DAR: GE Long campaign - small core

[Roman]

Ok Brian. Thank you. Inquire into that page.
I have some books of the second war and only talk about number of tanks in general. In the sites I found talking about number of tanks per division or regiment. So far it seems very wise choice as Guderian received the new tanks III and IV. Only I doubt the number of Panzer IV as I seemed to have heard that there was something like 6 per regiment.
Regards

[Brian61]

According to Dr. Niehorster's data, 3rd panzer division had 18 PzIV's on 1 September, 1939. It had 4 'heavy' tank companies, which gives either 4 each with a section reserved or 3 of the 'heavy' tank companies had 6 each and one had none. This was the common case for all the panzer divisions except for 1st panzer which had 56!!

PzIII's were in much shorter supply, 3rd division only had 6 of them, although I wonder if a few ended up categorized as Bef-Pz and used as command tanks. There were slightly fewer 38t's fielded than PzIII's, but almost as many 35t's as PzIV's. Of course, the numbers for all the heavier tank models combined is dwarfed by the numbers of PzI's and PzII's.

The thing about german TOE's in WWII, even early on, is that it is so varied as to defy any attempt to describe a 'common' formation. After about 1941 the data gets sketchy, much of what appeared on official documents was wishful thinking.

[Brian61]

KG Krafft, 29 September, 1941 - Afrika Korps

Refit and resupply: the older vehicles were sent to maintenance for overhaul, this included the last of the PzIIc models, the antiquated PzIIIe-3.7cm tanks, and the JPz I's. All light tanks are now PzIIf models and the mediums are a mix of g and h models. The JPz I's were replaced by a trio of SdKfz 10/5 PaK 5 soft skin vehicles but with the L60 variant gun featuring much improved performance against the British heavy tanks. The recon element's motorcycles were replaced by a pair of newly arrived SdKfz 250/1 scout halftracks.

Situation: Luftwaffe airstrikes have destroyed a supply column before it could reach a British armored unit operating in the forward areas. That unit, lacking sufficient fuel to return to the allied lines, has dug in awaiting resupply. Area is largely flat and clear with numerous grassy strips and a few prominent hills in the southeast section. [Assault mission, visiblity 62, length 42, scattered victory hexes, map size 80x80]

Orders: Destroy the British force before it can be resupplied and capture as much of its vehicles and equipment as possible. Although the area is beyond the range of friendly artillery, a division 10.5cm battery will accompany KG Krafft to the area to provide local fire support. Division is also providing a pioneer platoon and a pair of heavy mortars from the engineering battalion to support the attack. Luftwaffe support is available but limited to four Bf109 aircraft.

Battle plan: The recon units of KG Krafft, supported by the light panzer platoon, and accompanied by the battery's observer, will, with the aid of the Luftwaffe, determine the deployment of the enemy's forward edge of battle. The panzergrenadiers will lead the assault in the south, with the panzers providing close support. The kampfgruppe's heavy weapons will be brought forward under smoke and deployed into firing positions. The reserve will consist of one platoon of PzIIIs, the security element, and the pioneer platoon.

Execution: As KG Krafft arrives (deployment on western map edge), Luftwaffe pilots make their first pass. They report armor dug in east of the hills and AAA positions in the north. One Bf109 is damaged as it strafes an AAA position, another pilot reports blowing up a tank east of the hills. In the far north, another pilot spots a troop of Valentine III heavy tanks. KG Krafft's sIG Ib section quickly deploys and begins firing on suspected AAA positions in the northeast.

The advancing recon units stir up a cloud of dust, obscuring the infantry and armor advancing to their west. Another pass by the Luftwaffe results in the destruction of one AAA position but a Bf109 is shot down. British 25pdr batteries and 3in mortars attempt interdiction fire but KG Krafft's troop movements are hidden in a duststorm of false trails laid by recon vehicles and empty trucks. The local 10.5cm battery knocks out one of the British mortars and the sIG Ib section continues to pound the AAA positions.

