Continuing our Eastern Front adventures in summer 1943, we have moved away from Kursk and instead it is the turn of the Russians to attack in their great summer counter-offensive. In this engagement, an exploiting Soviet Cavalry-Mechanised group encounters 255th Infantry Division dug in east of Veselyi, roughly halfway between Belgirod and the Dneipr.
Battlefield from the south. The Russian objective is the village and road exit in the centre left. The terrain to the north is awful for mechanised operations, with a marshy stream in a wooded valley. The terrain to the south is more open.
The Germans have an infantry regiment (IR 465) dug in east of Veselyi to cover the main highway. Mark commanded the 465th. Tim is divisional commander, dimly visible riding his horse back at the crossroads, and first in the grub queue at the field kitchen.
The 255th Division went into Kursk with just two regiments of three battalions, and has now been reduced to two regiments of two battalions.
In divisional reserve is an Alarm Abteilung (commanded by John) made up of the remains of the engineer and anti-tank battalions., plus the remains of 322nd Infantry Division, now reduced to Kampfgruppe status and able to field only a single (large) battalion.
The second regiment of the 255th is located off to the south, holding another road, but will arrive later on in the battle. The Luftwaffe is now in a state of advanced disorganisation as German forces retreat and airfields are abandoned, but can field a couple of missions of Fw 190s configured as fighter-bombers.
The Russians, in contrast to the horse drawn Germans, have a mechanised armada. In this case, 3rd Guards Tank Corps and 11th Guards Cavalry Division, both from the Veronezh Front strategic reserve. Pete was overall commander and also ran 3rd Guards Motor Rifle Brigade, Jerry had the Tank elements of 3rd GTC (12,13 and 14th Guards Tank Brigades). 3rd GTC was moving towards the later tank corps organisation and had a regiment of SU76s, although it still had towed AT guns. It also had a Guards Heavy Tank Regiment, in this case equipped with KV-85s, as the Russians rushed heavier AT weapons to the front.
3rd Guards Motorised Brigade, plus SU76s and towed 76mm AT guns. The BA64 is the FAC for Sturmoviks, as few tank or mechanised corps had full recce battalions yet. As a Guards unit, with lots of extra support, the brigade now warrants two infantry elements, rather than the more usual one I've been used ng up until now.
The three tank brigades, all equipped with Russian tanks (T34, T70 and KV-85). Corps HQ and two supply columns equipped with US GMC trucks behind.
And finally 11th Guards Cavalry Division. Three cavalry regiments and a tank regiment (Valentines) spread across two units. In support is a regiment of towed 120mm mortars and a flight of Sturmoviks.
The Russians took one look at the horrible terrain in the north and decided to go centre and south. The Motor Rifles led the way, aiming to go right flanking around the obstacles. The massed armour then followed, heading to the southern end of the German line. Ideal open country for tanks. The cavalry came on last, tasked with flank protection to the south, they also had better mobility over the range of wooded hills in that sector.
The front almost immediately erupted into a massive exchange of fire as the Russians shook out into line from their march column. The leading element of 3 GMRB took a pasting from German artillery and defensive fire (visible under all those explosions above) while the Russian airforce tried vainly to suppress the defenders.
Casualties were heavy I/3 GMRB with is accompanying SU76s was destroyed by German fire, but by now the other Russian infantry were established in the woods beside the barbed wire, and Jerrys tanks took the German positions under fire.
The Germans now concentrated their fire on one of the Russian tank brigades, which took such heavy losses it became disorganised. The KV85s and their accompanying T34s moved into the line while the Russian cavalry now swept southwest around the southern flank. The Russian fire was now sufficienlty heavy to disorganise II/IR 465.
At this juncture the Alarm Abteilung began marching on from the west. The Russian plan to conduct a rapid assault was entirely justified as it gave these units less time to get into position.
The Russians threw in everything to force a breakthrough. While one Tank Brigade was reorganised, the others poured fire into II/465, and supported by Sturmoviks, rendered the battalion combat ineffective while the cavalry moved onto the wooded hills to the south.
Johns KG 322 and 255 AT/Engineer Abt also moved southeast across the fields to block the cavalry.
