Panzer Grenadier Headquarters - Library: First Axis #25

Panzer Grenadier Battles on April 27th:
Arctic Front Deluxe #40 - Children's Crusade	Broken Axis #14 - Târgu Frumos: The Second Battle Scenario 3: Sledge Hammer of the Proletariat
Army Group South Ukraine #6 - Consternation	Road to Berlin #73 - She-Wolves of the SS

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Slovak Revival First Axis #25
(Defender) Slovak Republic	vs	Germany (Attacker)

Formations Involved
Germany		Kampfgruppe von Ohlen
Slovak Republic		Dubrovodsky Combat Group

	Total
Side 1	0
Draw	0
Side 2	1

Overall Rating, 1 vote
5 4 3 2 1 2
Scenario Rank: --- of 913

Parent Game	First Axis
Historicity	Historical
Date	1944-09-05
Start Time	08:00
Turn Count	36
Visibility	Day
Counters	92
Net Morale	0
Net Initiative	0
Maps	4: 17, 18, 19, 5
Layout Dimensions	86 x 56 cm 34 x 22 in
Play Bounty	169
AAR Bounty	171
Total Plays	1
Total AARs	1

Battle Types
Exit the Battle Area

Conditions
Off-board Artillery
Randomly-drawn Aircraft

Scenario Requirements & Playability
Eastern Front	Maps
First Axis	Base Game
Road to Berlin	Maps + Counters

Introduction
Realizing that this fight might continue for some time, the Germans gathered their mixed bag of small units into the new 178th "Tatra" Panzer Grenadier Division and renewed their attack. The Slovaks continued to gain reinforcements, and every day a few more tanks previously notes as "irreparable" on reports made to central headquarters or the German liaison staff rolled out of the arsenal in Martin.

Introduction

Realizing that this fight might continue for some time, the Germans gathered their mixed bag of small units into the new 178th "Tatra" Panzer Grenadier Division and renewed their attack. The Slovaks continued to gain reinforcements, and every day a few more tanks previously notes as "irreparable" on reports made to central headquarters or the German liaison staff rolled out of the arsenal in Martin.

Conclusion
This time the Slovaks fought with much more determination, and when it became obvious that the German attack had faltered their tanks launched a counterattack of their own. The tanks met with disaster, moving forward without artillery preparation or infantry support, and German anti-tank guns soon dispatched the Slovak Panzer III's while the Slovak light tanks somehow escaped a gunnery duel with the German Panzer IV's.

Conclusion

This time the Slovaks fought with much more determination, and when it became obvious that the German attack had faltered their tanks launched a counterattack of their own. The tanks met with disaster, moving forward without artillery preparation or infantry support, and German anti-tank guns soon dispatched the Slovak Panzer III's while the Slovak light tanks somehow escaped a gunnery duel with the German Panzer IV's.

Display Relevant AFV Rules

AFV Rules Pertaining to this Scenario's Order of Battle
Vulnerable to results on the Assault Combat Chart (7.25, 7.63, ACC), and may be attacked by Anti-Tank fire (11.2, DFT). Anti-Tank fire only affects the individual unit fired upon (7.62, 11.0). AFV's are activated by tank leaders (3.2, 3.3, 5.42, 6.8). They may also be activated as part of an initial activating stack, but if activated in this way would need a tank leader in order to carry out combat movement. AFV's do not block Direct Fire (10.1). Full-strength AFV's with "armor efficiency" may make two anti-tank (AT) fire attacks per turn (either in their action segment or during opportunity fire) if they have AT fire values of 0 or more (11.2). Each unit with an AT fire value of 2 or more may fire at targets at a distance of between 100% and 150% of its printed AT range. It does so at half its AT fire value. (11.3) Efficient and non-efficient AFV's may conduct two opportunity fires per turn if using direct fire (7.44, 7.64). Units with both Direct and AT Fire values may use either type of fire in the same turn as their opportunity fire, but not both (7.22, 13.0). Units which can take opportunity fire twice per turn do not have to target the same unit both times (13.0). Demoralized AFV's are not required to flee from units that do not have AT fire values (14.3). Place a Wreck marker when an AFV is eliminated in a bridge or town hex (16.3). AFV's do not benefit from Entrenchments (16.42). AFV's may Dig In (16.2). Open-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables, but DO take step losses from X and #X results (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT). If a "2X" or "3X" result is rolled, at least one of the step losses must be taken by an open-top AFV if present. Closed-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables. Do not take step losses from Direct or Bombardment Fire. If X or #X result on Fire Table, make M morale check instead (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT). Closed-top AFV's: Provide the +1 modifier on the Assault Table when combined with infantry. (Modifier only applies to Germans in all scenarios; Soviet Guards in scenarios taking place after 1942; Polish, US and Commonwealth in scenarios taking place after 1943.) (ACC) Tank: all are closed-top and provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable Tank Destroyer: do not provide the +1 Assault bonus, even if closed-top (SB) Prime Movers: Transports which only transport towed units and/or leaders (May not carry personnel units). May or may not be armored (armored models are open-top). All are mechanized. (SB)

