Indragnir's mods: News, files, updates, teasers, bug fixing and ramblings.

[Indragnir]

While researching TO&E for Soviet Mechanized Brigades and Cavalry divisions by 1945 (ie Budapest) stumbled upon the TO&E of Soviet Ski Brigades. Since Kharkov'43 has 6 of those formations, some changes have been implemented:

Ski brigades at full strength had a Recon company with 190 men, an Engineer company with 130 men (both Recon and Eng. From Bns added up.) Both were missing. They are now integrated into infantry bns.
They had no 120mm mortars but 82mm ones, thus the mortar bn is now integrated into the infantry bns.
Combat strength of 500 men per bn, factorizing the Mortar-Recon-Eng bn means about 690 men (combat strength) per bn. Since it's assumed they operated at 50% strength, the ski bn have now 345 men and no mortar bn.
AT company reduced also in strength to 6 guns.

[Indragnir]

Here it is the huge update to Budapest'45. It not only encompass new sources (captured documents and brilliant new research, specially by Douglas Nash) also incorporates feedback from games.

This update also corrects some unusual errors due a crashdown my PC had while in the middle of doing the Variant. I lost a lot of progress, however since Notes had a backup I went backtrack using the notes as a guide to check what had been implemented and what not. In doing so it seems I left some minor issues I thougth I had fixed. They are now.

The mistery around Division Gruppe Pape and Bieber I think it's finally solved: getting both formations right was an ardous work because every author had a part but were missing some others. Like puzzle playing. That's because Div.Gp.Pape was disbanded and Div.Gp.Beiber, which were themselves part of Div.Gp.Pape as KGr. Bieber, were elevated from said KGr. Beiber to Div.Gp.Beiber absorbing parts of Div.Gp.Pape while getting new units.
The next step was finding out which units were sent to which units after Div.Gp Pape got dissolved, then the puzzle got worse: some units like I./Pz.Regt.24 arrived quite after  Div.Gp.Pape was dissolved and received their loaned tanks thus showing two formations at the same time in different locations. In the changeslog I explain to where they were sent.

You can paste the "new" art, it won't overwrite nothing since they are just combined units.

As always link is in the first post and here for your pleasure. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/urglazansod9z...xIg-a?dl=0

Beware, this update is bigger than the Kharkov'43 one, quite extensive changeslog.

Enjoy!

Budapest v1.1 Changeslog.

Scenario Both Sides

Corrected some minor issues regarding a couple of Objectives.

Corrected some issues about visibility that caused unintended releases (earlier than intended.)

Corrected some non-fixed units that should be fixed and fixed units that had no release date.

Changed to some VP locations back to no LVP:
-Komarom 25.00VP
-West of Budapest -19.000VP
-Bickse area 1.700VP
-Csakvar+Zamoly area 1.500VP
-Partillary Szekesfehervar 1.500VP
That way players cannot leave those areas undefended because of expiring VP locations.

The fixing of formations from 12th January to 18th January has been eliminated with that change.

Scenario Soviet

Further adjustment to starting locations and releases for some Soviet formations:
-2nd Guards Mechanized Corps released by 4th January. Closer to Szomor where they confronted the German onslaugth on 5th January.

-23rd Tank Corps on the eastern side of Danube by 24th January

-5th Guards Cavalry Corps near Mór. Released by 2nd January.

Added some TRENCHES and Mines for Konrad II & III.

32nd Motorized Bde (18th Tank Corps) withdrawn on 17th January. They will be back on 19th January as 32nd Mech Bde reinforced.

7th Mechanized Corps was withdrawn from combat by 22nd January. It left behind only the composite 16th Brigade, which numbered a total of 4 T-34, 1 SU-85, 3 IS-2 and 2 SU-76. (Group Filipposvky, see below)

Group Filippovsky: During Konrad I, 3 days prior to the release of 7th Mechanized Corps, 3rd Ukranian Front grouped elements of 7th Mechanized Corps and sent them to block the way to the key road hub of Bickse. It was composed of 16th Mechanized Brigade and total of 16 T-34, 15 IS-2, 4 SU-85, 7 SU-76 and 20 85mm AT guns from the Corps. Some of the tanks and SU regiments are mixed for gameplay reasons.
This formation is not under of 7th Mechanzied Corps because the Corps was withdrawn by 22nd January while this Group remained.
Additional artillery units are released with Group Filippovsky (152nd, 22nd Howitzer, 127th Cannon and 205th Mortar Regiments)

Additional artillery forces arrive earlier to counter Konrad II.