One hour after the first Luftwaffe airstrikes, the advance in the south begins in earnest as a smokescreen is laid by artillery in front of suspected enemy positions. Smoke rounds are replaced by HE as artillery fire shifts to the east in advance of the infantry and tanks. Enemy artillery finally finds the spot and heavily damages the kampfgruppe's primary FO vehicle, the crew bails out and evacuates the area with the aid of a nearby scout vehicle.

The panzergrenadiers earn their money, taking out a FOO team and suppressing a 2pdr ATG as well as routing three British squads nearby. While maneuvering in an attempt to bring an infantry position under fire, a panzer is fired upon by a pillbox located a couple hundred meters east of the northern hill. This confirmed Oberstlt Krafft's suspicion that the British had not picked this spot entirely accidently, it looked to be the site of an old French fort.

The three pillboxes that the British had converted didn't hold up to heavy fire though and all three soon succumbed to a combination of mortar and direct 5cm fire. In a short but sharp exchange, a dugin A13 Mk I was destroyed by panzer fire and its partner forced to pop smoke, but then a hidden 2pdr ATG opened up and destroyed one of the attacking panzers. Still, the panzergrenadiers with support from panzers and artillery press on and the British positions in the south are overcome one by one. One panzer loses a track to a mine, and the reserves are called forward on the southern flank with the pioneer platoon being committed to mine clearance duties there.

Evidently the British commander had the last of the unit's fuel supplies transferred to the Valentine IIIs in the north as about two hours into the battle, they began to move west towards the feint attack of empty trucks. The trucks withdraw south, careful to stay out of range, hoping to draw the heavy tanks within effective range of three SdKfz 10/5 PaK 5's who await in ambush.

From east of the southern hills, the British mount an infantry counterattack. Unfortunately the artillery batteries are in the process of relocating and resupply. Still, the counterattack amounts to little as it runs straight into the teeth of the awaiting panzers. In the north, a motorcycle scout nearly runs into a ditch as he amazedly watches a troop of Valentine IIIs run full speed into their own minefield. British 25pdr batteries continue to bombard phantom targets admidst the dust trails in the western areas.

Oberstlt Krafft recieves a radio message from korps HQ, a British relief column has been spotted moving to rescue the trapped armored column, ETA 1 hour. If the operation has not been concluded by then, KG Krafft will need to withdraw from the area. Unfortunately Oberstlt Krafft finds the breakthrough elements delayed by minefields in the south and frontline panzergrenadier units are running low on ammo.

Finally the pioneers breach the minefield in a gap between two hills and the breakthrough groups rush for the gap. Artillery comes back online at about the same time and begins bombarding enemy positions east of the hills. British 25pdr batteries opened up on the positions of a panzer platoon that was providing covering fire for the breakthrough force but it was too late.

As lead elements of KG Krafft pour through the gap British forces are thrown into disarray and many units are in full rout. One Valentine III made an effort to turn south and intercept the breakthrough forces but was immobilized by flanking fire from the SdKfz 10/5 PaK 5 platoon. Still, enough British forces remained in the north, including a pair of 2pdr ATGs, that complete destruction of British forces in the area proved impossible before it was time for KG Krafft to withdraw.

Result: Marginal Victory

Game Notes: I spent too much time on recon early, and didn't commit my pioneers soon enough. In the end this meant running out of time a few victory hexes shy of a decisive victory.

Last turn attached, thanks for reading

[Brian61]

KG Krafft, 23 October, 1941 - Afrika Korps

Refit and resupply: KG Krafft is brought back up to full strength but no major changes to equipment are made. Oberstlt Krafft expresses concerns that the h model panzers lack smoke dischargers but to no avail.

