Continuing East Front DCG Campaign

[dominican]

I thought it would be fun to begin posting comments on my continuing East Front Barbarossa Center campaign. I haven't seen such a thread before even though I've looked through most of the threads in this forum. It's kind of like going into the unknown on a random battle basis but using realistic OOBs. I keep an Excel spreadsheet of summary data and will begin posting shortly, comments and such about Colonel Gehringer's 39th Panzer Regiment, 17th Panzer Division.

[dominican]

[font=calibri]I began my DCG EF Barbarossa Center campaign about three weeks ago, shortly after downloading v1.03. I have a couple other smaller campaigns in progress but will report only on this one. I have XP and haven’t had any technical problems with any of the campaigns. I am using an Average difficulty level.[/font]

[font=calibri]Captain Wilhelm Gehringer assumed command of the 1st Battalion, 39th Panzer Regiment, 17th Panzer Division, earlier in 1941 and trained his men unceasingly for several months before hostilities began on June 22. His battalion performed outstandingly-well in two battles against Russian troops, at Vakorysk and Grodno, and the Captain earned two medals and a promotion to Major only four days after fighting commenced. German high command recognized a warrior when they saw one.[/font]

[font=calibri]The battalion fought twice more in July, on the 3rd at Pinsk in an armored breakthrough, and on the 11th at Drissa, a mopping-up operation. Two more medals were awarded to Gehringer and a second promotion, to Lieutenant Colonel. Losses among his panzer command were light and replacements were trained Gehringer-style, with devotion and elan.[/font]

[font=calibri]Lt. Colonel Gehringer was ordered to send his command to Krichev and there battle took place on August 6, in an effort to stop a bridgehead operation by the Soviets. Success was complete though several panzers were lost and not completely made-up by replacements.  [/font]

[font=calibri]The following day the battalion surged forward to Smolensk and there a meeting engagement took place, a complete and total victory for the Germans. Only one German panzer was lost to ATG fire, a PzIIIG model. Gehringer and his battalion were able to race forward to commanding heights and destroy Russian infantry forces plodding forward on foot in completely-open terrain. It was an unmitigated disaster for the Russian army.[/font]

[font=calibri]For this action, Wilhelm Gehringer was promoted to the rank of full Colonel, and he gratefully accepted command of the entire panzer regiment. Now at his command was three full battalions of panzers, twelve platoons, fully 250 machines in all. [/font]

[font=calibri]Gehringer’s regiment, the 39th of the 17th Panzer Division, has fought two battles under his command, one in August and one in September. A highway clearing took place at Sarny on August 20, and a delaying action at Nevel on September 2. In both cases, Gehringer has brought forward overpowering force to the battlefield. Panzers working in close unison have thus far overwhelmed enemy opposition, easily able to replace losses. There were 17 available replacement points following the August 20 battle, many more than necessary to bring the regiment up to full strength.[/font]

[font=calibri]Gehringer has won two Knights Crosses with Oak Leaves and Swords, a Knights War Merit Cross, three Iron Crosses 2nd Class, and two War Merit Crosses 1st Class. He proudly wears the full ribbons into battle, inspiring his men ever onward, though his chest is becoming a little top-heavy with the weight of the medals.[/font]

[font=calibri]Allied SP losses in eight battles have totaled 2,220, including 544 at Nevel in September, an average of 278 SPs per battle. Gehringer has lost 116 SP in total, an average of 15, about half of those to panzers and half to supporting troops. Artillery and anti-tank gun fire have been the major causes of losses overall, as well as mortar and small-arms fire to a lesser extent. Some panzer losses have come from artillery tubes and mortars. Both regiment combats have had a German exit hex that have resulted in many extra VPs. [/font]

[font=calibri]Gehringer’s command has earned 24,796 Experience points, handed out to his first battalion and then to the second and third battalions in the two latest battles. It’s quite a treat to command twelve full-strength panzer battalions. Used carefully and together, they can overwhelm any local opposition. An ATG in unseen terrain might get off a lucky shot or two and possibly even get a kill, but it will be dealt with swiftly, with so many available German resources. [/font]

[font=calibri]That’s where things stand so far. The next battle has not yet been set up, nor do I know its date, but I’ll report here from time to time with the latest exploits of Colonel Wilhelm Gehringer and his 39th Panzer Regiment.[/font]

[Jason Petho]

Well done, dominican!!

