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
PG-HQ Library - Panzer Grenadier Hall > Scenarios > FrRu027
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Balance:


Overall balance chart for FrRu027
Total
Side 1 1
Draw 0
Side 2 0
Overall Rating, 1 vote
5
4
3
2
1
5
Scenario Rank: --- of 913
Parent Game Fronte Russo
Historicity Historical
Date 1942-07-30
Start Time 08:30
Turn Count 12
Visibility Day
Counters 96
Net Morale 1
Net Initiative 1
Maps 4: 2, 4, 5, 8
Layout Dimensions 86 x 56 cm
34 x 22 in
Play Bounty 151
AAR Bounty 171
Total Plays 1
Total AARs 1
Battle Types
Inflict Enemy Casualties
Conditions
Terrain Mods
Scenario Requirements & Playability
Eastern Front Maps + Counters
Fronte Russo Base Game
Introduction

Celere Division, temporarily attached to the German 17th Army, was ordered to rush to the Don River and secure the area around the town of Serafimovich. After reaching the area late on the 29th, Italian commanders learned that the understrength German 578th Regiment had been pushed back by approximately 3,000 Soviets. The following day Celere moved to clear the enemy bridgehead, while the Soviets moved to catch the advancing Italians off-guard. The Bersaglieri battalions had not all yet reached their objectives and Italian artillery had just been positioned when the Soviets attacked by surprise.
Conclusion

The attack was made by a tank brigade and tank-riding infantry. The XIX Battalion had a bad day: two enemy tanks were destroyed by its few anti-tank specialized squads, but the rest of its units were so spread out that they panicked. The unit lost cohesion and was withdrawn. The XIII Battalion performed far better; its men were able to separate the enemy tanks from their infantry units with small arms fire. But the majority of the Soviet tanks filtered through the infantry screen and smashed into II Group, with several Italian guns being literally overrun. However, fire from the most powerful anti-tank guns (the best the Italians had in Russia) proved very effective, and the Soviets finally withdrew having lost about 15 tanks in total.
Additional Notes

Italians use 1 x 76.2mm - captured Soviet piece
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).
  • 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
Display Order of Battle
Italy Order of Battle
Regio Esercito
  • Motorized
Soviet Union Order of Battle
Army (RKKA)
  • Foot
  • Mechanized
  • Towed
Display AARs (1)
Fronte Russo, scenario #27: Serafimovich: Day One
Author JayTownsend
Method Solo
Victor Italy
Play Date 2011-03-28
Language English
Scenario FrRu027

Fronte Russo, scenario #27: Serafimovich: Day One

This is an interesting scenario! One, the forces composed against each other are so different. The Soviets are mainly Armor, T34As & BT7s with SMG and Leaders riding in on the Armor against the Italian forces of tons of Infantry and even more Artillery & AT Guns as well as Support Weapons, Trucks and Leaders. The Italian Infantry & AT guns start close to the front but the majority of the Artillery starts on the West end of the board and must race up to support the Infantry. The Soviets enter on the East side of map board in two groups, one not entering until turn 3 of a 12 turn game. The Victory Conditions are set at different point levels of eliminated units.

I had no idea on how to approach this battle, for either side, so it was very interesting to play and try to figure out both sides options. The Soviets went right to the move up and attack mode, while the Italians had to scrabble to get setup in defensive positions. Some of the Artillery could not made it up to the front safely and had to setup farther back in support but some made it up for direct support & AT fire support. Just enough in fact to swing the battle, as the Italian Infantry also had the East Front Panic rule in effect for the Infantry & HMG units.

The Soviet SMG units suffered miserably with so many Italian Artillery types blasting them and separating them from their armor. The short time factor hurt the Soviet armor as well and they lost two steps of T34As not to mention 4 steps of SMG infantry, while the Italians lost two 81mm units overrun, one truck and one Leader. Thus the Italians scored 8 points and the Soviets 2 points giving the Italians a minor victory.

I still believe there are many approaches to this scenario and either side can win, but I think I need to dump off the Soviet SMG units much earlier in a safer location and forget the Italian Infantry units and go right after their artillery units at all risk. I’ll have to try this one again. Very nice scenario, especially with the odd forces and the very small time frame for both sides.

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PG-HQ Library - Panzer Grenadier Hall > Scenarios > FrRu027
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