The Russian Offensive

[Der Alte Fritz]

Hi Andreas

Good article that I already had. Scenario is smaller than this but I have tried to keep to the same scale but keep the feel of the battle. Heavy attack overwhelming the defences but still taking casualties.

So infantry odds 1:3 a company vs a reinforced battalion.

Artillery 1:4 a 105 battery vs 4 122 batteries but have assumed a huge Army level strike BEFORE the game so Germans are at 60% strength and the ground is very cratered.

Tanks 8 per km. A bit low maybe but this is a post Kursk battle so there would be less. About half this number of German PAKs.

Have tried to give a battle that the Russians can win but if the plan goes wrong they should have some heavy casualties. The game represents the middle section of the attack, the Russians have over run the outpost line 1000m ahead and are now attacking the main line. Behind this 1000m should be a reserve line and then strongpoints after this. I think that it is at this point that they started to take heavy casualties because the artillery became less co-ordinated and the tanks were beginning to thin out. They usually got stuck well into the depth of German defences and it is then that a Tank Corps had to be sent in to help them make the final penetration. Of course German defences increased in depth by quite a lot as the war progressed

[Andreas]

DaF - density is higher than what you posted there:

Density in 61st GRD sector per kilometer of frontage:

Rifle battalions 6.0

Guns/mortars 234

Tanks and assault guns 18

Density in 333rd RD sector per kilometer of frontage:

Rifle battalions 4.5

Guns/mortars 231

Tanks and assault guns 18

All the best

Andreas

[Der Alte Fritz]

New version posted with changes to map and tweaks to force makeup

comments gratefully received at TPG

cheers

[jtcm]

JasonC:

Actually, your point is perfectly fair re. original question. "Why such heavy losses even in 1944"— doctrinal choice (infantry rather than armour break ins, hoarding armour), poor execution (as opposed to good operational concepts).

[coe]

well y'know if the statistics about Bagration are right, not only was manpower losses heavy on the russian side heavy but they lost a decent number of tanks too - if tanks weren't that involved in the break in, they were being lost heavily in the exploitation phase? I presume this might be to ambushes ...or was it in the break through they suffered lots of losses - or perhaps they just broke down on the road and were abandoned (wear and tear loss).

[Der Alte Fritz]

Hi Andreas

What was the density of German forces on this front? Also at what point did infantry division armour come into the battle?

cheers

[Der Alte Fritz]

****bump******

[Der Alte Fritz]

Sceanrio 4 is published at TPG

You can get it at http://www.the-proving-grounds.com/scenario_details_link.html?sku=1269

The final one in the series sees the Tank Corps reach its strategic objective, the River Bug but it must seize a crossing and establish a bridgehead in the face of tough German resistance.

The crossing is quite something. I have never seen so much firepower in a CMBB game, quite like fireworks night!

Comments at TPG please and gratefully received.