93rd Guards Rifle Division now arrives just below of North Danube area. They had arrived in the village of Szob the previous evening and had begun ferrying its troops across the river during the night and early morning.

Scenario Axis

Added some strategies for forces asigned to IV-SS.PzK for Konrad III just in case the Axis player doesn't go to the South.

Some changes to starting locations, releases and arrivals:

-Two Gneisenau btls at Komarom since 1st January.

-le.Flak.Abt.77 under IV-SS.PzK by 5th January.

-6th Panzer Division arriving earlier (6. Pz.Div. has completed crossing the Danube and is moving up behind the 5. SS-Pz.Div. Wiking at Tarján.)

-711. Infanterie Division arrived by train at Dunaszentmiklós 4th January. By nightfall 5th January reached Tokod.

- SS-s.Art.Abt. 504 arrived two weeks after the IV-SS.PzK launched Konrad I.

-96. Infanterie Division

Grenadier Regiment 283 released earlier (08,00 1st January instead of 2nd January.)

Grenadier Regiment 284 didn't arrive until 4th January south Danube at Neuhäusel.

-All Div.Gp.Pape is withdrawn from 00.00 5th January.

All designated units from Div.Gp.Pape return to their parent formations after 5th January.

For 1 turn units from Div.Gp.Pape under Div.Gp Bieber will be duplicated on map. That's on pourpose to let some ahead planning for the Axis player. (See OOB Axis Division Gruppe Pape.)

-Division Gruppe Bieber is not on map from the start, they enter as reinforcement 4th January by night.

-VIII Korps (Hungarian) released by 5th January.

23rd Hungarian Division arrived to IV-SS.PzK rear area by 6th January.

-Corrected order of arrival/release for Totenkopf.

-Corrected order of arrival/release for Wiking. From the start: Pz Regt. PzGr. Regt Germania, the self-propelled artillery btl. Then by 2nd January Pz.Pio btl, 3rd January PzGr Regt Westland, 4th January PzGr btls Norge and Danmark, 5th January Flak. Abt. 6th January Pz.Auf.Abt, 7th January PzJg Btl and finally a day later the rest of the Pz.Art.Regt.
I. Abt./Heeres-Art. Brig. 959 (I KvK) would be temporarily attached to Ullrich’s division until all SS-Pz.Art.Rgt. 5 had arrived.

- II.Batallion of the Pz.Gren.Div. FHH sent to North of Danube against the 2nd Ukranian Front Ofensive, under Korpsgruppe Kirchner, with two infantry companies mounted in Volkswagen Kübelwagen and Kettenkräder [half-tracked motorcycles]
Previously I had them under IV-SS PzKorps.

PDT

Breakdown has been raised for both sides to simulate the atrocius road and crosscountry condition.

Mine Probability raised to 25% from 20%

OOB Both Sides

Small tank units and very small units got consolidated to be more effective.

Fixed some Unit values inconsistences.

OOB Soviet

Revised TO&E tables for Soviet Mechanized-Motorized Brigades and Cavalry Divisions.

Mechanized-Motorized Brigade (from August 1944, compared to 1942-1943)

About 680 men combat strength per bn with AT rifle company and SMG company integrated.

Missing a Recon company with 150 men and 10 Armored Cars.

Missing Mortar Bn (12x82mm + 6x120mm.)

Missing Artillery Bn (12x76mm.)

Missing 9x 37mm AA.

Missing an Engineer Company with 121 men.

All of the above strength has been reduced to meet average strength of each Corps. If the new units result into a small unit (less than 100 men or 6 guns) they are factorized into the Infantry bns.

Cavalry Division (From Sept 1943, compared to 1942-1943)

Reduced artillery guns from 16/24 to 12.

Increased 120mm mortars to 24 from 8.