Situation: British armor is advancing against Italian positions near Bardia. The Italian forces are in the midst of redeployment, the infantry defending the area have been largely withdrawn and only advance recon elements of the Ariete Armoured Division have arrived to replace them. KG Krafft is ordered into the breech to hold the positions until relieved by the main body of the Ariete division. The area is largely flat and open hardpack with a few grassy strips and scattered minor hills and rocky outcroppings. [Delay mission, visibility 37, length 46, scattered victory hexes, map size 100x100]

Orders: Hold this vital position until relieved. Italian infantry has been largely withdrawn but one MG company remains along with a pair of improvised ATGs of dubious quality. Advance elements of Ariete division are limited to a section of motorcyclists, a section of armored cars and a section of self propelled AAA. The only artillery support available is a 75mm battery from the infantry division that was fortunately late in redeploying. No Luftwaffe assets are available.

Battle Plan: The Italians had already been deployed when KG Krafft arrived, although they chose the most favorable terrain, the positions were rather obvious ones. After consideration, and in view of the language problems, Oberstlt Krafft decided to leave them as they were and deployed his panzergrenadier company into a wide gap between two hills which at least offered some favorable terrain for its heavy weapons. Platoons D and H, together with the kampfgruppe's recon element will operate in the north presumbably in support of the Italian MG positions there but using the hills as cover to await ambush opportunities against heavy tanks. Platoon G and the KG's security element will be held in reserve while Platoons E and F, together with the motorcycle scouts of the panzergrenadier company, will perform a reconnaisence in strength from their central positions.

Execution: British artillery began the day with a massive barrage from 32 25-pounder guns, which, amazingly enough, had no affect on anyone except for the supply sergeant who began to drool, evidently thinking of all that ammo. What followed though, was no laughing matter, Obrgfrtr Schumacher in the E3 panzer spotted over 100 vehicles in the first wave of the British advance, fully half of which were cruiser tanks. Following standard operating procedure, the panzers opened fire with HE targeting soft vehicles in the column, over a dozen were destroyed or rendered inoperable. In return, Obrltnt Reichmann's panzer took multiple hits from 2pdr ATGs which knocked out the BMG and killed the gunner. Fortunately his panzer is an f model and was able to pop smoke.

When reports of a possible flanking force to the far south come in, Oberstlt Krafft orders the reserve panzer platoon to follow him and the panzer company commander as they head south to cover any possible breakthrough on the panzergrenadier company's south flank. In the center, the smoking ruins of British vehicles lay seemingly everywhere but they keep coming and the panzers keep falling back.

The advance continues, cruiser tanks, armored cars, and carriers explode by the dozens, machinegun fire rakes across the field and trucks burn. Still the British keep coming, finally in range of the ATGs which take their toll, the reserve panzers sweep in to the south and add to the carnage. Even when the light panzers knife into the north flank with 20mm autocannon fire, they keep coming.

An artillery regiment unleashes a rain of 25 pound shells, Hurricanes and Tomahawks strafe and drop bombs, Fldwbl Christmann and crew is forced to abandon their panzer and an Italian infantry squad runs for cover but KG Krafft does not break. The British advance slows to a trickle and then seems to stop, even reverse. A lone Valentine III blunders out of the smoke and wreckage only to be sent running by dozens of 5cm rounds bouncing off its thick hide.

Airstrikes badly damage another panzer but at a high cost with FlaK Vierling fire shooting down one of the planes and badly damaging another. A blinded Valentine III is destroyed by panzergrenadiers as they search through the smoking wreckage for hidden dangers. Small infantry forays by the British are repulsed with heavy losses. Airstrikes continued, claiming one scout vehicle at the cost of another plane shot down. Heavy artillery bombardment forced abandonment of two ATGs, fortunately there is little current need for them.

For the next hour, panzergrenadiers lead panzers through the smoke and wreckage routing out any latecomers and taking possession of numerous abandoned vehicles. British artillery continued ineffectively pounding away but the day was lost to them. At the two and a half hour point, the remaining British forces withdrew.

Decisive Victory, KG Krafft!

