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Zovs -> RE: Urban terrain combat balance (1/26/2022 2:57:31 PM)
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Not game related.
I just pulled these from various Panzer Campaign games I have for reference.
Date: October 29th, 1944 - Size: Large - Location: Central Hungary
Scenario Briefing: The first Russian attempt to capture Budapest by storm began in late October, when Stalin ordered the Commander of the 2nd Ukrainian Front, Malinovsky, to capture Budapest in five days. Malinovsky replied that he could do the job but needed five days to prepare. Stalin ordered him to proceed immediately! Thus, on the morning of October 29th, prior to all necessary preparations being completed, the attack began. Initially successful, once the outskirts of Budapest were reached, the attack bogged down, due to supply shortages and Axis counterattacks. Another way in, to capture Budapest, would have to be found.
Date: November 27th, 1944
Scenario Briefing: On 27 Nov 44 the Russians launced a multi-pronged attack which ultimately resulted in the encirclement of Budapest. The 3rd Uk Front sent the 4th Gds and 46th Armies into the area between Balaton and the Danube Bend, while 2nd Uk Front sent the 6th Tank Army and Pliyev Groups trusting into the mountains North of the bend. By 26 Dec 44 the gap between the fronts had closed and within the encirclement, lay Budapest, about 80,000 troops and several hundred thousand civilians.
Date: December 31st, 1944 - Size: Very Large - Location: Budapest, Hungary
Scenario Briefing: The Hungarian capital city was encircled on 26 Dec 1944. Hitler order 4.SS.Pz.K to relocate from Poland to Hungary. By the evening of 31 Dec 44, the leading elements had detrained and a decision was made to launch an immediate attack. The goal of the SS troopers was to rescue their besieged SS brethren in Budapest. Hitler's goal on the other hand, was to re-establish the status-quo. Shades of Stalingrad all over again!
Date: January 3rd, 1945 - Size: Medium - Location: Budapest
Scenario Briefing: The city of Budapest was encircled on 26 Dec 1944. Like Stalingrad, Hitler ordered the city to hold at all cost as several relief attempts were hastily thrown together. But for the defenders, the noose tightened. The siege of Budapest was a long a bloody affiar where the ground was measured in metres, not Kilometers.
Designer Note:
This scenario is a historical setup which shows a desperate slugfest for Budapest. The fighting could have continued weeks longer and eventually result in the same outcome. The scale of the Panzer Campaign series was never designed to model street-fighting such as this, yet we feel it is necessary to include this scenario to illustrate the full story of the fighting in Hungary in the early part of the last year of the war.
Stalingrad, November 19th 1942: After several months of bloody house to house fighting, the
Soviet positions on the west bank of the Don had been reduced to pockets of stone and
rubble, that were as shallow as 300 meters, with many of the key positions in Germans
hands. But these last islets of resistance had been forged by fire. On the Nov 17th, Hitler
had wired von Paulus a message urging a quick resolution to the fighting in Stalingrad, a
message Von Paulus had read out to each divisional commander. The assault began in
driving rain and snow resulting in no air support. On that day, they gained yet another 50
meters in one place, 100 meters in another. One more day, two at the outside, would put
them in complete possession of "the Holy Grail", the complete city. But Soviet attacks on the
north flank put an end to this final push before noon on the Nov 19th. [Size, small] Designer’
s Note: This scenario is a historical setup which shows the desperate slugfest for Stalingrad
The fighting could have continued through the whole day, with the Germans capturing the
city had the Soviet offensive been delayed. The scale of the Panzer Campaign series was
never designed to model street-fighting over weeks, or months, where gains were measured
in meters. But this scenario is included to illustrate the desperate battle that occurred prior to
the Soviet attack on November 19th 1942 as I am sure had it not been included, people
would have asked for it..
Minsk, June 23rd 1944: After some small "recces in force" the day before, the
Soviets launched Operation "Bagration", an all-out offensive to crush the salient of
AG Center. The fortified cities of Vitebsk, Orsha, Mogilev, and Bobruysk, were all
encircled by pincer movements, then the Soviet armor and mechanized formations
swept on towards the west. Taken by surprise, the majority of the German 4th and
9th Armies were trapped between Minsk and the Berezina River. So complete was
the victory where the Soviets had amassed overwhelming superiority, particularly in
armor and aircraft, that five weeks later the Soviets were on the banks of the Vistula
and the borders of East Prussia. [Size, large]
Date: Feb 13th to 16th, 1943 - Size: Large - Location: Kharkov, Ukraine
Scenario Briefing: Voronezh Front launched its assault on the Ukrainian city of Kharkov on Feb 13th. The Soviet plan called for the 40th Army to thrust south and meet the northward attacking 6th Guard Cavalry Corp at Yubotin, thereby isolating the city. Concurrently, 3rd Tank Army and 69th Army were to assail the German defences east of the city, thereby holding the Germans in place while the other Soviet forces encircled them. The Germans determined that the Soviet cavalry south of the city were the most dangerous and attacked them with mobile troops from both Das Reich and Liebstandarte. This attack went in on the 13th and subsequently pushed the cavalry back. In the meantime the missing mobile troops weakened the remaining German positions and the Russians were approaching Kharkov's outskirts by the evening of the 14th. The situation quickly deteriorated and with the roads out of the city being progressively cut, SS General Hausser abandoned the city during the 16th. By nightfall the city was in Soviet hands.
Design Notes:
This scenario is recommended for HTH play but could be played against the AI for either side. The German player has a quandary. 6th Guards Cavalry Corp threatens the German deep flank. SS mobile troops in position could either eliminate the threat which will take time or screen the cavalry off tying up some troops. It will be up to the German player to decide if these forces are moved back to try and shore up east of Kharkov. For the Soviet player, 3rd Tank, 40th & 69th Army have very significant forces that can be used to pressure the German all along the line. In 40th Army sector in particular, weight of numbers should be able to push Korp Raus back. 4th Guards Tank Corp and the Ski Brigades manoeuvrability will be key here. Historically, the SS mobile forces were too late to relieve the pressure exerted by 3rd Tank Army in particular. There was initially very heavy fighting at Rogan on the road to Chuguev, but once that position was stormed, there was little distance to Kharkov.
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