All,
Drive on Minsk
1 July 1941
0930 Local Time
Kampfgruppe Klink road deep into the night following LtCol Schultz's successful assault on the enemy-held village as the Panzer Korps raced to encircle Minsk. The Korps halted at approximately 0100, but it was 0230 before anyone got to sleep after refueling the vehicles, replenishing ammunition, performing maintenance on the vehicles, cleaning weapons, and getting something to eat. And they were up before sunrise, on the road again by 0500. After several hours of traveling east the column again halted, enemy panzers had arrived in force and were being engaged. Then word came back that a Panzer Battalion attempted to flank the Soviet armor to the south but ran into swampy ground and minefields, were still working to extricate themselves. Recce units reported an anti-tank screen to the north (what would later become known as a 'Pak-front' when the Germans themselves used it); word came back from the Korps commander, he wants Kampfgruppe Klink to clear it immediately in order to restore freedom of movement for his panzers.
"Shall I handle this for you, my Colonel?" LtCol Schultz asked. "Yes, Schultz, I believe this requires your particular talents," Colonel Klink replied.
Overview, north is up. The MSR is at bottom, running east-west, with a spur running north to another unnamed Soviet village (top right). The German base edge is the bottom, while the Soviet is at top, where you can see a trench across the bulk of it, with a few stands of trees but mostly just cultivated fields betweeen.
The opposing forces, with Germans on the left and Soviets on the right. Yes, we have German armor for the first time.
The German force consists of:
Battlefield Commander:
XO:
LtCol Schultz (IAB, WB (2), IC2)
Poland, France, Barbarossa,Battlefield Second in Command:
3rd Grenadiere Company Commander: 1st Lt Ost (IAB, WB (2), IC2)
Poland, France, Greece, Barbarossa3rd Rifle Plt PC: 2nd Lt ZabelBarbarossa 1st Squad: Cpl RauerBarbarossa 2nd Squad: Sgt Obst (IAB, WB (1))
Poland, France, Greece, Barbarossa, 3rd Squad: Cpl Rishel (IAB, WB (1)) France, Greece, Barbarossa 1st Pz Plt (Pz II x 4) PC: 2nd Lt Kleiber (PAB, WB (1))
Poland, Greece, Barbarossa
V2: SSgt Keck, (PAB, WB (2), IC2)
Poland, France, Greece, Barbarossa,
V3: Sgt Zedler (PAB, WB (2))
Poland, France, Greece, Barbarossa,
V4: Cpl Rausch
France, Greece, BarbarossaCombat Engineer Plt PC: 2nd Lt SachenbacherBarbarossa
1st Squad: SSgt Hafl (IAB, WB (1), IC1 and IC2)
Poland, France, Greece, Barbarossa, 2nd Squad: SSgt Osswald (IAB) Poland, France, Greece, Barbarossa, 3rd Squad: Sgt Dilbertt (IAB, TKB (1), IC2)
Poland, France, Greece, Barbarossa, Sturmgeschutz:
Cpl JorgensenGreece, Barbarossa The Soviet force consists of:
-Commander
-two 45mm anti-tank guns
-two PTRD anti-tank rifles
-Maxim machine gun team
-four rifle squads
Overview, now with troops. You can see the Germans spread across the bottom of the table and the Soviets spread across the top.
The German left and center; the Engineer Platoon is at top left, mounted in halftracks, while their platoon commander (Lt Sachenbacher) is in his Sdkfz 250 command halftrack at center.The platoon of Panzer IIs is split into two two-vehicle columns, while LtCol Schultz has his own Sdkfz 250 command halftrack at bottom center right.
While on th German far right, Lt Ost, commander of the 3rd Grenadiere Company, is present with Cpl Jorgenson's Stug and Lt Zabel's 3rd Platoon.
In the village, the Soviets have two rifle squads placed in the huts.
As we move right we see the left-end of th trenchline, with an ATR at bottom left, then a rifle squad, then a 45mm ATG, then the Maxim MG team and their Commander.
And with the MG team and Commander at bottom left, then we have the other 45mm ATG, the last rifle squad, and the other ATR team.
A short, sharp preparatory barrage crashes onto the Soviet positions.
Suppressing a Communist ATG (far let) and ATR team (bottom right).
Lt Col Schultz and his command team moves up (center, from right), as both columns of Panzer IIs surge forward, the halftracks of the Engineer Platoon following them, while on the far right, the grenadiers of 3rd Platoon, 3rd Company move up as well (top right, from far right).
