FOW BATREP: Stalingrad Mega Game

By NDNG Dane

 The Huntsville Historical Gamers gathered on December 8^th (the day after the day that will live in infamy) to recreate the German attack on Stalingrad as part of Operation Fall Blau (Case Blue) and the Soviet Heroic Defense.  The Mega game was the Culminating engagement of our Mid-War Eastern Front escalation league using the Flames of War V4 system.

Our three board Mega Game centered combat action on: Board #1: The Univermag Department Store and Barmaley Fountain, Board #2: The Red October – Tractor Works, Board #3: The Grain Elevator and Pavlov’s House.  Additionally, we added a few campaign specific rules such as sewer movement.  Infantry teams were allowed to use sewer movement, based on a skill roll, to enter and navigate throughthe Stalingrad sewer network.

German Forces as part of 6^th Army.

• Assault Pioneer Company with Panzer Support
• Assault Pioneer Company with Artillery Support
• Assault Pioneer Company with Panzer Support

Soviet Forces as part of 62^nd Army

•  Hero Rifle Battalion with ATG and Artillery Support
•  Hero Rifle Battalion with T34 Support
•  Hero Rifle Battalion with ATG and Artillery Support

The Soviets deployed dug in, concealed, Gone to ground:

Board 3: The Soviet battalion was deployed with the 1^st company spread across the three left buildings of their front. The 2^nd company in the two buildings on their right flank. The 3^rd company was spread along the remaining three buildings of their second line. A full HMG company was spread among the defenders of the first line, with most buildings having two HMG teams.

Initial Luftwaffe Jagdgeschwaderns were operating deep in Russia from forward airfields and were able to receive a pre-turn air strike.  Soviet air forces were concentrated in the Moscow sector and only had a minimal air force in the Stalingrad-Southern sector. Despite this, their attack near the grain elevator was devastating: almost half of the 1^st rifle company, two attached HMGs, and an AT gun were destroyed in and around the second building from their right flank.

Turn 1

Board 1:  The Germans deployed Assault Pioneer platoons on each flank supporting Panzer platoons.  A German 82mm mortar platoon was in the center able to support fire missions on either flank. Soviets occupied the forward rooms of the Univermag Department Store and placed 76MM Artillery around the Barmaley Fountain  with a storm Company in tactical reserve.

Board 2:  The Soviets were sheltering inside the Stalingrad ruins concealed and Gone-to ground.   German forces cautiously advanced across the railroad tracks.  German artillery barrages aimed at the forward Soviet occupied buildings had limited effect.

Board 3:  The Germans deployed the Assault Pioneer platoons on the left flank.  The Panzer platoon on the right flank.  German 10.5 cm Artillery was positioned in the center to support either flank.  The German’s conducted a general advance all along their front.  Soviets 45mm ATGs target the advancing Panzer IIIs.

Turn 2

Board 1: Panzers cautiously advanced along both flanks able to place fires on the Tractor works.   The Soviet Storm Company Commander hoped to utilize the cover and concealment of the sewers to outflank the German Panzers and come up behind them.     The Soviet Storm Company entered the sewers.

 

Board 2:  German assault pioneers advanced behind a smoke screen provided by supporting mortars.  Soviet T-34s advanced to place accurate MG fire into the advancing Germans.

Board 3:  German continue the general advance.  1^st Platoon is able to find concealment among one of the many rubbled buildings.  The 2^nd platoon is caught in the open while crossing the boulevard.  Soviet HMGs target the exposed assault pioneer platoon.  45mm ATGs continue to pepper the Panzer IIIs. German artillery eliminates the remaining ATGs. Fire from the 1^st German Platoon and more artillery bloody the 2nd company in the far right hand building on the Soviet front line: 1/3 of the company, plus their HMGs and commander are killed.

Turn 3

Board 1: The Germans panzers place direct fires on the soviets in the forward rooms of the Red October Tractor works.   Not realizing that his compass was useless in the subterranean sewers, the Soviet Storm Company gets lost in the sewers of Stalingrad.

 

Board 2:  German Assault pioneer platoon #2 On the right flank, the Germans managed to catch a portion of the Russian forces in the open and after reducing their number with concentrated SMG fire assaulted and destroyed the small force of guns and infantry, sustaining heavy casualties in the process.  On the left flank two more platoons of German infantry advanced under heavy fire as the German artillery continued to attempt to destroy or dislodge the Russians sheltering in the buildings.

