1119_04a: Uranus - Hindsight - The Corset Variant - [HTH] - PzC 15 Stalingrad '42

Stalingrad, November 19th 1942: Anyone who has studied, read about or gamed the historical situation surrounding the German defeat at Stalingrad knows that it was Hitler's fixation with taking the city that lead to the German disaster. In his assessment, the Soviets could not mount an offensive on the flanks and so it was deemed these long flanks could be held by weak and poorly equipped Minor Axis partners such the Rumanians. In this WHAT IF Scenario we will examine one possibility set of circumstances had the Germans adopted a "corset" approach on the flank. The term "corset" was used to describe how German units were distributed around the different defence sectors to act as 'Korsettstangen' or 'corset-stiffeners. Rommel used this in North Africa "stiffen" his less well motivated and equipped Italian allies along his lines. This variant has a German Infantry Corps move from the north flank facing the Don Front and its infantry divisions corseted with Rumanian Divisions. On the southern flank, one the Rumanian Divisia 20 Infantarie has been interleafed with the German 297.Infantry Division to screen the Ivanovka sector while the 71. Infantry Division has been attached to the Rumanian Corpul VI Armata to stiffen the Rumanian Defense in the lake country. And some Panzer Units have been stationed in order to provide a ready reserve for the 6th Army. It is not intended to be a perfect Axis defense, but in light of events in hindsight, it would seem to be more sensible option. [Size, large] This scenario has been optimized for HTH play. It is a campaign variant like the 1119_02 but with a more sensible WHAT IF Axis Defense. However, reinforcements and other later occurring events have been left in the scenario file so that players can use the game editor to lengthen the scenario and adjust the victory levels while still retaining later campaign reinforcements and other events.