Valuable Assets

Somewhere near Kursk, during a Soviet counter-offensive, Summer 1943...

Historical Situation

This scenario is set in the Russian countryside near Kursk, in 1943. The German attack has been cut in two by the brave Russian defenders of the motherland, and some German forces remain isolated from the main army. A German Heavy Panzer platoon is desperately trying to salvage some equipment and get back behind German lines, to lick their wounds. Meanwhile a German Infantry Division is trying another futile counterattack along a 2-3km front to gain control of an important railway line. The stout Russian defenders have orders to hold the strategically important high ground and destroy any retreating Germans, while they wait for relief forces to arrive to help crush the invaders.

Map

There is no map available for this scenario at this time (but see photos in the After Action Report for an idea - we will add a map to this page in the near future). For 15mm figures the table size is approximately 2.2m x 1.5m (7'6" x 5'). There is a Railway running diagonally across the table, it crosses some high ground and elsewhere is raised on an embankment. In one corner near the rail line is a German held village which the Infantry are counter-attacking out of. In the diagonally opposite corner is another village, where the Tiger Platoon has just come on the edge of the table (see AAR photos). In between are the Russians! (We hope to post a map for this scenario soon).

German Player

Morale: Regular (Tank Crews are Veteran)

1 Rifle Battalion HQ:
     1 BC (+1)
     1 Mortar Platoon, with:*
          2 81mm Mortar Stands
          1 FO
     2 MMG Platoons, with:**
          1 PC (+1)
          2 MMG Stands
2 Rifle Companies, each with:
     1 CC (+1)
     1 Tank-Hunter Team (Panzerfaust)***
     3 Rifle Platoons, each:
          1 PC (+1)
          3 Rifle Squads

1 Heavy Panzer Platoon, with:
     2 Tiger I (one disabled)
     1 Panzer IIIN

* On or off table with 6 Fire Missions.

** One can be attached out to Rifle Companies & Platoons (dispense with the PC). The other Platoon is cut off in the village where the Tigers have just appeared and joins them or can be used as reinforcements (throw 5+ each initiative for them to arrive in the west village to support the Infantry Battalion).

*** Tank-Hunter stands are assumed to be armed with multiple Panzerfaust 30's (the early model) - allow each stand to fire twice in the game before removing (to represent them exhausting their supply of one-shot Panzerfausts).

German Objective

1. Get both of the Tiger tanks back safely to friendly lines.

2. Capture the two pieces of high ground in the middle of the table.

German Deployment & Special Rules

1. Deploys Second and has First Initiative.

2. One Tiger was disabled and was being towed by the other Tiger (i.e. The Valuable Assets), with the Panzer III providing escort. They start the game in the eastern village. The towing Tiger was fully operational, but the one being towed had mechanical problems and a disabled armament (it is assumed to have only a minimal crew on board). The German player may not ditch the towed Tiger unless it is somehow destroyed - which means a failure to save the Tigers.

3. Each Initiative phase the German player has to roll a 3+ (same as a pin result for veteran troop types) to move the two tanks approximately 6 inches along the road. Since the lead Tiger was towing, we downgraded its manoeuvrability to slow (see our vehicle house rules which should be on the website soon).

4. Tigers are safe once they get inside the German held western village the infantry are counter attacking from.

Soviet Player

Morale: Regular

1 Rifle Battalion HQ:
     1 BC (+1)
     2 ATR Stands
1 Rifle Company, with:
     1 CC (+1)
     2 Rifle Platoons, each with:
          1 PC (+1)
          4 Rifle Squads

1 Divisional Reconnaissance Element, with:
     1 BA-10 Armoured Car (or similar)

1 Mortar Platoon, with:*
     4 82mm Mortars
     1 FO

* On or Off table with 4 Fire Missions each.

Soviet Objective

1. Hold the two lots of high ground against the German counter-attack.

2. Prevent the Tigers reaching safety or destroy them.

Soviet Deployment & Special Rules

1. Soviets deploy First (using hidden deployment) and has Second Initiative.

2. Soviet reinforcements arrive on a roll of 5+ each Soviet Initiative Phase. Roll a second D6 and:
   1-2 a Rifle Platoon (as above),
   3-4 a Rifle Platoon (as above),
   5-6 a T-34 Tank Platoon (3 x T-34/76, one is PC +1).
   Each reinforcement can only occur once (re-roll if it occurs a second time). Reinforcements arrive at the centre-corner of either long table edge furtherest from the German's starting positions (throw die to determine which for each reinforcement).

Victory Conditions

There are 3 Objectives, the 2 pieces of high ground and the Tigers. Any 2 will give a side a marginal victory, all 3 a major victory. If the Germans get Tigers home safely but don't gain the high ground, they can try and claim a draw by virtue of morale, Soviets still win though!

Scenario Special Rules & Rules Variants

1. We used a moving clock with 6 Hours (12 periods). It advanced half an hour each Soviet initiative on a roll of 5+ (see "Hit The Dirt" for explanation).

2. Vehicle and AT rules are our own and we will have them available on this site soon.

3. Fields are in season and block LOS but do not provide protective cover.

4. Hills (the high ground) are higher than the railway embankment and troops on the hills see over the latter and can be seen.

5. Troops on the hills can see into a terrain feature as normal but not into any features behind that one.

Read the After Action Report...