dominican
Posts: 60
Joined: 3/17/2008 Status: offline
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I began my DCG EF Barbarossa Center campaign about three weeks ago, shortly after downloading v1.03. I have a couple other smaller campaigns in progress but will report only on this one. I have XP and haven’t had any technical problems with any of the campaigns. I am using an Average difficulty level. Captain Wilhelm Gehringer assumed command of the 1st Battalion, 39th Panzer Regiment, 17th Panzer Division, earlier in 1941 and trained his men unceasingly for several months before hostilities began on June 22. His battalion performed outstandingly-well in two battles against Russian troops, at Vakorysk and Grodno, and the Captain earned two medals and a promotion to Major only four days after fighting commenced. German high command recognized a warrior when they saw one. The battalion fought twice more in July, on the 3rd at Pinsk in an armored breakthrough, and on the 11th at Drissa, a mopping-up operation. Two more medals were awarded to Gehringer and a second promotion, to Lieutenant Colonel. Losses among his panzer command were light and replacements were trained Gehringer-style, with devotion and elan. Lt. Colonel Gehringer was ordered to send his command to Krichev and there battle took place on August 6, in an effort to stop a bridgehead operation by the Soviets. Success was complete though several panzers were lost and not completely made-up by replacements. The following day the battalion surged forward to Smolensk and there a meeting engagement took place, a complete and total victory for the Germans. Only one German panzer was lost to ATG fire, a PzIIIG model. Gehringer and his battalion were able to race forward to commanding heights and destroy Russian infantry forces plodding forward on foot in completely-open terrain. It was an unmitigated disaster for the Russian army. For this action, Wilhelm Gehringer was promoted to the rank of full Colonel, and he gratefully accepted command of the entire panzer regiment. Now at his command was three full battalions of panzers, twelve platoons, fully 250 machines in all. Gehringer’s regiment, the 39th of the 17th Panzer Division, has fought two battles under his command, one in August and one in September. A highway clearing took place at Sarny on August 20, and a delaying action at Nevel on September 2. In both cases, Gehringer has brought forward overpowering force to the battlefield. Panzers working in close unison have thus far overwhelmed enemy opposition, easily able to replace losses. There were 17 available replacement points following the August 20 battle, many more than necessary to bring the regiment up to full strength. Gehringer has won two Knights Crosses with Oak Leaves and Swords, a Knights War Merit Cross, three Iron Crosses 2nd Class, and two War Merit Crosses 1st Class. He proudly wears the full ribbons into battle, inspiring his men ever onward, though his chest is becoming a little top-heavy with the weight of the medals. Allied SP losses in eight battles have totaled 2,220, including 544 at Nevel in September, an average of 278 SPs per battle. Gehringer has lost 116 SP in total, an average of 15, about half of those to panzers and half to supporting troops. Artillery and anti-tank gun fire have been the major causes of losses overall, as well as mortar and small-arms fire to a lesser extent. Some panzer losses have come from artillery tubes and mortars. Both regiment combats have had a German exit hex that have resulted in many extra VPs. Gehringer’s command has earned 24,796 Experience points, handed out to his first battalion and then to the second and third battalions in the two latest battles. It’s quite a treat to command twelve full-strength panzer battalions. Used carefully and together, they can overwhelm any local opposition. An ATG in unseen terrain might get off a lucky shot or two and possibly even get a kill, but it will be dealt with swiftly, with so many available German resources. That’s where things stand so far. The next battle has not yet been set up, nor do I know its date, but I’ll report here from time to time with the latest exploits of Colonel Wilhelm Gehringer and his 39th Panzer Regiment.
< Message edited by dominican -- 8/14/2008 7:47:38 PM >
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