3rd GTC now switched its fire to I/465, again causing heavy losses and the Germans were forced to reorganise it. IR 465 was in big trouble now. One of the tank brigades forced its way into the wire and obstacles, intending to clear them next turn.
The Russian cavalry now became embroiled in a firefight with KG 322, even the Luftwaffe put in a rare appearance to bomb them.
As Jerrys tankers cleared the wire, the rest of 3 GTC continued to fire on I/465.
And that unit too was rendered ineffective and the survivors streamed to the rear or cowered in their battered trenches. The way to Veselyi was clear!
Back in the south both sides had become bogged down in a prolonged firefight. Casualties were heavy and the supply columns and ambulances were kept busy keeping units in the fight. No rapid breakthrough here,
Jerrys tanks motored through the gaps in the wire, straight into the ZOC of AT/Eng Abt 255. They had to get in close to pick out the German positions in the cornfields.
Meanwhile the KVs also forced the obstacles, while the remaining infantry of 3 GMRB worked their way forwards along the wooded river valley, outflanking Veselyi from the north.
As the KV85s broke through, the German Marders shot lots of T34s full of holes, but the Russians pummelled the German infantry relentlessly. The battlefield was littered with explosions, casualty markers, disorganisation markers and once more the logistic elements were kept very busy.
Into this cauldron came IR 455, marching on the south. John pulled KG 322 back to the road exit to reorg, and the new infantry rapidly moved into blocking positions.
We broke for the evening at that point. East of the village, AT/Eng Abt 255 is apparently holding off most of the Russian force on its own! The Russian cavalry are now edging forwards.
West of the village, three German infantry battalions are frantically rushing to get into position. Suddenly the force ratio isn't so favourable for the Russians, but it depends on whether the Germans can get into decent positions in time. We shall see what happens tomorrow.
Not unexpectedly, the Russians marched into unoccupied Veselyi, while concentric fire annihilated the 255 AT/Engineer battalion. The Germans rushed IR 455 to hold the front while KG 322 reorganised. German artillery managed to inflict enough damage on the Russian cavalry in the open that they became disorganised.
The Germans now formed a pocket around the road exit and KG 322 started digging in on the road. The Russians essentially moved troops up, while the occupiers of Veselyi covered them with fire. The Russian cavalry swept around the southern flank in fine style, but the Germans retreated rather than be subject to a cavalry charge. At this point the Russians were suffering from their lack of indirect fire support, as the restricted terrain and limited frontage meant they couldn't deploy all their troops to fire on the Germans.
The Russians put in a mass attack on the German pocket, and the Guards Heavy Tank Regiment overran I/455, shot in by the rest of the Russian army. One of the reorganised Russian cavalry units dashed to the front hoping to get a charge in. Meanwhile KG 322 had finished digging in, and would be a tough nut to crack.
II/455 shot the Russian cavalry up, who withdrew, their place being taken by a tank brigade. The Russian forces were weighted to the south and ended up having to split their fire between targets, which although it inflicted some losses, wasn't enough to shift either German unit, particularly the key unit on the road exit objective.
Time ran out (I use a variable game length) at turn 13, but even if it had gone to the full 15 turns, I don't think the Russians were in position to take the final objective. So an honourable win to the Germans, who lived (just) to fight another, but well done 3rd Guards Tank Corps who crashed through the German defences in fine style, they just got a bit disorganised towards the end. I'm not convinced about the dual objectives, although they were in the original scenario, it is a bit too easy for the Germans to just build a fortress around the exit hex. Something to ponder for future scenarios.
The real 255th Infantry Division survived the retreat to the Dneipr, but its experience was typical in that it had to mount a series of blocking actions which resulted in heavy losses. The division was eventaully encircled and destroyed in the Korsun Pocket in 1944, however, the divisional commander, Walther Poppe, escaped and found himself commanding 59th Infantry Division in France, which saw extensive action against the western flank of 'Hells Highway' during Market Garden.
The 3rd Guards Tank Corps had an illustrious history, fighting all its way to Germany and ending up as 3rd Guards Tank Division in GSFG during the Cold War.
Many thanks to all the players for taking part and getting into the spirit of things, and it was great fun to finally deploy an absolute mass of semi-decent Russian tanks after all the Elephants and Tigers. I'm rather enjoying these 1943 battles, so I expect I'll do a few more.
