Deadly Diversion (EF II) DAR

[Skryabin]

Turn Seven

In Staryy Semiluki 3/2/34 company (A) with a strike from left flank, captures western bridge. And they are getting prepared to move farther.

3/1/34 company (Б) under enemy's fire is getting close to the bridge from right flank.

Surrounded Russian soldiers are captured (B).



In "New" Semiluki 34th Engineer Company unified with riflemen takes its place in enemy's tranches (A).

3rd company of 3rd battalion (Б) finally is lending.

The task is almost accomplished.

[Skryabin]

Turn Eight

All 3 bridges are captured. A little too hurried armor's break through in the Podkletnoe direction, faces an ATR platoon laying in ambush - one tank is destroyed. Accidentally another 38M(t) platoon enters a minefield. But they were lucky, all vehicles stayed well.

The next objective was Podkletnoe.

[Cole]

Besides wanting to say "excellent AAR" again I tried to look up the battle in my copy of The Royal Hungarian Army by Leo Niehorster. The chapter that deals with the 1942/43 Soviet Campaign doesn't mention this bridgehead and I guess the reason is that this was in the German 2nd Army sector. The book mentions the bridgeheads further south in the 2nd Hungarian Army sector at Uryv, Karotyak, and Stutye.

It seems your Pz-38 light tanks were just received from the Germans right before this offensive. If you have 47mm AT guns they were originally captured from the Belgians. The book mentions that the German's priority was to supply the Romanians and I guess the Hungarians got the left overs.

In the battle for the Uryv Bridgehead further south the Hungarians had PZ-IV Ausf. F1 (short 75mm gun) tanks that the Germans had given them and the Hungarian tankers "...were not in awe of the Soviet T-34 tanks, and had learned well from the German instructors. when the T-34's stopped to fire, cannon smoke blinded the tank crew, so that the Hungarian tankers could attack from the sides and rear, and thereby managing to destroy 21 T-34s without any losses of their own tanks".

[Skryabin]

If you have 47mm AT guns they were originally captured from the Belgians. The book mentions that the German's priority was to supply the Romanians and I guess the Hungarians got the left overs.

No, there are no AT guns at all. And it does not seem like there are any Russian tanks so far.

In the battle for the Uryv Bridgehead further south the Hungarians had PZ-IV Ausf. F1 (short 75mm gun) tanks that the Germans had given them and the Hungarian tankers "...were not in awe of the Soviet T-34 tanks, and had learned well from the German instructors. when the T-34's stopped to fire, cannon smoke blinded the tank crew, so that the Hungarian tankers could attack from the sides and rear, and thereby managing to destroy 21 T-34s without any losses of their own tanks".

That's interesting, a story for another scenario!

In this one I think author focus only on river crossing and the situation is very interesting. The only thing I wish Russians had a little more strength. Looks like a little unbalanced.

[Skryabin]

Turn Nine

Main Hungarian force had crossed the Don river both at Old and "New" Semiluki. Here they fighting against Russian's leftovers hiding in the woods (A).

Trenches on the hill, that everyone was so concerned about, are still occupied by enemy (Б). Two platoons are in tactical retreat at the moment, but a whole company looks like is going to fight there till death!

Three 38(t) are entering out strikes of Podkletnoe (B). They are searching for Russian artillery positions.

[Skryabin]

Turn Ten

Three T38(t) during it's recon raid located some Russian forces defending Podkletnoe. And they are getting close to VP at NE of Podkletnoe Station (A)

3rd Battalion under command of Mj.Temisvari is coming right next to Podkletnoe Station (Б).

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Turns Eleven & Twelve

This 75VP (A) was changing hands a few times, but finally it is captured by Hungarians. Looks like that was the last Russian counterstrike - elimination of disrupted leftovers of the enemy is just a matter of the time.


Podkletnoe Station is captured. Three T38(t) took their positions at 75VP at enemy's rear (A). Success of overall operation seems outstanding, the enemy was crushed!

[Skryabin]

Turn Thirteen

Heavy Russian Artillery hits Hungarians, and 14 (!) platoons had to retreat from their positions. This only strike killed abot 150 men!

But there is nothing can stop Hungarian advance now. 1st armor company under comand of capt.Faragho is bracking through Russian defencive line and taking VP in Podkletnoe (A). 2nd platoon which was cut off from its company again use its boats to go up the river (Б).

3-rd battalion pushed away Soviets from their trenches, and its vanguard is taking positions at 75VP (A) to support two 38(t) - one vehecle was destroyed during unsuccessful attack.

[Skryabin]

Turn Fourteen

The battle is finished. Hungarians were able to capture all VPs, and a big part of Russian forces was encircled in the South sector. They had very little chance to break trough...

The End