Sunday, December 21, 2014

Fall Weiss Campaign Plan for KG Klink

My plan for Poland.

1.  Frontier, 1 Sept 1939, 
KG Klink forces crossing against defensive positions of Border Guards and National Defense units.
Date - 1 Sept 1939, 0500
3rd Grenadier Company (CO, 9 x Rifle Squad, 2 x MG, 1 x Field Gun) vs. Pole Border Guards (CO, 4 x Rifle Squad, 3 x Support roll)

2. The Battle of Mokra, 1 Sept 1939



2.1: KG Klink recce elements clash with defensive positions of 19th Uhlan Regiment in forest.
Date - 1 Sept 1939, 0630
(CO, 3 x Armored Car, 4 x Motorcycle Squad, 3 x Rifle Squad, 2 x Panzer vs CO, 5 x Rifle Squad, 4 x ATG, 2 x MG, 1 x Mortar)
2.2: KG Klink mechanized attack on defensive positions of  21st Uhlan Regiment in village.
Date - 1 Sept 1939, 0800
(CO, 5 x Panzer, 6 x Rifle Squad, 1 x MG vs CO, 6 x Rifle Squad, 4 x ATG, 1 x MG, 1 x Mortar)
2.3: 21st Armored and 12th Uhlan Regiments counterattack KG Klink in village.
Date - 1 Sept 1939, 1000
(CO, 8 x Panzer, 4 x Rifle Squad vs CO, 10 x Tank, 3 x Cavalry)
2.4: 21st Arm and 12th Uhlan fall back, 2nd Mounted Regiment carries attack on KG Klink in village. Date - 1 Sept 1939, 1100
(CO, 6 x Rifle Squad, 3 x Support [rolls] vs CO, 9 x Rifle Squad, 3 x Cavalry)
2.5: KG Klink mechanized attack on defensive positions of 2nd Mtd Regiment at railroad embankment. Date - 1 Sept 1939, 1500
(CO, 5 x Panzer [Hvy Tk Plt], 6 x Rifle, 1 x MG vs CO, 6 x Rifle, 4 x ATG, 1 x MG, 1 x Mortar)

The 4th Panzer Division fell back at 1700, minus the 12th Schutzen Regiment, which remained in the village.  However, due to 1st Panzer Division pressure in the southeast, the Poles withdrew during the night of 1 Sept 1939.  Following the capitulation of Mokra the 4th Panzer Division regrouped until 4 Sept 1939, then began its sprint for Warsaw, arriving at the southwestern suburb of Wola at 1700 on 8 Sept 1939, and immediately launched into a hasty attack, which was not seriously pressed.  An attack was conducted again on 9 Sept 1939, and suffered heavy losses.

3.  Assault on Warsaw (Wola suburb), 8-9 Sept 1939
3.1 KG Klink recce and armored elements launch hasty assault on defensive positions of National Defense troops in suburbs of Warsaw.  Date - 8 Sept 1939, 1700
3.2 KG Klink mechanized attack on defensive positions of 31st Infantry Division in suburbs of Warsaw.  Date - 9 Sept 1939, 0800

Following the unsuccessful assaults, German infantry units begin to filter into the suburbs to assume the attack, taking over from 4th Panzer Division, which is pulled out of the fighting as a reaction to Polish Armies Pomorze and Poznan concentrated near Kutno, first to counterattack the German forces, and when this proved impractical, in an attempt to break out and join friendly forces at Brest.  However, the 4th Panzer Division arrived on the east bank of the Bzura River (near its juncture with the Vistula) on 11 Sept 1939, trapping the Polish armies at the rivers.  4th Panzer Division skirmished with Polish forces from 12-16 Sept 1939, then participated in heavy fighting to reduce the pocket, which capitulated on 19 Sept 1939.

4.  Battle of Kutno, 12-19 Sept 1939
*This set of battles is un-numbered as I don't have a set of historical set of scenarios to use, so I will take into account the forces available (discounting casualties from previous fighting) then roll on the scenario and force generators from the rules ("5Core Company Command").  I anticipate playing at least one fight per day during the 'skirmish period" (12-16 Sept), then two or three fights per day during the "heavy fighting" days (17-19 Sept).*

Incidentally, during this battle the Soviets invaded Poland from the east (17 Sept 1939), sealing the Poles' fate.

4.1 and so on

Following the capitulation of the Polish Pomorze and Poznan armies, KG Klink is released from the operational control of the German 10th Army  on 20 Sept 1939, and is assigned to the German 3rd Army, so the KG immediately makes its way to western Warsaw, arriving on 21 Sept 1939, then east to the outskirts of Praga on 24 Sept 1939.  KG Klink moves into the attack on Praga on 25 Sept 1939, which is repelled.  Polish forces counterattack on the night of 26 Sept 1939, and KG Klink went over onto the attack one last time on 27 Sept 1939, before all Polish forces in Warsaw surrendered that night at midnight.