Last turn file attached, thanks for reading

[Brian61]

KG Krafft, 23 November, 1941 - Afrika Korps

Reorganization: Another motorized panzergrenadier company has rotated in, replacing the previous one. This one has self-propelled AAA and mortars but only has 37mm ATGs and one kraftradmelder section.

Situation: Sandy desert region near Sidi Rezegh dominated by a low central plateau. Numerous sand dunes and some rocky outcroppings are present. The flank of the British armored thrust in Operation Crusader is exposed. [Advance mission, visibility 17, length 39, scattered victory hexes, map size 100x100]

Orders: In conjunction with elements of the Ariete Division (Tank company plus Bersaglieri company), attack the exposed flank of the British armor force and destroy or capture all enemy units in the area. Possession of the battlefield at the end of three hours is preferable. Oberstlt Krafft will have overall command of the joint force. Support will be provided by an Italian artillery regiment, no Luftwaffe assets are available.

Battle Plan: The Italian force will sieze the northcentral plateau, KG Krafft will swing south around the southern tip of the plateau and drive northward taking the eastern plateau as well as the enemy rear areas.

Execution: The battle began with a brief artillery exchange which seemed mostly ineffective, four British 25pdr troops and four Italian 100/105 batteries opened up on suspected enemy positions. The Axis forces advanced quickly at first, but it wasn't long until the scout element of KG Krafft made contact with a British infantry platoon in the far south. The scout halftracks, security element halftracks, and the light panzer platoon took the positions under fire as a platoon of panzergrenadiers dismounted from their trucks and began advancing on the position.

In the north, the Italians were a bit too aggressive with their armored trucks and lost one to a 2pdr ATG, the 2pdr was quickly dispatched by the pair of Fiat 6.5mm machineguns the truck had been carrying. The advancing panzergrenadiers in the south spotted a pair of A9 tanks and the 5cm guns of panzer platoon G were employed to eliminate the threat without incident. The British attempted to shell the advancing panzergrenadiers but the bombardment fell long, unfortunately destroying a SdKfz 10/4 that was trailing the advance. Another A9 opened fire at long range and missed, the return fire from panzer platoon F didn't.

Artillery fire preceded the Italian advance and helped in suppressing an infantry platoon to their southeast. Another armored truck was lost, this time due to soft sand and an impatient driver. The Italian advance is held up though by a pair of A9 tanks and a hidden flanking 2pdr ATG. A regimental fire mission is called in on the tanks and infantry maneuvers to find and destroy the ATG.

The end of the first hour of battle was punctuated by a sharp exchange of artillery fire in the north. While British 25pdr shells fell amongst the Italian ATG positions, the Italian heavy artillery destroyed an A9 tank and a 2pdr ATG as well as suppressing two other tanks and a 40mm AA-gun position. In the south, KG Krafft has penetrated the British lines and is poised at the start of its breakthrough phase of operations.

The next half hour finds the Italian force running into stiffening opposition, losing one M-13/40 tank to 40mm AAA fire and another is heavily damaged by 2pdr ATG fire. The Italian force is also encountering infantry in platoon strength to the east and company strength to the southeast. The advance continues but slows. In the south, KG Krafft finds the terrain to be more of an impediment than the enemy although an additional half dozen A13 Mk I tanks are discovered to the east. While maneuvering to find firing positions, the force becomes bunched up and two 25pdr troops land shells in the rear of the traffic jam. One sIG Ib has its gun knocked askew and a track is blown off an ammo schlepper. One squad of the infantry reserve is also caught in that bombardment and suffers heavy casualties.

Scouts report at least one A9 tank on the plateau between the German and Italian forces, Oberstlt Krafft decides to deploy a panzergrenadier platoon and the 3.7cm ATG platoon onto the edge of the plateau to counter this threat. The bombardment in the south increases in intensity as additional troops join in and losses begin to mount. A halftrack and infantry squad of the kampfgruppe's security element vanishes in a hail of shells, the remaining operational sIG Ib loses a track, another SdKfz 10/4 takes a shell to the engine, a panzer from platoon E loses a track, and the entire reserve infantry platoon is pinned down along with the panzergrenadier company's machineguns.

