For the Defence of Florina Mini-Campaign
German Objective & Briefing
General Stumme you will continue the drive south into Greece. Intelligence reports indicate that a combined British/Commonwealth Corps awaits you with 3 Infantry Divisions, 1 Armoured Brigade, and Heavy Artillery Support. They are believed to be deployed on a line running east-west between Katerini and Kozani (roughly the Aliakmon River) about 50km south of your current positions near Florina. A rapid drive down the wide Florina Valley to Kozani may allow you to capture Kozani and/or outflank the British position. It will also open the 3 passes to the west (Pisoderion, Klisoura, Siatista) which will allow you to cut off the Greek Armies in Albania. Your primary objective is to drive south as rapidly as possible, speed is vital.
German Initial Deployment
ON MAP AT START OF GAME: Elements of S.S. ADOLF HITLER DIVISION I Motorised Battalion in A3-12. II Motorised Battalion in B1-12 (Lofoi). III Motorised Battalion in B4-12 (near Kelli). AH Recon Battalion in B1-12 (or attached out to other Battalions) V Heavy Weapons Battalion in B1-12 (or attached out to other Battalions) ARRIVING IN B1-11 AT 1200 ON 10 APRIL: Elements of 9th PANZER DIVISION I/33rd Panzer Battalion. ARRIVING IN B1-11 AT 0800 ON 11 APRIL: Balance of S.S. ADOLF HITLER DIVISION Divisional Headquarters AH Artillery Regiment AH Pioneer Battalion 1 Luftwaffe FAC Elements of 9th PANZER DIVISION 9th Recon Battalion ARRIVING IN B1-11 AT 1200 ON 11 APRIL: Elements of 9th PANZER DIVISION 33rd Panzer Regiment (HQ & II Battalion) 59th Motorcycle Battalion 10th Schützen Regiment I/102nd Artillery Battalion 50th PzJgr Battalion ARRIVING IN B1-11 AT 0900 ON 12 APRIL: Elements of 9th PANZER DIVISION Divisional HQ 9th Schützen Brigade (HQ, 701 sIG Coy, 11th Schützen Regt) 102nd Artillery Regiment (HQ, II & III Battalions) 86th Pioneer Battalion 86th Luftwaffe Light Flak Battalion 1 Luftwaffe FAC ARRIVING IN B1-11 AT 1200 ON 12 APRIL: XXXX CORPS troops 1/II/24th Luftwaffe Heavy Flak Battery 3/525th PzJgr Company 154th Artillery Battalion 1/666th Pioneer Company For the Spearhead rules, the Corps troops enter as independent units - once the 154th Artillery is on table the following turn command phase they may be assigned in support (direct or general) and their FO stand then placed adjacent to the relevant battalion's HQ stand. The Heavy Flak, PanzerJäger and Pioneer companies must likewise be assigned immediately to support of specific battalions - and their movement tracked individually by the most direct route until the come within command range of their assigned fighting battalions (whereupon they are subsumed into that battalion as usual).
German OOB
GERMAN XXXX CORPS General Stumme CORPS TROOPS (Part only) QUALITY: Regular. II/24th LUFTWAFFE FLAK BATTALION: 1st HEAVY BATTERY: 1 88mm Flak & Tractor. 525th PANZERJAGER BATTALION: 3rd PANZERJAGER COMPANY: 2 47mm Pak36(t) & Trucks.**** 128th ARTILLERY BRIGADE: 154th ARTILLERY BATTALION: 3 150mm M37 Czech How, 3 Trucks.***** 666th PIONEER BATTALION:* 1st PIONEER COMPANY: 3 Engineer Platoons, 3 Trucks. 9th PANZER DIVISION QUALITY: Veteran. DIVISIONAL HEADQUARTERS: 1 HQ Platoon, 1 MG Platoon, 2 Trucks. 33rd PANZER REGIMENT: REGIMENTAL HQ: 1 HQ PzBefw I, 1 Recon PzKpfw II. I PANZER BATTALION: BATTALION HEADQUARTERS: 1 HQ PzKpfw IIIF, 1 Recon PzKpfw I. 1st LIGHT COMPANY: 1 PzKpfw IIIG, 1 PzKpfw IIIF, 1 PzKpfw II. 2nd LIGHT COMPANY: 2 PzKpfw IIIG, 1 PzKpfw II. 3rd MEDIUM COMPANY: 2 PzKpfw IVD, 1 PzKpfw II. II PANZER BATTALION: Organised exactly as I/3rd Panzer Battalion. 