
1
x Recce unit (infantry with artillery ability)
9
x Infantry (Regulars)
3
x MG units
6
x T-34/75s
Suprise Cards
These were to be given to the players at my discretion throughout the game, to reflect some of the elements of the actual battle as well as to add another dimension to the game.
More elements of your Division have arrived on
the battlefield and are ready for deployment at the start of your
next Turn. They consist of the following:
- 1 x HQ (CV9)
- 1 x Panther
- 2 x Px IV
- 3 x Su-76 BeutePanzer
|
Troop |
Arm |
Move |
AT |
AP |
CA |
Hits |
Save |
Notes |
|
Su-76 |
ARM |
20 |
2/40 |
3/80 |
2 |
3 |
6 |
R/O |
45th Divisional Assistance
A battery of Nebelwerfers has been placed at your
disposal for one attack. After the attack they are required elsewhere
on the front ot assist in the breakthrough attack.
They are available at the start of your next Turn
and must be used within two turns. Use your FAO to request them as
per the normal rules.
With the threat posed by
the Hermann Goring Fallschirm Panzer Division, the Stavka has ordered
a Squadron of Il-2 planes armed with rockets to assist in the defence
of your sector, for one attack only.
They are available at the
start of your next Turn and must be used within two turns.
They arrive automatically
and must be placed within LoS of a command unit. Use Deviation etc as
per normal air support.
A battery of Katyusha has
been placed at your disposal for one attack. After the attack they
are required elsewhere to assist in the defence of the bridgehead.
They are available at the
start of your next Turn and must be used within two turns. Use your
FAO to request them as per the normal rules.
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