Westerplatte, Poland Map

[Redleg]

Orzel's fantastic map - you just gotta download this. It is at the Raider's site.

A true work of art just waiting for a fight!

Congratulations! I *REALLY* like this one.

[Orzel Bialy]

It was on my to do list...I got the map done and then was de-railed by some problems in scenario design...for which I just didn't have the time to correct.
So...I turned it over to the Arsenal figuring it would be put to good use at some point. I hope it provides a good foundation for a scenario somewhere down the line.

[Goblin]

Wow, that is a really cool map, O-man. Real good job.


Goblin

[Orzel Bialy]

a kind word of praise from the Gobster...jeez, I'm flattered.

Thanks mate!

[M4Jess]

Very cool Birdman! very cool!

[Jakub]

Guys,

just tu give you the numbers....

At Westerplatte there was only 80-160 polish soldiers (either 80 or 160 I can't recall) and they were attacked by:

some 3000 German soldiers (regiment)
Stukas
Schlezwik Holstein (spelling? - a crusier)
+ lots of artilery

would be interesting to implement for the scenario...

[Redleg]

The most startling thing to me was that the Germans suffered about a 10:1 casualty rate taking the place.

German forces were split between Wehrmacht and police units.
My info has Polish strength at about 150 warm, breathing bodies.
The Polish troops were in exellent improved positions and concrete bunkers.

The German troops who survived this carnage called Westerplatte, "Little Verdun".

I am working on a small scenario (different map since I didn't find Orzel's soon enough) to try to depict a small portion of this engagement.

[Jakub]

Other interesting engagements....

I read in some books about:

1. a battery of Polish cavalry AT-guns (4 guns @37 mm) holding some 20-25 tanks (mainly Pzkw II) with a great succes. This guys were very well concealed.

2. Charge of Polish cavalry units on a German motorized infantry company at rest - it was on open space surrounded by forests. Once Germans found out that they are charged at, they took their weapons and started shooting - but it was too late....
The sabres took their toll....

[Orzel Bialy]

Yes and it was that second engagement you listed which gave birth to the "legend" of Polish cavalry units charging tanks with sabres and lances.

For those interested in a history lesson...here's what happened (to the best information at my disposal)

September 1st 1939
In the early evening hours, after a full day of heavy fighting all along the Pomeranian sector of the front some of the German units that had crossed the Brda River halted to rest and regroup. (I believe the unit in question was an infantry battalion assigned to the 20th Motorized Division.)
In the meantime, units of the Polish Pomorska Cavalry Brigade and the 81st armored battalion (consisting of mostly worn out Tks') had been holding a defensive line in the same local...covering the retreat of the rest of the cavalry brigade away from the area of Brusy.
In the late afternoon Colonel Kazimierz Mastelarz mounted up half of his 18th Lancer Regiment and took off on a mission to try and hit the flank of German units that had been reported in the area. Around 1900 the Poles spotted the German infantry battalion at rest in a forest clearing.
History and fantasy are made over the next fifteen minutes. The Poles decide on a sabre charge so as to have the best chance at surprise (normally a attached MG unit would lay down surpression fire in advance). The Poles galloped out from around the hills and outcrops of trees...and literally cut their foes down with the sword!
However, at the same time an German armored car unit happened to be in the area and sped to the sounds of battle. They emerged from the opposite side of the clearing with guns blazing...catching a large portion of the Polish cavalry units in a withering fire as they regrouped to withdraw.
20 men, including Colonel Mastelarz were killed...the rest of the unit making it back to the cover of the wooded hills...and beyond.
Later, when an Italian war reporter happened upon the area (the German bodies had been mostly removed by their comrades by this time) he asked about all the dead Poles and their horses...he was told they were cut down when they attacked tanks in a foolish cavalry charge. Thus was born one of the biggest propoganda stories of the war!

Whew!:p