The Push For Przemysl Bridge - Part One

OPERATION BARBAROSSA – “The Push For Przemysl Bridge”

 This series of articles and battle reports (using a homemade quick play rule set inspired by “Memoir 44”, “Blitzkrieg Commander” and “Bolt Action”) will initially cover the Third Reich’s invasion of Russia from October – December 1941. The 10mm metal models and the majority of resin scenery are by “Pendraken Miniatures”. The ‘Hexon’ terrain boards are by “Kallistra” The paints used are predominantly from the “Games Workshop” (old) range.

Set at the beginning of Operation Barbarossa, the first engagement will concern the German Army pushing towards the Przemysl Bridge over the San.

Having decided to play a series of battles over the next few months to ‘test-out’ my card-driven homemade rule set, I thought the opening confrontation should be a simple battle on my 9 x 14 hex table, with both armies only fielding ten-eleven formations each, most of which will be infantry (of varying quality) with some German Panzer Mark I's and Soviet Light Tanks.

PART OF THE GERMAN ARMY’S STARTING HAND, INCLUDING AN ORDER FOR MEDIUM MORTARS, FELDWEBEL (WHO CAN ‘FILL IN’ FOR DEAD OFFICERS), SCHURZEN SKIRTS (BETTER ARMOUR FOR TANKS) AND PINNED (EXTRA FATIGUE/CASUALTY ON AN ENEMY UNIT).

The battlefield was predominantly open space, with an area of rough terrain to the North (see above rocky features), a small impassable mountain in the centre (see black blob) and an inland lake to the South (not shown). In order to allow for the objectives required for certain Scenario cards (drawn after set-up), a small hill was placed in the North East (see above), a similar sized hill in the South West (not shown) and a third hill (acting as a key strategic objective) in the centre, shielded on two sides by the impassable mountains.

The German Army drew its initial hand of seven order/tactic cards, as well as their Scenario card. Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt apparently wanted a ‘Point Defence’; meaning the German’s would need to have a formation located at each of the three objectives (hills) by the end of the battle. To do this, they had orders for Heer, a Panzer Mark I formation, and a Medium Mortar unit.

For the Russians Marshal Budenny ordered nothing less than total victory with ‘Hold Until Relieved’; meaning the Red Army must not only have a formation located on the key strategic objective (i.e. the hill in the centre of the battlefield) but could not allow any enemy formations to be located on an adjoining piece of terrain. This all or nothing scenario was somewhat easier than normal because two of the adjoining hexes were impassable. To begin with the Soviets had access to Regulars, Submachine Gun Troops and Cavalry.

The Germans started by deploying a unit of Heer Infantry near to the South West hill objective. This unit was accompanied by the Army’s Commanding Officer, a Major. This meant these soldiers would fight especially hard and rarely give ground when under fire, but at the risk of the Officer being killed and the German Army’s order/tactic hand being reduced by three cards (unless a Feldwebel could step up to the mark and decrease the commanding officer’s loss by one card).

With subsequent orders the Germans deployed their medium mortar unit and a company of Panzer Mark I’s. In addition they used the tactic card ‘Doctrine & Training’ to order their Major’s Heer unit further eastwards beyond the hill so it’s machine gun team covered the entire inland lake. This tactic is unique to the German Army and allows a second unit (providing it’s Infantry) to be moved/fight without the need for it to be specifically ordered (i.e. the unit uses its initiative to make a move).

  THE GERMAN ARMY DEPLOYS AROUND THE SOUTH WEST HILL OBJECTIVE (UNDERCOATED BLACK). THE MAJOR’S COMMAND TRUCK CAN BE SEEN WITH THE HEER HE ACCOMPANIES. THE GERMAN’S MEDIUM MORTAR FORMATION IS ALSO VISIBLE.

In response, the Russians ordered a unit of their Regulars to deploy and take the hill to the North East (not shown), and deployed their Cavalry (see the black undercoated hex tile), Submachine Gun Troops, more Regulars, Conscripts and T-26 Light Tanks along the centre of their battle line.