George MC

The beta version of our latest CMBB scenario, "Strachwitz at Kharkov 43" in “The Panzer Count’s Ostfront” series is now available for testing over at The Proving Grounds , It's a static operation which provides a challenging tank battle. “On the 19th March the Panzer Count’s panzer kampfgruppe goes head to head with Kravchenko’s 3rd and 5th Guards Tank Corps near Orlovka during the winter fighting around Kharkov in 1943.” You can view some screenshots of the scenario HERE Historical Background Graf Strachwitz’s victories in Barbarossa in summer 1941 and the drive to Stalingrad in summer 1942 [see our Strachwitz at Dubno and Kalach scenarios] are dim memories by the spring of ’43. After recovering from being wounded at Stalingrad Count Strachwitz, now a full Colonel in the Reserves, was named in January 1943 to command the new Panzer Regiment of the German Army’s most elite unit, the Motorized Infantry Division Großdeutschland. The 1st Abteilung had been serving with the division since May of 1942; the 2nd Abteilung, formed from the veteran Panzerregiment 203, and a Tiger Company joined the Division in February of 1943, just in time for the beginning of von Manstein’s famous counter-offensive to re-take Kharkov and stabilize entire southern wing of the Ostfront after the Stalingrad debacle. Beginning on 7 March 1943, Großdeutschland formed the left wing of Armee Group Kempf and opened an offensive west of Kharkov aimed at Belgorod. In a stunning series of tank battles at Bogodukhov, Gravyron, and Borrisovka, Oberst Graf Strachwitz led his Kampfgruppe built around the panzerregiment to a string of victories in the face of fierce opposition from the 5th and 3rd Guards Tank Corps in the gentle rolling hills of the Vorksla river valley northwest of Kharkov. The newly honored 5th Guards Tank Corps was commanded by one of the Soviet Union’s rising stars, Major General Andrei Grigorevich Kravchenko. Under his leadership, the former 4th Tank Corps had spearheaded the Soviet Stalingrad counter-offensive and the drive to the Donets. Kravchenko was ordered to gather all remaining tank forces, including elements of the newly arrived 2nd Guards Tank Corps, in the Vorksla valley and form a shield in front of the desperately fleeing Soviet infantrymen. With the thawing terrain making infantry force movement impossible, Strachwitz was ordered to advance from Dolbino northwest towards Tomarovka. Strachwitz vs. Kravchenko at Kharkov. Playing the Scenario This is a static operation, which, while it has a large map (6km x 4km), unit sizes are pretty manageable to allow a manoeuvre type action. Best played as H2H or as Human against Soviet AI with AI sticking to ‘computer player uses scenario default’. The AI provides a tough fight in this so will not need a CEB bonus. If played as H2H more experienced player should play the Germans. Before playing please check your side specific brief very carefully – there is critical information contained therein. Designers Notes The zip file contains a command map. A full Strachwitz bio to accompany the series will follow in due course. Feedback regarding how the scenario plays out would be most welcome About the Panzer Count's Ostfront Blowtorchscenarios.com proudly introduces our second CMBB series, ”The Panzer Counts Ostfront” following our series on Jochen Peiper’s Kharkov 1942-43 campaign. As always our aim is to present interesting scenarios with as much historical accuracy as possible. “The Panzer Count”, of course, is the legendary German tank commander Hyazinth Graf (Count) Strachwitz von Groß-Zauche und Camminetz, who survived the war as a Generalleutnant of the Reserve and holder of the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, Germany’s highest award. We have chosen to focus on another German commander for the same reasons we focused on Peiper: the availability of information, not any political or national agenda. As with our Peiper series, we are devoting great effort to presenting the Soviet side with as much authenticity and detail as possible. In this series we will try to present a cross-section of his Ostfront battles from 1941 to 1945. We have chosen those battles which, in our opinion, best characterize his military genius while offering interesting and reasonably balanced challenges. [ September 08, 2006, 10:45 AM: Message edited by: George Mc ]

Hi Darkmath You could use Pyewacket's map convertor to chnage it into a CMAK map? Cheers fur noo George

I don't think you should be allowed Brummbars - look what you do to em? Paintwork all dirty and black and flames coming out their tops. Bad David! Cheers fur noo George

Check out this Kharkov City click on the Kharkov Winter 43 link. Cheers fur noo George