Keep it up!

Jason Petho

[dominican]

Thanks, Jason.

One thing I meant to add - for the first time, a panzer platoon lost more than one tank to enemy fire in a single action. In fact, a 4-strength PzIIIG platoon lost all four of its SPs in a single fire from a hidden, adjacent Russian AA platoon. Devastating. I couldn't believe it. Those were four of the 19 Axis SP losses in this latest fighting at Nevel. The Russians pulled out all the stops but couldn't overcome the battling 39th. They lost 544 SPs and there were still some enemy infantry units in an unimportant area of the battlefield when the 39th completed exiting the map. They must have had at least 600 SP in their OOB.

I've discovered it's prudent to not necessarily go after all the VP hexes, especially in wooded areas. The VP hexes are secondary to the Allied-Axis SP loss ratio in determining overall results, and conservation of resources is more important than anything else. Survive to fight another day takes precedence over VP hexes in rough terrain. Capture a few VP hexes and wait for the enemy to come to you seems to work best. I've also noticed that in battles with an Axis exit hex, much of the Russian army will vacate their positions and congregate to within a number of hexes of that exit hex, often in clear terrain, making my job easier. ATGs seem to stay put, and create the greatest fear in a player's mind, along with that lousy artillery and mortar fire.

Russian tanks are not a threat, yet. Still waiting for those T-34s to begin showing up. The Talonsoft player's guide indicates they could start arriving at any time. Enemy mobile ATGs in the form of T-34s is not a comforting thought.

[andym]

I hope the OKWH will send wilhelm on a nice leave to Biarritz!

[dominican]

There's no time for any rest and relaxation, andym. There's a war to be won!
 
Jason, should I have put this thread in the AAR forum? It's okay with me if you can switch it over.

[dominican]

Thanks for moving the continuing AAR into this forum, Jason.
 
Five days following its latest engagement at Nevel on September 2, 1941, Colonel Gehringer's 39th Panzer Regiment of the 17th Panzer Division has run into an apparent Russian tank brigade. Many armored cars, light tanks, and the first T-34s are opposing the Germans as they attempt to stem a bridgehead operation. A platoon of three T-34s attacked and destroyed two German PzIILs in a sneak attack announcing their presence. An unfamiliar "whine" streaked across the battlefield before blowing into the helpless light tank platoon.
 
The 39th Regiment began the fighting with nine of its twelve panzer companies on the field and three in reinforcement, along with a late-arriving Col. Gehringer. The regiment is attacking across a relatively open field with woods on both flanks towards five distant VP hexes. Two more VP hexes in a forest to the northwest will not be pursued. Eight replacement panzers were received before the battle commenced, leaving the regiment five short of its full complement of 255.  Four panzers have been lost in the early fighting, three IILs and one IIIG. Reports will continue as they become available.

[dominican]

Correction on the light tank designations above - those were PzIIFs, not L models, attacked and destroyed by a T-34 platoon.

September 7 fighting has ended at Krichev, the second time the 39th Regiment has fought there in the past month. The bridgehead established by the Russians was destroyed completely. Opposition included portions of a motorized infantry regiment and tank brigade. Two companies of T-34s were encountered and taken out while five panzers were also counted as losses.

Accompanying Oberst (Colonel) Wilhelm Gehringer's panzer regiment of the 17th Panzer Division were other components of the division, including two Schutzen (panzergrenadier) companies - infantry, machine guns and 37mm anti-tank rifles - and one heavy company - engineers, light 75mm infantry guns and light 37mm anti-tank guns. Artillery consisted of one long-range 105mm howitzer company and two companies of sIG 1B 150mm self-propelled howitzers. The SPs consistently fought not far behind the front lines, shooting and scooting, but once more-forward positions were attained and enemy artillery fire focused on the front-line troops, the scooting came to an end and enemy rear positions consisting of headquarters and trucks were pounded into oblivion.

The regiment earned 3202 Experience points, bringing Gehringer's total to 27,998, while earning him his third War Merit Cross 1st Class.

The division took off the rest of the month of September, 1941, to recuperate before once again moving into battle. The regiment was short ten panzers - five from previous fighting and five lost at Krichev. These were more than made up during September when high command offered Gehringer no less than 35 replacement SPs. Since he only needed ten to fill out his three-battalion roster, the remaining 25 panzers were diverted to more needy panzer regiments.

Combat has recommenced on October 5 at Toropets, where eight forward panzer companies have begun mopping up operations, and the four remaining companies held in reserve are hurriedly coming up as reinforcements.

[dominican]

A difficult day at Toropets for the 39th Panzer Regiment, 17th Panzer Division, the bloodiest day of the war thus far for the regiment. Through the first hour 18 German tanks have been destroyed by an apparent reinforced Russian rifle division. Losses include four PzIIFs, two PzIIIFs, ten PzIIIGs and two PzIVEs. Large amounts of anti-tank guns have been encountered as well as molotov squads and four sizes of mortars, including 120mms.

Oberst Gehringer is beginning to have doubts about the quality of his panzers and their armor-plating versus more potent enemy weapons. (I do not use the game option for armor-facing.) Thirty-nine enemy 47mm ATGs have been destroyed and there are probably more on the battlefield which is far from being controlled. Fifty-nine enemy mortars have been knocked out, along with 21 small T-38 tanks, 101 rifle platoon SPs, 27 machine gun and submachine gun SPs, 14 molotov squad SPs and 20 battalion HQ SPs. One unnoticed molotov platoon blew up four PzIIIGs in one attack when they ventured too close to some woods.

With only eight of his twelve panzer companies on the field at the start of the battle, three in one battalion were diverted to the northeast when many mortars began firing in the second turn. These took several turns to eradicate, but three tanks were lost in the process. The other five companies in two battalions moved directly north towards multiple VP hexes, but they became bogged down when ATG after ATG fired away from concealed positions.

It's been a tough day for the 39th Panzer Regiment, mid-way through the fighting (turn 13 out of 25) and one that will not be soon forgotten. And the days are turning colder and the ground is becoming mushy (officially Soft).

[dominican]

October 5, 1941 is the darkest day of the war thus far for the 39th Panzer Regiment, as twenty-three panzer tanks are "brewed up" by accurate enemy anti-tank fire and determined molotov squads of the Russian army. Though they win an eventual Outstanding verdict, these will be hard to replace without a significant amount of time at rest. Oberst Gehringer immediatley contacts his superiors asking for those extra panzers he turned away last month, but they have already been reassigned. Patience, he is told, must be his virtue. He will receive replacements, but they will take time to arrive, time he may not be granted by the Soviets. Nearly seventy 47mm ATGs were destroyed but they exacted a fearsome toll on the thin German armor. What is Wehrmacht doing about these enemy guns that overmatch our armor?, Gehringer inquires. Again, patience, Wilhelm, we are working on the problem.  Soon you will have your new panzers that can withstand any Russian shell.
 
I grew careless in the long game, losing a tank near the last of 25 turns, to an ATG that was almost on the back row of hexes while I was searching for HQs. What was an ATG doing way back there so late in the game? Was it chicken? Another was lost to an AA gun hiding in a woods hex, also near the end of the game. These were risks I don't take at the beginning of a scenario, but I thought the threat of losing a tank was over by then. Hopefully, I'll remember this next time. I should walk away from the computer and come back fresh-minded rather than sitting too long to finish a turn or two and growing careless.

[dominican]

Oberst Gehringer receives eight panzer replacements two days after the battle at Toropets, leaving his regiment fifteen short of full-regimental strength, with 240 tanks. He is also awarded his tenth combat medal, a Knights Cross War Merit Cross. Later that day he is ordered to take his regiment to Belyy, midway between Smolensk and Moscow, where he will again engage in a mopping up operation.
 
Ten panzer companies begin on the battle map on October 10, with two more coming up as reinforcements. Gehringer has the most infantry support he has received in the war on this day, with two foot companies of 1937 Schutzen and two motorized 1941 Schutzen companies on the map. In addition, two more foot companies are coming up as reinforcements early in the 19-turn battle. Weather conditions are dry ground and overcast skies, visibility 18. The 39th Rgmt has the usual two companies of sIG 1B SP 150mm howitzers and one company of 105mm howitzers as artillery support.
 
The regiment starts entirely on the left side of the map for maximum concentration. Heavy forests cover much of the battlefield, with many marsh hexes near the German starting line. Maneuverability will thus be hampered and visibility greatly impaired, so infantry troops will do much of the early fighting to clear out forest and marsh hexes, the panzers following close behind. Never before has Gehringer had so much infantry to rely upon.

