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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Train in Vain
White Eagles #31
(Attacker) Poland vs Germany (Attacker)
Formations Involved
Germany 20th Motorized Infantry Division
Germany Armored Train Number 3
Poland 9th Infantry Division
Display
Balance:



Overall balance chart for WhEa031
Total
Side 1 0
Draw 0
Side 2 2
Overall Rating, 2 votes
5
4
3
2
1
3
Scenario Rank: --- of 913
Parent Game White Eagles
Historicity Historical
Date 1939-09-01
Start Time 05:30
Turn Count 16
Visibility Day
Counters 48
Net Morale 0
Net Initiative 2
Maps 2: 17, 6
Layout Dimensions 56 x 43 cm
22 x 17 in
Play Bounty 130
AAR Bounty 171
Total Plays 2
Total AARs 1
Battle Types
Ambush
Urban Assault
Conditions
Hidden Units
Off-board Artillery
Reinforcements
Terrain Mods
Scenario Requirements & Playability
Eastern Front Maps + Counters
Road to Berlin Maps
White Eagles Base Game
Introduction

On the northern flank of the German XIX Panzer Corps striking into the Polish Corridor, Armored Train #3 lumbered across the border intent on seizing the town of Chojnice. Not only panzers could conduct blitzkrieg, the train's commander apparently decided to prove to the high command. Stunned by the train's brazen appearance with no supporting units, the Polish garrison quickly fanned into the nearby forests, intent on ambushing this smoke-belching monster.

Conclusion

The Poles stopped the train with a shot from an anti-tank gun and then riddled it with small arms fire, leaving it a smoking ruin. Chojnice fell and the wreck was rescued when troops from 90th Motorized Infantry Regiment sped to the scene of the disaster. Armored Train Number Three was salvaged and rebuilt in time to be shot to pieces by Dutch troops in 1940.


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).
  • Armored Trains: see Rule 15.2 ~ 15.22

Display Order of Battle

Germany Order of Battle
Heer
  • Misc
  • Motorized
  • Towed
Poland Order of Battle
Wojska Lądowe
  • Towed

Display Errata (1)

1 Errata Item
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)

Display AARs (1)

Polish Train Wreck
Author rerathbun
Method Solo
Victor Germany
Play Date 2012-03-13
Language English
Scenario WhEa031

The Germans in this play got an outstanding leader draw, two with +2 morale, one with +2 combat, and several with +1 of one or the other. The Poles did not fare as well, with one leader +1 Morale and Combat, and one with +1 morale.

I used a basic scripted appproach for the Germans to account for the hidden Polish units. Rolled a six-sided die to see how far the train would move toward the town each turn. Truck-bound German reinforcements would disembark just outside mortar range from the town.

The Poles set up their anti-tank gun in the south woods at the bend in the track, supported by two platoons of infantry. The intention was to try to hold up the Germans well west of the town hexes, making it hard for them to take the town in the short time allotted. The downside was it made it easy for the Germans to salvage the train (and three victory points).

The anti-tank gun took out the train with Opportunity Fire as it rolled by (-1 for Opportunity Fire, +1 for adjacent, and rolled an 11). A good start for the Poles. The hidden infantry platoons took out the lead German truck with its one platoon of infantry using Opportunity Fire, and the rest bailed out in place. Rather than remain in the woods to be pinned by a couple of German platoons while the rest went around them to the town, the two Polish infantry platoons made a break for it. They headed toward the town to join the defenders there. Bad move. The German artillery disrupted one platoon and demoralized the other. The disrupted platoon recovered and made it to town, but the demoralized platoon was forced to flee to the woods and was effectively out of the scenario from that point on.

The Poles waited until the Germans approached within spotting range (one hex) of the town before opening up with Opportunity Fire at the German machine guns. Relatively poor shooting by the Poles demoralized one platoon, but did no other damage.

From then on, the game went all the Germans' way. They tied up two Polish platoons in an assault and used their overwhelming firepower (machine guns and a +2 Combat leader) to blast the remaining Poles defending the town. The assault on the remnants was just a formality. In the end, the Germans held all but one disputed town hex and took out seven Polish steps for the loss of three of their own (not counting the salvaged train).

Major German victory.

Not a bad scenario. It plays quickly and has some interesting quirks. Much more balanced than my play would indicate. I made some mistakes with the Poles, and had a few bad die rolls.

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