The Soviet northern ATG (bottom right) spots a Panzer II (top left) and sends 45mm armor-piercing round at it...
But it's off the mark!
The panzer (bottom left) returns fire with its 20mm auto-cannon.
Suppressing the gun and the nearby MG team (southern ATG just visible at top right).
The Reds take a moment to attempt to rally all their suppressed troops back into the fight.
And every single one of them is successful, wiping out a whole bunch of work by the Germans ;)
The Panzer II again fires on the northern ATG, to no effect...
He continues rolling forward, towards the enemy entrenchment...
The northern ATG sights in and fires again...
And this time the panzer is brewed up, its crew abandoning the burning vehicle.
Another panzer (bottom left) takes its shot at the northern ATG.
The southern ATG (bottom left) replies...
The round misses, but manages to pin the crew (yellow bead at left).
Yet another panzer moves up, firing ont he southern ATG.
Suppressing the crew!
But the southern ATR team (bottom left) sights in and starts hammering 14.5mm armor-piercing rounds into the panzer's thin side armor...
The vehicle is immobilized and the crew bales out as the tank belches black smoke.
The German halftracks dash ahead, up to and past the burning panzers, as LtCol Schultz (far right) looks on anxiously.
The northern ATR (bottom right) sights in on the lead halftrack (just past the burning panzer at top left) and fires as fast as they can reload the bolt-action operated weapon.
The ATR rounds miss, so the halftrack returns fire with its MG-34 as its cargo of engineers dismount.
Suppressing the northern ATR team!
But the Soviet MG team has just rallied and opens fire at point-blank range on the just dismounted engineer squad!
Panicking them!
LtCol Schultz immediately swoops in to assist.
But a Commie rifle squad in the north (bottom right) spots the German commander (who has now dismounted, top left), and opens fire.
The tough old German Colonel shrugs off the incoming fire and sets about rallying the panicked engineers...
But they've had it, they're out of the fight!
The Soviet Commander falls back to rally the southern ATG.
And they're good to go.
While in the north, a Soviet rifle squad opens fire on 3rd Platoon, advancing up the German right side, through a cornfield (top left).
And a squad of grenadiers is mowed down in their tracks!
The far-right panzer (bottom left) pumps some 20mm rounds into the hut that just mowed down the German rifle squad (off camera to far right).
Suppressing them!
The northern ATR team self rallies...
And they're back in the fight.
And then, completely out of the blue, the attached Stug's engine quits! It's immobilized but the crew the gunner, loader, and commander are staying the vehicle while the driver and wireless operator try and fix it. Lt Ost, the commander of 3rd Grenadiere Company, looks on in disgust...
Cpl Jorgensen, the Stug's vehicle commander, apologizes to the Captain, let's him know they'll still be able to support the assault by fire, within the limited arc of fire proffered by their gun platform.
*Which I would, of course, forget about later in the fight...
LtCol Schultz, not at all please with suddenly finding himself the lead element in the German assault after the Engineer Squad he tried to rally went out of the fight (top right), falls back to rally the crew of a pinned Panzer (center), as the halftrack that dropped off the doomed Engineer Squad hauls ass to the rear (bottom let).
The panzer crew is back in the fight.
They (bottom right) immediately engage the southern ATG (to left).
The Soviet crew, with their CO accompanying them, are unfazed (bottom left) and calmly slam another 45mm armor-piercing round into the breech, slam it shut, and send it down range...
The round hits right next to the panzer this time, suppressing the crew and LtCol Schult's command team!
A nearby halftrack returns fire with its MG-34...
Again the German fire does not affect the Soviet commander and southern ATG crew, which slaps in a fresh round and sends it back at the halftack...
The halftrack goes up in flames as the the Engineer Squad within stumbles out of the wrecked vehicle, disoriented and pinned (far right, with LtCol Schultz's suppressed command team visible at bottom left).
Really pushing their luck, the Engineer Platoon Commander moves his Sdkfz 250 up (bottom right) and fires on the southern ATG (top left)...
The southern ATG and Commie CO are, apparently, imperious to German fire of all sorts. They shake off the machine gun fire and fire on the Engineer Platoon Commander's vehicle (top right)...
And they smoke their third German armored vehicle in a row, with three shots. Lt Sachenbacher and his command team pour out of the burning vehicle, suppressed.
The last remaining Engineer halftrack moves up on the German left, where it, too, fires on the southern ATG (top right).
My Goodness, finally some effective fire! The Soviet Commander and ATG are both suppressed!
But the Soviet anti-tank rifle team in the south (bottom left) sights in on them (top right)...
