The Fight for the “Red October”

Iron Cross

On October 20th the German 79. Infanteriedivision was brought forward to take part in the attack on the “Red October” metallurgical works. They, along with the 14. Panzer Division, were tasked with taking the complex on 23rd October.

The 79th Division was divided into three Kampfgruppes for the assault; on the right were the 212. Infantry Regiment and elements of the 179. Reconnaissance Battalion, an anti-tank company (179. Anti-tank Battalion) and a light Nebelwerfer battalion.

In the centre were the 208. Infantry regiment, who’s initial deployment lay in a narrow sector between the 212. IR position and the 54. IR on their left, but it widened substantially as they approached the enemy positions.

They were to take the biggest and most important halls of the factory complex. They were supported by a heavy Nebelwerfer battalion, an assault gun company and a company from the 179. Pioneer Battalion.

On the left were the 54. IR who were attached to the 79. ID for the attack and had already been in Stalingrad for over two weeks. Because of its low strength the 54. IR had the narrowest sector to attack.

The battle was to be fought in three stages, the first objective was the works railway (Werk Bahn on map), there they were to wait on a bombardment of the Soviet 

Red October Factory
Soviets attack

positions before moving on to take the factory (building 3-10 on Map). Once the factory had been secured the next stage would see the 79. Infantry Division at the Volga banks.

The first wave of the attack moved forward  successfully to the railway, though resistance was meet at the railway wagons which had been linked together and proved a hindrance for both guns and vehicles. 

Soviets counter-attack

208. IR Kampfgruppe was organised into two groups, one from the 1st Battalion and the other the 2nd Battalion. Each group was organised in three waves, the first was the Assault party reinforced with engineers. They were equipped with SMGs, grenades, satchel charges and entrenching tools.

The second wave was the covering party consisting of troops armed with machine-guns, rifles, grenades and mortars. Their job was to cover the flanks of the Assault party and to clean up any pockets of resistance encountered.

The final wave was the clean-up group, which made final sweeps of the terrain

German Grenadier
Soviets defend a building

as well as bringing up supplies to the first two groups. 

Heavy support from artillery and the Luftwaffe was available through liaison officers present at the Regimental command post.

During phase two of the battle the fighting intensified, the right group of the 208. IR entered the factory complex taking the first two halls (5 and 5a on Map). By 13.30 hours they had reached the centre of the factory.

At this stage command lost communications with the forward troops and spent the next few tense hours waiting for situation reports…

Halls of the “Red October”

Mission

Use the The Square (or one of the others, it is really up to you) mission with the City Fighting Rules (Iron Cross or Enemy at the Gates) pitting a Grenadier Company against a Soviet Hero Rifle Battalion. 

German Grenadiers
Grenadierkompanie ~ 79. Infanteriedivision,
208. Infanterie Regiment (Iron Cross)
 
Grenadier Company HQ (MG215)
2x MP40 SMG team
Panzerknacker command card

2 points
2 points
1st Grenadier Platoon (MG216)
7x MG34 and K98 rifle team
1x sMG34 HMG
Panzerknacker command card

9 points
2 points
2 points
2nd Grenadier Platoon (MG216)
7x MG34 and K98 rifle team
1x sMG34 HMG
Panzerknacker command card

9 points
2 points
2 points
3rd Grenadier Platoon (MG216)
7x MG34 and K98 rifle team
1x sMG34 HMG
Panzerknacker command card

9 points
2 points
2 points
8cm Mortar Platoon (MG218)
2x 8cm mortar

3 points
15cm Infantry Gun Platoon (MG214)
2x 15cm infantry gun

8 points
Support Units  
15cm Nebelwerfer Battery (MG229)
6x 15cm Nebelwerfer

18 points
Assault Pioneer Platoon (MG217)
7x MP40 SMG team
2x Flame-thrower team
1x sMG34 HMG


14 points
2 points
Ju 87 Stuka Dive-bomber Flight (MG233)
2x Ju-87 Stuka
 
9 points
Total 97 points
Hero Rifle Battalion ~ 39th Guards Division (Enemy at the Gates)
Hero Rifle Battalion
 
Hero Rifle Battalion HQ (MS120)
2x M1891 rifle team

1 point

1st Hero Rifle Company (MS121)
10x DP MG and M1891 rifle team
1x Komissar team
1x Maksim HMG team



7 points
1 point
2nd Hero Rifle Company (MS121)
10x DP MG and M1891 rifle team
1x Komissar team
1x Maksim HMG team


7 points
1 point
Storm Group (MS122)
7x PPSh SMG team
2x Maksim HMG team
1x PTRD AT rifle team
1x 50mm mortar team
2x Flame-thrower team




19 points
6 point
Maksim Machine-gun Company (MS114)
6x Maksim HMG

4 points
Hero SMG Company (MS123)
7x PPSh SMG team
1x Komissar team
1x Flame-thrower team


6 points
2 points
45mm Anti-tank Company (MS116)
2x Short 45mm gun

3 points
82mm Mortar Company (MS118)
6x 82mm mortar

4 points

Support Units

 

T-34 (Early) Tank Company (MS104)
4x T-34 (76mm)


21 points

Katyusha Guards Rocket Battery (MS129)
4x Katyusha


8 points

Katyusha Guards Rocket Battery (MS129)
4x Katyusha


8 points
Total 98 points 

Germans advance

When full communications were restored and the dust of battle had cleared, good news arrived, the factory had been taken and the banks of the Volga reached, but in the days that follow the true cost of the victory is counted.

Fighting to Hall 7, Red October Factory...

Dzershinzky Tractor Factory...

City Fighting rules and Missions from Enemy at the Gates and Iron Cross(PDF)...

German MG team


Last Updated On Monday, August 22, 2022 by Wayne at Battlefront