TAHGC 16 "Sowchos 79"

Updated 051207; rev 0

SOUTHERN RUSSIA, December 8: Following the encirclement of Sixth Army at Stalingrad, the Germans launched a relief effort from their bridgehead at Nizhna Chirskaya, 25 miles from the nearest troops of Sixth Army at Marinowka. The Chir River was to provide the left flank for the operations, and consequently had to be held. Attempting to foil the German relief effort, the Russian Fifth Tank Army attacked across the Chir and forced its way past the left flank of the defending 336th Infantry Division, and onto Sowchos 79, a collective farm deep in the German rear. Genera Balck's 11th "Ghost" Panzer Division, just arriving in the area from Rostov to take part in the relief of Stalingrad, was detoured to attack Sowchos 79 and restore the situations.

RULE LIMITATIONS: All rules through 91.

VICTORY CONDITIONS: The Germans win by being the last side to have occupied any 12 of the buildings between row L and V (inclusive) on board 3, provided they have eliminated at least twice as many enemy units as they've lost of their own. The Russians win by preventing the German victory conditions.

BOARD LAYOUT:

North

SCENARIO SEQUENCE:

Russian sets up first	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	END
German moves first

GERMAN FORCES:

TURN 1: Elements of the 110th Panzer Grenadier Regiment: set up on any whole hex on board 5:
9x467; 1x247,1x9-2; 2x8-1; 4xLMG; 1xMMG; 1xRadio; 1xPzJagIIm;1xLight Truck; 1x75L ATG
TURN 1: Elements of the 15th Panzer Regiment enter west edge of board 2 between hex rows A and Q inclusive:
2xPzKwIVF2 (13mp); 3xPzKw IVF2 (14mp); 3xPzKwIIIL;1x Psw233; 1xSpw251/9; 1x10-2 AL; 1x9-2 AL
TURN 2: Elements of the 111th Panzer Grenadier Regiment: Enter on turn 2 along the west edge of board 2 between hex rows A and Q inclusive
1x 9-2; 1x9-1; 1x8-1; 1xMMG; 4xLMG, 1xRadio; 5x46; 1x247; 1x76L ATG; 5x Spw251/1; Light Truck

RUSSIAN FORCES:

AT START: Elements of Motorized Infantry Battalion: set up on whole hexes of board 3between hex rows Y and L inclusive:
1x9-1; 2x8-0; 21x447; 1xMMG; 4xATR,;2xLMG
AT START: Elements of Motorized Infantry Brigade set up along road between 4Y3 and 4GG6 inclusive; all infantry and support weapons are mounted on or towed by vehicles.
1x9-1; 1x8-0; 8x447; 1x237; 2xLMG; 4xM5 halftrack; 5xZis Lt Truck; 1x57LL ATG
TURN 4: Elements of 1st Armored Corps enter hex 3Q10 or any east edge hex south of 3Q10:
6xT3476c
TURN 5: Elements of 1st Armored Corps enter hex 3Q10 or any east edge hex south of 3Q10:
2xKVIa, 1xKVIc, 3x T28C
TURN 8: Elements of 1st Armored Corps enter hex 3Q10 or any east edge hex south of 3Q10:
4xT34/76b, 1xKVIc

SPECIAL SCENARIO RULES:

16.1: All vehicles, crews, and leaders are considered "units" for victory determination purposes. AFVs with an inherent crew count as two units lost unless the crew survives. A running tally of units lost should be kept to avoid confusion.
16.2: The Germans receive one module of 100mm fire missions per radio counter. AFVs may not spot for off-board artillery.
16.3: Snow Rules are not in effect; however, the minimum cost to enter a hex via a road hexside is 1MP for all units.

AFTERMATH: Balck's 15th Panzer Regiment with 25 functioning AFVs, followed by the 111th Panzer Grenadier Regiment, drove from the heights west and north of Sowchos into the rear of the Russian positions, destroying a motorized infantry column in the process. Turning south, the panzers surprised the Russian armor, which was at the instant moving to attack the 226th Infantry from the rear. Simultaneously, Balck's 11oth Grenadiers attacked the farm from the southwest, while the divisional artillery of the 336th hammered the northeastern flank. By the end of the day, 53 Russian tanks were destroyed. Sochows 79 was in German hands, the Russian First Armored Corps was in retreat; but the Ghost Division had been lost to the planned relief of Stalingrad.