Third Battle of Kharkov Gaming (2)

Ghost Panzers

Gaming the German Counter-attack at the Third Battle of Kharkov

The Third Battle of Kharkov, Phase 2…

Like my look at the earlier parts of the Third Battle of Kharkov I found a lot of potential for gaming the different aspects of the battle. Also like the early parts of the Third Battle rather than try and recreate the whole battle I will look at ideas for gaming the different and varied encounters during the battle. This time I will concentrate mainly on the activities of the SS-Panzerkorps taking the city itself.

Enemy at the Gates

Game 1

When the attack was launched on the city on March 11 Kampfgruppe Kraas encountered stiff resistance from the Soviet troops position in the northern outskirts around Alexayevka.  

To represent this I suggest fighting the battle as a No Retreat. It is now late winter/early autumn and the thaw had started, so there is very little snow on the ground, and a short cold snap left the roads relatively free of mud.

The north of Kharkov was wooded so terrain should contain some wooded areas. The Soviet deployment area should be dominated by Alexayevka; the town should be made up of single level buildings. See map for suggested layout. 

German Forces

Both SS Divisions present were the best equipped, motivated and longest serving of Hitler’s personal army so I have used the Ghost Panzer SS-Panzergrenadiers command card to give them Fearless motivation.

Game 1

Germans
  
SS Panzergrenadier Kompanie
(Armoured Panzergrenadier Company
page 27 of Ghost Panzers)

Armoured Panzergrenadier Company HQ (MG241)
2x MG40 SMG team
SS-Panzergrenader Company command card



2 points
5 points

Armoured Panzergrenadier Platoon (MG242)
7x MG34 team
Panzerknacker Command Card


10 points
2 points

Armoured Panzergrenadier Platoon (MG242)
7x MG34 team
Panzerknacker Command Card


10 points
2 points

Armoured Panzergrenadier Platoon (MG242)
7x MG34 team
Panzerknacker Command Card


10 points
2 points

Armoured sMG34 Machine-gun Platoon (MG243)
4x sMG34 HMG


6 points

Support Platoons   
StuG (Late) Assault Gun Platoon (MG251)
4x StuG (late 7.5cm)


52 points

Total

101 points

Soviets
  
Strelkovaya Bataljon
(Rifle Battalion page 33 of Enemy at the Gates)

Rifle Battalion HQ (MS110)
2x M1891 rifle team


1 point

Rifle Company (MS111)
19x DP MG and M1891 rifle team
1x Komissar team
Maksim HMG team



16 points
1 point

Rifle Company (MS111)
19x DP MG and M1891 rifle team
1x Komissar team
Maksim HMG team



16 points
1 point

45mm Anti-tank Platoon (MS116)
4x Long 45mm gun


8 points

Support Platoons  
T-34 Tank Company (MS137, Red Banner)
7x T-34 (76mm)


40 points

Heavy Tank-killer Company (MS132)
4x 76mm gun


16 points

Total

99 points

SS troops outside Kharkov

Game 2

While Kraas was struggling his way through Alexayevka, Kurt "Panzer" Meyer and his Kampfgruppe of Panzers and recon troops were advancing from the Northeast into Kharkov. They soon ran into trouble in the suburb of Imeni Kirova. Meyer and his men quickly dug-in and fended off attacks.

For the scenario, I though I would try something different. Meyer seems to have been caught in ambush, so how to represent this on the table?

Table

Game is played table short edge to short edge.

Objectives

On the map are the Objectives. The Soviet Objectives are placed by the Soviet player on the roads within 8"/20cm of the German short table edge.

The German places his Objectives on the road and wood within 8"/20cm of the Soviet short table edge.
 
Deployment

The Soviets are attacking, but they get to place up to two Units in Ambush within 8"/20cm of their side of the table short centre line. The remainder of deployment is within 12"/30cm of the Soviet short table edge.

The Germans deploy within 12"/30cm of their short table edge.

Winning the game

The Soviet player wins if they end their turn Holding an Objective in the German deployment area.

The German player wins if they end their turn on after the eighth turn with no Attacking Soviet Tank, Infantry or Gun teams within 8"/20cm of an Objective. The Soviets withdraw to regroup.

Or the German player can also win if they end their turn Holding an Objective in the Soviet deployment area.