[dominican]

I wrote a three-paragraph report but got an error message when trying to post, either the server was down or my session was timed out.  Anyway, here's a condensed version:
 
The regiment is doing very well, making its way into a clearing along the left edge of the map, where panzer platoons are having a "turkey shoot" against the right flank of an apparent Russian rifle division. Soft targets abound and die - two HQs, two mortar sections, some unattended motorcycles, trucks, an AA platoon. No tanks in sight as a supporting Schutzen infantry battalion make its way through a forest on foot and is about to pounce on more soft targets. Two sIG 1B batteries are closing up behind woods and a 12-gun 105mm motorized howitzer battery has just entered the battlefield, proceeding along a convenient north-south highway the Russians kindly built for our advancing panzer division. 33-0 in lost SPs worth 136 VPs in the seventh of twenty turns.

[Jason Petho]

Minor recommendation, while I am thoroughly enjoying your writings, maybe a screenshot here and there would be helpful!

Thanks much!!

Jason Petho

[dominican]

Jason,
 
I would like to post photos but I don't know how. Does Matrix have a section describing how to do so?

[Jason Petho]

Below the screen where you type, you will find a "File" Click here to upload.

Click on that, browse to the file you wish to upload.

Click OK.

Check the "Embed picture in post" box so everyone can see it.

And you're done!

Jason Petho

[cpdeyoung]

Dominican,
 
One thing Jason forgot to mention is that you click on [Post Reply], and do not use this [Fast Reply] to get the "Click here to upload" and "Imbed picture" choices.  There are limits on the size, no larger than 200KB.
 
Chuck

[dominican]

Thanks, Jason and cpdeyoung. I was searching for the File button and couldn't find it because I was looking at the Fast Reply box. I see the File button now.

You also have to save the screen using the Print Screen button, and then go into a Paint program? I've read explanations before but have never tried it. How will I know the size, and how do I reduce it if I'm over 200k? Is the JTCS normal screen capture over 200k? Please forgive me, I'm a newbie at posting screen captures. We'll get this figured out yet.

[dominican]

Jason reports in the 1.04 thread that this 1.03 campaign very likely will not be able to proceed into January 1943, a little over a year down the road, game time. I'm thinking of waiting to download 1.04 and begin a new EF DCG campaign, rejecting promotions and staying at battalion strength through the end of the war. Regiments take three times the time, even though the regiment will be historically-reduced to two battalions in 1942. Till v1.04 is available I guess I'll continue with this campaign.

[dominican]

A cautious yet complete victory for Oberst Gehringer's 39th Panzer Rgmt, 17th Pz Div, at Belyy on October 10, 1941. Only two tanks are lost in combat, both PzIVs, as six supporting infantry companies and three artillery batteries take the primary burden of the fighting. Nine infantry SPs fell to Russian weapons. Gehringer's troops gain 1979 Experience points, with a grand total of 33,782. Gehringer receives his eleventh medal, a meager War Merit Cross 2nd Class, his first such medal.

The Russians had no anti-tank guns - they must have shot their bolt at Toropets. Nine T-34s showed up midway in the battle and eight were destroyed after taking out the two PzIVs. Mortars were also scarce as the Russians put up a primarily-strictly infantry force with only two to four indirect infantry gun fires per turn. The Russians must be scraping the bottom of the barrel now. On to Moscow!

[dominican]

Oberst Wilhelm Gehringer's 39th Panzer Regiment meets a Russian rifle division in a meeting engagement on October 21 at Vyazma and comes away with another crushing victory. Slogging uphill and down through thick Russian mud, the regiment is supported for the first time in the war by a company of StuG IIIBs. The regiment's panzer companies are able to attain commanding positions in front of multiple victory hexes before Russian foot units and horse-carried platoons are able to get into position. It's another turkey shoot for Hitler's troops, aided by consistently-accurate direct fire from SiG 1B 150mm SP guns firing over open sights. One panzer was lost in the 22nd turn by mortar fire and one HQ SP in the 24th and final turn when I forgot to move it.
 
The regiment received exactly the number of replacements before the battle it required to come up to full strength - 17. Experience stands at 36,338 as Gehringer earns his fourth WMC 1st Class.
 
Jason, I meant to try to capture a screen shot using Microsoft Paint but I forgot in the heat of the battle. I tried to paste a screenshot from the previous battle to a Microsoft Word document but Matrix didn't recognize it.