[RT] Unternehmen Husarenritt - March 1945

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hawkerace
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[RT] Unternehmen Husarenritt - March 1945

Unread postby hawkerace » Mon Jan 16, 2017 1:48 am

Hello,

This is an ahistorical scenario based on Gudarian's initial proposal of a counter-attack against the 1st. Belorussian front. In reality, the operation was shrunk down into Operation Solstice and was an operational failure, even though there were 7 armored divisions committed.

*Special thanks again to T_Minus, using his Operation Gemse scenario as well Operation Solstice scenario as inspirations and order of battle planning, specifically Operation Gemse.*

I however did my own looking into unit strengths and compositions as well as took some liberties of unit placements (particularly the soviet forces) as the time was hectic and there is a real lack of English text on the subject.

==============

The story:

When the January Offensive was underway pushing the Germans closer, General Heinz Guderian planned an operation to counterattack the stretched Soviet forces. Guderian wanted to prongs, one from Stargard and another from Silesia to squeeze off the units on the Oder river.

Instead of Guderian immediately discussing this plan with Hitler, he approached Himmler and convinced the apathetic leader of the Army Group Vistula that the plane will work.

Guderian with Himmler and other officers present told Hitler of his plan, and wanted to use Sepp Dietrich's 6th SS Panzer Army, reinforcements from Norway, Italy and the Courland pocket to be evacuated.

Of course predictably, Hitler outright refused the evacuation of the Courland pocket but strangely conceded the use of the 6th SS Panzer Army but insisted that some resources be allocated for a future offensive called Spring Awakening (now further postponed due to this offensive). However Himmler did interject that the SS divisions continue with Operation Solstice as to check the Soviets in February. Guderian insisted that Wenck be in control of this small operation and Himmler stepped down.

Operation Solstice was an operational failure (as it was historically) but Guderian still had hopes for the larger Husarenritt.

The Wehrmacht is skeptical; but boost of morale with the arrival of the battered veterans from the Western front may be able to turn the tide this late and desperate of a time. Growning competitiveness will be shown in this final strike, as the SS armies gather heading towards Stettin and Stargard as the Heer gathers it's last breaths to punch north and east from Silesia.

The Plan:

You will first gloss over the size of the map and notice that Operation Gemse is still in full swing, but as a initial offensive start to Husarenritt.

1. Punch through towards Gemse's objectives and help Breslau, keep your Panzer divisions intact and grind down the Soviets as best as you can.

2. Consolidate your battered forces in Pomerania as the Soviets are mid-offensive post Operation Solstice. Either blow the bridges and hold on to Stettin or delay with your entrenched forces for the 6. SS Panzer Armee to arrive and begin the counterattack on turn 2

3. Deploy your prestige units in the north and south starting points (but remember, Hitler demands you not commit all forces as some will be sent to Hungary for defensive action). Make sure to keep AA around your spearheads as the weather is clearing up and the Soviets have air superiority.

4. Drive a wedge south-east to cut off the Belorussian front on the Oder and knock out and tank corps that are in position to check your tank offensive!

5. Continue east and north with your Heer offensive; and south and east with your SS divisions.

6. Consolidate your Danzig area of operations as well as Konigsberg by either doing limited offensives or just holding the line. If you are in risk of losing your tank steps, redeploy the steps to be evacuated and deployed to the Oder fronts.

7. Reinforcements trickle in but very much more for the Soviets than the Germans. Scratch divisions and a mixed bag of veterans and specialists will become available but their steps are far and few between.


8. The Soviets will start to send armies fresh from Finland and elsewhere once the operation is beginning to succeed. It is imperative you are committed to a full fight towards Warsaw.

9. The Soviets will begin construction defensive lines when you approach Warsaw, be alert and don't let their experience deep defences delay you from capturing your objectives.

10. Finally sack Warsaw, and push the Soviets over the Vistula and central Poland. Don't forget to recapture Memel as a starting point for the Courland counteroffensive.


=============================

This map is a big and ambitious scenario. There will be a lot of issues and uniqueness that I will need your help play testing!

Let me know what needs work, where things could be changed and make sure to have fun!
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sourdust
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Re: [RT] Unternehmen Husarenritt - March 1945

Unread postby sourdust » Wed Apr 19, 2017 9:05 am

Wow, that is ambitious. Played the first 2 turns, still wrapping my head around it all... the Soviets are immensely powerful. I cut off some in my first effort, but couldn't quite close the trap and I'll have to restart.