Game 2

Germans
  
SS Aufklarungsschwadron
(Armoured Panzergrenadier Company
page 27 of Ghost Panzers)

Armoured Panzergrenadier Company HQ (MG241)
2x MP40 SMG team
1x Sd Kfz 251 (MG) half-track
SS-Panzergrenadier Company command card




3 points
5 points

Armoured Panzergrenadier Platoon (MG242)
7x MG34 team
1x Sd Kfz 251 (3.7cm), 3x Sd Kfz 251 (MG)
Panzerknacker Command Card



13 points
2 points

Armoured Panzergrenadier Platoon (MG242)
7x MG34 team
Panzerknacker Command Card


10 points
2 points

Armoured Panzergrenadier Platoon (MG242)
7x MG34 team
Panzerknacker Command Card


10 points
2 points

Sd Kfz 221 & 222 Light Scout Troop (MG223)
1x Sd Kfz 221 (MG), 2x Sd Kfz 222 (2cm)


2 points

Sd Kfz 221 & 222 Light Scout Troop (MG223)
1x Sd Kfz 221 (MG), 2x Sd Kfz 222 (2cm)


2 points

5cm Tank-hunter Platoon (MG226)
3x 5cm gun


12 points

Support Platoons   
Panzer III & IV Tank Platoon (MG237)
4x Panzer III (late 5cm)


33 points

Total

96 points

Soviets
  
Strelkovaya Bataljon
(Rifle Battalion page 33 Enemy at the Gates)

Rifle Battalion HQ (MS110)
2x M1891 rifle team


1 point

Rifle Company (MS111)
19x DP MG and M1891 rifle team
1x Komissar team
Maksim HMG team



16 points
1 point

Rifle Company (MS111)
19x DP MG and M1891 rifle team
1x Komissar team
Maksim HMG team



16 points
1 point

45mm Anti-tank Platoon (MS116)
4x Long 45mm gun
 
8 points
76mm Anti-tank Company (MS117)
4x 76mm gun

10 points
Support Platoons  
T-34 Tank Company (MS137, Red Banner)
7x T-34 (76mm)


40 points

Total

93 points

Game 3

Game 3

During March 11 Das Reich’s Kampfgruppe Harmel advance from the west and fought it’s way along the Poltava road to Kharkov. At the suburb of Zalyutino they were halted by an anti-tank ditch well covered by soviet fire. On the night of March 11/12 Harmel sent a detachment of Pioneers over the ditch and took the Soviet positions on the other side clearing the way for the ditch to be bridged and the advance to continue.

This mission should be played as a No Retreat with the Soviets defending, but with the following additional rules.

Night Battle

Night battles are usually confused affairs with soldiers, vehicles, trees, and buildings looming out of the dark, only to disappear moments later. Its difficult to control a night battle since it is usually fought at close range, and all that the commander can see is flashes in the dark. Use the Night Fighitng rules on page 113 of the Flames Of War rulebook.

Flares

Mortars and other artillery that have smoke ammunition can fire flares instead. When fired, a flare illuminates team within 6"/15 cm of where it hits. These teams can be targeted that turn as if they had shot, without the Shooting team requiring to roll on the Night Visibility table. The effect lasts until the end of the Shooting step. 

Surprise (Page 60 of D Minus 1)

All defending teams on the table start the game Pinned Down  or Bailed Out. Defending teams may not start the game mounted in their transport vehicles or on tanks, and as normal, may not mount Bailed Out transport vehicles or tanks until they Remount.

Terrain

The anti-tank ditch is Impassable to Tank teams.

Meyer's Schwimmwagens

Germans
  
SS Panzerpionierkompanie
(Armoured Panzergrenadier Company
page 27 of Ghost Panzers)

Armoured Panzergrenadier Company HQ (MG241)
2x MP40 SMG team
SS-Panzergrenadier Company command card
Pioneer Company command card



2 points
5 points
3 points

Armoured Panzergrenadier Platoon (MG242)
7x MG34 team
Panzerknacker Command Card
Goliath Remote Control Bomb command card


10 points
2 points
2 points

Armoured Panzergrenadier Platoon (MG242)
7x MG34 team
Panzerknacker Command Card


10 points
2 points

Armoured Panzergrenadier Platoon (MG242)
7x MG34 team
Panzerknacker Command Card


10 points
2 points

8cn Mortar Section (MG212)
2x 8cm mortar


3 points

Support Platoons   
5cm Tank-hunter Platoon (MG226)
4x 5cm gun


16 points

7.5cm Tank-hunter Platoon (MG227)
4x 5cm gun

20 points

Total

75 points

Soviets
  
Strelkovaya Bataljon
(Rifle Battalion page 33 Enemy at the Gates)