Board 3:  German Artillery targets the nearest soviet defended building, pinning the soviet occupiers, allowing the assault pioneer platoons to advance to within assaulting distance.  Soviet HMGs continue to chew away at the exposed assault pioneer platoon.  ATRs from the right flank target Panzer IIIs.  Katushas from “across the Volga” target assault pioneers crossing the boulevard. The German artillery and their assault destroys the remainder of the Soviet second company on the right flank. Desultory exchange of fire along the rest of the Soviet front results in minimal German casualties.

Turn 4

Board 1:  The German panzers continue to fire point blank at the soviets in the  Univermag Department Store to little effect.   The Soviet Storm Company discovers an exit from the sewers and rejoins the fight!

Board 2:  The Germans were finally able to reach The Red October Tractor Works and despite their casualties,  were able to assault and destroy the Russians in one of the factory rooms.

Board 3:  German Artillery targets the soviet defended buildings, pinning the soviet occupiers, allowing the assault pioneer platoons to advance to within assaulting distance.  Germans gain another formerly occupied soviet building, casualties in the third Soviet rifle company begin to mount. Soviet HMGs continue to chew away at the assault pioneer platoons.  ATRs on the right flank target Panzer IIIs.

 Turn 5

Board 1:  The German 1^st Assault pioneer platoon moves across the battlefield in an effort to reinforce the 2^nd Assault pioneer platoon on the right.  This movement, however, was ill timed, as HMG fire from the recently appearing Soviet storm Platoon pins the assault pioneers in the open and worse, kills the Pioneer Company Commander.

Board 2:  With half of the Red October Tractor Works captured, and the other half still in Soviet hands, the German assault stalls, as the Germans were in turn, pinned down by defensive fire.

Board 3:  German Artillery targets the soviets defending the center buildings, pinning the soviet occupiers, allowing the assault pioneer platoons to advance to within assaulting distance.  Germans gain another formerly occupied soviet building. The few Soviet defenders die in place defending Mother Russia. Soviet HMGs continue to chew away at the assault pioneer platoons.  ATRs from the right flank bail a Panzer III.

 

Turn 6

Board 1:  The German assault pioneer platoons are now receiving casualties at unacceptable numbers.  The Soviet storm company Commander places accurate 120mm Artillery fire on the exposed German assault pioneer platoon, killing many, and scattering the rest.

Board 2:  After unsuccessful attempts to drive off the Russian armor, both sides settled down into a deadly shooting match.  The Butcher’s bill is exceedingly high!   With the stalemate, both sides let their HMGs duel.

Board 3: German Artillery targets the soviet defended buildings, pinning the soviet occupiers, allowing the assault pioneer platoons to advance to within assaulting distance.  Germans gain another formerly occupied soviet building. The last Soviet HMG team was destroyed. The commander of the 830^th Rifle Battalion was KIA and the remaining Soviet Rifle Company amass casualties.

Turn 7

Board 1: The German assault pioneer platoon company and Panzer Support order a general withdrawal.  The Soviet Rifle Battalion Commander raises the Red Banner on top of the Red October Tractor works

Board 2:  the Germans and the Soviets are in a stalemate.

Board 3: German Artillery targets the soviet defended buildings, pinning the soviet occupiers, allowing the assault pioneer platoons to advance to within assaulting distance. The ensuing assaults kill the 3^rd Company Commander, the 3^rd company Kommissar, and the Battalion Kommissar. The third 3^rd Soviet Rifle Company dies in place in defense of Mother Russia. Germans gain two formerly occupied soviet buildings.

Turn 8:

Board 3: The final few remaining Soviet defenders, a dazed Komissar and a sole surviving ATR team of the 1^st company die gloriously in place.  Years later, there will be monuments erected here describing the glorious deaths defending Mother Russia on this day.

Mega Battle Summary:

The German Left flank, the Univermag Department Store and Barmaley Fountain, has resulted in significant German loss of Assault Pioneers and Panzers and the German Commander is compelled to withdraw.  In the German center, The Red October – Tractor Works, though the Germans have penetrated the Tractor works, they lack sufficient strength to continue the assault.  Soviet T-34 armor controls the exterior of the Tractor Works and commands the boulevard.  On the German right flank, the Grain Elevator and Pavlov’s House, the Assault Pioneers and Panzers have rid the soviets from that portion of Stalingrad and are in the process of attacking the Central sector.

Fun was had by all.

On to the third Battle of Kharkov… See you in our spring campaign.