AFV Rules Pertaining to this Scenario's Order of Battle

Vulnerable to results on the Assault Combat Chart (7.25, 7.63, ACC), and may be attacked by Anti-Tank fire (11.2, DFT). Anti-Tank fire only affects the individual unit fired upon (7.62, 11.0).
AFV's are activated by tank leaders (3.2, 3.3, 5.42, 6.8). They may also be activated as part of an initial activating stack, but if activated in this way would need a tank leader in order to carry out combat movement.
AFV's do not block Direct Fire (10.1).
Full-strength AFV's with "armor efficiency" may make two anti-tank (AT) fire attacks per turn (either in their action segment or during opportunity fire) if they have AT fire values of 0 or more (11.2).
Each unit with an AT fire value of 2 or more may fire at targets at a distance of between 100% and 150% of its printed AT range. It does so at half its AT fire value. (11.3)
Efficient and non-efficient AFV's may conduct two opportunity fires per turn if using direct fire (7.44, 7.64). Units with both Direct and AT Fire values may use either type of fire in the same turn as their opportunity fire, but not both (7.22, 13.0). Units which can take opportunity fire twice per turn do not have to target the same unit both times (13.0).
Demoralized AFV's are not required to flee from units that do not have AT fire values (14.3).
Place a Wreck marker when an AFV is eliminated in a bridge or town hex (16.3).
AFV's do not benefit from Entrenchments (16.42).
AFV's may Dig In (16.2).
Open-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables, but DO take step losses from X and #X results (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT). If a "2X" or "3X" result is rolled, at least one of the step losses must be taken by an open-top AFV if present.
Closed-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables. Do not take step losses from Direct or Bombardment Fire. If X or #X result on Fire Table, make M morale check instead (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT).
Closed-top AFV's: Provide the +1 modifier on the Assault Table when combined with infantry. (Modifier only applies to Germans in all scenarios; Soviet Guards in scenarios taking place after 1942; Polish, US and Commonwealth in scenarios taking place after 1943.) (ACC)
Tank: all are closed-top and provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable
Tank Destroyer: do not provide the +1 Assault bonus, even if closed-top (SB)
Prime Movers: Transports which only transport towed units and/or leaders (May not carry personnel units). May or may not be armored (armored models are open-top). All are mechanized. (SB)

Display Order of Battle

Germany Order of Battle

Heer
Foot Leader Mechanized Motorized Towed

Heer

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Motorized

Towed

Slovak Republic Order of Battle

Slovenská Armáda
Foot Leader Mechanized Towed

Slovenská Armáda

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Towed

Display Errata (3)

3 Errata Items
	The reduced direct fire value of the Heer HMG became 5-5 starting with Fall of France. (plloyd1010 on 2015 Jul 31)
	All SS PzIVH tanks should have a movement of 8. (Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
	The morale and combat modifiers of German Sergeant #1614 should be "0", not "8". (Shad on 2010 Dec 15)

Display AARs (1)

And Then There Were None

Author	Matt W
Method	Solo
Victor	Germany
Play Date	2011-07-07
Language	English
Scenario	FiAx025

This scenario is quite simiilar to the previous one where a reasonably sized German force has to enter a four board area, clear the entry area of Slovak troops and then march a portion off the opposite edge. The Slovaks, without foreknowledge of the entry spot for the Germans need to cover the entire board to try to stop this and, in so doing, leave themselves open to being defeated in detail.

The Slovaks again drew leaders without, by and large, any modifiers. While the German leaders were not conspicuously better they did have some morale modifiers and were able to concentrate them with their offensive units.

The Slovaks concentrated a large force in the swamps in order to avoid detection as long as possible. Unfortunately the spread nature of the Slovak deployment permitted the Germans to concentrate against individual pockets of Slovaks and destroy them in detail. Unlike the previous scenario, however, the Slovaks were able to cause several losses to the Germans but not enough to change the final results.

By 1/3 of the way through the scenario the Slovaks had caused 9 German step losses but were down to 7 steps of infantry. The Germans did expose their armor to shots from the Marder and the 75s of the Slovaks but only took one step loss from that fire and were able to destroy all of the antitank capability of the defenders by the 10th turn.

From what I can see the Slovaks have little chance in this one if they try to fight. Perhaps a deeper deployment with widely spread units with the capability to move back onto the entry areas would make the scenario last longer and entice the Germans to move into a "contain" mode but if the Germans look to eliminate the Slovaks there seems to be little that the Slovaks can do to stop it.

A shorter scenario would give the Slovaks at least a chance at avoiding the destruction. I give this one a "2".

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FiAx026

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