Kampfgruppe Heller: Battle 03, Poland

This is the fourth action in my refight of the first campaign of Just Jack's 'Kampfgruppe von Klink' WW2 campaign, whilst I simultaneously test out a new set of WW2 rules (being written by veteran wargamer John D Salt, provisionally titled Gummipanzergrenadier).

This battle aligns with the third action in Just Jack's original campaign. Loosely based on real actions, this features a direct Panzer attack on the Polish defences...

The Forces:

The Germans:

KG Comd: 1 x PzII, 1 x Armoured Car, 1 x Command group

Pz Coy Comd: 1 x PzII

Tank Pl: 5 x PzII

#1 Rifle Pl: 3 x Rifle + Belt-fed LMG sections (1 is the Pl Comd Section) 

#2 Rifle Pl: 3 x Rifle + Belt-fed LMG sections (1 is the Pl Comd Section); 3 trucks

The Polish:

Coy Comd: 1 x Coy Comd (Rifles), 1 x Truck

1st Rifle Pl: 4 x Rifle + BAR sections (1 is the Pl Comd)

2nd Rifle Pl: 2 x Rifle + BAR sections (1 is the Pl Comd)

Support Pl; 1 x HMG, 1 x 82mm mortar

Anti-Tank Pl: 4 x 37mm anti-tank guns

German morale is higher '3' than the Polish '2'

 In case you are wondering looking at the pictures, the KG Comd and Pz Coy Comd are using the PzIIs in the 'experimental' camouflage pattern (i.e. they are PzII Lynx...)

The Set-Up:

The Germans attack from the West with the Poles defending.

The German dismounted infantry platoon advances through the woods (bottom-left) with the KG command group on the other side of the road

On the German left, the Panzer II platoon leads in a wedge formation, with the lorried infantry platoon behind it.

The Poles await the attack with quiet confidence: the Company command group and the anti-tank platoon are dug-in on the wooded hill (top-right), with 2 Rifle Platoon and the HMG in trenches in front of it (left)

1 Rifle Platoon defends the village

Another shot of the whole position

The Battle:

Bright sunshine over the battlefield as the Germans advance, panzers to the left (top) and infantry to the right (bottom)

The hidden 37mm anti-tank guns open up! The shooting is pretty awful, although in the end one gun manages to find its mark and knock out the lead Panzer

Deciding that without artillery support and with only small high-velocity cannons there isn't much point trying to shoot it out with the dug-in anti-tank guns, the panzers charge, hoping to find a gap in the line to turn...the next tank evades a few shots before the gunner who got the first tank also gets this one

In a few glorious, deadly moments, the same gunner knocks out a further three Panzer IIs!!!!!!!

Against the background of burning tanks, the German infantry approach the town, with one section leading each platoon and the others in support...

They get nearer...

...and are gunned down, which initiates firing across the fields from both sides..

It takes a little longer, but the other leading German section is destroyed too

However, in the subsequent exchange, belt-fed MG34s prove their superiority over BARs and one of the Polish sections is eliminated!  The KG commnder's tank is usefully suppressing the Polish infantry too

But the Poles have a mortar, which quickly ranges in...

One of the trucks is knocked out, and the Germans decide to call it a day.

Game Notes:

I think this battle just re-confirmed the lessons of the previous couple of batles, but fortissimo, so no need to go over that ground again. One very interesting point is that the achievement of our hero, Sierzant Szymczyk, who's gun-crew team knocked out five panzers single-handed: there were no bonuses or anything involved, rather the way the watch-and-shoot mechanic works (and to be fair, if I have interpreted it correctly) alongside the way the CRT is calibrated. Successful firers can keep on firing, and if they have a weapon likely to do damage if it hits, then this creates this situation naturally. Otherwise, I think the main things to note were that the Germans would have been better off with anything other than Panzer IIs; at least machineguns are more likely to suppress if you have Panzer Is, and the bigger gun the better for taking on dug-in artillery. German platoons definitely have the edge over BAR and bolt-action equipped Polish platoons in extended firefights; the Poles actually need some support I think whereas the Germans have a chance without it. Anyway, all great fun - and the more so, now I seem to be getting a little more fluent with the rules!

The models by the same bunch as last time (Baccus, H&R, Scotia, Leven, Battlescale) with the addition of some entrenchments from Irregular.