Stalemate at Schlammdunsk

A view of the battlefield looking westwards from behind Soviet lines.

In the late spring of 1942, as the Russian Front shook off the mud of the Rasputitsa, both sides bestirred themselves into resuming the advances made before attrition and the winter ice had frozen all large scale activity.  The scarcity of good lines of communication in the vast Russian plains made the road nexus about the otherwise unimportant village of Schlammdunsk a very attractive objective for both sides.  Its present unoccupation by either side was just one of those inexplicable accidents of war that exist simply to puzzle historians.

Looking south along the Russian front line.

Entrusting a picked task force to his favourite Colonel, Ivan Ivanitch Ivanov, Marshal Zhukov instructed him to seize the village and exploit on to control the road extending from Schlammdunsk to a small farm two or three versts to the south.

First Rifle Platoon riding on the tanks of
First Tank Platoon.

To carry out this task, Colonel Ivanov had available elements of 13th Army:

-  A Rifle Company of 111th Rifle Brigade, with three rifle platoons each of an 8-man HQ Section, and two rifle Sections.  Each section had its own PTRD anti-tank rifle.

-  Attached, as was normal (according to the Army List anyhow), was its supporting Machine Gun Company, comprising;

1 Light Machine Gun Platoon with 5xLMG

1 Heavy Machine Gun Platoon with 2xLMG and 4xMMG

1 Light Mortar Platoon with 3x50mm Mortars.

- A Medium (T34) Tank Company of three Platoon, whose 2nd Platoon had been temporarily substituted by a platoon of 3xKV1A heavy tanks - 7xT34/76 and 3xKV1 in all.   

The Rifle Company HQ.

The Russians advanced with the three Rifle platoons forward along the whole front.  Placing his armour upon the right front, with the rifle platoons riding on the medium tanks, Ivanov had the MMG and Mortar platoons linking 2nd and 3rd Rifle Platoons on the left, whilst the LMG Platoon rode upon the KV tanks between 1st and 2nd Platoon on the right.

Battlegroup HQ: Col Ivanov on right of picture.

But the conservative objective given this task force were to prove too restrictive in the event.

Red Army Orders and movements.

As the forces closed from east and west, Col Ivanov stared aghast as through his binoculars he discerned the full strength of the German forces he was facing.  Commanded by Oberstleutnant Antonius von der Ormandy, the Germans has gathered together four platoons of Panzergrenadier infantry, reinforced by a 2-gun section of long-barrelled anti-tank guns - 50mmm PaK38s.

The German front line seen from the north.

But it was not they who concerned Ivanov, but the plethora of Armoured Fighting Vehicles the Germans deployed: an eclectic collection of assault guns and panzers that almost double his own numbers in tanks.  Ivanov counted a Platoon of PzIIIs and another of PzIVs; a Platoon of long gun StuG IIIs, and a Platoon of short; and a pair of Marders carrying  Russian 7.62cm guns.  Altogether a force to be reckoned with.

Germans advancing towards the rich farmlands
west of Schlammdunsk.

Dense woods dominate the middle of the battlefield.

For his part, Oberstleutnant von der Ormandy had as good reason - possibly more - for his own apprehension.  Outnumbered though they were, the Soviet armour was the better protected, and all were armed with the formidable 76.2mm main gun.  It seemed expedient to face the enemy with every AFV he could muster, though he prudently kept back the Marders from the action about to unfold.

It was not long, even after a pause to allow the infantry to dismount before the Soviets were at or near their objectives.  The German armour had meanwhile got ahead of the infantry and soon brought the Russian armour under fire.   The Russians were comfortable enough - aside from a scratch or two and some minor damage to a 3rd platoon T34, the first German shots were largely ineffective.  

A brisk tank battle leads to heavy German losses...

Not so the Russian. The superiority of their armour and armament quickly told.  In a trice 5 German AFVs, smoking gently, were scattered about the field.  A sixth - the PzIII Platoon commander received a hit that put  his tank's gearbox out of action.  In the next few minutes, the Germans managed to break a track upon a 1st Platoon T34, but that was it.  Fortunately the Russians failed to improve their score.