Hi Alte Fritz Glad you enjoyed it! Nice one It's worth playing as the Germans Vs Soviet AI. Give the AI a combat experience bonus and then go looking for it - equally as challenging. The AI does move slow but can prove an equal challenge in this. If I could ask a favour - any chance you could give it a review over at The Scenario Depot - I'd very much appreciate it Many thanks for playing it through and posting your comments here. Cheers fur noo George

Hi You can play it as the Soviets against the German AI - it does work out just not as cat and mouse as playing either as H2H (best it's a great hunt and kill action!)or chasing down the Soviet AI. Still worth giving it a shot. Have you checked out Stuetzpunkt Glowaczow also available at my website - loads of Soviet armour in that one And Born Again at Prokhorovka - see why Rotmistrov did what he did Cheers fur noo George

Hi John Nae bother Kingfish has helped me out previously - just returning the favour Cheers fur noo George

Hi Kingfish Pg 151 of Jentz'sPanzertruppen Vol 1 says that "many of the panzer IIIs that were used in the Balkan campaign were still outfitted with the 3.7cm KwK" Also pg 154 Jentz gives numbers of panzers in the 5th Pz Div as follows: 9 x PzI 40 x PzII 19 x PzIII with 3.7cm cannon 32 x PzIII with 5cm cannon 16 x PzIV 5 x Radio/command panzers 2nd Panzer had: 45 PzII 27 Pz III with 3.7cm cannon 44 PzIII with 5cm cannon 20 PzIV 6 command/radio tanks Jentz also has a combat report about the action around Tempi. Hope this helps. Cheers fur noo George Mc

Busy designing scenarios, playing PBEMs and still enjoying the occasional vs AI game. That work, relationships, and climbing take up all my time Good luck with your war though Cheers fur noo George

Redwolf - you have mail Cheers fur noo George Mc

Hi Redwolf What sort of stuff you after? Operations? Battles? Large? Small? Huge? If you let me know I'll dig some stuff out for you. In the meantime (shameless plug coming up!) I've an oldie over at TSD II called Attack on Village of Fedwar - it got good reviews in the old SD - still looks like it is getting played now. Cheers fur noo George

I've used ski troops to represent cavalry on a very large map for that very reason - mobility. Check it out it's called "Peiper's Chariots of Fire" and you can get it at this LINK Cheers fur noo George

Hi Aragorn! Glad you are errr... enjoying it You'll be surprised how easy it can be to take out the bunkers and you'll kick yourself when you find out how I've jsut uploaded a slightly twekaed version in that I have changed the fanatacism level. A small issue was raised over at the Proving Grounds about how the AI reacts so hopefully this might change that. Look forward to hear how you get on. Good Luck! Cheers fur noo George

The beta version of our latest CMBB Battle scenario, “Strachwitz at Kalach August 42” in “The Panzer Count’s Ostfront” series is now available for testing over at The Proving Grounds. “Case Blue”, Hitler’s plan to defeat Stalin in the summer of 1942 is in full swing, and Strachwitz is again at the very tip of the spear. On the 8th August 1942 at the northern edge of the Kalach bridgehead, the remnants of General K.S. Moskalenko’s 1st Tank Army man a defence line on and behind the Liska River, only a short distance from the river Don. They have their orders: Not a Step Back! 16th Panzer Division with Strachwitz’s panzer battalion at the tip, attempts to seize an intact bridge over the Liska River at Ostrov and then link up with the 24th Panzer division at the Don River. They have their orders: Panzers forward! This scenario is classed as ‘Huge’ and it does have a large map (4km x 2.2km) but unit sizes are pretty manageable. This scenario is best played as H2H or as Human (German) against Soviet AI with AI sticking to ‘computer player uses scenario default’. Seasoned CMBB veterans playing against the AI could give it a combat experience bonus of at least +2. If played as H2H more experienced player should play the Germans. Designers Notes This scenario is classed as semi-historical as we have had to make compromises with the map scale and unit sizes to fit them into a CMBB battle frame. Units are representative in that relative proportions are correct. The map is at about 1/3rd scale. During research for the battle we discovered that there were two Soviet tank aces involved in the fighting Sergeant Khazov and Lt Solovyev. This scenario is available for playtesting, and you can download the scenario at The Proving Grounds Each zip file contains a command map and sketch map which are referred to in the German briefing. A full Strachwitz bio to accompany the series will follow in due course. Feedback regarding how the scenario plays out would be most welcome J About the Panzers Count’s Ostfront Blowtorchscenarios.com proudly introduces our second CMBB series, ”The Panzer Counts Ostfront” following our series on Jochen Peiper’s Kharkov 1942-43 campaign. As always our aim is to present interesting scenarios with as much historical accuracy as possible. “The Panzer Count”, of course, is the legendary German tank commander Hyazinth Graf (Count) Strachwitz von Groß-Zauche und Camminetz, who survived the war as a Generalleutnant of the Reserve and holder of the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, Germany’s highest award. We have chosen to focus on another German commander for the same reasons we focused on Peiper: the availability of information, not any political or national agenda. As with our Peiper series, we are devoting great effort to presenting the Soviet side with as much authenticity and detail as possible. In this series we will try to present a cross-section of his Ostfront battles from 1941 to 1945. We have chosen those battles which, in our opinion, best characterize his military genius while offering interesting and reasonably balanced challenges.

