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 > WhEa003
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Life Guards
White Eagles #3
(Defender) Poland vs Germany (Attacker)
Formations Involved
Germany 1st SS "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler" Division
Germany 23rd Panzer Regiment
Poland 30th Infantry Division
Display
Balance:


Overall balance chart for WhEa003
Total
Side 1 2
Draw 2
Side 2 4
Overall Rating, 7 votes
5
4
3
2
1
3.86
Scenario Rank: 146 of 913
Parent Game White Eagles
Historicity Historical
Date 1939-09-06
Start Time 06:00
Turn Count 30
Visibility Day
Counters 78
Net Morale 1
Net Initiative 2
Maps 3: 14, 15, 2
Layout Dimensions 84 x 43 cm
33 x 17 in
Play Bounty 143
AAR Bounty 165
Total Plays 8
Total AARs 2
Battle Types
Urban Assault
Conditions
Off-board Artillery
Reinforcements
Scenario Requirements & Playability
Eastern Front Maps + Counters
Road to Berlin Maps
Sinister Forces Counters
White Eagles Base Game
Introduction

The Waffen SS attached its three regiments to different Army divisions for the campaign in Poland. The Adolf Hitler Life Guards and an independent tank "regiment" of three companies accompanied 17th Infantry Division in the initial assault, and a few days later were assigned to attack the town of Pabianice, an important crossing point on the Warta River line. The Poles had dug in on a ridge just west of the town.
Conclusion

Thanks to poor training coupled with the fanatic determination of their officers to maintain the attack - a common theme for the Nazi state's uniformed criminals - the SS racked up enormous casualties for little gain despite good artillery and armor support. Polish reservists and civilian volunteers armed themselves and rushed to the front to assist the regulars.
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
Germany Order of Battle
Heer
  • Foot
  • Mechanized
Schutzstaffel
  • Towed
Poland Order of Battle
Wojska Lądowe
  • Towed
Display Errata (3)
3 Errata Items
Overall balance chart for 495

One unit from Eastern Front has a direct firepower of 3-5 on its reduced side instead of the normal 4-5

(garbare83686 on 2023 Nov 26)
Overall balance chart for 54

The movement allowance on the counters in Airborne is misprinted. It should be "3."

(rerathbun on 2012 Jan 30)
Overall balance chart for 439

All SS 75mm IG guns are direct fire weapons (black), not indirect (white).

(Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
Display AARs (2)
Nailbiter
Author scrane
Method Solo
Victor Poland
Play Date 2009-11-01
Language English
Scenario WhEa003

This is a great scenario. The SS are hapless, the plucky Poles are outnumbered. Each turn was a series of desperate lunges and parries as both sides tried to scrape together enough units to achieve some kind of local advantage to turn the tide. In the end the Poles managed to wear the SS down so completely that the assault petered out just after cresting the central hill.
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Can the SS human wave overrun the Polish?
Author GeneSteeler
Method Solo
Victor Germany
Play Date 2009-03-19
Language English
Scenario WhEa003

Introduction

Sept 6, 1939. A few days after the invasion of Poland began, elements of Adolf Hitler’s Life Guards Regiment, assisted by armour from the 23rd Panzer Regiment marched towards the town of Pabianice. Here they encountered elements of the Polish 30th Infantry Division trying to stop them. As the morning hours progressed, Police and Civilians in the town rallied together forming up the Obrona Narodowa (National Guard) to help ward against the Waffen SS.

The main objective is to Hold/Capture Pabianice.

Note: Score will be denoted by (x-y), where x=number of German steps lost, y=number of Polish steps lost.

Polish are sleeping in their sandbags as the SS Waffen approaches

0700 As the morning Sun illuminates the fields, the Polish are greeted by a human wave of Waffen SS troops!

Gunfire flashes from the hills and the Waffen suffer the first casualties of the battle (2-0). The Polish are spotted!

Waffen SS begin to assault the Dug-in Polish at the bottom of the hill. One assault goes terribly wrong, and the Polish counter-attack. The SS Captain with his Pioneers are eliminated trying to flee (6-0). Further SS casualties are suffered in the southern woods (7-0)

As the fighting continues (8-0) the Polish Kapitan and Major retreat back to Pabianice to organise the Obrona Narodowa that are forming there.

Finally the Human wave is too much and two Polish platoons are overwhelmed. The Waffen SS continue their relentless push (10-4)

The defenses in Pabianice continue to muster as Germans launch a full assault. (11-5) German panzers aid the Waffen SS in the woods, but not before one platoon is demoralized by small arms fire!

Both sides suffer major casualties, a platoon of panzers is lost under Polish assault combined with AT Gun fire. Finally the Polish are completely overrun! The casualty toll rapidly begins to even out (17-15)

The hill is completely lost and the Waffen SS begin to congregate for their attack on Pabianice. (17-16)

Supported by Panzers from the 23rd, the Waffen SS begin their march across the open terrain. With only 2 hours to go until the 1330 deadline to capture the town, the Germans will have to assault soon. (18-18)

Following an artillery bombard, the Waffen SS advance against the town. The Polish ATG battery bypassed in the woods scores a lucky hit against the Pz38t! (21-19)

Germans launch a mass final assault against the Polish National Guard at Pabianice. (German artillery eliminates the Polish ATG nest) (23-23)

The Waffen SS manage a few breakthroughs, but continue to suffer casualties (26-25). One platoon of Polish National Guard is eliminated.

The Grandfather clock strikes 1:30pm and the battle is over.

Aftermath

Control of Pabianice Germans: 4 Polish: 15 Contested: 3

The Germans obtain a minor victory by securing the road and woods approaching Pabianice. The Polish suffer too many casualties to fulfil their minor objective. Waffen SS win. (boo!)

Notes

1.Having the German armour support the Waffen SS in their assaults turned the tide in the battle for the woods. Polish AT Guns were effective in the middle of the battle which limited the German ability to use their armour in the final assault on Pabianice.

2.Aside from this, The Waffen SS really suck at assaults due to their poor morale.

3.I appear to be much better at attacking than defending. The Polish are having a very tough time gaining a victory. The defence set on the hill succeeded in stalling the Germans long enough that the Polish succeeded in keeping the majority of the town, but they were eventually overwhelmed after inflicting initial damage. Perhaps after punishing the Waffen SS advance, they should have turned tail and ran for the town. Hmmm… I’ll have to try a fighting withdrawal the next time I’m in a similar situation.
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PG-HQ Library - Panzer Grenadier Hall > Scenarios > WhEa003
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