Scenario - needs testing

[Mark Gallear]

I have created a scenario representing the fist combat experience of the Elephant SP Gun. I would be grateful if anybody would be willing to give me comments on how it plays.

I suggest you play from the German point of view first with the default settings for the Russians.

It is not as historical as my previous CMBO scenarios, the map is based on a description of the terrain and a high level map. Forces were largely gussed at, but the Russian defences are typical of those at Kursk.

Title: Charge of the Elephants

Type: Axis Assault

Date July 5, 1943

Location: Butyriki, Kursk

Region: Central

Weather: Dry/Clear

Terrain: low hills, steppe and small town

Wind: Breeze

Turns: 32+

Author: Mark Gallear

In the opening phase of Citadel, Harpe's XLI

Panzer Corps committed the Jagdpanzer Regiment 656, with its new Elephants to lead an assault to exploit the success of the Tiger's of heavy battalion 505 and move to position where the entire Russian Seventieth Army's flanks came under threat of attack.

A new engineer vehicle the B-IV was used to clears paths through the deep Russian minefields, which allowed the Panzers to make their attack. The B-IV was a low tracked vehicle that carried a 100lb explosive charge that was set of by remote control.

The Elephants of Regiment 656 supported by tanks and infantry was able to advance two miles into the Russian tactical defence zone and linked up with the 6th division at Butyriki. However the Elephants of 654 Battalion became separated from their lighter tanks and were marooned in a maze of slit trenches on Hill 235.5. Russian infantry played flame-throwers over their ventilation slats and boarded them on the move.

Colonel General Heinz Guderian, Inspector General of Armoured Troops judged that the Ferdinand (Pzjg Elephant) were "incapable of close range fighting since they lacked sufficient ammunition for their guns and this defect was aggravated by the fact that they had no machinegun. Once they had broken into the enemy's Infantry zone, they literally had to go quail shooting with cannon. They did not manage to neutralise, let alone destroy, the enemy infantry and machine-guns, so that our infantry was unable to follow up behind them. By the time they had reached the Russian artillery they were on their own."

Source: Robin Cross - Citadel The Battle of Kursk. The Greatest Tank Battle of World War II (1993)

You can download it from the bottom of Mod Corner - email me on the above account with your thoughts.

[Sgian Dubh]

Hi,

The link to the scenario is not working correctly.

Also, the link to Juju's flag mod is not working correctly. The one to Juju's Swastika works fine.

[Mark Gallear]

Many thanks to Eden for sending me an email that pointed out this major gaff out - it is corrected now!

Many thanks to the gentleman above I will get on it and correct the other bad links right now!

Sorry

Mark

[Sgian Dubh]

No problem.

I'm looking for constructive criticism on a map I've created (see thread I posted today). Care to give it a looksee?

[Bengal6]

Mark

Can I just say that I'm playing Polar Bears at the moment and this op rocks!! I've played it as Allies V AI and won (just) and I'm currently using the Germans to spank the attacking allies.

Congrats on a great operation, if you need anyone to test any CMBO stuff (mostly V AI, as my mates has yet to see the light and recognise CM as the best game in existance) please feel free to e-mail me via this board.

Oh my girlfriend also wanted to send you a short message regarding the amount of time I've dedicated to Polar Bears, but I didn't want to get banned on my first post.

[Mark Gallear]

Eden Smallwood who has been testing Charge of the Elephants suggested I post my breifings here for editing by all.

I certainly had problems producing text documents that kept the line breaks with word that CMBB liked. I think I overwrote my revised files with my first thoughts when I tried to sort out the line breaks. In the end I have found that if you put a 3.6cm margin left and right the correct line breaks stay in. Check the text document in word and make sure the margins are still 3.6.

Title: Charge of the Elephants

Type: Axis Assault

Date July 5, 1943

Location: Butyriki, Kursk

Region: Central

Weather: Dry/Clear

Terrain: Low hills, steppe and small town

Wind: Breeze

Turns: 33+

Author: Mark Gallear

Testing By: Eden Smallwood, James Morton and João Andias.

In the opening phase of Operation Zitadelle, Harpe's XLI Panzer Corps committed the Jagdpanzer Regiment 656, with ninety of the new sixty-eight-ton Elephant tank destroyers to lead an assault.

Earlier in the day, the Tiger's of heavy battalion 505 had successfully stormed the defences of the Russian Seventieth Army and this new follow up attack would expose the Russian right flank.

