SS Totenkopf - "Fire Brigade" (M44 Campaign)

[von Nev]

Fast forward to turn 21.

Despite overwelming Russian infantry and some tanks, Totenkopf has not budged from its very strong defensive positions just west of the Pronya river. They have inflicted significant casualties on whatever Russian infantry that charges the dug-in PzGrenadier battalions. The Russians casualties have been so great that the Russians are keeping a safe distance away. Instead they are probably bringing up artillery to blast Totenkopf out. The relative calm that is over the battlefield has allowed nearly all of the 337th Infantry Division to be pulled out of the lines for rest and refit over the Dnepr River that is farther to the west.



Totenkopf's defensive positions will not be there forever as the 110th Infantry Division that is holding their left flank is in full retreat. The Russian pincer attack from both the south and the north pocketed and destroyed about 30% of the division. The rest of the division, with the assistance of Totenkopf's Tiger company, rapidly withdrew west and was able to prevent a breakthrough but at a very high cost. Luckily for the Germans there are numerous forests and swamps that channel the Russian armor attack. Within this channel are the majority of the available panzer assets (Totenkopf's Tiger's and three Stug Batteries). I can only hope that they can sting the Russian armor enough that they stay off the heels of my retreating infantry.



Finally, after 2 days of heavy combat, Totenkopf is bloodied but still in relatively good shape. They have 82% of their infantry, 98% of their guns and 77% of their armor. They will need every ounce of their strength although over the next two days trying to protect the retreating German infantry.

[von Nev]

German Turn 22 - Fierce Tank Battle and Quick Panzer Counterattack

Up north the 110th Infantry Division continues to fight for its life as it attempts to conduct an orderly (but quick) withdraw but the Russians are hot on their heels. The Germans have only about 35 tanks to drive off over 100 (probably nearer to 150) rampaging Russian tanks. The ensuing tank fight decimates the German Stug company from the 25th PzGren division. It was on the losing end of a swarming attack of Shermans and T-34's. It is down to only 1 vehicle. I am desperately going to try to save this unit as when it is healthy it is A morale and I am horribly short of panzers in general. Several German infantry companies have been falling behind the retreat the last few turns and unfortunately I have to leave them behind. I can't risk more infantry to save isolated and disrupted units that will have a hard time retreating anyway.

Also, the blue corridor represents where I think the Russian armor may go to move quickly. As you can see I have positions my armor within that corridor and have deeply echeloned my infantry to ensure that the Russians do not break through. I doubt the Russian tanks will go go through the woods which is why the defense is only a single line.



Down south the bulk of Totenkopf continues to hold the line. The Russians advanced an infantry battalion to find where my line has retreated to. This weak recon is quickly isolated with Panther companies and a Stug battery and is decimated. It has only about 30 men left from over 300.

Just south of the German counterattack nearly two regiments of Russian infantry (after apparently receiving their ration of liquid courage (vodka) and supported by 15 or so SU-76s has "human-wave" attacked the dug-in SS PzGren position in the fortified village of Suslovka that blocks their axis of advance. This SS PzGren battalion dishes out more than it receives and disrupts several battalions. The PzGren battalion is still A morale so I know that it will not disrupt this turn so that village is safe and does not need to be reinforced.



P.S. On a side note, I believe that in the PzC game system that Stug units are too weakly modeled. Historically they decimated Russian armor and Russian commanders were ordered to avoid becoming seriously engaged with them. However in this game you will see that the 8 or 9 vehicle Stug batteries are too small to do any significant damage to Russian tank units and they are quickly brushed aside by hordes of armor.

[von Nev]

German Turn 23 - The Battle for Suslovka & the Retreat of the 110th

Down south in the main area of operations for Totenkopf the Russians have reinforced their attack on Suslovka with massive tank forces backed up by numerous air attacks and dozens of artillery strikes on the village. Despite this II./SS Regt 5 still is holding their ground. However, the battalion's losses are quickly rising. The battalion lost some 70 men this last turn which was 20% of their combat strength. I sent two companies of Panthers (nearly 40) to relieve some of the pressure and swat away the Russian tanks. Finally, because of the overall tactical situation that is developing to the north I do not think that it will make sense to continue to hold Suslovka for more than a couple more turns. Therefore, despite the losses the battalion holding the village will not be reinforced or pulled out. They will stay put until they have to withdraw.

Further south elements of both Totenkopf and FHH are repulsing another attack.



Further north in the area of operations for the 110th Infantry Division the retreat continues. The Tiger kampfgruppe continues to act as a rear guard and is battling dozens upon dozens of Russian tanks. In the ensuring tank battles the Russians elimimated my Stug battery which is a serious loss. Also appearing on the side of the Russians are the very mobile Russian motorcycle troops. With the presence of these troops I have to absolutely make sure that there is not a break in the lines as these units can quickly move deep into my rear areas and cause havoc.

[von Nev]

Turn 24 - The Retreat Continues & a Russian Attack is Defeated

The retreat west by the 110th Inf Division continues. Unfortunately, each turn a company of infantry is picked off and surrounded and destroyed. These losses are unavoidable. The only good news is that the Russian tanks are advancing down the expected corridor between the forest and the swamps. Unfortunately I can't do much about them but at least I know where they are. I have deeply echeloned the defense in this corridor to prevent a breakthrough and I have brought the panzers behind the immediate front lines. I have to do this since whenever they are in the front lines even the Tigers are pounded mercilessly by air strikes and artillery.



