Smolensk Campaign, modified by Cap_and_Gown
Changes:
1) Campaign now starts at 6:00 AM July 8, runs for 163 turns. This was a compromise between allowing the Lepel counter offensive to occur and trying to account for the fact that Panzer Gruppe 2 did not begin crossing the Dnepr unitl July 10.
2) German units of XXIV and XXXXVI Panzer Corps start with 145 fatigue in order to slow these units down to make the crossing of the Dnepr more closely correspond with the actual July 10th date. This alternation was not made to any other Germans units as they will most likely become quickly embroiled by an attack by Russian 5th and 7th mech corps.
3) Adjusted entry time and locations of German 9th Army infantry divisions to correspond with situation maps in Glantz's "Initial Period of the War." This generally means a later entry time for these units
4) Adjusted entry time and location for 19th Panzer division. New entry time is July 22, 6:00 AM. Entry location is NW of Velizh. Again, this was done to correspond with Glantz's "Initial Period."
5) Adjusted quality of Russian units defending the Dnepr/Dvina line.
D quality units (including 778 & 776 Regiments/214, 229, 18, 425 Reg./110, & 102 infantry divisions) were raised to C quality. B quality units (including 172 & 153 divisions) were lowered to C. 186 division (C quality) was substituted for 174 division (B quality). Reasoning: The D quality units were located where the Germans attacked, while units on their flanks are rated C. The D rating for these units, then, says more about where the Germans decided to attack than it does about the relative worth of these units. Likewise, both 174 & 172 divisions were defending in well fortified zones. So their superior preformance was probably related more to this factor than their actual fighting ability. 186 division was substituted for 174 division to better correspond with Glantz.
6) Adjusted quality of tanks in 52 and 56 tank divisions from E to D to
reduce the number of breakdowns.
7) Breakdown numbers for Germans set to 6, Russians set to 12. This will generaly result in three times more breakdowns for the Russians. These numbers correspond with K42.
8 ) Russian 1st mech division: The quality of the infantry battalions has been lowered to B from A. The tanks battalions have been lowered in quality from A to C. This units now starts along side 5th mech corps and is subordinated to that corps. Its infantry battalions start with a strength of 650 (instead of 700), while the BT tank battalions start at a strength of 50 (instead of 54), and the T-34 battalion starts at a strength of 38 (instead of 40). This units also starts with a fatigue level of 30. These strength and fatigue adjustments were made to simulate the fact that this unit had just been involved in combat trying to delay the German crossing of the Berezina. Quality was adjusted mainly for balance reasons, but also because I felt that though this unit may have fought well, it was still outclassed by German Panzer troops.
9) All Soviet 4th Army units now enter at Krichev instead of SE of Mogiliev.
Because the map does not extend south to Rogachev, it is impossible to simulate the threat these units (along with elements of 21st Army) posed to Army Group Center's southern flank. German 1st Cav, 4th Panzer, and 10th Motorized divisions were forced to cover this flank until the 31st, when the 17th, and 34th infantry divisions arrived to replace them on July 22.
To work around this problem, these units now can be used by the Russian player to beef up the defense of the Sozh.
10) 4th Army infantry units now have a max strength of 450, but enter the game with their strength the same as in the original scenario. Thus, these units can start recovering losses from the very first turn. This should not only strengthen the Russian defense of the Sozh, but it simulates the fact that these units had been pulled back from the front to refit. In addition, the E quality units of 143 division have been raised to D quality.
11) Soviet 25th mech corps has been deleted from the Soviet OOB.
12) German 17th, 31st, and 34th infantry divisions have been deleted
from the German OOB as these units were tasked with covering the south flank of AGC which does not exist in this game.
13) Both 7th and 12th Panzer now enter the map to the south of
the Dvina. 20th Motorized starts on the map and to the south of 20th
Panzer. Again, this was done to correspond with Glantz's "Initial Period."
14) The defenses for Mogiliev have been beefed up considerably. Several bunkers were substituted for trenches. The minefields were also increased in density from 1 to 3 in most cases, with some new
minefields added. The strengths of 172 div infantry battalions now
start at 550 with the possibility of growing to a maximum of 650.
This was mainly done to make this city hold out longer and force the
German player to consider bypassing it as Guderian did historically.
It also somewhat corresponds to the fact that remnants of 20th mech corps (which had been reduced to an infantry formation by this point) had retreated to Mogiliev, while the town itself raised the equivalent of a division of milita. While the NKVD battalions may represent the militia, 20th mech corps units are completely unaccounted for.
(Players may note the the 172 artillery regiment was left a B quality
unit. This was intentional.)
15) A few Soviet artillery regiments were relocated by one hex so they would not be out in the open at the start of the game.
16) Exit VLs have been eliminated. Previously, the Russian player could "dense pack" his units around these VLs to deny them to the German, creating severe edge of map problems. In addition, AGC simply did not have the logistical capability for an immediate advance on Moscow.
Even in the planning stages of operation Barbarossa an operational pause was seen as necessary once the line Smolensk-Kiev was attained in order to build up forward supply bases. Instead of exit VLs, new VLs have been aded around Spas-Demensk, Lyudinov, and Kirov which were important road and rail junctions.
17) Victory: the victory numbers have been raised considerably. Causing 10,000 points in Russian casualties (not very hard) plus securing Vitebsk, Orsha, and Mogiliev, plus a few other minor locations will result in a German minor defeat. Adding Smolensk to this will result in a Draw. From there the German player will need to find 5000 more points to claim a minor victory. These can be gained by taking Roslavl and Yelnia, or Roslavl and Yarstevo. Players will also note the increased number of VLs. The intention is to make the focus of the German strategy the taking of territory over causing casualties. The corrolary to this is that the Russian player will feel freer to sacrifice units if it will result in delaying the Germans as he sets up new defense lines to the east. The added number of VLs will also cause the German player to consider flank security for entire armies, not just individual corps.
And they will force the Russian player to try to establish a continuous front instead of focusing his units around a few locations. The addition of Velizh as a VL should make the norther part of the map take on added signifigance.
18) AT gun defense values of Russian AT guns was raised
from 10 to 16 to simulate the difficulty in spotting these weapons.
19) Since this scenario is a modification to the orginial scenario by
Greg Smith, players will find that most of the entry times and
locations, as well as unit characteristics are the same. Specifically,
no changes were made to units of German 4th Army or Soviet 30th, 24th, and 28th armies.
20) All German Panzer Batallions and PanzerJaeger Batallions can now
break down into companies. This will allow the German player to be able to form Kampfgruppe and to distribute his AT capability more widely within his various divisions.
Large Scenario 163 turns, Designer Lawrence Richards
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Smolensk Campaign, modified by Cap_and_Gown.
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