Deep Russian minefields were penetrated by use of a new engineer Vehicle the B-IV. The B-IV was a low tracked vehicle that carried a 100lb explosive charge which was set off by remote control and cleared a wide lane for the Panzers to make their attack.

The Elephants of Regiment 656 supported by tanks and infantry were able to advance two miles into the Russian tactical defence zone and linked up with the 6th division at Butyriki. However the Elephants of 654 Battalion became separated from their lighter tanks and were marooned in a maze of slit trenches on Hill 235.5. Russian infantry played flame-throwers over their ventilation slats and boarded them on the move.

Colonel General Heinz Guderian, Inspector General of Armoured Troops judged that the Ferdinand (Pzjg Elephant) were "incapable of close range fighting since they lacked sufficient ammunition

for their guns and this defect was aggravated by the fact that they had no machinegun. Once they had broken into the enemy's Infantry zone, they literally had to go quail shooting with

cannon. They did not manage to neutralise, let alone destroy, the enemy infantry and machine-guns, so that our infantry was unable to follow up behind them. By the time they had reached

the Russian artillery they were on their own."

At the end of the day the German objectives had been meet but Russian Engineers working as the battle raged laid an estimated 6000 mines in critical sectors and the Russians were able to move up reinforcements.

Source: Robin Cross - Citadel The Battle of Kursk. The Greatest Tank Battle of World War II (1993)

Player’s Notes: Best played first from the German perspective with the Russian computer player set-up on set to Scenario Default.

Historically the Russian defence points remained hidden and either fired on the German tanks at point blank or let them go by and then attacked the German infantry following up. To model this

effect it is possible for the German player to come under fire on turn one in his set-up area, however testing has proved that the German player can still win.

German Brief:

- Operation Briefing –

Your force is to make a deep breakthrough into the Russian lines in the area of Butyrki, this is to consolidate gains made earlier in the day by Model’s XXIII Corp’s and open up the Russian right flank to attack.

- Mission –

Take and hold as many of the objectives marked on your map as possible.

- Intelligence –

Attacks earlier in the day have proved that the Russians have set-up a powerful defence zone, which has remained hidden until now. You can expect strong points of AT guns, well camouflaged

and set up in a checkerboard formation across the front. Behind these forces you can expect in depth defences of entrenched infantry.

- Forces –

2 troops of Ferdinand (Pzjg Elephant)

2 x Panzer IIIN HQ

1 troop of Panzer IIIL

1 troop of Panzer IIIJ

Recon Section

PSW 232 and 2 Panzer IIC

Motorized Recon Platoon in Half-tracks

Panzer Grenadier Company

81mm Mortar Battery

Nebelwerfer Rocket Battery

Fight-Bomber Sorties

Russian Brief:

- Operation Briefing –

Your troops of the 81st and 294th rifle divisions are to hold the area forward of Butyriki. In the past couple of months we have secretly been able to build up extensive minefields, resistance

points and belts of entrenchment’s by moving reinforcements in by night and using dummy troop placements and false radio signals to fool the enemy.

- Mission –

Deny as many of the objectives marked on your map to the enemy as possible.

- Intelligence –

Intelligence suggests that you can expect an attack by powerful enemy armoured formations in the near future, however we are confident that your tactical skill and the bravery of your troops will see the Nazi invaders smashed against your defences.

- Forces –

2 x Anti-tank Resistance Points (Protivotankovye opornye Punkty – PTOP) - consisting of five entrenched 76mmm AT guns, Submachinegun Squads, Engineers, and AT Rifles, protected by mines.

Infantry Company

Supporting light AT guns, MGs, snipers, flame-throwers and tank hunting teams.

MG bunker, mines and trenches.

Battery of 76mm guns

Battery of 82mm mortars

The second test version is up on my site - I have now had the brains to label it as such!

Not fully been able to remove the problem of the Russian player been able to fire on the German player on turn 1 in his setup area - however to totally remove this possibility would mean a very long and boring drive to the battle - prepare not to be bored! This is Kursk!

Mark

What can I say Bengal6 - nice comments -however I don't seem to need CM or a computer to annoy the fairer Sex! (You should be able to "spank" the Germans with the allies - eventually as well.)

I don't have anymore plans to do any CMBO scenarios in the future - but have plans to do Bagration and Kursk operations - the battles are so big that you could easily do a number of these without repeating yourself and they are fairly well documented with maps in history books to keep them reasonably historical.

[Mark Gallear]

The finished scenario is now on my site and at the Scenario Depot.

Special thanks to eden smallwood who put a lot of work into it.