Operation Citadel : Soviet Counterattack (Final campaign game)

On July 10, 1943, the Allies invaded Sicily. In response, Hitler called off Operation:Citadel despite what amounted to a successful, if slower than expected, operation, in order to return forces to Italy.  For this final battle in my campaign, I opted for a  hypothetical Soviet counter-attack on the withdrawing Grossdeutschland division.

The scenario is a slightly stretched out version of scenario 20, Fighting Retreat from One Hour Wargames.

GD Pioneers, a Panzer unit, and GD PanzerJagers prepare to cross the ford on the German left. GD PzGrenadier Regiment and Division HQ would cross on the right.

The Germans crossed uneventfully with the Soviets on their heels - six battalions of infantry, a mortar battery, regimental HQ,  and an AT battery.

The view on GD's right. I and II/PzG hold up the Soviets  at the ford.

The GD panzer battalion was the first to fall. The Pioneers fell back to join elements of GD already on the hill.

HQ ordered the PzGrens to fall back and allow the Soviets to cross in order to draw them into range of more of the unit.

I/PzGren held off the Soviets.

On the G right (they're now facing the opposite table edge so their direction reversed), the pioneers would hold off several attacks by the Soviets.

The Soviet steamroller sets its sights on taking out the pioneers an then advancing on the hill.

The pioneers force them back, and III/PzGen sweeps down to flank the Soviets.

GD HQ orders a counter-attack and I and II/PzGren descend on the Soviet forces causing them losses and pushing them back across the river.

Soviet infantry takes to the woods in an effort to mass for a concentrated attack against the pioneers.

The pioneers finally fell after gallantly holding out. The Soviets attempted to roll up the PanzerJagers only to find out that they were outmatched. 

Forced to fall back to the woods to lick their wounds, it would be the last effort of the Soviets.

With the elimination of the mortar battery, the Soviet HQ was forced to call off the attack and withdraw.

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The big lesson learned here is that I should have given the Soviets some motorized infantry, and that veteran troops (like the GD pioneers and Panzergrenadier regiment) are very hard to eliminate even if you're scoring hits on them (which is fine, that's how I want my rules to play).

Grossdeutschland lost pioneers and their Panzers but wore out the Soviet attack and held the hill uncontested.

The Soviets took heavy losses (5 units).

GD earned 2 points for units eliminated and 2 points for the win. The Soviets earned 1 point for the units they eliminated.

Grossdeutschland 17, Soviets 11. A German campaign victory. 

It was quite enjoyable to pretend I was fielding a division or close to it in each scenario - and while my units don't look anything like a battalion, 2 infantry stands or 1 vehicle = 1 battalion worked for me once  was playing (i see them as counters in hex-and-chit game). I'm not sure I did anything that fell into that level of gaming though or if I was focused to low in the action. No matter, I had fun.

I plan to play this campaign again, but less like a tournament, and more like a campaign, with Grossdeutschland's losses carrying from battle to battle, weather, and of course air support. I also think artillery should have played more of a role in some of the scenarios.

However, that will wait a bit. I am turning my focus to my late 19th century forces and any gaming in between now and then will probably be just one-off WWII games to tie me over - I want to play some lower level games with Battalion Squares, G Company,  maybe try Crossfire, and some 1:1 with One Hour Skirmish or Fistful of Lead.