...for trivial cost to the Russians: the expenditure of
 half the ammunition from more than half the tanks, and
one T34 immobilized

All the same, it was clear that with over a third of his armour out of action, a change of plan was called for.  The Oberstleutnant pulled back his tanks and StuGs - the wounded tank crew laying demolition charges before abandoning ship. 

First (PzIII) Panzer Platoon loses 1 tank and the
Company Commander (sand coloured) heavily damaged and
reverse gear knocked out.  This tank was abandoned soon after.

 Down came the smoke to cover the move.   And Colonel Ivanov found himself something at a conundrum.  His orders did not allow for any further advance.  Exploitation was not going to happen quickly, and not at all unless he could get a message through.  Snorting with impatience, he waited as his radio operator tried to get through to his company commanders.  No comms.   He had to wait, fuming with disgust, as the radio operator tried again.

Behind the smoke screen, the Germans regroup
and form a defensive line.

The Germans were able unmolested to pull back behind the line of the Sowchos 73, covering the move by placing his anti-tank guns in the gully separating the twin crowns of the ridge on the other side of the road from the farm.  But he continued advancing in the centre, aiming to seize control of the dense woods in the centre, and hoping thereby to dislocate the Russian line just beyond.  On his far right his 1st (Motorised) and 2nd Platoons mounted the hill facing the eastern farm, in preparation for an assault.

The view looking from behind the German
left flank, south-eastward across the
battleground.

By this time that small farm had been occupied by a rifle section of the Soviet 3rd Platoon.  The remainder of the Platoon lined the irregular ridge to its rear, covering the flank of the Heavy Machine Gun Platoon and the light mortars.  

Two German platoons on the southern flank.

The message at last having got through to his company commanders, Ivanov directed that a push be made towards and to the east of the dense woods.  Third Tank Platoon had to reform its line facing in a south-eastern direction before advancing, to allow the KVs to take over their line.  The German masking smoke covered this movement.  Meanwhile, a section of 2nd Rifle Platoon advanced across the stubble of a recently cleared field in a reconnaissance move to discover the strength of the Germans advancing through the woods.

German manoeuvres and Russian tentative advances
before both sides call off the action.

In what amounted to an ambush, half the section was lost to heavy short range fire from front and flank, and the rest fell back more quickly than they had advanced.  However, the heavy machine guns east of there, alerted by the firing, exacted a toll upon the enemy.  Six of them fell as the long range fire scythed through the leaves.

The Russian left flank, looking NW.
Part of 3rd Rifle Platoon has occupied the small farm.
 Lining the crest of the  ridge line, the rest of 3rd Platoon,
the MMG and Mortar Platoons, and 3rd Tank Pl in the distance.

But the incident put a stop to any further Soviet advance.  Ivanov countermanded his advance order - which exceeded anyway those he had been given.  But the Germans themselves were not especially interested in putting Russian mettle any further to the test.    By tacit agreement both sides settled into their positions , the battle done.

Third Tank Platoon turn to move in a South Westerly direction
just as the Soviet smoke screen begins to fall.  The halt was called soon after.

It is hard to think of an action in which one side lost 6 AFVs and 6 figures, and the other just 5 figures and one heavily damaged but still running AFV, as anything but a decisive victory to the latter.  But it had to be admitted in the final situation, neither side was prepared to chance their arm further.

Looking west, the Soviet view is blocked by the German
smokescreen.  The Red armour was loath to move through that!

Sometimes one has to admit that the game system we are using has certain limitations, which dissuades one from acting too wildly against one's judgement.  Often that limitation lies within the players.  This was a pickup game (Panzer Marsch! rules), pretty much, with terrain fairly thick but more or less randomly laid out.  Force sizes and composition were determined by Army Points (1500 apiece) and time of the war (early to mid 1942).     That I had no orders beyond where I had reached was simply due to my expectation of being unable to get further ahead anyhow.  Tony expected my armour to carry on its advance, but that required the issuing of further orders.  The first attempt simply failed when I rolled a 1 on the comms dice.