OOPS! yer right Sorted - thanks for spotting that and letting me know. Looks like the scenario will be out early next week so you can chck it out for real Cheers fur noo George

Hi Simovitch Contours pretty much stay the same though - although stuff like buildings, drained ground and sometimes even river flow and such like is done to artistic licence. Still they are a useful start point for larger CMBB maps. I find that making CMBB maps you end up using any and all info available then doing the best with what you have. Guess that is why most of the stuff I put out comes under semi-historical as the map info is the one that all the peices of the jigsaw rarely come together on. Cheers fur noo George

Hi Bannon Hope your having a tough time of it at Dubno Enjoy! What side you playing? be keen to hear how you are getting on? Cheers fur noo George

Hi Guys Saw you all mentioning "Death of a Leaping Horseman". I've a copy and it is well wortht he outlay if you have an interest in this period of the 24th Panzers comabt history (the book covers a time period from 12th August to the 20th November 1942 and is a day by day account of the fighting it was involved in down to at times squad level. It has detailed maps of Stalingard including Luftwaffe aerial photos. A veritable goldmine. The accounts are based on regimental histories, divisonal newsletter, personal diaries, interviews with veterans and the 24 panzer war diaries. It is truly a labour of love but it has had a limited print run due to it being such a specialised subject - hence it is rather expensive. If anyone has any queries regarding the 24th Panzer Divs actions/OOB etc in this time period I'd be happy to answer them using the book as a source. My email is in my profile. Cheers fur noo George

Hi All On the 7th August 2006, 64 years to the day the actual operation was initiated, we will be releasing the second scenario in The Panzer Counts Ostfront series - "Strachwitz at Kalach August 42" for playtesting at The Proving Grounds. On August 7, 1942 during “Case Blue”the 16 th Panzer Division with Strachwitz's panzer battalion as the tip, spots an intact bridge over the Liska river at Ostrov and lunges toward it. The attack will commence at dawn on the 8 th . They have their orders: Panzers forward! You can read more about it here Whilst researching this action we discovered that two Soviet tank aces were also involved in the ensueing tank battle Lt. Solovyev, who was a KV commander, and V.Khazov who served in a T-34. On the page there is a short video clip where the game emulates real life. The KV of Lt Solovyev takes out a platoon of Panzer IIIs - note the AI was the Soviets and I'd no idea who the CO of the tank was till the game ended and low and behold the pixel Soviet tank ace appeared. Amazing coincidence! Will keep you updated. Cheers fur noo George Mc [ July 29, 2006, 10:27 AM: Message edited by: George Mc ]

WOW! I'm a bit gobsmacked - just a bit mind I'll save all ma questions for latter - still browsing all the pictures Excellent! Does it have SPW? Cheers fur noo George Mc

Should'nt his name read 'a knob'? Just curious...

Against the AI or H2H or both? Cheers fur noo George

I had a question about that some time ago, and the forum came to the conclusion that it was not a god idéa for scenario construction; because the AI will see what you are doing as well and react according to that. Sad, because it could have been a wonderful tool BTW - extreme! </font>

Extreme - but sometimes no FOW when first playtesting a scenario I'm working on so I can see what the AI is doing. Cheers fur noo George

Hi Charlie Yeah that German panzer gun line can be formidable - timing your arty strike using smoke goes a large way to negating it ;)Just watch out Von Ribbentrop does'nt start potting all your T34s. Best of luck with your next game. I'd be keen to hear how you get on. Cheers fur noo George