One question - why the placement of the East Prussian supply points in isolated places where they don't actually supply Konigsberg? Is the fact that the whole Konigsberg pocket is out of supply except a handful of coastal guys intentional? It's pretty near impossible to restore regular supply to them for a few turns at least, and with just 2 paradrops a turn most of them are doomed.

sourdust
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Re: [RT] Unternehmen Husarenritt - March 1945

Unread postby sourdust » Thu Apr 20, 2017 6:20 am

OK, got the hang of it. This is one tough scenario! Managed a victory on turn 13 on my second play-through, without using any prestige units. But I missed the Breslau objective by one turn, so only a decisive victory... 50 points short of a perfect brilliant victory. Usually I stick at it and try for the perfect win, but this one takes so long to play... I'm not sure... I can think of a few things I'd try to do better

I lost Danzig and Stettin both to sneaky cavalry moves, but managed to recover and held two huge pockets of Russian troops.

The battle is really won or lost in the first 2 turns. If you can manage to cut off all the Russians in Pomerania, and also pinch off those tough soviet tank units north of Breslau, and keep them cut off through turn 2, then victory is assured. If not, the Russians will savage your units! Supply to Konigsberg is terribly hard to carve out and maintain. Fortunately it doesn't actually matter if you lose the city - probably better to pull back and focus on opening up the rail line, using the supply right on the water's edge to maintain you troops until the line is open.

Very well designed hawkerace!

hawkerace
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Re: [RT] Unternehmen Husarenritt - March 1945

Unread postby hawkerace » Thu Apr 27, 2017 1:08 am

sourdust wrote:Wow, that is ambitious. Played the first 2 turns, still wrapping my head around it all... the Soviets are immensely powerful. I cut off some in my first effort, but couldn't quite close the trap and I'll have to restart.

One question - why the placement of the East Prussian supply points in isolated places where they don't actually supply Konigsberg? Is the fact that the whole Konigsberg pocket is out of supply except a handful of coastal guys intentional? It's pretty near impossible to restore regular supply to them for a few turns at least, and with just 2 paradrops a turn most of them are doomed.


Hello,

yes the Konigsberg pocket is indeed intetional, Pillau was aport north west on the edge of the bay, and was the focus of evacuation (and potentially supply). I wanted Konigsberg to not have a direct supply to to the surrounded units and immense soviet pressure that the city felt from March to April. This can be remedied if your offense pushes from Danzig and retaking the rail line.

It is supposed to be a pretty difficult scenario, probably the one I put most effort into.

There's a lot of creative ways to do this, and keep in mind that your prestige units are supposed to be used as per the scenario details. There's plenty of options and choices, and a BV is very possible - I play tested it quite much, and managed to get BV without the prestige. It's a shame of the limits of the game, but I'm content with my scenarios. I look forward to the second game and hopefully can make some scenarios for the unity of command devs :D

LtCol
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Re: [RT] Unternehmen Husarenritt - March 1945

Unread postby LtCol » Wed May 17, 2017 5:44 pm

Spectacular map. Very challenging starting position. I did a brilliant victory on my first try without spending prestige points. Some remarks:

The time limits on the last victory locations are too loose. I captured Lodz on turn 12 instead of 15, both Warsaw locations on turn 13 instead of 17 and Memel on turn 16 instead of 20.

I don't understand the victory location north of Poznan called 'Cut-off 1st BF'. You want me to cross the river at that location and then go to Danzig, but there is a bridge a few hexes away, with the supply railroad. The Russians also did not defend this location. I would replace this victory location by the city of Allenstein, south-east of Danzig. This city is defended by the Russians and taking it protects your supply line to Memel. I captured Allenstein on turn 12.

You reduced the reorganization limit from 5 to 2, which is a good thing, but it wasn't mentioned in the briefing, so I didn't know when I started.

Good map!

Striker753
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Re: [RT] Unternehmen Husarenritt - March 1945

Unread postby Striker753 » Sat Sep 21, 2019 1:42 pm

Well, the scenario HAS to be difficult, it's March 1945 we're talking about, Germany capitulated 2 months later in real life; so, your beaten-up, tired, bleeding boxer has to knock out his opponent who's at full strength and weighs twice as much!
But as an enthusiastic Soviet player since as long as I've played WW2 games, it isn't impossible for the German party to win this one. The key would be to use your Panzerdivisionen to encircle, crush, encircle, crush over and again slower Soviet infantry divisions, while always keeping one or two fast units around to harass moving troops, disrupt offensive preparations, intercept task forces and generally delay the OPFOR's efforts.
That's how I'd play it if I were put in front of the army I usually use, at least. :mrgreen: