Romania - Krivoyrog

[Korpraali V]

In front of Krivoyrog
15/8/41 0800

Visibility 1,5km, Weather: Clear, Length 32 turns

Romanian Advance – Soviet Delay



Operation Mûnchen is over. German and Romanian troops have liberated Bessarabia and are now moving forward to Ukraine. Two remaining R-1s have now been changed to T3s that have finally arrived. Those should work better against Ivan’s medium and heavy tanks than Chekoslovakian Skodas and French Renaults that most of the battalion’s tanks still are. Also couple trucks have been changed to tractors that can carry 75mm AA guns. Troops are tired due to long marches over Ukranian fields. Peasants are mostly peaceful, even kind. Many don’t like Stalin and communists here. Yesterday Oberstleutnant Friedrich Karl received orders to advance towards the city of Krivoyrog. The town is vital to Axis advance, so Oberstleutnant will receive all support possible. They have to advance fast, time is essential tomorrow.


Support Units:

Air Support:
2x Bf-110G-4
4x Ju-87b Stuka
2x IAR 37

Howitzer Battery
4x 100mm Skoda FH

Artillery Btn
M36 105mm Bty
M36 105mm Bty
M36 105mm Bty

Cavalry Squadron
Cav Hq
4x Cavalry
4x Cavalry
4x Cavalry

Armored Recon
3x R-1 Tankette
3x R-1 Tankette

Infantry Recon
5x Scout team
Recon
Sniper



Attachment: Northern area

[Korpraali V]

0600

Oberstleutnant Karl looks his map with leutnant Brandt (adjutant), sublocotenent Cuza (forward observer and the commander of artillery), câpitan Lazarian (commander of tank company), câpitan Madgerian (commander of engineer company), sublocotenent Ripanu (commander of rifle company), câpitan Brancusi (commander of AT/AA company), câpitan Ghica (commander of cavalry squadron) and câpitan Tatarescu (commander of recon). After two of hours they will advance. Intel has passed the information that Ivan is trying to stop here and freeze the lines. So the attack has to take place as fast as possible. Ivan has to be forced to move again.

Main attack area will be from center to south. That’s mainly because the only bridge across the small NS river is in the center. Infantry will be able to cross the river without trouble, but vechiles can stuck there. So the small bridge will be very crowded today. It’s good that it is railroad bridge so it will take much weight on it. There will be a true bottleneck around the bridge so it must be taken and secured quickly and totally covered with smoke. Enemy observers will be given minimum information about our movement.

Center: ½ tank company, rifle company, recon

South: ½ tank company, engineer company, cavalry, recon

All starts with good smoke cover from center to south. After that heavy barrages to our routes, especially around the bridge.

Southern troops will take the small hill in the area. From there the cavalry will continue forward across the river and to the Soviet rear and keep the enemy confused and busy. Tanks will turn north and join the central force for rivercrossing. Engineers will secure the hill and then widen the area.

Central troops will storm to bridge, take it and cross it. With smoke cover united tank company will take the central hill and encircle the northern Bolshevik troops. Rifle company will cover tank’s right flank (Soviet rear) and assist where needed.

AT and AA guns will be placed all along the area with good sights so that they’ll be able to cover advancing forces from maximum distance.

Karl sends the officers back to their men and turns to his adjutant: ”Heinrich, how many of them you expect to see alive in the evening?” ”Not many, herr oberst. I think haupt… câpitans Ghica and Tatarescu will have no chances at all.” ”Yes.” Karl says. ”You are probably right. You are not dumm, that’s why you are my adjutant. But this front have to be kept on the move. If Ivan gets any chances he will stop and his friend - the winter - may come early this year. When the roads turn to mud it will be almost impossible to keep the attack going. Have to go now, at all costs.” Both men are quiet at the moment. Then Brandt says: ”This is not Wehrmacht, herr oberst.” ”No, this isn’t Heinrich… no, this isn’t.”




Attachment: Southern area

[Korpraali V]

0820

All the front was covered with smoke twenty minutes ago. Ju-87 dive and bombed Soviet frontlines near the bridge. IAR 37 started to dive towards own tank but recognized it before anything serious happened. Forces start to move and artillery changes the HE shells to their tubes.

Two dives of IAR 37 dive-bombers to Soviet rear hits the jackpot: two T-28 is burning after the hits by 12kg bombs. Southern forces find couple Maxims and appr. company of infantry. Rifle fire destroys scouting R-1. Bolsheviks suffer high casualties. Southern hill is in Romanian hands and forces start to divide. So far everything has gone here as planned.

Center: First Soviet infantry found and repulsed from their positions. One R-1 was destroyed due Soviet hand grenades. Some guns located behind their first lines. Waiting for barrages to rout their infantry and lay down smoke shield to cover our tanks from those guns. Enemy artillery hit our starting positions.

[Korpraali V]

0840

South: Enemy infantry surrendered in masses to Romanian tanks. There was nothing else than infantry so the attackers suffered only minor casualties and the cavalry was able to reach the enemy rear at a full gallop. They run in front of the AT guns placed on tree line and start to fight against them. Some Romanian tanks join the fight.

Center: tanks are reaping the Bolshevik infantry line to pieces. Not much they even try to do. Light mortars try to stop tanks with direct fire. Only one R-1 damaged slightly. Some AT guns and AA guns shoot back. Not yet able to see them. The area west from the stream is clear. The attacking spears have united and are chasing last running men to the other side of the stream. First tanks are safely over the bridge. Little north of them an AT-gun that already had damaged one R-1 now manages to destroy one T3. It is very close southern edge of the hill but still remains undetected. Infantry is running as fast as it can to help the tanks. They cannot move forward until this thread is silenced. After the barrages two guns are down but more of them are on top of the hill. Bridgehead secured. Enemy casualties appr. two companies of infantry.

Enemy tanks seen in north. They are trying to counterattack. Air raids, AA and AT guns far leftern flank makes their life quite miserable. Sergent Closca’s ATG killed one T-28 from gun’s maximum 1,5km distance!

[Korpraali V]

0900

South: Cavalry is galloping over the first ATG positions with low casualties. With tanks this would have been hard road to go. Not even to mention those tanks who would have gotten stuck to stream. Few tanks that have come to assist here got a job when lone T-28 showed his ugly nose. It was quickly neutralized, mainly because the tank seemed to have lost its main gun due to air raids or malfunctioning. Lots of other AT guns and light mortars are found around the southern rear hill. This takes long ’cause cavalry seems to panic easily and recover slowly. Dealing with those guns takes only time, not much casualties.

Center: AT guns on the hill have been destroyed and Ivan’s counterattack is stumbling due to continuous air raids. Time to launch attack to north. Barrages hit first to suspected enemy positions and then tanks will storm there. They have received lots of small arms fire from north but nothing really harmful. Untill two AT guns open fire at the close range. One R-2 loses its tracks and other one is damaged and the crew bails out. Scouts reveal the guns quickly and they are destroyed. Bolshevik AT and AA guns are shooting from their rear hill. No one’s been hit yet, but the cavalry south of them must rise their speed to destroy those guns. Those are real thread to advancing tanks. Enemy frontline in north is now partially encircled and Romanian tanks are receiving more small arms fire which forces the tank leaders to go inside the tank. Oberstleutnant orders more barrages to support them. Tanks have done huge job today. They have eliminated at least two companies of enemy infantry and secured this battle to Romanians. And the cavalry has been vital element destroying enemy AT guns and flanking to their rear.

Smoke grenades are almost over so the frontline units just have to hope there’s no nasty surprises coming anymore.

[Korpraali V]

0920

North: Couple Soviet T-28s made counterattack with the support of at least one ATG. They were stopped but one R-2 was destroyed. Others start to deal with Soviet infantry. After barrages and some de-existential efforts made by tanks Bolsheviks start to run for their lives trying to retreat towards east.

Center: Barrages hit Romanian infantry hard. After that encircled Russian infantry started to fire the closest Romanian infantry units. HMG and company commander sublocotenent Ripanu were lost. Karl orders rest of the company to north to help the tanks that are under constant rifle fire and to protect the crewmen that are vulnerable to enemy fire. The move finishes the enemy resistance in the pocket and the remainings of them are now heading to north in panic. R-35 tanks follow under the command of sublocotenent Buturuga. He survived the first battle in june and has become average soldier with eight kills.

South: Engineers speed to help the cavalry. Southern rear hill is now secured and the cavalry starts to gallop towards the northern one. More AT and AA guns found. Supporting tanks will stay hidden untill the cavalry has dealt with those guns. Together with the engineers the squadron is able to take out several AT and AA guns and light mortars. Couple 85mm heavy guns were a problem that held the advance for about ten to fifteen minutes but after some barrages and determined cavalry assault they were overrunned and now the southern side of the central rear hill is clear.

[Korpraali V]

0940

This will soon be over. Central rear hill is now secured and câpitan Ghica, commander of the cavalry squadron, finished the Soviet headquaters. More AT and AA guns seen on the northern rear hill.

North: Tanks are chasing Bolsheviks… Tanks are soon to meet the cavalry that has almost cleared the Soviet rear.

After destroying immobilized T-28 on their way tank spear unite with cavalry and destroy last ATGs. The battle is over. Soviet forces have been wiped out from the field and the battalion will move forward.

After the battle Oberstleutnant Karl meets his officers and congratulates for the job well done. Especially cavalry was in great role today practically ensuring the Soviet rear hills to Romania. Two officers less in the meeting now than in the morning. Câpitan Tatarescu and sublocotenent Ripanu have fallen and câpitan Lazarian is lightly wounded after losin his R-2 tank. That’ll be soon fixed and the good câpitan will soon be back to his men. The road to Krivoyrog is open and the division will soon enter the town. Two reinforced infantry regiments (seven companies) of Soviet forces were beaten today.

Heroes of the field:
- Cavalry squadron, led by câpitan Ghica, performed much better than anyone would have expected. Zero full squads were lost, several Soviet guns were destroyed and breakthrough achieved.
- Tank sergents Vulpes (12 kills), Bucurescu (10 kills), Punga (9 kills) and Patrascanu (9 kills) who made a big job clearing the way through Bolshevik defences.

Romanian losses: 145 men, 5 AFVs (9802 points DV)

Soviet losses: 1263 men, 50 artillery, 7 AFVs (1809 points CD)

[Einar Fridgeirs]

Who says cavalry is outdated? Bah! You used them perfectly in this battle - to run amok in the rear, causing confusion and silencing the AT guns. Well done, well done!!

[Korpraali V]

ORIGINAL: Einar Fridgeirs

Who says cavalry is outdated? Bah! You used them perfectly in this battle - to run amok in the rear, causing confusion and silencing the AT guns. Well done, well done!!

Thank you! [:)]

For me this was a new way to use the cavalry. I hadn't known any proper ways to use them. Now I know at least one [8D]. Against the AT guns they seem to work fine. So does the infantry but it takes more time for them to reach the guns. Also the cavalry is very rapid force and can easily flank anything. And usually from the rear you can find many juicy targets. Only times when I needed the tanks to help the cavalry was when they met HMGs and T-28.

With Romanians (and other minors) when I can't trust tank power etc, then I just have to try something new. This time it worked well and I learned a lesson.