Added 22x 12.7mm AA MG (integrated into the Cavalry bns.)

Replaced 50mm mortars with 82mm mortars and augmented SMG allotment (already updated in the OoB.)

All of the above is translated into a little better Soft Attack and AA value.

Keep in mind strength has been reduced to meet average strength of the Corps.

Increased Command Radius for all 3rd Ukranian Front Armies and Front HQ.

3rd Ukranian Front HQ Quality raised to B.

93rd Rifle Division lowered to quality D due performance.

Small adjustments to tank strength.

438th AT Rgt from 3rd Ukranian Front Reserves had 21 guns.

1232nd Cannon Regt had 10 guns.

23rd Tank Corps Motorized Brigade was almost at full strength.

3rd Ukranian Front missing 127th Howitzer Artillery Rgt.

1st Guards Mechanized Corps was fully staffed with officers and men after 13 months of refitting.

2nd Guards Mechanized Corps missing 20 SU-76.

18th Tank Corps
-Some armor sent as reinforcements have D quality instead of C due to new crews.

-Missing 20 SU-76.

-Received another 20 SU-76 and 18 T-34 tanks between 12th and 17th January.
-Tank strength was a little higher

5th Guards Cavalry Corps according to data for 20th January 1945, they numbered 17,801 officers and men so they have Replacements 1%

Corrected 2nd Rumanian infantry division 9th Artillery regiment. They had four battalions of artillery: two horse drawn battalions of twelve 76mm M42's, one horse drawn battalion of twenty-four 76mm M42's, and a motorized battalion of 12 120mm M38 mortars.

                                                                                                                           OOB Axis

Division Gruppe Pape (plus the successor Division Gruppe Bieber.)
Div.Gp.Pape was established on 21 December 1944, using the headquarters and one signal company of Pz.Gren.Div. Feldherrenhalle, which unlike the rest of the division, was not trapped inside Budapest. It was used instead to control the armored elements of the 3., 6., 8., 24. and Lehr Pz.Divs. which had been earmarked to participate in Unternehmen Spätlese, while some of these divisions went north of the Danube to defend along the Gran River against the attack by the Second Ukrainian Front. Its composition shifted constantly.

1 January 1945 Division Gruppe Pape consisted of the following units (and their ultimate destination):

-KGr. Bieber: Later elevated to Div.Gp. Bieber. One battalion-sized consisting of remnants of the 271 V.G.D -I./978 GR with 186 men, II./271 Art.Regt and 5 AT guns-. (See below Division Gruppe Beiber.)

-Pz.Abt. 208 (21 PzIV and 7 Jagdpanzer IV 70(a) sent to North of Danube against the 2nd Ukranian Front Ofensive, under Korpsgruppe Kirchner. They send the Jagdpanzers to Pzjg.Abt.13 under the Szent Lazslo division.

-KGr. Knoop (8. Pz.Div.) with tanks, I,/PzGr.98, 3./Pz.Pio.Abt.59 and I./Pz.Art.Regt.80. They were sent back to their parent division.

-KGr. Philipp (6. Pz.Div.) with tanks, I,/PzGr.114, 1./Pz.Pio.Abt.57 and I./Pz.Art.Regt.76. They were sent back to their parent division.

-Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 239 (13 vehicles sent to VIII Korps as reserve.)

-Tanks from Pz Divisions 3, 24 and Lehr. Upon dissolving distributed into 1., 3., 6., 8., 23 PzD and I./Pz Regt.24.

-Elements from Pz.Gren.Div. FHH:
---Marsch (Ersatz) Btl.Pz-Div.FHH (252 men, sent back to Germany to rebuild FHH division)

---Pz.Jäg.Abt. 13 (sent North of Danube against the 2nd Ukranian Front Ofensive under Szent Lazslo division)

---3./Pz.Pio.Btl."FHH" (same as Marsch (Ersatz) Btl.Pz-Div.FHH)

-Alarm Btl. Tata (integrated in Div.Gp.Bieber)

-(Heerestruppen) MG-Bn."Marck" (integrated in Div.Gp.Bieber, 264 men)

-4./102nd Hun AA Btl (integrated in Div.Gp.Bieber)

-SS-Reiter Schwadron Sparwasser (with 5 Jagd.Pz.38T and a mounted company from SS-Kav.Rg. 18, sent to 1. PzD)

As of 31 December 1944, Div.Gr. Pape fielded 81 (60 Panthers and 21 PzIV) operational tanks, 18 assault guns, and 20 tank destroyers, for a total of 119 of all types.