And sets the halftrack on fire. The Engineer Squad contained therein pour out of the vehicle, pinned, next to their suppressed Platoon Commander (bottom right).
The Stug, still immobilized (bottom right), finally gets in the fight, lobbing 75mm HE rounds at the Soviet trenchline...
Knocking out the northern ATG!
Cool, but kinda irrelevant after they've already knocked out all your armored vehicles... Just kidding, there are still two Panzer IIs in action, and the Stug, but the Stug is immobilized and out of the line of fire of the Soviet anti-tank guns.
The Panzer II on the German right (bottom left) fires on the northern end of the trench (top right).
But the northern ATR team (bottom right) shakes off the incoming 20mm rounds and returns fire with their elephant gun...
Suppressing the crew!
The Soviet CO and southern ATG self rally...
And they're both good to go.
The northern ATR (bottom right) continues pumping 14.5mm AP rounds at the panzer, to no effect.
And then the southern ATG (bottom left) fires on the Panzer II in the center (top right).
The think-skinned tank is immobilized and the crew bales out, right in front of the suppressed LtCol Schultz's command team.
The good Colonel is deeply unhappy.
He rallies his command team.
As the Stug (bottom left) shifts its aiming point and resumes firing on the Soviet trenchline.
Knocking out the Soviet MG team, suppressing the Commander, and pinning the southern ATG!!!
Cpl Rausch, commander of the last remaining panzer in the fight, tries to rally his suppressed crew...
But they're shaken up and only manage to get 'up' to pinned.
On the German far-right, 3rd Platoon gets moving forward (top left, from center), with their company commander, Lt Ost, moving up behind them (center, from bottom right).
A Red Army rifle squad in the trench (bottom left) spots 3rd Platoon's movement (top right) and open fire on them.
Suppressing 3rd Squad.
And then one of the Soviet squads in the village opens fire on them but doesn't hit anything.
From way down south, another Russkie rifle squad (bottom left) fires on 3rd Platoon (top right).
And pin 2nd Squad...
While the northern ATR team (bottom right) and the last panzer (top left)...
Continue exchanging fire ineffectively...
The southern ATG (bottom left) fires an HE round into the German center...
But the round goes long and doesn't effect 3rd Engineer Squad (which was already pinned from when they're halftrack got blown up).
So they (bottom right) return fire...
Suppressing the Soviet Commander!
Thought he immediately rallies it back off.
On the German left, the Engineer Platoon Commander, Lt Sachenbacher, and 2nd Engineer Squad attempt to self rally.
And they're both back in the fight.
Further right, LtCol Schultz moves up and rallies 3rd Engineer Squad.
And they're ready.
On the far right, Lt Ost moves up to rally the two pinned squads in 3rd Platoon.
On the Soviet side, the suppressed rifle squad in the village attempts to self rally.
But only gets up to 'pinned.'
Cpl Jorgensen's Stug (bottom right) continues shelling the enemy trenchline...
Panicking a rifle squad and pinning the northern ATR team!
And then Cpl Jorgensen has them fire again...
And this time they knock out the southern ATG, suppress the Soviet Commander, and pin a nearby rifle squad!!!
LtCol Schultz falls back to rally Cpl Rausch's Panzer II.
And they're good.
On the German left, Lt Sachenbacher and 2nd Engineer Squad move forward, advancing ont he enemy trenchline.
The southern ATR team spots them and opens fire.
The fire is ineffective and 2nd Engineer Squad returns fire, which is also ineffective.
While in the center, 3rd Engineer Squad creeps forward behind some nearby hedges (center, from bottom left).
The recently rallied Soviet squad in the village (center) spots them (top left) and opens fire.
To no avail, so 3rd Engineer Squad sprints ahead, to the edge of the Soviet trenchline, which prompts a flurry of activity!
*This was a Scurry, so everyone is allowed to move but no once can initiate contact.
In the south, the ATR team falls back north (top center, from bottom center), where they try to rally a nearby pinned rifle squad.
They (bottom right) are successful, so the rifle squad falls back to the north (top left), where they try to rally their Commander.
They (bottom left0 are successful, and the CO continues the trend, moving north (top center), where he checks on the panicked rifle squad.
They're good to go, so they and the CO fall, out of the trenchline, taking cover behind a stand of trees. The northern ATR team (far left) self rallies.
They're good, so the nearby pinned squad in the village (bottom right) self rallies.
And they're back in the fight.
