Panzer Grenadier Headquarters - Library: White Eagles #33

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 of Death White Eagles #33
(Defender) Poland	vs	Germany (Attacker)

Formations Involved
Germany		32nd Infantry Division
Germany		Armored Train Number 7
Poland		28th Infantry Division
Poland		Armored Train 15

	Total
Side 1	0
Draw	0
Side 2	1

Overall Rating, 1 vote
5 4 3 2 1 3
Scenario Rank: --- of 913

Parent Game	White Eagles
Historicity	Historical
Date	1939-09-19
Start Time	07:00
Turn Count	24
Visibility	Day
Counters	97
Net Morale	0
Net Initiative	0
Maps	4: 11, 15, 18, 9
Layout Dimensions	86 x 56 cm 34 x 22 in
Play Bounty	157
AAR Bounty	171
Total Plays	1
Total AARs	1

Battle Types
Inflict Enemy Casualties
Road Control

Conditions
Off-board Artillery
Terrain Mods

Scenario Requirements & Playability
Battle of the Bulge	Maps
Eastern Front	Counters
Road to Berlin	Maps
White Eagles	Base Game

Introduction
The Poles had built a modern fortress at Modlin, site of their NCO school and many other facilities, to defend the approaches to Warsaw. As the Polish field armies crumbled, Army Modlin fell back on its namesake city. The armored train number 15 "Smierc" ("The Death"), a reconditioned veteran of the Austro-Hungarian Army, also retreated to the city to provide fire support. When the Germans made a probe outside the fortress supported by their own train, one of World War II's rare confrontations of these unusual weapons of war took place.

Introduction

The Poles had built a modern fortress at Modlin, site of their NCO school and many other facilities, to defend the approaches to Warsaw. As the Polish field armies crumbled, Army Modlin fell back on its namesake city. The armored train number 15 "Smierc" ("The Death"), a reconditioned veteran of the Austro-Hungarian Army, also retreated to the city to provide fire support. When the Germans made a probe outside the fortress supported by their own train, one of World War II's rare confrontations of these unusual weapons of war took place.

Conclusion
With the aid of the Train of Death, the Poles beat back the German assault. Both trains fired a considerable number of rounds at each other but did little damage to their opposite numbers. Modlin would hold out until 29 September, when the fortress command surrendered and the train's crew blew up its fighting wagons.

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) 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. Armored Trains: see Rule 15.2 ~ 15.22

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)
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.
Armored Trains: see Rule 15.2 ~ 15.22

Display Order of Battle

Germany Order of Battle

Heer
Foot Leader Misc Towed

Heer

Foot

Leader

Misc

Towed

Poland Order of Battle

Wojska Lądowe
Foot Leader Misc Motorized Towed

Wojska Lądowe

Foot

Leader

Misc

Motorized

Towed

Display Errata (3)

3 Errata Items
	The reduced direct fire value of the Heer HMG became 5-5 starting with Fall of France. (plloyd1010 on 2015 Jul 31)
	The morale and combat modifiers of German Sergeant #1614 should be "0", not "8". (Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
	The movement allowance on the counters in Airborne is misprinted. It should be "3." (rerathbun on 2012 Jan 30)

Display AARs (1)

Trains

Author	Ifig
Method	Solo
Victor	Germany
Play Date	2011-09-30
Language	English
Scenario	WhEa033

Un scénario rare puisqu'il y a non pas un, mais deux trains blindés en action ! Deux voies ferrées est-ouest sont reliés par une troisième nord-sud. Les polonais doivent tenir la ligne sur la voie sud, aidés par un train et une draisine.

Premier problème avec le scénario : le train polonais a un blindage de 2 et des facteurs de tir AT 3-5 et de bombardement 12-8. En face, le train blindé allemand est ultra-puissant: blindage de 2; DF de 14-8 et surtout AT de 7-6 ! Je n'ai aucune connaissance sur les trains blindés allemands, et je suis incapable de vous dire si ces chiffres sont "réalistes" ou pas. Mais en tout cas ils me semblent trop déséquilibrés, et je décide de réduire le facteur AT à 4-6. La conclusion du scénario dit que les trains se sont bombardés sans effet, donc cela me semble mieux.

Je répartis les polonais à peu près de façon égale sur la voie ferrée sud ou dans la forêt juste au sud. Par contre, les allemands sont séparés en deux : un tiers des forces à l'ouest, et deux tiers à l'est qui attaqueront avec le train blindé. Le plan est d'abord d'attaquer à l'est, en force, et si des renforts polonais vont de l'ouest vers l'est, la deuxième force allemande pourra les prendre à revers.

Premiers tours : j'avance les trains en position pour essayer de se tirer dessus. Dès le premier tour, le train polonais a l'initiative,, et un tir de 11 ! Voilà une issue rapide... Après ce coup, la draisine monte en se disant que comme elle est blindée, elle pourra faire quelques tirs sur l'infanterie allemande.

Les forces allemandes ne se démontent pas et avancent lentement, groupés. L'OBA allemande arrive à faire quelques disrupted ou démoralisés, mais la ligne n'est pas encore atteinte fortement après 8-10 tours. Par contre, un tir DF très groupé arrive à avoir un X sur la draisine, la disrupter, si bien qu'elle ne peut pas reculer et l'infanterie allemande arrive à lui couper la voie de retour !

Le temps passe et l'assaut allemand devra être fait sur une ligne peu nombreuse mais quasi intacte.

A un moment, le bombardement arrive à démoraliser le point central de la ligne polonaise. Les allemands arrivent à passer à l'assaut sans trop de dégâts et peuvent prendre pied sur toute la ligne et les assauts au final repoussent ou éliminent la ligne polonaise du côté est malgré des renforts. Sur le côté ouest, les forces se regardent à distance, échangent quelques tirs sans effets majeurs. L'artillerie OBA arrive aussi à éliminer les mortiers polonais.

Au final, victoire majeure allemande même si le train blindé polonais s'échappe.

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PG-HQ Library - Panzer Grenadier Hall > Scenarios > WhEa033

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