Stalin's Knight's Cross

[jtcm2]

Has anyone played this scenario ? Spoilers below. (Part of the CSDT series)

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I write by memory, after playing it and tinkering with it in the editor-- against the AI.

1944, German assault against a Soviet held ridge, Hungary.

German forces, v. heavy. Tiger plt. Assault gun plt (which I tweaked, changing it to PzIVs, mindful of the 80mm front). Assault guns with 105mm guns, 2x. I think a Co of Pz Grenadiers in HTs, with support HTs (75mm guns) and support weapons (HMGs, 81mm mortars). 150 mm arty registered on enemy positions. Everyone elite or crack.

Soviet forces, on the ridge, in two positions, namely two wooded patches on the ridge, on either side of a road that leads up the ridge; the two postions are not parallel or aligned, but angled so that they support each other. Each position is held by 2-3 HMGs, 1 Co. of Guards infantry, 1-2 SU-76s, 1 T-34/76, 1 T34/85, 1-2 ATG (76mm). One of the positions (after my tweaking) also has 3 IS-2s (2 Green, one Regular).

The Germans attack over 700+ of open ground (some patches of brush and scattered trees). Heavy weapons emplace; the Tigers lead, one pair overwatching and one pair advancing, the rest of the armour overwatches. AI, of course, plays its armour terribly, so the Tigers win the armour war; the HTs get within range while 150mm plasters the woods, infantry debuses, hits the round, tanks and support HTs fire at anything that moves in the woods, infantry gets in and brawls with the Guardsmen while tanks get closer.

OK, I now try as the Soviets against the Germans.

Infantry in the woods, in back positions. ATGs with crossed fields of fire, armour just off the ridge. German armoured fist bears down; HMGs plink at Tigers to make them button. Now comes the tricky bit. How do you fight off 4 Tigers ? If I open up long range (with shooting and scooting tanks), a lot of stuff bounces off, and the return fire devastates my shooters. So should I wait until I see the white of their eyes ? At that point, the enemy armour is already rooting out my infantry; and the return fire is even more destructive at that range.

In the abstract-- I would imagine all infy in back positions in scattered trees, with SU-76s in LOS to be able to support, but not with LOS outside the trees, to avoid German armour. Somehow, the vulnerable German armour has to be whittled down, to leave only the Tigers-- who have to be engaged close up by the IS-2s. But can't get it to work

[JasonC]

Don't contest the approach at all.

Only a few eyes on the crestline, maybe 2-3 HMGs to slow any dismounted infantry in stealthy-fire fashion if you like.

The guns and remaining MGs can well off the crestline near the back of the map and off to both sides. The tanks even farther off to the sides but closer to the crests. The idea is a 180 degree arc of fire of heavy AT weapons focused right along the crest, so the first Tiger across can't be facing them all.

Infantry hugging the reverse slope of the crest. You aren't trying to keep the Germans away from them. 30 meters is a fine range, 40 will do in a pinch. For first contact even.

A human might know enough to mass at one point and cross together, or smoke at the crossing, and start on one edge. The AI, not a clue. If it doesn't wallow aimlessly simply because you haven't given it anything to shoot at, it will bunch up along a preferred path, and string out units along that path in a disorganized fashion. Then when the first guys across the crest die horribly, the remainder will not notice it has happened and blunder along as before.

[jtcm2]

Thanks, will try this.

This sounds like a good setup for an AI defence, too-- except that the AI will probably play its IS-2s forward to duel the Tigers. Maybe I'll dig them in

[Joachim]

Digging in IS2 with a slow turret and ROF? Then it might be a better idea to tweak the scen using 100mm ATGs. Or just half the number of KTs.

[jtcm2]

The right way to cross the reverse-slope held crest is to overload one point with infantry and swarm through ? The counter to that, I suppose, is reactive and registered arty; or failing that, concentrated 122mm arty from the IS-2.

The point of the HMGs firing long range is probably to make the opponents offload 150mm arty early.

The AI did, in fact, smoke the woods before assaulting them, which made for a terrible mess with infantry swapping fire at close range. supporting armour got into the melee too.

[Joachim]

The right way to cross the reverse-slope held crest is to overload one point with infantry and swarm through ? The counter to that, I suppose, is reactive and registered arty; or failing that, concentrated 122mm arty from the IS-2.

If there is SMG-inf behind the crest, then overloading will be costly until ammo is dry. But by then reactive arty should do its job.

Concentrated arty from the IS2... well, with just 2 rounds per turn and the risk of rounds going over the crest you won't see much concentration. Make sure you have a covered arc vs inf so the slow turret remains in the direction of the target.

The point of the HMGs firing long range is probably to make the opponents offload 150mm arty early.

No. Ranged HMGs disrupt or pin enemy inf. They buy time. Works well if you pin the point, target it with arty and the arty comes down just after the main body reached the pinned scouts.

The MGs will be spotted at 200m - at good opponent shouldn't waste precious ammo on sound contacts.

The AI did, in fact, smoke the woods before assaulting them, which made for a terrible mess with infantry swapping fire at close range. supporting armour got into the melee too.

[jtcm2]

Thanks, Joachim. i can't find who designed this. Was it you ?

What if armour decides to flank the positions ?

[Joachim]

No, not my design.

The problem with historical scens is that they worked in RL because the involved forces did what they did. Trying to recreate the battle using just historical forces is impossible as tactics are just as important. Forcing one side to stick to tactics means scripting the battle - which is often annoying as that side can't decide much.

If the attacker tries to flank, the defenders setup vs an attack along the road won't work. 4 KT is overkill. Even one can decide a battle.

So either reduce the turns forcing the attack to rush (boring), use mud to keep him on the road (scripting, boring) or give the defender more assets - eg another similar position on each flank/map edge that can't be approached frontally (mines, AT ditch). This way the attacker has to combat 2 positions with flanking fire. Which most likely represents the historical task of attacking into a continuous front line. The attackers decision is whether he tries to find a seam or attacks 1 position frontally.

[jtcm2]

Have you tried this one ? Not bad, though not hugely balanced, I think.