Down south in the main area of Totenkopf the Russian infantry that were attacking Suslovka retreated. The last two turns they took probably 400 casualties and with the arrival last turn of my Panthers that was enough to spook them a bit and they withdrew. I don't expect them to stay away forever, but at least now my PzGren battalion that was defending the village can retreat. They are replaced by a Panther company. This village will stay German for at least another turn. Every turn helps as it gives the foot mobile infantry a chance to retreat that much further.

Further south FFH and the 12th Inf Division are also retreating in the face of growing tank and infantry attacks. You can see the pincers closing around Totenkopf as this division stands like a rock in the center of the lines.



To the west far behind the lines the road to Mogilev is packed with retreating infantry and artillery making for the safety of the town and the Dnepr river. Hopefully they will have time to rest and recover and build a solid defense.

[von Nev]

Turn 25 - Suslovka Still German (but not for long)!

The painful retreat by the 110th Inf Div continues. Totenkopf's Tiger company's presence is probably the only thing that is keeping the Russians at a distance. The challenge for the divisions is that once they retreat past the bottleneck between the forest and swamps the Russians will probably bring the pressure again.



Down south Suslovka is still German but the flanks are closing in on the town quickly. Only one more turn and I will have to pull out. Once out of the town Totenkopf will retreat to the northwest to anchor the left flank of the 28th Jager. FHH will retreat through the 28th Jager and then be the general reserve for the area of operations.

[von Nev]

Turn 26 - Last Hours in Suslovka & the Tiger Company Takes a Beating

Up north in defense of the 110th Infantry Division the Tiger kampfgruppe that was broken down into companies took a tremendous beating. My opponent concentrated every possible airstrike, artillery barrages and 50+ tank attacks on the northern most company. At the end of the turn this company limped back behind the lines disrupted and down to 2 Tigers. My only goal for this unit now is to get it away from the front lines as quickly as possible. It's next stop is probably the Dnepr river. The other unit in the Tiger kampfgruppeis low on ammo and down to 50% strength. I am having sporatic difficultly keeping these units in supply primarily because they are so far away from the Division HQ unit. Overall, I am running out of options up north. The 110th is starting to retreat out in the open and will be severely tested and pressed over the next few turns. The Dnepr is 25 km's away but it might as well be 50. The next turns are going to be ugly.



Down south it is rather quiet. I still hold Suslovka but this will be most likely the last turn. This village is now the farthest point east in the game and it makes little sense to hold it any longer. I will be retreating Totenkopf to the northwest as soon as possible. You will see that I have already displaced all of the artillery and AT guns.

[von Nev]

Turn 27 - Suslovka Now Forever in Soviet Hands

Suslovka was finally abandoned this turn. My Panthers retreated some 7 km's out of the village which is actually out of the picture by some 4 km's. A lot of blood was spilled in that village but I think I accomplished the best I could. I delayed the Russian advance for some two days by holding that village. That is quite a feat since if you remember the Russian starting point for the offensive was just 6 km's to the east. I expect that at this point that Totenkopf will rapidly retreat to the north west and leave the primary defense to the 28th Jager Division that is dug in behind it (yellow line is the next defense). Most of Totenkopf is rushing northwest as it is. The remaining units are the Panther companies that are right now playing rear-guard to ward off Russian armor as the remaining German infantry retreat



Up north trouble is still brewing. As the previous turn suggested, I had to pull the Tiger battalion out of the lines since it was low of fuel, C morale (actually almost D morale), high fatigue at 180 and lost 60% of its vehicles. Luckily the disrupted company recovered allowing all the Tiger units to be recombined into a single unit to get the maximum recovery. I absolutely cannot lose this unit so it will stay safely behind the lines to refit. The loss of the Tiger company leaves me in a bind. I do not have any armor up there now to fight off the Russian tanks however elements of the SS PzG battalions are arriving to bolster the defense but they are still very much at risk to the withering fire of the Russian armor. I will have to do the best I can to hold the line until the Panther companies from the south can get north.

[von Nev]

Turn 28 - The Retreat to the Dnepr - Totenkopf Beats a Hasty Retreat

Down south Totenkopf has largely disengaged from the foot mobile Russian infantry. The next stop is to rush northwest to reinforce the 28th Jager's left flank. Their retreat path is indicated by the yellow arrow.

I pulled PzG Div FHH out of the lines too. They are also largely disengaged and being pulled back to Mogilev probably as the reserve for the river defenses.

Also, I gave a wider picture of the battle that shows the busy city of Mogilev. Numerous units are now digging in and recovering in the city. By my count there are the better parts of 5 divisions in the city not to mention numerous army and corps assets. With the game still in the early part the fact that a lot of infantry units as well as nearly all of their artillery were saved gives me some confidence that I will have a credible river defense.



Up north Totenkopf is quickly reinforcing the retreating infantry. I inserted elements of the A morale Totenkopf division into the lines just behind the front lines to provide backbone and prevent a breakthrough. These relatively low fatigue A morale units are very hard to distrupt in 1 or 2 turns so I am confident the lines can hold.

As I think about the next phase of the defense, I have to anticipate the most dangerous Russian move. In this case, I would be in deep trouble if the Russians would simply stack their armor and plow west. This is good tank country and dry weather so if they can smash the center line and get to the Dnepr before Totenkopf can build a defense on the other side then I would not have many good options.

[von Nev]

How are people liking this so far?

Too much detail? Too many pictures? Too confusing?

I can still make changes . . . only 125 turns to go!

[Ricky B]

Very good Marty, please keep it up!

Rick