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 > RtBr048
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Kustrin Corridor
Road to Berlin #48
(Defender) Germany vs Soviet Union (Attacker)
Formations Involved
Germany 1st SS "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler" Division
Germany Muncheberg Panzer Battalion
Soviet Union 20th Tank Brigade
Soviet Union 47th Guards Rifle Division
Display
Balance:


Overall balance chart for RtBr048
Total
Side 1 2
Draw 0
Side 2 0
Overall Rating, 2 votes
5
4
3
2
1
4.5
Scenario Rank: --- of 913
Parent Game Road to Berlin
Historicity Historical
Date 1945-03-22
Start Time 07:15
Turn Count 24
Visibility Day
Counters 70
Net Morale 0
Net Initiative 1
Maps 3: 15, 19, 21
Layout Dimensions 84 x 43 cm
33 x 17 in
Play Bounty 106
AAR Bounty 171
Total Plays 2
Total AARs 1
Battle Types
Inflict Enemy Casualties
Rural Assault
Urban Assault
Conditions
Off-board Artillery
Scenario Requirements & Playability
Road to Berlin Base Game
Introduction

A narrow strip of German-controlled ground connected the 18th century fortress of Kustrin at the junction of the Warthe and Oder Rivers to the German lines outside Berlin. Kustrin had held out for over a month when Marshal Georgi Zhukov ordered his subordinates to finally eliminate this German bridgehead. Step one was a concerted attack on the corridor.

Conclusion

The Disparate German formations flung randomly together in front of Berlin had little coordination (most of the SS battalion's parent division was in Hungary, for example, while the panzer battalion had a fairly random selection of mostly-new tanks and assault guns), and the Guardsmen had been heavily reinforced by 8th Guards Army. The Guards drove into the German position despite heavy tank losses to the German Panthers, and forced their way through to link up with other attacking Soviets to the north.
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
  • Assault Gun: if closed-top, provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable
  • Self-Propelled Artillery: do not provide the +1 Assault bonus, even if closed-top (SB)
Display Order of Battle
Germany Order of Battle
Heer
  • Leader
Schutzstaffel
  • Towed
Soviet Union Order of Battle
Army (RKKA)
  • Leader
Guards
  • Towed
Display Errata (3)
3 Errata Items
Overall balance chart for 41

All SS PzIVH tanks should have a movement of 8.

(Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
Overall balance chart for 424

The reduced direct fire value of the SS HMG is 5-5 in Beyond Normandy and Road to Berlin.

(plloyd1010 on 2015 Jul 31)
Overall balance chart for 896

These units should have a Direct Fire rating of 2-3, just like the RKKA and NKVD counterparts.

(danradz on 2011 May 04)
Display AARs (1)
Soviets couldn't solve the German armor
Author t1M0t8yk (Soviet Union)
Method VASSAL
Victor Germany
Participants unknown
Play Date 2015-10-15
Language English
Scenario RtBr048

This is really a jim-dandy of a scenario. It is perhaps worth a 5. Rich and I actually played it twice. Both times I was the Soviets, and both times I lost. The last time I checked no one had written an AAR for it. If I am indeed the first to do so it is my pleasure.

The script is a really good one. The Soviets have the numbers, in both tanks and infantry. Clearly though they need to solve the problem of Germany's superior armor. They outnumber the German armor two to one, so I believe it can be done. Unfortunately, I lack the experience to know how to apply the Soviet numerical superiority to make the difference they need.

Rich's Germans were fairly evenly distributed west to east on all three maps. The Panthers were in the west, and the other German armor in center and east. The first time I swept in on the west side. Soon the armor were trading shots, and I was getting the worst of it. At that point I suggested we start over, lamenting that I thought the Soviets should use their abundant OBA to target German armor. I didn't do that in this first version of the scenario.

The second time I swept in on the east side. An advantage of this approach is it provides more cover to advancing infantry. Unfortunately, the Soviet OBA was almost completely ineffective. I also had an early FoW 16+ and lost an initiative roll at a critical point when I was trying to leverage my armor numbers in a decisive armor exchange. Alas, before long the Panthers and other German armor chewed up the Soviets again.

I definitely want to revisit this scenario. I'd like to try the Germans since my setup would be much different than Rich's. I also want to play the Soviets again. I will however prefer to play it face-to-face. Vassal is great with a friend like Rich with whom I can rarely meet. Some scenarios, however, beg for face-to-face play. And I think FTF will help me polish my tactical skills for PG.
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