Since the casualties report from Pape is incomplete we know he reported only 8 casualties.

Due very poor performance in battle all units under this commnad are rated D. Once back to their parent formations or under Division Gruppe Bieber they performed as usual and are rated higher.

Division Gruppe Bieber
Kept from Div.Gp.Pape:
-(Heerestruppen) MG-Bn."Marck"

-KGr. Bieber

-Alarm Btl. Tata

Receive new:
-MG-Bn."Lausitz" Lowered to quality D since they were a Geneisenau unit, which involved the mobilization of Ersatz and Ausbildungs units.

-4x infantry battalions from the Hungarian 25. Inf.Div. Plus an artillery btl.

IV-SS PzK
-Missing Heeres-Pi.Btl. 751, (it was a Polish Bau. Mineclearing unit)

-Bridge assets were: Brücken-Kolonne K 4. 2./Heeres-Pionier Brig. (mot.) 52. 1./Heeres-Pionier Btl. 255. Brücken-Kolonne B 929.

Totenkopf SS PzDiv.
-Both SS PzGr.Regiments are lowered to Quality B since they were repleneshed with LW recruits with less than 3 weeks of training.

-Engineer Bn had almost 400 men ready (more than 300 in 27th January.)

Wiking SS PzDiv.
-Both SS PzGr.Regiments are lowered to Quality B since they were repleneshed with LW recruits with less than 3 weeks of training.
-Norge and Danmark Btls were raised to quality B, (C was an error.)

-By 24th January as a precaution, a two-company Alarmbataillon (an ad hoc unit assembled to respond to local emergencies) was formed from the division’s supply units and sent to the town of Adony to supplement the division’s Begleitkompanie already in operation there. (This unit replaces former SS-Alarm.5 under IV-SS.PzK)

1. Panzer Division
-Updated and corrected combat strength.

-Missing SS-Reiter Schwadron Sparwasser with 5 Jagd.Pz.38T and a mounted company from SS-Kav.Rg. 18.

-Pz.Aufk.Abt.4 had 12 Sdkfz 250/9.

3. Panzer Division
-Updated and corrected combat strength.

-KGr. Wynmann was missing 4 Pz IV. 

-By 26th January 3. Pz.Div. received 14 tank destroyers coming out from Heerestruppen.

-Pz.Rgt.6 missing 7x AA Sdkfz 251/17.

-8./II./Pz.Gr.Rgt.3 missing 8 Sdkfz 251/9.

6. Panzer Division
-They were led by Oberst Jürgens, it was sacked and v.Waldenfels took command on 20th January.

-Missing Tanks from KGr. Martini. (13 tanks.)

-KGr. Philipp back into the division (see below Division Gruppe Pape.)

20. Panzer Division
-Added missing IG to PzGr. Regiments.

-Corrected artillery strength since it had 14x105mm guns instead of 12.

23. Panzer Division
-Updated and corrected combat strength.

-Pz.Aufk.Abt.23 missing 8 Sdkfz 250/9.

-Corrected artillery regt.

-9 AT guns on the PzJg btl.

96. Infanterie Division
-Kampfstärke 2600 for their 8 btls, so the division had more manpower now. (about 60 men more per bn.)

-Engineer bn has boats to allow 283 GR to cross.
-Artillery regiment had 41 guns instead of 46.

356. VGD
Gren.Rgt. 869 and Div.Füs.Btl. 356 had been stripped of all their foot soldiers to fill out the other two regiments.

711. Infanterie Divsion
-Despite being full of LW and Kriegsmarine soldiers (still in their respective uniforms) they performed well.

-They had a Kampfstärke 2564.

-14 Hetzer and 12 AT guns in the PzJg.Abt.

-III.Btl./ Gren.Rgt. 744 (711 ID), quality raised to B due performance.

