Romania - Crimea 12/41

[Korpraali V]

24/12/41 1600 Crimea

Romanian advance – Soviet delay

visibility 1,6km, weather: clear, turns 36

Romanian-German forces are closing the Sevastapol. Oberstleutnant Friedrich Karl’s Romanian battalion is securing the flank of attacking German division. For the task Germans have sent them some armoured support. Also units from Romanian cavalry battalion are under Karl’s command during this mission.


Support units:

German armored support
3x StuG ausf B
4x Panhard P-178

Armored car platoon
4x OA wz. 3s

1st Cavalry squadron
Squadron Hq
1st Platoon (4x Cavalry)
2nd Platoon (4x Cavalry)
3rd Platoon (4x Cavalry)

2nd Cavalry squadron
Squadron Hq
1st Platoon (4x Cavalry)
2nd Platoon (4x Cavalry)
3rd Platoon (4x Cavalry)

Howitzer battery
5x 100mm Skoda FH

Air support
2x Bf-110G-4
2x IAR 37


Karl’s troops are to advance on large open field with some hill areas here and there. The attack takes place in the center. After the preparing barrages and smoke cover the infantry company will advance with German armors and Romanian scout vechiles. They are odered to break the Soviet first line. After that the cavalry squadrons will storm to Soviet rear with some tank support. The engineer company will come after the infantry company and turn towards north. With tank support it is ordered to take Soviet hills there. Infantry company will take southern hills with some tanks. Soviet armored counterattack – if there will be any – will be stopped by air forces and tanks.

Feuer!



Attachment: Northern area

[Korpraali V]

1630

Smoke shield covers the infantry and armors when they slowly advance. Air raids to north take out one heavy ATG and reveal three T-28s to heavy AA guns. Two are quickly taken out by accurate long range shots almost a 1,5 kilometer distance. Third one is dealed by AT guns. Soviet revenging barrages land on heavy AA gun positions and the guns lose most of their men but neither one is destroyed, yet. Romanan barrages start to soften the enemy frontlines. After fifteen minutes constant barrages StuGs, Panhards, and OAs storm the postitions together with infantry company. Lots of machine guns and infantry found. Suppressed infantry is easily sent packing but machine guns behind them have been safe from barrages so they are still functioning and first casualties are taken. This time Ivan has many infantry ATs with him and couple armored cars are destroyed. The barrages are calculated to land on the MGs very soon. After the first line is broken Karl orders the cavalry to gallop in. Also engineers start their slow move to frontline with tanks. Air raids to south reveal some T-28s and take one out. More raids ordered.




Attachment: Southern area

[Korpraali V]

1645

Some Maxim HMGs and infantry squads are still continuing their resistance around the broken Soviet frontline in the center. Most of the defenders there have been killed, only few prisoners have been taken. Commies have lost at least one company of infantry so far. Romanian infantry and Romanian-German armored units are widening the hole in bolshevik lines. Some heavy AT guns try to get lucky hits to armored cars from somewhere in Soviet rear. Long distance shots with low accuracy. They’ve had no luck so far. Cavalry will deal with those guns as fast as they’ll get there. Cavalry and the armored company will soon reach the frontline units. Engineers are little slower. Infantry company have suffered losses in the fight. Nothing like the Soviets have, but many squads have only half of their men left and couple squads have been destroyed. Romanian barrages land continuously on Soviet positions, now to both flanks of the breakthrough area.

Other areas: In south another T-28 burns after the air raid. Some T-34s are trying to counterattack from north. IAR 37 takes one out dropping 50kg bomb right to its top. Soviet barrages try to hit the AT guns in northern treeline. Couple casualties taken but not anything serious.

[Korpraali V]

1650

Lucky shot of Soviet heavy AT gun finally hits and the Romanian armored car explodes. That makes the total of five lost armored cars and one immobilized and so out of battle. The cavalry squadrons have reached the frontlines and are pushing forward. Some are shot at, not much casualties but they’ll easily turn their tails and start to gallop towards home. But two squadrons is so heavy force that Karl sees no problem in this and orders others to continue forward as fast as they can.

Infantry is widening the area to north and south with the help of armors. Soviet infantry gives not much resistance after barrages. Only ones that are threathening the attackers are couple AT-rifles and light mortars. And of course those two beasts of the revelation: T-34s in north. T3s have hit them several times with no result. Karl wonders how he’s going to handle those steel beasts. R-2s and StuGs have no hope at all, not even to mention of R-35s and Panhards. The only possibility is to get T3s close enough so that their 50mm main guns could somehow penetrate the thick armour. Or lucky shot of the heavy AA gun from over one kilometer distance. That would need a lot of luck, and they have only few AP ammos left. Now the Soviet artillery begins to barrage the center. And several T-28s are counterattacking from the center.

Casualties of infantry company are now so high that only half of them are in battle. That also means that Karl has to slow the advance to get the engineers to line. No hills taken yet which is quite a disappointment. High visibility gives the advance to defender and Ivan has today shown his ability to slow down the Romanian advance. The casualties are low comparin to Ivan’s, but they seemingly can afford it. IAR 37 was shot down when it tried to attack the T-28s in the center.





Attachment: The overall situation at 1655.

