Elephant Hunting

 We haven't been to the Eastern Front for a while, so time to visit Kursk again, the northern flank this time. This scenario is taken from the Command Decision IV rulebook and covers the 81st Infantry Division attack on the 410th Rifle Regiment on the Road/rail line to Ponyri at the Battle of Kursk. Notable for the presence of the Elephants of 654th Panzerjaeger Abteilung.

Battlefield from the 'south'. To make life easier over Zoom, I've swung the compass 90 degrees. The actual battle was fought North-South. The main rail line to Ponyri and Kursk runs from the southwest. It is rolling countryside dotted with fields and open woods, but the stream is swollen with rain from the occasional thunderstorms and an obstacle. There are various buildings around the rail bridge which crosses the stream. The Germans need to capture the rail bridge and crossroads on the far side of the stream. 

The Russians have a fairly ordinary Rifle Regiment, massively overextended trying to hold a front of 7km, but heavily reinforced with artillery and AT assets. They are also well dug in with extensive field telephones and alternate positions dug, as well as wire entanglements and minefields.

Pete is the overall Russian commander, and John B commands the Rifle Battalions.

The various Regimental assets. Ambulance (yes I know the Russians didn't use red crosses, but I've painted it...), supply columns, 120mm Mortar Battalion, Field Artillery battalion, AT, Infantry Gun and SMG companies. Plus the inevitable NKVD firing squad and my converted 'officer with big megaphone'. The Airforce is also around in the form of a flight of Sturmoviks, with a dashing FAC riding a motorcyle.

Racing to the rescue is the 1442nd Heavy Tank Regiment with KVs. Commanded by Russell. These are supposed to be KV1S, but rivet counters will no doubt notice they are early model KV1s. One day I'll get to use my KV85.

The combat debut of my new 122mm Field Guns! They will undoubtedly vanish in a ball of flame at the first encounter.

The wicked Germans. 184 and 185 Infantry Regiments from 81st Division.

184 Regiment has three battalions, plus attached Engineers and Infantry guns. I've fudged the OB a bit as they are supposed to have two strong battalions, but instead I've given them three weaker ones. The force ratios with the Russians work better that way. The 654th is also present with a couple of Zvezda Elephants. Tim commands the 184th and Mark the 654th.

The 185th also has attached Engineers, and a battery of Elephants for (Heavy) AT support. Air support is provided by my brand new 3D printed Ju 88. Also a candidate for being shot down at the first sign of trouble. Jim commands the 185th.

Finally all the Division level stuff. A couple of battalions of horse drawn 105mm guns, ambulance, supply column etc. John A is overall CO and has a large HQ stand.

The Russians spent some time plotting out their defences. As von Moltke observed, mistakes in the initial deployment cannot be corrected, and this is a key part of the game for the Russians. They have a forward defence line covering the obstacles, and then a second line dug along the stream.

 

View from behind the Russian defences as dawn breaks on 5th July 1943.

Following a rather ragged preliminary bombardment (the Russians very unfairly fired their own counter barrage), Tims IR 184 came marching on, led by the 654th, straight down the road to Ponyri.

Despite some losses and suppression from the German barrage, the Russians popped up from their trenches and began to blaze away with everything in range.

All fire, including from the artillery and 120mm mortars, as well as the Sturmoviks, was concentrated on the Elephants. Under the massed barrage, even the heavily armoured Elephants took some hits as vehicles were damaged by the intense fire. This of course protected the German infantry from fire. 

The Elephants halted to reorganise, while the German artillery and Luftwaffe pounded the Russian positions on the ridge. The German infantry advanced behind the barrage.

And ran right into the Russian kill sack. The leading battalion was pummelled in the enticing gap in the wire and minefields, and became disorganised.

Ambulances moved up to evacuate the wounded and another German battalion moved left flanking through the minefield. Unfortunately it wasn't a dummy and they suffered serious casualties. In the far distances Jims 185 IR with another battery of Elephants came on, they'd been delayed by the Russian counter barrage.

The Sturmoviks strafed the Elephants, artillery hit the Germans in the minefield and the Russian infantry concentrated their fire on the Germans in the valley - who had finally had enough and withdrew into the rear. The Elephants had to reorganise again, the Russians had effectively pinned them down  - for now. 