His early halt was occasioned by the loss of so many vehicles so quickly - one turn (mine) withal.  Mine was due to many causes: unfamiliarity with a rule set I play about twice a year; the Germans' change of stance from advance to defence;  the strength of the German infantry and support weapons; that at least 6 of my 10 tanks had already used up half their ammunition; early failure of comms; and finally, Colonel Ivanov's attack of spinal jaundice.   Not that Marshal Zhukov blamed him overmuch.  His orders had been carried out, after all.

Intermezzo: Encounter at Chilyabunnsk - concluded.

Continuing from my last posting, I had decided my main effort was to to be on my right, the Tank Company being accompanied by two rifle platoons and the mortar company.   The intention was to seize the ridge beyond the stream, eventually to line the crest with the mortars to support the further advance on that axis by the tanks and infantry.  A German light tank, edging around the woods fronting the stream discovered the error of its ways and was swiftly knocked out on the road.

But the Germans rather got the ridge first - or at least had reached a point at which too hasty an advance by my cheloveks was going to be extremely hazardous.

For all that, a section of Nr2 Platoon did occupy the edge of the dense thicket lining the headwaters of the creek, and there awaited an attack by the whole of the German 2nd Platoon.

Sure enough, that was where the two forces first collided, the Germans coming on in strength.  The first fires of the Russian infantry felled a few Germans but it was quickly obvious that the line of the stream east of the road would not long be held.  In a brisk exchange of fire, the Russian section gave its all, all ten men dying where they stood, each but one taking an enemy with him.   Quickly the remainder of Nr2 Platoon lined the near edge of the wood to await the German advance therein.

Meanwhile, the StuG Platoon that tried to penetrate the defile between the woods immediately to the north of the town got a swift reminder that the Russian tank company commander was on the qui vive.  The moment the first StuG poked its nose around the corner, it took a fatal hit.  The remaining two sat back for a bit of a think.

As the Russians hesitated on their right flank, the Germans were making use of the time to build up for a massive strike.  Possibly in order to distract the Soviets, or maybe to test their mettle, a PzIV attempted to ease around the east end of the wood.  It also fell victim to accurate effective tank gunnery.

The anticipated surge was not long in coming, but the Russians were waiting for them.  Over the crest came the long line of German tanks, to engage Nr2 Tank Platoon at point blank range.  Outnumbered more than two to one, the latter could, however, count up the support of Nr1 platoon within effective range, and the anti-tank rifles of 1st Rifle Platoon.   

Accurate so far across the whole front, the Russian gunnery failed them somewhat under the close pressure.  True, one panzer blew up and caught fire; another suffered heavy damage but was able to continue the fight, whilst the PzIVF2, coming in for special treatment by the right hand T34, escaped with minor damage.  Despite being on the move,  The Germans did better.  Two T34s bit the dust, one immediately bursting into flames, and the survivor made off.  

This was not at all good news for the Soviets, in view of the build up of German strength in the centre.  Oberstleutnant von Ormandy had long since made the decision to commit his reserve panzerjaeger to the centre in support of his armoured left hook, and now he brought up his anti-tank guns as well.  The latter move - the classic German cooperation between tank and anti-tank, was to prove decisive, and in spectacular fashion.

But what was happening on the rest of the front?  With ample armoured resources available, the German commander had made it his policy to apply heavy pressure along the whole front.  His attempted second probe in his right centre suffered a worse fate than the first: a second StuG shuddering smoking to a halt, whereat the survivor fell back a short distance for another rethink.   

On the extreme eastern flank, a brisk firefight had developed between 1st StuG Platoon and the anti-tank guns and rifles lining the wall of the cornfield.  As they approached, they caught the LMG platoon running for the woods, cutting down 4 of their number before they reached cover.  Sweeping around it they were met by heavy and effective anti-tank that put the long-barrelled AFV at once out of action.  But then the inherent vulnerability of anti-tank guns, even in ambush, asserted itself, and they, and #2 Section's ATR were quickly silenced. 