The Germans had worked very hard to pin/suppress/panic everyone in the trench, and the Soviets were just able to rally their entire line...
The Soviet rifle squad furthest north falls back (right, from hut at bottom left, with 3rd Platoon just off camera to top left.
The Reds are as ready as they can be for the Germans' final assault. Prepare to repel boarders!
LtCol Schultz follows Cpl Rausch's Panzer II as it pushes forward (center, from bottom left, with 3rd Enginer Squad visible at top center left).
On the German left, Lt Sachenbacher and 2nd Engineer Squad move forward on the southern ATR team, using a nearby stand of trees to screen their movement.
As 3rd Engineer Squad does the same, moving north (far left, from top left).
The nothern ATR team is visible at bottom right, while the Soviet CO and a rifle squad are behind the trees at center right.
On the German far right, Lt Ost leads a squad from 3rd Platoon across the street, up to the pumpkin patch, as Lt Zabel leads the other remaining 3rd Platoon squad forward, up to the cowpen (bottom right).
LtCol Schultz (bottom left) orders Cpl Rausch's panzer to open fire on the nearest hut, with 3rd Engineer Squad (far left) and Lt Ost and 3rd Squad, 3rd Platoon standby (far right).
The rifle squad in the hut is pinned, but the squad sheltering behind it is untouched.
As the northern ATR team (bottom right) engages the panzer.
Suppressing Cpl Rausch and his crew!
Lt Ost leads 3rd Squad forward, into close combat...
But a nearby Soviet rifle squad (behind the trees at bottom right, with their CO) spots them (top left) and opens fire.
Lt Ost and his command team are mowed down as 3rd Squad crashes into the house!
The Soviet squad is knocked out!
But their comrades outside immediately counterattack!
But Cpl Rishel and his 3rd Squad put them out of the fight, too!!!
On the German far left, Lt Sachenbacher and 2nd Engineer Squad move up, intent on getting into melee with the southern ATR team...
But a nearby Soviet rifle squad (bottom left) takes them under fire...
Gunning down 2nd Engineer Squad, as Lt Sachenbacher looks on helplessly.
The Lieutenant and his command team jump into the enemy trench, coming to grips with the enemy anti-tank rifle team...
But the wily ATR team (top left) sends Sachenbacher and his command element packing! They fall back to a nearby shell crater, suppressed!
The Soviets Commander hastily straightens his line, getting the remainder of his troops into the trenchline and rallied.
Lt Zabel and 2nd Squad, 3rd Platoon, move into position behind the hut occupied by Cpl Rishel's 3rd Squad, which is keeping an eye on the enemy trench (top right).
LtCol Schultz rallies Cpl Rausch's panzer...
Then moves up, joining 3rd Engineer Squad for the final assault.
As Lt Sachenbacher tries to rally his command team.
But they fail and fall back again, still suppressed (bottom right, from top right)!
Cpl Rausch's panzer pumps 20mm rounds into the Soviet trench.
Which again has no effect on the dug-in enemy troops! The northern ATR team returns fire.
And the last operational panzer is knocked out...
Cpl Rishel leads his squad forward!
They promptly knock out the northern ATR team.
Their momentum carries them into a nearby Soviet squad!
And Rishel's boys knock them out, too!
Simultaneously, LtCol Schultz leads 3rd Engineer Squad into the trench!
Enemy closing fire panics 3rd Engineer Squad, leading LtCol Schultz and his command team alone to enter the enemy trench at this location!!!
An enemy rifle squad (far left bottom) sees off LtCol Schultz's command team, which falls back (far right, from left), suppressed, leaving 3rd Engineer Squad behind them, panicked.
The offending Russkie rifle squad immediately follows them out, crashing into the panicked 3rd Engineer Squad...
The German engineers are quickly put out of the fight!
With the threat from LtCol Schultz and 3rd Engineer Squad taken care of, the Soviet Commander and southern ATR team move north to counterattack Cpl Rishel's 3rd Squad!
But the attack is poorly coordinated, so the Soviet Commander reaches Cpl Rishel's barbarians without the ATR team, which easily handles the Soviet Commander, without his accompanying anti-tank rifle team (top right)!
But the Germans aren't out of the woods yet: the rampaging Russkies that knocked out 3rd Engineer Squad (right) keep going, chasing down LtCol Schultz and his command group!!!
And the Soviets knock them out!
The Soviets face about and move up (center, from far left), looking to get into contact with Cpl Rishel's 3rd Squad (top right)!
Lt Zabel and 2nd Squad, 3rd Platoon, move up, into the pumpkin patch, to support Cpl Rishel's squad (top left).