The Germans in the minefield assaulted the Russians on the hill, despite being disordered, supported by artillery and the Luftwaffe. The Russians gunned them down and they retired in disarray, but the Russians were also severely weakened, and under assault, unable to reorganise. The NKVD can be seen standing behind them to 'encourage' them.

Leaving their casualties behind, the Commisar gave them permission to withdraw. The road was open! Russian artillery covered the retreat as Jims Regiment rolled over the hills in the northwest and approached the defences there.

In the centre the Russians were back at the river crossing, in trenches they had prepared earlier. The KVs of 1442nd Tank Regiment also rolled up on the far side of the stream now.

The Elephants rolled forwards again, and Tims last battalion occupied the hill. Meanwhile Jim put his engineers into the wire obstacles, covered by artillery fire and the rest of the Regiment.

Sturmoviks and the Russian artillery firing over open sights at the Elephants covered both the Russian infantry reorganising, and an aggressive move by the 1442nd across the railway bridge. In the north, defensive fire disorganised the German engineers attempting to gap the wire. Tims last battalion was shot up by the Russians on the hill to the south and became disorganised.

The Elephants kept in rumbling forwards. Artillery fire and Ju 88 strikes hit the Russian infantry to their front, and the Elephants followed up with an overrun attack.

The Russian defensive fire was ineffective and they ran or were crushed under the tracks!

The KV1s launched a desperate attack into the flank of the 654th, but this was beaten off with losses. Attacking super heavy Tank Destroyers with tanks turned to to be a bad idea. In fairness, Russell was hideously unlucky, 6 dice needing 5+ each and not a single hit...

The KVs fell back along the stream to reorganise. The Russian centre was now wide open wiht no reserves left. The only bright spark for the Russians was that concentrated fire finished off Tims last battalion of IR 184. The Elephants had now lost all their immediate infantry support. 

In the north, Jims IR 185 kept up a heavy fire on the Russian defences, but just couldn't seem to get enough momentum to pass the wire.

We broke for the evening at that point, and both sides had a chance to ponder their options.

The Germans opened aggressively when we reconvened. Simon took over the 654th and they rolled over the ford into the depth of the Russian position and occupied the crossroads. Jim meanwhile attempted to gap the minefields in the north with the infantry supported by his Elephant battery. The other infantry provided covering fire. The mass of Russians in the northeast are the routed remains of the central defences.

The Russians counterattacked! The Germans from IR 185 in the wire were destroyed by concentrated artillery and mortar fire, despite the attempts to replenish them. One Russian battalion reoccupied the hill in the centre, cutting the Elephants off and providing a vantage point for the FAC.

The Russians in the north fell back covered by artillery fire as IR185 finally broke through the minefields. Suddenly there were a lot of Germans all over the northeast of the Russian position. The KVs and another Russian battalion concentrated back on the stream crossings. 

The Germans put in an attack on the river crossing, covered by the 654th and the Luftwaffe.

The Russians fell back instead, and brought artillery, air and tank fire down on the Germans out in the open.

They broke and ran, leaving some abandoned Elephants behind. The Russians had now concentrated all their remaining forces around the crossings.

The Elephants of the 654th advanced on the railway station, but the KVs didn't rise to the bait. Instead they struck out across the corn fields towards the remains of IR 185. Meanwhile Russian infantry stalked the Elephants, covered by air and artillery. Ill equipped to deal with infantry in close country, the 'Porsche Tigers' were destroyed.

The Russians now initiated a general advance northwards, which prompted II/185 to stop advancing and start digging. I think it was safe to say the German offensive had been halted in this sector.

The NKVD providing suitable encouragement for the troops, surrounded by blazing tanks and buildings. 

II/185 frantically digging in on the edge of the woods, as KVs threaten them.

Meanwhile the routed German infantry reorganise on the edge of the table. They will have to do it all over again tomorrow.

That went really well, and was far close than I expected. I was a bit worried that the Germans would just roll right over the Russians as they outnumbered them 2:1 and had better troops. The obstacles and staggered German entry provided just enough buggeration to offset the numerical and quality advantages. 

The Germans never quite seemed to get coordinated attacks going, while the Russians managed their central position well. It was pure serendipitty that the unsupported Elephants ended up wandering around behind the Russian lines, just like their real life counterparts, and were picked off one by one as they blundered around.

The new obstacle rules seem to be working well, and next time I'll do something a bit more open.