At this point I have to apologize to the reader for the lack of AT guns in these pictures.  I simply forgot to pack the correct box on the day.  So had to substitute Panzer Lehr counters, with green D6s showing crew strength.  I would not have included them in the pictures at all, but they did perform tolerably well on the day, destroying two StuGs, and heavily damaging two others.

Having achieved an early and perhaps lucky success, the German panzers resumed their sweep, the Russian 1st rifle Platoon losing its AT rifle team to tank MG fire and being edged off its river line position.  The mortar company, unable to achieve anything useful in the circumstances, hastily began to fade into the tall timber to their rear, and the Russian 1st Tank Platoon made ready to take on the remaining panzers.

But now the odds were much more heavily against them,  Although they managed to inflict further damage - another panzer knocked out - there was a lot more incoming than outgoing.  For all that, most of the German fire was ineffective, doing hardly any worthwhile damage.  But the gunners of the PaK38 platoon were deadeye veterans of many a battle, each gun taking on a different T34.  Wham!  Wham! two shots, two hits.  Boomph!  Woomph!  Two hits; two knockouts.  His AT guns needing 5s to hit, Tony rolled something like 6 and 7 on his D10;  and  on his D6s for effect: 2 sixes!  You couldn't argue with that!

That was the battle, pretty much. Although the remnants of one of the German panzer platoons fell back over the ridge, the surviving T34 of 1st Platoon also decided against sticking around, and made off to the north.  In this decision he was helped by his Tank commander being brewed up in his vehicle under fire from the StuGs on the distant flank.   

Opposition to the German advance on the right had by now faded away to nothing, and it was going to be a case of sauve qui peut for the Russians remaining.

Yet the Germans knew they had been in a fight to crack the Russian resistance.  Though they had killed or wounded some 35 Soviet infantry and gunners, and destroyed 5 of 7 enemy tanks; though they had successfully secure Chilyabunnsk against Soviet attack for months to come, the price had not come cheap.

Although just 9 infantry were lost, as many as 7 German AFVs were now wrecks, and a further 5 would have to see the inside of a workshop very shortly (had taken a Heavy Damage hit, or, in the case of the PzIVf2, 3 light damage hits - any more damage would have seen that vehicle smoking merrily on the field).

A German victory: undeniably.  But it was one of those occasions in which Col Ivan Andreivitch Dowmanovitchski could sip philosophically his vodka with a splash of vodka and derive a certain satisfaction from the day's events.

Intermezzo: Encounter at Chilyabunnsk

Labour weekend being the time that the Cavalier Club stages its 'Conquest' wargames convention left not much activity happening at the Woolston Club (which I think is still the best wargames venue in Christchurch.

So the pick-up Panzer Marsch game between myself and Tony Ormandy was played in splendid isolation on an 8'x6' table in the middle of an empty floor.  A couple of other guys (Kevin and Jonathan) turned up to kibitz and chew the fat, and a pleasant laid-back sort of day was the outcome.

General narrative:

Colonel I.A. Dowmanovitchsky received the order on May 9th to make a push towards the important rural town of Chilyabunnsk, to destroy all Hitlerite troops therein, and occupy and fortify the place for defence.  It so happened that the town had lain pretty much unscathed in no man's land through the terrible winter just past, and the local German commander detailed Oberstleutnant Antonio von Ormandy with a kampfgruppe of all arms to take, carry or seize the town and the ridges beyond, and if possible to exploit on towards the north.   So it was that the early morning of May 9th 1942 found the two battlegroups racing to meet each other.  The Germans achieved their first objective, the town, without opposition, but it soon became apparent that the day was not going to continue peacefully for much longer...

The first pictures are of a general Russian advance: Nr3 Rifle platoon, the MMG Platoon, and a platoon of 45mm Anti-tank guns entering a large field; whilst a weak tank company, carrying  Nr2 Rifle platoon, moves rapidly up the road.