Rifle Battalion HQ (MS110)
2x M1891 rifle team


2 points

Rifle Company (MS111)
19x DP MG and M1891 rifle team
1x Komissar team
Maksim HMG team



16 points
1 points

Rifle Company (MS111)
19x DP MG and M1891 rifle team
1x Komissar team
Maksim HMG team



16 points
1 points

45mm Anti-tank Platoon (MS116)
4x Long 45mm gun


8 points

Support Platoons  
T-34 Tank Company (MS137, Red Banner)
7x T-34 (76mm)


40 points

Total

83 points

Game 4

Game 4

On March 12 as the SS units moved into Kharkov heavy house-to-house fighting took place. Kampfgruppe Witt was broken into smaller company sized kampfgruppes for this task, each company of Panzergrenadier supported by a Panzer platoon or Marders.

Mission

No Retreat with no special rules other than a lot of buildings, gardens and other urban terrain to fight over.

Terrain

I’ve made a suggested map, but use whatever urban terrain you have available. Blocks of buildings with streets between them with the odd open space to represent parks and gardens (see map).

Germans
  
SS Panzergrenadier Kompanie
(Armoured Panzergrenadier Company
page 27 of Ghost Panzers
)

Armoured Panzergrenadier Company HQ (MG241)
2x MG40 SMG team
SS-Panzergrenader Company command card



2 points
5 points

Armoured Panzergrenadier Platoon (MG242)
7x MG34 team
Panzerknacker Command Card


10 points
2 points

Armoured Panzergrenadier Platoon (MG242)
7x MG34 team
Panzerknacker Command Card


10 points
2 points

15cm Gun Platoon (MG247)
2x Grille (15cm)


9 points

Support Platoons   
Panzer IV (late) Tank Platoon (MG236)
3x Panzer IV (late 7.5cm)


40 points

Total

80 points

Soviets
  
Strelkovaya Bataljon
(Rifle Battalion page 33 Enemy at the Gates)

Rifle Battalion HQ (MS110)
2x M1891 rifle team


2 points

Rifle Company (MS111)
19x DP MG and M1891 rifle team
1x Komissar team
Maksim HMG team



16 points
1 points

Rifle Company (MS111)
19x DP MG and M1891 rifle team
1x Komissar team
Maksim HMG team



16 points
1 points

45mm Anti-tank Platoon (MS116)
4x Long 45mm gun


8 points

Support Platoons  
T-34 Tank Company (MS137, Red Banner)
7x T-34 (76mm)


40 points

Total

83 points

Game 5

Kampfgruppe Hansen took Dzerzhinsky Square on March 12, he split his force in two and sent each group around a wing of the square.

Once again a No Retreat seems to be the best bet for this game. Key is the terrain; the square will dominate the centre of the table making the flanking streets and buildings key to both defence and attack. But don’t forget to cover the square if your playing Soviets, you don’t want Hansen simply driving through the middle of the square. See map for suggested terrain and deployment.

Forces

Use the forces from Game 4.

Game 6

March 13 and 14 see more house-to-house fighting, but the Soviet tanks of the 3rd Tank Army played a more prominent roll. Using the ideas from Game 4 you could use any of the German forces listed above as most of the Kampfgruppes were on the move in Kharkov by this stage.

For the Soviets you can also use any of the other forces list so far or you might like to try this tank heavy counter-attacking force using the terrain from Game 4 but as a Free-for-all.

Game 5

Soviets
  
Tankovaya Bataljon (T-34 Tank Battalion page 17 Red Banner)

Tank Battalion HQ (MS136)
1x T-34 (76mm)


6 points

T-34 Tank Company (MS137)
6x T-34 (76mm)


34 points

T-34 Tank Company (MS137)
5x T-34 (76mm)


29 points

Support Platoons  
KV-1s Guards Heavy Tank Company (MS145)
3x KV-1s (76mm)


30 points

Total

99 points

I hope you give some of these ideas a try and have some fun.

Wayne


Last Updated On Friday, December 24, 2021 by Wayne at Battlefront