9th SCHÜTZEN BRIGADE: BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS: 1 HQ Platoon & Truck. 701st sIG(sf) COMPANY: 1 Gw I 150mm sIG. 59th MOTORCYCLE BATTALION: BATTALION HEADQUARTERS: 1 HQ Platoon & 1 Truck. 3 M/CYCLE RIFLE COMPANIES, each: 3 M/cycle Rifle Platoons. 1 M/CYCLE MG COMPANY: 2 M/cycle HMG Platoons, 1 81mm Mortar Platoon & Truck. 1 HEAVY WEAPONS COMPANY: 1 Pak35, 1 75/12 IG, 1 Engineer Platoon, 3 Trucks. 10th SCHÜTZEN REGIMENT: REGIMENTAL HEADQUARTERS: 1 HQ Platoon, 1 Recon M/cycle SMG Platoon, 1 Engineer Platoon, 2 Trucks. REGIMENTAL GUN COMPANY: 1 75/12 IG & Truck. I SCHÜTZEN BATTALION: BATTALION HEADQUARTERS: 1 HQ Platoon & Truck. 1st SCHÜTZEN COMPANY, GEPANZERT: 3 Rifle Platoons, 3 Sdkfz 251/1. 2nd & 3rd SCHÜTZEN COMPANIES, each: 3 Rifle Platoons, 3 Trucks. 1 MG COMPANY: 2 HMG Platoons, 1 81mm Mortar, 3 Trucks. 1 HEAVY WEAPONS COMPANY: 1 Pak35, 1 75/12 IG, 1 Engineer Platoon, 3 Trucks. II SCHÜTZEN BATTALION: BATTALION HEADQUARTERS: 1 HQ Platoon & Truck. 3 SCHÜTZEN COMPANIES, each: 3 Rifle Platoons, 3 Trucks. 1 MG COMPANY: 2 HMG Platoons, 1 81mm Mortar, 3 Trucks. 1 HEAVY WEAPONS COMPANY: 1 Pak35, 1 75/12 IG, 1 Engineer Platoon, 3 Trucks. 11th SCHÜTZEN REGIMENT: REGIMENTAL HEADQUARTERS: 1 HQ Platoon, 1 Recon M/cycle SMG Platoon, 1 Engineer Platoon, 2 Trucks. REGIMENTAL GUN COMPANY: 1 75/12 IG & Truck. I SCHÜTZEN BATTALION: BATTALION HEADQUARTERS: 1 HQ Platoon & Truck. 3 SCHÜTZEN COMPANIES, each: 3 Rifle Platoons, 3 Trucks. 1 MG COMPANY: 2 HMG Platoons, 1 81mm Mortar, 3 Trucks. 1 HEAVY WEAPONS COMPANY: 1 Pak35, 1 75/12 IG, 1 Engineer Platoon, 3 Trucks. II SCHÜTZEN BATTALION: Organised exactly as I/11th Schützen Battalion. 102nd ARTILLERY REGIMENT: REGIMENTAL HEADQUARTERS: 1 HQ Platoon & Truck. I FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION: 3 105/28 Howitzers, 3 Trucks. II FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION: 3 105/28 Howitzers, 3 Trucks. III HEAVY ARTILLERY BATTALION: 3 150/30 Howitzers, 3 Trucks. 9th AUFLARUNG (RECON) BATTALION: BATTALION HEADQUARTERS: 1 HQ Sdkfz 223 A/car. 1st ARMOURED RECONAISSANCE COMPANY: 1 Sdkfz 231 A/car, 2 Sdkfz 222 A/cars, 2 Sdkfz 221 A/cars. 2nd M/CYCLE RECONAISSANCE COMPANY: 3 M/cycle Rifle Platoons. 3rd HEAVY WEAPONS COMPANY: 1 Pak35, 1 75/12 IG, 1 Engineer Platoon, 3 Trucks. 50th PANZERJAGER BATTALION: BATTALION HEADQUARTERS: 1 HQ Platoon & Truck. 3 PZJGR COMPANIES, each: 3 Pak35 & Trucks. 3/47th LIGHT FLAK COMPANY: 3 Sdkfz 10/4 20mm (Zgkw 1). 86th PIONEER BATTALION:* BATTALION HEADQUARTERS: 1 HQ Platoon & Truck. 1st & 2nd PIONEER COMPANIES, each: 3 Engineer Platoons, 3 Trucks. 3rd PANZER PIONEER COMPANY: (not present). 86th BATTALION BRIDGING COLUMNS: (not present). 86th LUFTWAFFE LIGHT FLAK BATTALION: BATTALION HEADQUARTERS: 1 HQ Platoon & Truck. 3 FLAK COMPANIES, each: 3 20mm Flak, 3 Trucks. S.S. LEIBSTANDARTE "Adolf Hitler" DIVISION QUALITY: Regular. DIVISIONAL HEADQUARTERS: 1 HQ Platoon, 1 HMG Platoon, 2 Trucks. I MOTORISED BATTALION: BATTALION HEADQUARTERS: 1 HQ Platoon & Truck. 3 RIFLE COMPANIES, each: 3 Rifle Platoons, 3 Trucks. 1 MG COMPANY: 3 HMG Platoons, 3 Trucks. 1 HEAVY WEAPONS COMPANY: 1 Pak35, 1 81mm Mtr Platoon, 1 Engineer Platoon, 3 Trucks. II MOTORISED BATTALION: Organised exactly as I Motorised Battalion. III MOTORISED BATTALION: Organised exactly as I Motorised Battalion. IV AUFLARUNG (RECON) BATTALION: BATTALION HEADQUARTERS: 1 HQ Platoon & Truck. 