3. Kavallerie Brigade
-Had extra infantry and artillery.

-Kampfstärke of 2,148.

-s.Kavallerie abt.3 had 3 infantry companies, all on HT.

-Missing II./Art.Regt.

Hungarian 25th Infantry Division.
-On 20th January, they reported a Kampfstärke of 5,330 men with an average of 500 men per btl, a very large amount for this period of the war.

-It also reported having 49 artillery pieces instead of 26.

-12 antitank guns instead of 11.

357. VGD renamed as Division Gruppe Rintelen.
By 2nd January 1945 the order to Kirschner to transfer the bulk of 6. Pz.Div. did not apply to the division’s reconnaissance battalion, combat engineer battalion, and the antitank battalion, which were to remain in support of Div. Gr. Rintelen for the time being.
The Div.Gp Rintelen had:
-2 alarm btls.
-2./EuA-Abteilung.482 and 2 StuG (merged with StuG.Bde.236.)
-(Missing) StuG.Bde.236.
-From 6.PzD:
---Pz.Aufkl.Abt.6 From 6th PzD, about 200 men in Half-Track vehicles and about 35 sdkfz combat vehicles.
---Pz.Pio.Abt.57.
---Pz.Jg.Abt.41 reinforced with with 16x 75mm Pak 40, and 18 Tank Destroyers.

R.Gr.Div.HuD (44 ID) was an experienced unit. Quality raised to B.

Gneisenau btls under 153.Feld-Div lowered to D quality.

PzJg. Ko.1335 was, in fact, StuG.Abt. 1335. It started with 15 Hezter vehicles. Withdrawn on 22nd January.

22.SS-Freiw.Kav.Div. Only 4 Hezter available.

Increased Command Radius for HQ Armeegruppe Balck.

Corrected an error on 75+150mm IG not having IF tag.

MG Btls of Div.Gp.Bieber were tagged incorrectely as indirect fire.

                                                                                                              MAP Changes

Hegyikastely (Hegyks Castle Estate) solidly built three-story country manor (not an actual castle despite the name), it boasted a compound 200 meters long and 150 meters wide, surrounded by a high wall on three sides, with the northeastern side being open. It was a natural defensive position featuring a stone observation tower that provided a commanding view in all directions. They fought for their possession for weeks, Wiking paid a high price in blood for keeping it

                                                            

Miscellaneus

Alternative Assault Resolution checked. No changes to siege of Budapest since it's working as intended and won't affect the bunker assaulting now.

Corrected some nationality issues (cosmetic effects only)

[Indragnir]

A small glitch on 18th Tank Corps has been fixed. Download OOB file again and overwrite.

Thanks to Erick Repie.

[Indragnir]

Kharkov'43 v1.1 is ready.

It includes new art, it won't overwrite any previous art.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/urglazansod9z...xIg-a?dl=0

Hope you enjoy.

[Indragnir]

A small update on Sicily'43 (v1.00a) OOB file. Check link on first post.

[LordDeadwood]

A small update on Sicily'43 (v1.00a) OOB file. Check link on first post.

Couple more "bugs"(?) with this scenario: 
 - 274th, 275, and 276th Field Companies with the Highland Division arrive in Fixed mode, and don't appear to have any release scheduled.
 - B/Three Rivers Rgt./1st Can. Tank Brigade arrives on the American beach at Licata. Maybe this is intended, but it seemed a little suspicious.

[Indragnir]

A small update on Sicily'43 (v1.00a) OOB file. Check link on first post.

Couple more "bugs"(?) with this scenario: 
 - 274th, 275, and 276th Field Companies with the Highland Division arrive in Fixed mode, and don't appear to have any release scheduled.
 - B/Three Rivers Rgt./1st Can. Tank Brigade arrives on the American beach at Licata. Maybe this is intended, but it seemed a little suspicious.

Thank you for the catch. Both are bugs. I'm sorry for those.
I can fix it sending a new scenario file with a release date but I don't know if it will mess your save game so backup your SCN file just in case it doesn't work.

[Indragnir]

A small update on Sicily'43 (v1.00a) OOB file. Check link on first post.

