The Fight for the “Red October”

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

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.

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

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.

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

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)...