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
Errors? Omissions? Report them!
Retreat from Turiec
First Axis #27
(Defender) Slovak Republic
(Defender) Soviet Union
vs Germany (Attacker)
Formations Involved
Germany 178th "Tatra" Panzer Division
Slovak Republic 5th Tatical Group
Soviet Union 1st Czech Partisan Brigade
Display
Balance:



Overall balance chart for FiAx027
Total
Side 1 0
Draw 0
Side 2 1
Overall Rating, 1 vote
5
4
3
2
1
5
Scenario Rank: --- of 913
Parent Game First Axis
Historicity Historical
Date 1944-09-21
Start Time 10:00
Turn Count 36
Visibility Day
Counters 143
Net Morale 1
Net Initiative 1
Maps 5: 15, 17, 18, 6, 9
Layout Dimensions 140 x 43 cm
55 x 17 in
Play Bounty 188
AAR Bounty 171
Total Plays 1
Total AARs 1
Battle Types
Rear Guard
Rural Assault
Conditions
Hidden Units
Randomly-drawn Aircraft
Terrain Mods
Scenario Requirements & Playability
Battle of the Bulge Maps
Eastern Front Counters
First Axis Base Game
Road to Berlin Maps + Counters
Sinister Forces Counters
Introduction

German attacks slowed as they gathered more force and repressed partisan activity in their rear areas, but the Slovaks took little advantage of the reprieve. The Tatra Division absorbed several new battalions and then pushed forward against the unprepared Slovaks around Sucany. Thought the Slovaks fought hard, their position crumbled and a disorganized retreat began. Only the tough partisans of the communist 1st Czech Brigade kept their heads.

Conclusion

Only the intervention of the partisans - who included Red Army cadres - save the Slovaks from annihilation. Slowed by ambushes, the Germans methodically reduced the guerrillas and inflicted heavy casualties on them, but the Slovaks had the chance to rally and set up a new defense line. The 5th Tactical Group was soon disbanded, its men and weapons assigned to other units.


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
  • Armored Cars: These are Combat Units. They are motorized instead of mechanized. All have their own armored car leaders, who can only activate armored cars (6.85). Do not provide the +1 Assault bonus (ACC).
  • Reconnaissance Vehicle: 8.23 Special Spotting Powers Both foot and vehicle mounted recce units (1.2) possess two special spotting abilities. The first ability is that they can spot enemy in limiting terrain at one hex further than the TEC specifies for other units and leaders. For example, an enemy unit in town can normally be spotted at three hexes or less, but a recce unit can spot them at four hexes.Their second ability is that they can place a Spotted marker on any one enemy unit they can spot per turn, just as if the enemy unit had "blown its cover" by firing. Such Spotted markers are removed as described earlier.
  • 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
  • Towed
Slovak Republic Order of Battle
Slovenská Armáda
  • Mechanized
Soviet Union Order of Battle
Army (RKKA)
  • Foot
NKVD

Display Errata (5)

5 Errata Items
Overall balance chart for 2

Two 105mms (ID#s 1204, 1205) have "16-31" fire values in black (direct fire), when they should be in white (indirect fire).

(Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
Overall balance chart for 20

The reduced direct fire value of the Heer HMG became 5-5 starting with Fall of France.

(plloyd1010 on 2015 Jul 31)
Overall balance chart for 41

All SS PzIVH tanks should have a movement of 8.

(Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
Overall balance chart for 63

The morale and combat modifiers of German Sergeant #1614 should be "0", not "8".

(Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
Overall balance chart for 484

Liberation 1944's Tiger movement and armor ratings are backwards. They should be Armor 7 and Movement 5.

(petermc on 2014 Feb 14)

Display AARs (1)

Two for the Price of One
Author Matt W
Method Solo
Victor Germany
Play Date 2011-07-24
Language English
Scenario FiAx027

This is really two different battles. In one, a terrible morale (6/4) Slovak force is attempting to exit the 5 lengthwise boards while being attacked by the Luftwaffe and slowly increasing ground forces. In the second, a high morale partisan ground stiffened by Omsbon and NKVD HMGs attempts to block a strong German force from breaking through to pursue said lowly Slovaks.

This is also a long scenario (36 turns) which gives the Slovaks plenty of time to try to hide from the Luftwaffe but they are constantly concerned with their partisan friends who are being ground into dust back at the entry zone for the Germans. There is a lot going on in this one and both players have to bounce back and forth between the running Slovaks and the fight against the partisans.

In my play of this one the Slovaks running got a great start as the Luftwaffe missed its first several shots but eventually they started getting hit and disrupted/demoralized. The retreat began to look like the retreat out of Kuwait with red and black covered Slovak units scattered along the road. Still a large force was able to exit onto the final board and prepare to exit. Suddenly, however, a single armored car was able to get onto the final board and subject the retreating Slovaks to Op Fire which delayed their retreat. After two turns they were joined by 10 PZ IVs which pretty much shut the retreat off.

At the point that the armored cars arrived there were 8 steps of Slovaks in the area and 13 had exited. To get a 15 point bonus the Germans had to keep the number of Slovaks retreating to 14 or less. The poor morale of the Slovaks ensured that they were unable to pass through the armored car screen.

Back on the entry board the partisans were trying to kill enough Germans to counterbalance the dying Slovaks but were unable to as they continued to get slammed by the German artillery and they were basically reduced to scraps by the seventh hour of fighting and the ability to continuing causing losses was basically done.

The Germans made some early mistakes as they ran their armored cars into some partisans who gleefully used can openers on the terrified occupants thus reducing the German chances of stopping the fleeing Slovaks but also had monster dice with their artillery so I guess it evens out.

There is so much going on in so many different locations on the board that it is impossible to produce a coherent AAR. This is one you just have to experience. It was a ton of fun. I give it a "5".

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