The Soviets spot the Lieutenant and 2nd Squad and open fire.
The fire is ineffective and 2nd Squad returns fire.
Panicking the Soviet squad, which was caught in the open!
The Reds are down to their last card; the southern ATR team shuffles north in the trench, charging Cpl Rishel's 3rd Squad!
The German infantrymen smash the enemy anti-tank team...
They wheel and charge the enemy squad in the open, the one that took out 3rd Engineer Squad and LtCol Schultz!
The Soviets throw down their weapons and raise their arms in surrender...
But the Germans are seeing red and mow them down...
Pure carnage in and around the trenchline.
And a graveyard of burning vehicles further back, devoid of life, except for Lt Sachenbacher's cowering command team (bottom left).
Casualties for the opposing sides, Germans on the left, Soviets on the right.
German casualties:
LtCol Schultz, Kampfgruppe XO
(IAB, WB (3), IC2) - Seriously wounded, will return 1 Nov 1941Lt Ost, 3rd Grenadiere Company CO
(IAB, WB (3), IC2) - Veteran of Poland, France, and Greece, was hit by gunfire in the head. Not only is he seriously disfigured, but he's no longer mentally competent, his war is over. He is replaced by 2nd Lt Haas from 2nd Grenadiere Company, who is replaced by SSgt Wilhelm.SSgt Hafl, 1st Squad, Engineer Platoon, is okay.
SSgt Osswald, 2nd Squad, Engineer Platoon, veteran of Poland, France, and Greece, was killed in action. He is replaced by Cpl Schopp.
Sgt Dilbertt, 3rd Squad, Engineer Platoon
(IAB, TKB (1), WB, IC2) was seriously wounded, will return 1 Jan 1942. He is replaced by Cpl Romeike.Cpl Rauer, 1st Squad, 3rd Platoon, 3rd Gren Co, seeing his first action, is lightly wounded and will return on 1 Aug 41. He is replaced by Cpl Bohler.
Oh, and how can I forget, all of these vehicles were knocked out by enemy fire. Only one vehicle was a complete loss, Lt Kleiber's Panzer II. The other three panzers and all three halftracks pictured were recovered and repaired.
1st Pz Platoon Commander, 2nd Lt Kleiber (PAB, WB (1)), veteran of Poland and Greece, was killed in action. He will not be replaced as his vehicle was completely destroyed, though Sgt Zedler will assume command of the platoon since Lt Kleiber and SSgt Keck are out.
Panzer 2, 1st Panzer Platoon: SSgt Keck, (PAB, WB (3), IC2), was wounded and will return on 15 Sep 1941. He is replaced by Cpl Leno.
Panzer 3, 1st Panzer Platoon: Sgt Zedler (PAB, WB (2)), is okay.
Panzer 4, 1st Panzer Platoon: Cpl Rausch, is okay.
None of the halftracks being knocked out count as casualties, per se, I just count the guys they are carrying. It is of note that three of the 'old heads' that were hit received their third wound.
On the upside, Corporal Rishel, was was scheduled to be promoted to Sergeant that day anyway (1 July 1941) was immediately jumped up to Staff Sergeant and awarded the Iron Cross 2nd AND 1st Class for his combat leadership, which saw him lead his squad into close combat after his Company Commander was knocked out of the fight. Cpl Rishel and his men took the house, then defeated a second Soviet rifle squad which counterattacked them in the house. Cpl Rishel then charged the Soviet main defensive line, jumping into the enemy trench, where they defeated a Communist anti-tank rifle team and rifle squad in quick succession. Then, when the Soviets counterattacked Engineer Platoon and destroyed it, Cpl Rishel and his men defeated the Soviet Commander, another anti-tank rifle team, and a fourth Soviet rifle squad in close combat.
The Soviet casualties, which is the entire force! Commander, four rifle squads, two anti-tank rifle teams, two anti-tank guns, and a machine gun, all knocked out.
Remember, the CO, all four rifle squads, and both ATR teams were all knocked out by Cpl Rishel's squad, while the MG and both ATGs were knocked out by the Stug, while the Panzer Platoon and Engineer Platoon got their asses handed to them...
So there we go, finally an absolute slobber-knocker of a fight, down to the last few squads/teams, horrible casualties on both sides. Two veterans of long service were killed in action and another was medically retired due to his wounds. Even dear old Schultz will be gone for some time. The Kampgruppe can't stand many more 'victories' like this!
Hope you liked it, more on the way.
V/R,
Jack
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