Couple more "bugs"(?) with this scenario: 
 - 274th, 275, and 276th Field Companies with the Highland Division arrive in Fixed mode, and don't appear to have any release scheduled.
 - B/Three Rivers Rgt./1st Can. Tank Brigade arrives on the American beach at Licata. Maybe this is intended, but it seemed a little suspicious.

Thank you for the catch. Both are bugs. I'm sorry for those.
I can fix it sending a new scenario file with a release date but I don't know if it will mess your save game so backup your SCN file just in case it doesn't work.

Fixed now. Link on the first post (or the one I pasted in your thread.)
Notice there're two SCN files but you only need one (#0709_01s_SicilyCG_VARIANT 1), backup your SCN file. If it prompts an error just delete and use your backup. This one will release (hopefully) the Highland Division around 22.00 10th July, if you're past that date I can modify this one for a later date.
The Canadian armor I cannot fix on an ongoing game.
#0709_01s_SicilyCG_VARIANT 1 v1.00b is just for new games.

[LordDeadwood]

A small update on Sicily'43 (v1.00a) OOB file. Check link on first post.

Couple more "bugs"(?) with this scenario: 
 - 274th, 275, and 276th Field Companies with the Highland Division arrive in Fixed mode, and don't appear to have any release scheduled.
 - B/Three Rivers Rgt./1st Can. Tank Brigade arrives on the American beach at Licata. Maybe this is intended, but it seemed a little suspicious.

Thank you for the catch. Both are bugs. I'm sorry for those.
I can fix it sending a new scenario file with a release date but I don't know if it will mess your save game so backup your SCN file just in case it doesn't work.

Fixed now. Link on the first post (or the one I pasted in your thread.)
Notice there're two SCN files but you only need one (#0709_01s_SicilyCG_VARIANT 1), backup your SCN file. If it prompts an error just delete and use your backup. This one will release (hopefully) the Highland Division around 22.00 10th July, if you're past that date I can modify this one for a later date.
The Canadian armor I cannot fix on an ongoing game.
#0709_01s_SicilyCG_VARIANT 1 v1.00b is just for new games.

Thanks, the file worked fine. However, we are up to 16:00 on July 11. If you could make a change for 11 July 18:00 I would appreciate it; I tried using the scenario editor and thought I had it, but the releases didn't show up in the schedule...

...And a few more minor issues (all American):
 - The A sqdn./82 Armored Recon Btl/2nd Armored Div: the unit has a small icon on the unit card with the recon symbol (and the white dot), but the counter symbol is mech. infantry, and the unit has no recon ability.
 - The Light Tank Squadron of the same unit has a small icon with an armor symbol (and no white dot) on the unit card, while the counter has the recon symbol and the unit does have recon ability.
 - The 1st recon troop/1st ID has a recon symbol (with dot) on the unit card but the counter symbol is mech inf., and the unit has no recon ability. In addition, the unit seems to be "foot" class, with a speed of 4.

Just curious: why do the various regimental/CC commands of the 2nd Armored have different division colors?

[Indragnir]

Thanks, the file worked fine. However, we are up to 16:00 on July 11. If you could make a change for 11 July 18:00 I would appreciate it; I tried using the scenario editor and thought I had it, but the releases didn't show up in the schedule...

...And a few more minor issues (all American):
 - The A sqdn./82 Armored Recon Btl/2nd Armored Div: the unit has a small icon on the unit card with the recon symbol (and the white dot), but the counter symbol is mech. infantry, and the unit has no recon ability.
 - The Light Tank Squadron of the same unit has a small icon with an armor symbol (and no white dot) on the unit card, while the counter has the recon symbol and the unit does have recon ability.
 - The 1st recon troop/1st ID has a recon symbol (with dot) on the unit card but the counter symbol is mech inf., and the unit has no recon ability. In addition, the unit seems to be "foot" class, with a speed of 4.

Just curious: why do the various regimental/CC commands of the 2nd Armored have different division colors?

Done. 18.00 July 11. Link on first post.

I will take a look at the other things you pointed me, hopefully tomorrow.

Edit: Wrong turn on original post. Fixed at edit date.