5. Battle of Praga, 25-27 Sept 1939

5.1 KG Klink recce and armored elements launch hasty assault on defensive positions of National Defense troops in Praga.  Date - 25 Sept 1939, 1000
5.2 Polish armored forces counterattack KG Klink infantry forces.  Date - 26 Sept 1939, 2300
5.3 KG Klink armored elements launch assault on defensive positions of Polish infantry in Praga.  Date - 27 Sept 1939, 0900

So, there's the entire campaign plan for Poland.  It looks like about 20 fights, and it's probably the shortest campaign of the entire war.  Let's see where this takes us.

V/R,
Jack

13 comments:

  1. While you have done around 20 fights before in a campaign, I do not think they were planned to be 20 when you started! Good luck - I am with Ivan, that is one busy time you have ahead of you.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Are you doubting me, Mr Travers?

    You're right, neither All Americans nor In Country were planned for 20 fights, but that's mostly because I didn't have any plan at all! Having said that, 20 fights is just for Poland, and I'm going to run out the whole war! I suspect future campaign stops will have fewer fights, perhaps 10 each? We'll see how it shakes out.

    I think it will stay fresh as as I'll constantly be changing venue and equipment (assuming I keep the number of fights per locale reasonable).

    V/R,
    Jack

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No doubt whatsoever! You play far more games than I! Myself, I am still vacillating on what scenarios to play.

      Delete
  3. btw, if you do any unique generation tables for this, shoot them my way. I could foresee a "Blitzkrieg campaign" supplement in the future with tables for each nation and whatnot.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Shaun - Do not doubt me!!! I will finish at least Poland before the butterfly effect takes place ;) You mention scenarios; are you looking at using Britton Publishers' "Operation Jupiter"? I love that book! Did you see they've also put out two more company-level books for Caen? One is Bourgebus(sp?) Ridge, I think the other is the Scottish Corridor, though I may be wrong. I'd really like to get into that stuff.

    Ivan - I'm going to shoot you an e-mail, we've got lots to talk about.

    V/R,
    Jack

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am almost certain I will start out with Operation Jupiter scenario 1 and see how far I get. I will not be sure until I get the table and figures out! Interestingly, some of the Operation Jupiter scenarios overlap with the Kampfgruppe Normandy scenarios I played earlier this year. But the Operation Jupiter ones have artillery and smoke, while the the KGN ones had lots of open ground with no respite or cover. So I think I will enjoy them more. I have Arnhem (60! scenarios), Operation Jupiter and two skirmish collections from Britton Publishers. I think that will keep me busy for a while - I also have 3 Skirmish Campaign books I want to work through as well. And, like you, lots of other scenarios as well.

      Delete
  5. Shaun,

    I've wanted to play through Op Jupiter (minus the couple goofy scenarios like 'you're the CO, stop the men from panicking') since I bought it, and I want to buy the Ortona one as well, but I think I'll be too busy for awhile.

    I can't wait to see your batreps

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As you have wanted to give them a go for a while, I will try not to let you down!

      Delete
  6. Shaun,

    There's no letting me down, you always put up great reports, I'm just jealous. If only someone would pay me to stay home and wargame ;)

    If I recall correctly, you're looking at this in 20mm on your ping-pong table. Any plans to get back to your 6mm stuff?

    V/R,
    Jack

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Stand in line to be paid to stay home and game :-)

      Operation Jupiter is starting at 20 mm on 1/2 a table tennis table. I have the first scenario set up ready to start. For 6mm I have been planning for 8 months now to play out The skirmish Campaign book "Red Guards at Kursk".with different rules. I have had the first scenario setup ready to go for 8 months. I want to do the the first two scenarios (the ones I have written the fiirst half of the blog post for) over the next week of so while on holidays, but it is hard to stay away from 20mm! Even you have some now :-)

      Delete
  7. Whaddaya mean, stand in line? I'm sure I was the first guy to think of it ;)

    I see you've been very busy writing up Ancients batreps. Someday I'd love to query you about it, figure out what it is that 'sparks' it for you, maybe I'll find something there too. But not now, I'm neck deep in battles to play and battles to write up!

    Take care Shaun, hope you're having a great holiday season.

    V/R,
    Jack

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You were the first person to write it down, that does not mean you were the first to think it! I was not so sure about Operation Jupiter again - I think they would work better with my rules on a smaller table than 1/2 a table tennis table. But I set the table out and just filled in a bit around the sides, so the actual playing area was really only about 4'x4'. Of course, i did set up the table days ago but then have been writing up all those games I played weeks ago. And we are now having a New Year's party at our house (a bunch of us had nothing planned and we volunteered a few days ago. Table is down, but still upstairs and will only take 10 minutes to setup again. But I have more games to write up....

      Think of ancients like Napoleonics without fancy formations and guns. I think my love on ancient history helps - if you don't have that, it may not spark for you.

      Hope you are having a great holiday season too. It sounds it from the games you seem to have played (but not written up yet).

      Delete