2 M/CYCLE RECONAISSANCE COMPANIES, each: 1 M/cycle SMG Platoon, 2 SMG Platoons in Schwimmwagen (or Kubelwagen), 1 HMG Platoon in Truck. 3rd ARMOURED RECONAISSANCE COMPANY: 1 Sdkfz 231, 2 Sdkfz 222 A/cars, 1 Sdkfz 221 A/car. 4th HEAVY WEAPONS COMPANY: 1 Pak35, 1 Engineer Platoon, 1 81mm Mtr Platoon, 3 Trucks. V HEAVY WEAPONS BATTALION: BATTALION HEADQUARTERS: 1 HQ Platoon & Truck. 1st GUN COMPANY: 2 75/12 IG, 2 Trucks. 2nd GUN COMPANY: 1 150/11 sIG & Truck. 3rd PANZERJAGER COMPANY: 2 PzJgr IB. 4th STURM ARTILLERY COMPANY: 1 StuG IIIB. 5th FLAK COMPANY: 4 Sdkfz 6/2 37mm SP Flak.** ADOLF HITLER ARTILLERY REGIMENT: REGIMENTAL HEADQUARTERS: 1 HQ Platoon & Truck. I/AH ARTILLERY BATTALION: 3 105/28 Howitzers, 3 Trucks. II/AH ARTILLERY BATTALION: 2 150/30 Howitzers, 1 88mm Flak, 3 Trucks/Tractors. ADOLF HITLER PIONEER BATTALION:* BATTALION HEADQUARTERS: 1 HQ Platoon & Truck. 3 PIONEER COMPANIES, each: 3 Engineer Platoons, 3 Trucks. A.H. BATTALION BRIDGING COLUMN: (not present). (73rd INFANTRY DIVISION and balance of Corps Troops are not present as they are occupied securing Southern Yugoslavia.) LUFTWAFFE AIR SUPPORT 2 FAC (1 for each Division) A maximum of 6 sorties in total per day can be received shared between the 2 FACs - each time a sortie is successfully called in throw 2D6 and modify (+1 if no sorties have arrived yet this day; -1 if a sortie arrived in the 3 previous game turns to this one) to see what air support arrived: 12-13 = 3 x Ju-87 Stukas (DEF 4, BOMBS 2) 11 = 2 x Me Bf-110 (DEF 4, CANNON 4) 10 = 2 x Ju-87 Stukas (DEF 4, BOMBS 2) 9 = 1 x Me Bf-110 (DEF 4, CANNON 4) 6-8 = 1 x Ju-87 Stuka (DEF 4, BOMBS 2) 5 = 2 x Me Bf-109 (DEF 4, CANNON 5). 1-4 = 1 x Me Bf-109 (DEF 4, CANNON 5). When Air Support is requested roll randomly to determine which mission arrives - reroll if none left of that type for the current day. Notes: * The Engineer Platoons in the Pioneer Companies are not Assault Engineers. ** Treat Sdkfz 6/2 as a Zgkw 8 for DEF, WT and Move, but as Ostwind (37/60) for Direct Fire & Flak. The are unarmoured medium half-tracks mounting a single 37mm Flak. **** Same Gun as mounted in PzJgr Ib. Treat as Pak 35 platoons but use PzJgr Ib Direct Fire factors and range. Basically the Czech 47mm ATG, it is superior to the 37mm Pak35 (both AP and HE) and is comparable to the British 2pdr for AP performance in 1940-41. ***** A Czech Gun, same performance as German sFH18 150/30 Howitzer except better range - use 160". For other rules - treat as German 15cm Howitzer but with a better range (approx. 14,600 metres). Note that the terms Truck & Tractor are used generically for the Germans and for heavy weapons and artillery include unarmoured half-tracks as well as wheeled vehicles.
A BRIDGE IS FORMED
The Pinios Bridge in the Vale of Tempe has been blown up.
Rubber dinghies have taken the first attacking troops over. Foot soldiers and light vehicles can now get across.
By heavy travel on muddy roads, over swampy fields, through the narrow defile by Pandeleimon and along the railway embankment the bridging column reaches the Pinios. While the sappers build a new bridge near the one destroyed, vehicles are drawn across on a quickly set up ferry. Only a few hours later supplies roll over the new bridge.
Go to Anglo-Greek Briefing, OOB & Deployment or Return to Main Florina Mini-Campaign Page.