[Korpraali V]

1705

One T-34 retreated behind the northern hill out from sight. Other one was extremely lucky. It somehow managed to hit R-2 and cut its tracks. Another shot killed sergent Ruicu’s R-35. No one of the brave squad survived. Too lucky beast. Still all the T3s’ shots bounch off its hull causing no damage. And AA gun can’t hit, it only can reveal its position to Soviets… expecting barrages to land soon. Got to deal that T-34 somehow. Infantry is not able to get close yet because of the high visibility. Guns are almost out of smoke and their HE ammos are needed everywhere. Soviet infantry is not much of a threat in north. Artillery suppresses them and they are easy targets to armors and machine guns if they reveal themselves.

Southern resistance seems to be over. Scouting Panhard finds nothing in the area. Good, that releaves some R-2s to other duties to elsewhere.

Cavalry finds the concentration of AT and AA guns plus AAMGs that start to shoot at them. Lots of casualties and suppression taken. Barrages ordered to enemy positions.

Soviet barrages landed on AA gun positions as expected, Not much damage, some suppression. Karl orders the tractors to take the guns off the hill.





Attachment: Sergent Ruicu KIA, and his R-35.

[Korpraali V]

1715

North: Soviet AT guns try to get lucky hits to Romanian tanks. StuG is damaged and the crew bails out. Finally one T-34 is damaged and its crew also bails out. And when T3s roll next to them the crewmen are reaped to pieces. The last T-34 is routed and is an easy target to sergent Bucurescu’s T3 that comes next to it and delivers a 50mm HE grenade through its front turret. No T-34s left. Infantry finds one heavy AT gun and soon it will be history. The overrunning of bolshevik infantry remainings continue.

Force sized about one cavalry squadron is retreating in panic. Other one is soon catching the guns. Those T-28s near them are scary, there’s nothing the cavalry can do to them. The good news are that Romanian artillery have suppressed the AA and AT guns and the cavalry is able to take out the first one. However they are still shooting back so more barrages are needed. The barrages are inaccurate and tend to remain short. No own casualties yet, but sublocotnent Cuza orders them to fire more forward.

The situation changes fast when the T-28s finally start to counterattack. Three tanks easily send the cavalry back and destroys one Panhard. Soviet officers located near the armors. Shiny uniforms, possibly their leader? The situation changes again when two StuGs from south participate the fight and take out one T-28 here and the one that was left in south after the air raids. Soviet officers are sent packing.

Those tankers must be crazy! Two remaining T-28s are still pushing forward and killing cavalrymen despite the fact that there’s Romanian armors near them trying to shoot them into pieces. The suiciders are destroyed by câpitan Lazarian (T3) and sergent Patrascanu (R-2). Cavalry faces the guns and their crews with StuGs and destroys some. They are moslty unable to resist. Some cavalrymen are again lost to AA guns and AAMGs. Soviet barrages hit the central area and cause some casualties and suppression. Nothing that could stop the Romanian horde now!






Attachment: T-28s

[Korpraali V]

1745

Sergent Modreanu is the only one left in his cavalry section but still he’s advancing and killing Soviet crewmen! He shows the right attitude to other cavalrymen and they’ll advance against guns and AAMGs despite losses they continuously take. StuGs and infantry are advancing now, the armors will keep their heads down. They’ve got not much chances facing the AT gun line. From one Finne soldier Karl have heard that the’re calling Ivan’s direct firing gun as die Peitsche (piiska). The name fits too well according to today’s experiences.

Heavy AT guns destroy one StuG, but the cavalry continues slowly but steadily. Infantry has partly reached it and destroys some AA/AT guns as well. Soviet resistance is almost over. Only few guns left, under continuous barrages of Romanian artillery. Artillery and mortars have played very important role in today’s battle. Without them breaking the Soviet frontlines and destroying the rear AT guns would have been very costly if not impossible. Tubes have been fired through the battle and that is shown in results. Also total of six guns or mortars have malfunctioned during the fight.





Attachment: Breaking the ATG line in the center.

[Korpraali V]

The battle is over. Remaining crewmen of Soviet forces leave their guns and flee to forest. Romanian forces under command of Oberstleutnant Karl are again victorious. The Romanian-German forces can now continue their slow advance towards Sevastapol. The flank is clear. Lots of 76,2mm AT guns and 37mm AA guns captured as well as one T-34 with only tracks damaged. Not many prisoners taken today. Ivan was fighting desperately and his infantry rather ran or died than surrendered. About two Soviet battalions were beated today.


Today’s heroes:
- Sergents Ciobotaru (new, 11 kills), Lixandroiu (8 kills) and Mateescu (7 kills) from the infantry company
- Sergent Vulpes (11 kills, R-2), fourth platoon of armored company


Romanian losses: 146 men (mainly cavalrymen), 6 AFVs, 1 aircraft (5226 points DV)

Soviet losses: 1047 men, 34 artillery, 11 AFVs (624 points CD)






Attachment: Facing the northern AT guns.

[JEB Davis]

Thanks for the good DAR, Korpraali.

I'm always curious about what version, oobs, and what settings other players use. Would you mind a quick posting of these? [:)]

[Korpraali V]

Thanks JEB! I'm glad you liked it! [:)]

I'm using v8.4 with vanilla OOBs. Realism Prefs On except C&C OFF. Player Prefs default except Spotting 80%. AI Advantage ON, Medium Battle. Hmm... Did I miss something?