The situation in the north isn't quite so bad although another M-13/40 is damaged by fire from a hidden 2pdr gun. Recon reports at least three A9 tanks on the plateau southeast of the Italian force and north of KG Krafft and the detachment from Ariete is still engaging infantry in company strength north of the reported enemy tank positions. As the situation develops, a second hidden 2pdr gun opens fire and forces the western M-13/40 platoon to withdraw north. Unfortunately one M-13/40 of that platoon was destroyed by ATG fire before it could escape.

Despite the setbacks, KG Krafft completes the initial breakthrough maneuver destroying two more A13 Mk I tanks that had managed to survive due to cover. The 3.7cm ATGs and SdKfz 10/5 PaK5s make short work of the three A9s on the southern portion of the central plateau as they move into positions on the rim with support from a panzergrenadier platoon.

While KG Krafft overcomes adversity in the south, the detachment from Ariete succumbs to it in the north losing one M-13/40 to 40mm AAA fire and another in the same platoon from a rifle grenade. The bersaglieri platoon they were supporting becomes pinned down by a well hidden marksman and supporting recon patrol. Italian artillery begins to even the score though as it catches the British infantry company out in the open.

As KG Krafft's attention turned north, the leading panzers bounced a trio of Honey tanks and quickly turned them into scrap metal. The 3.7cm PaK 35/36s on the plateau rim were pressed into service as infantry guns in support of the panzergrenadier advance against a platoon of British infantry. Evacuation of wounded and crews from disabled vehicles continued apace hoping to complete the rescues before more incoming arrived.

Just as the Italian situation began to look brighter with their artillery wreaking havoc among the British infantry company, another British infantry force launched a counter-attack from the east. This left them no reasonable choice but to engage the exposed ATG position with direct fire from M-13/40's. The only good luck the Italians were having was that the tanks managed to suppress the ATG while only one tank was rendered inoperable due to weapons damage.

The two hour mark comes and goes finding the Italians holding against the British counterattack and breaking even, if not winning, in the artillery duel. KG Krafft's advance through the enemy rear area comes under fire from numerous 40mm AA-gun positions and a panzer model h of F platoon is riddled with AP rounds, none of the crew survive. Fortunately the remainder of the platoon and other followup units were spared when two panzer model g's in lead positions came under fire and popped their smoke dischargers.

The three AA-guns did not survive long, a half dozen panzer h's emerged from the smoke and repaid them in lead and high explosives. Other units from KG Krafft fired upon the rear of the southern British infantry positions, relieving the pressure on the panzergrenadiers holding the south rim of the plateau. The combination of artillery and direct fire from the surviving M-13/40s broke the British in the center and their counterattacking forces to the east. Barring any unforeseen difficulties, another half hour should see the end of the battle.

Indeed half an hour it was, and despite an extra 2pdr ATG and an unspotted patrol or two, the last half hour was unsurprising as the remaining British forces, already mauled, were crushed between the German and Italian forces. Italian artillery even managed a successful counterbattery fire on a 25pdr troop in the closing minutes.

Decisive victory, KG Krafft. Operation Crusader is brought to an unsuccessful end as the Ariete Division and 15th Panzer Division pour through the hole made by KG Krafft and destroy the remaining British armor.

Game notes: a bit of twisted history here, but was quite fun. The Italian forces performed better than expected, especially the M-13/40 tank which fared well for the most part in this battle. It was also a very different experience to have more artillery than the British for once!

Last turn file attached, thanks for reading

[Ts4EVER]

I really like this series. You manage to keep the scenarios interesting and write them up good. About the two missing Panzers: How about they use some captured gear until replacements are available? Normally that wouldn't be possible, but I think you messed with the files a bit earlier?
One thing I like to do as a "scenario" in big campaigns is purchasing "retreating" troops by support points. Say you are in late war in a delay scenario, easter prussia or something. Then you could purchase some Volksgrenadier troops or similar and place them at the deployment line facing your direction. Then, while the Russian attack is underway, you try to retreat them to your lines and incorporate them in your defense.