 The Soviet OOB was as follows (1500Army Points under the Panzer Marsch system:

* Battlegroup Command - C.O. and rifle section, with Ammo supply vehicle and a 76.2mm Infantry gun attached;

* Tank Company (understrength) of 2 Platoons, 7 T34/76 tanks overall;

* Rifle Company of 3 Platoons each comprising an 8-man HQ section and 2 10-man rifle sections

(each section, including the Coy HQ, carried 2 SMGs, 1 LMG, 5 Rifles and a PTRD Anti-Tank Rifle)

* Machine-gun Company (attached to Rifle Company) with:

     - Medium MG Platoon - 4xMMG

     - Light MG Platoon - 5xLMG

     - Light Mortar Platoon - 3x50mm Mortars

* Mortar Company - 6 x 82mm Mortars carried by as many light trucks

* Anti-tank gun Platoon - 4 x 45L46 Anti-tank guns with light truck tows (unfortunately, I forgot to pack the guns - or at least, I thought I had.  This will spoil some of the pics, unfortunately...)

 The above picture shows the Russian tank column carrying Nr2 Platoon up the road...

...and this shows Nr1 Platoon to their immediate right advancing on foot.  Most of these are ESCI figures, but the SMG guy in the fur hat is the figure that came with the Matchbox T34 kit, and the rest are Airfix or Hong knockoffs of some outfit I've never been able to identify.

Trucks of the Mortar company advance up the right flank...

I never did get a very clear picture of the German OOB, but broadly speaking the Battlegoup comprised:

* Battlegroup HQ

* A weak Composite Panzer Company with a PzIIF, Several PzIII tanks armed severally with 37mm (PzIIIF), short 50mm (PzIIIH) and long 50mm (Panzer IIIJ); and PzIVF1s and a PzIVF2 - a total of 9 Panzers.

Panzer company advancing up the German left flank

 * Antitank Gun Platoon with 2 x 50mm PaK38s, and a 37mm PaK35/36

German antitank company deploys along the north edge
 of the orchard

 * A weak Panzerjager platoon with 2 Marders armed with 75L43 guns.

Panzerjager company in reserve at the south end of the town.

 * An infantry company - a platoon and Coy HQ of which ensconced itself in the town.

Wehrmacht Nr1 Infantry Platoon,
sweeping through Chilyabunnsk

 * Two StuGIII platoons attached to the composite Panzer Coy.  Each comprised 3 StuGs.  The lead (Nr! Platoon comprised 1 long and 2 short gunned AFVs and the 2nd, 2 long and 1 short.

The two StuG Platoons, one heading to sweep around
the right, the other to push up the right centre between
the wooded areas.

Below is the general view of the table from the German point of view.  The Panzers advance up the left flank, heading through the open woods thence onto the ridge beyond.  The StuG platoons push up on the right, Nr1 platoon sweeping around to the right of the wooded areas in an attempt to flank the Soviet positions; Nr2 Platoon was to push between the small tracts of dense wood close by the town (Chilyabunnsk) and surrounding the source of the small stream.

Chilyabunnsk and environs, looking north, the Germans
advancing from the south.

 The centre was covered by the infantry platoon in Chilyabunnsk; the Antitank Gun Platoon dropped into battery position along the north face of the orchard;  Nr 2 Platoon raced forward in its motor vehicles and disembarked in the lee of the central hill (We'll call it point 101); and Nr3 Platoon accompanied the Panzers.

Looking south from behind Soviet lines.

Here's the situation from the Soviet perspective.  The tanks, together with Nr2 Rifle Platoon race up the road, but not so fast they were unable to time their halt to unload.  Nr1 Platoon had perforce to advance on foot, which meant they fetched up behind Nr2 Platoon.  Upon the right flank, the Mortar company also advanced.  I did hope I could occupy the ridge and Point 101 betimes, but things didn't work out that way.

Meanwhile, Nr3 Platoon, together with the anti-tank guns and MMG Platoon were to set up a defensive position in the large field.  The LMG moved up on its left heading for the woods in front of the field (and with luck the woods beyond), and it was hoped a section from the Rifle Platoon could occupy the wood also.

Both sides surprised the other with its selection of AFVs Tony expected me to front with 10 T34s at least (we were looking at early 1942 as the limit of our allowed technology); and I had to admit that the 17 tanks and assault guns the Germans turned up came as something of a shock.  We'll see what happened next time...