[Brian61]

Thanks, it is good to know someone is enjoying the read!

I'd like to be able to use captured equipment in core force sometimes but I think if I hacked the oobs enough to do that then no one else would be able to properly load the saves unless they had the same oobs? What I was trying to portray with the missing tanks and flak units was the supply situation prior to late May '42. For this next battle (assault on the Knightsbridge box), they'll be back in operation - one rebuilt and one replaced along with replacing the platoon leader's tanks of the other two medium tank platoons with L model panzer IIIs.

Great idea for the retreating troops, I will have to use that after the transfer to the eastern front. That will be coming up soon as I'm figuring out a behind the scenes political minidrama that places Oberstleutnant Krafft at the mercy of powerful old foes but with the behind the curtain aid of some powerful friends within the Heer. I think Krafft and company will be departing Africa while Rommel is in Germany recieving his baton. I'm really tempted to have KG Krafft become a late arriving battery (or replacement battery) in Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 667.

[Pat58]

Interesting. You do know as a batterie, you would take yourself down to 7 StuGs. I ask because I'm fighting in Russia with one in my core.

[Brian61]

Originally Posted by Pat58

Interesting. You do know as a batterie, you would take yourself down to 7 StuGs. I ask because I'm fighting in Russia with one in my core.

Yes, although some had 10 StuGs fairly early. They had additional vehicles though in the batterie TOE among them each platoon had its own ammo carrier. So what I'm planning on is having initially three platoons of two StuGs and an SdKfz 251/1 carrying an ammo cannister. Later this will become three StuGs and something like an SdKfz 252 ammo carrier.

Also, I'll be creating a small kampfgruppe around the batterie, attaching a sIG section, an SPAA section, likely a pionier platoon, and scout platoon. The kampfgruppe will also include a mechanized or motorized infantry company from the parent organization which I'll rotate out since they won't really be part of the long campaign core though they will be part of the kampfgruppe core.

The overall effect of the change is a cheaper, yet individually more powerful group of armored vehicles with a larger proportion of infantry which I believe will fit the Eastern Front better than the current rather armor heavy desert warfare setup. Sometime in 1944, KG Krafft will be pulled out of the Eastern Front, possibly changed to a heavy panzer company based kampfgruppe, and deployed to the Western Front.

Thanks for your interest
Brian

[RERomine]

I was reading through and agree completely that StuGs and North Africa don't mix. It isn't that StuGs aren't good, but their limited rate of fire combined with their relatively low ammo stowage makes them unsuited for high armor environments. Even with good tank killing capability, the two liabilities I mentioned become a major factor. This, I learned the hard way. In Assaults, Advances and Meeting Engagements, they are fine. Your force is generally no worse than equal to the enemy, with some variations based on core experience.

Once you get into Delays and Defends, the enemy vastly outnumbers your force. This is where rate of fire and ammo supply comes into play. In North Africa, British armor is fairly inexpensive and you see them come in massive waves if you have it set as "AI Tank Heavy". I had one battle where I destroyed about 275 enemy vehicles. All my StuGs were running out of ammo and I was trying to rotate them off line to resupply. This is not something you want to have to do in the middle of a major battle. Once you start running into more expensive tanks, it becomes less of a problem. In North Africa, the 50mm guns on your tanks is fine until you start running into American Shermans.

My core was very expensive in that battle. I had a company of tanks and two companies of infantry, each supported by one platoon of StuGs. My overall solution to the problem was to replace the StuGs with Tigers, as it was 1/43. I'm not sure if they had any Tigers in North Africa, but I wasn't as focused on realism at that point. The Tigers solved the problem; better rate of fire and more ammo. StuGs might have been more realistic support for infantry, but the "AI Heavy Tank" setting tossed realistic opposition out the window.