Thursday, December 25, 2014

The OKH's Fire Brigade - KG Klink OOB Take 2

Okay, on the eve of battle I chickened out with my initial order of battle for the Fall Weiss campaign plan, "The OKH's Fire Brigade, Kampfgruppe Klink."  As usual, I am taking some liberties with TO/Es in order to make the situation 'game-able,' i.e., to fit what I want to do.  I originally started off with a battalion of Panzers and two battalions of rifles; this really scared me in terms of trying to track all those troops (knowing that one vehicle on the table is one vehicle, one stand is one squad or weapons team), so below I've 'down-sized' to a company of panzers, a company of rifles, and a reconnaissance company (heavy on motorcycle troops to give me extra infantry).

The patriarch, founding father, patron saint, original member, and Lieutenant Colonel of Panzer troops commanding the kampfgruppe:

                                                                Lieutenant Colonel Klink

Date/Location: 1 Sep 1939 - 6 Oct 1939, Poland (Operation Fall Weiss), Attached to 10th Army's 4th Panzer Division, Army Group South at Kreuzberg, striking northeast to encircle Army Group Poznan, then on to Warsaw.

Commanding Officer: Lt Col Klink
Executive Officer: 1st Lt Ost (acting, F11/12, Wound Badge, Inf Asslt Badge, F13)

Panzer Company -  Sgt Fahrmann (Pz III) (2 TK; Acting 2nd Plt PC F6/7) (Acting CC, F14)

1st Panzer Platoon - (KO, F3)
Vehicle Two -  (KO, F3)
Vehicle Three - (KO, F3)
Vehicle Four - (KO, F3)
Vehicle Five - (KO, F3)

2nd Panzer Platoon - Sgt Grossman (Pz III) (Acting PC, F14)
Vehicle Two - Cpl Mayer (Pz III) (1 TK)
Vehicle Three - Cpl Mettner (Pz III)
Vehicle Four - Cpl Harms (Pz II) 
Vehicle Five - LCpl Otjen (Pz II) (assumed F6/7) (1 TK, F12)

3rd Panzer Platoon - Sgt Friessler (Pz III) (4 TK; Acting PC F9/10)
Vehicle Two -  (Pz III, F9) 
Vehicle Three - Sgt Emmerich (Pz III)
Vehicle Four - (Pz II, F9)
Vehicle Five - (Pz II, F14)

4th Panzer Platoon - Sgt Mangold (Pz IV) (2 TK) (Acting PC, F14)
Vehicle Two -  Sgt Jurgens (Pz IV) (Wound Badge, F6)
Vehicle Three -  (Pz IV, F11)  
Vehicle Four - Cpl Graebner (Pz II)
Vehicle Five - Cpl Kapp (Pz II)

Schutzen Company - 1st Lt Freitag (Iron Cross 2nd Class, F1)

1st Grenadier Platoon - 
1st Rifle Squad - (Eliminated until replacements received, reorg F6/7)
2nd Rifle Squad - (Eliminated until replacements received, reorg F6/7)
3rd Rifle Squad - (Eliminated until replacements received, reorg F6/7)
4th Rifle Squad - (Eliminated until replacements received, reorg F6/7)
* LCpl Hackl (demoted, F1; he and other members of squad assigned as squad members to 4th Sqd, 3rd Gren Plt, F6/7)

2nd Grenadier Platoon - 2nd Lt Klugmann (Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Class, F2)
1st Rifle Squad - Sgt Aust 
2nd Rifle Squad - Sgt Haas (Iron Cross 2nd Class, F1)
3rd Rifle Squad -  LCpl Axthelm (assumed F8/9)
4th Rifle Squad - Cpl Lutz 

3rd Grenadier Platoon - 2nd Lt Tausch (Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Class, F16)
1st Rifle Squad - (Eliminated until replacements received, F16)
2nd Rifle Squad - Cpl Nader 
3rd Rifle Squad - Cpl Hauer (Wound Badge, F12) (Iron Cross 2nd Class, F12)
4th Rifle Squad - Cpl Kamphaus 

4th Grenadier Platoon - Sgt Mader (Iron Cross 2nd Class, Tank Killer Badge (1), F4) (Acting, F13)
1st Rifle Squad - Cpl Kandler
2nd Rifle Squad - (Eliminated until replacements received, F13)
3rd Rifle Squad - Cpl Imhofe (Iron Cross 2nd Class, F13)
4th Rifle Squad - (Eliminated until replacements received, F4)

Schwere Platoon - SSgt Dorn
MG Squad - LCpl Steinkamp (MG34) (reduced F1)
                   - Cpl Creuzburg (MG34)
Mortar Squad - (80mm mortar)
                       - Cpl Osswald (80mm mortar)
Field Gun Section - Sgt Oberlander (75mm gun)
                              - Cpl Kallmeyer (75mm gun)
Anti-Tank Gun Section - Sgt Kallenbach (PaK-36 37mm ATG) (Wound Badge, F15)
                                       - Cpl Drexler (PaK-36 37mm ATG)

Reconnaissance Company - 2nd Lt Weider (Acting, F15)

Armored Reconnaissance Platoon -  Off Cadet Distler (Sdkfz 231)
2nd Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle - Sgt Keck (Sdkfz 221) (Iron Cross 2nd Class, F13) (1 AC, F14)
3rd Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle - Sgt Pichler (Sdkfz 221, F11) (Iron Cross 2nd Class, F11)

1st Motorcycle Platoon - Sgt Gradl (Acting, F15, Wound Badge, F11) (Iron Cross 2nd Class, F11)
1st Motorcycle Squad - (Eliminated until replacements received, F11)
2nd Motorcycle Squad - Cpl Eisen (Acting, F15)
3rd Motorcycle Squad - LCpl Pankau (Iron Cross 2nd Class, F9) (Reprimanded for Cowardice, F13)
4th Motorcycle Squad - (Eliminated until replacements received, reorg F7/8)

2nd Motorcycle Platoon - Sgt Behrendt (Acting, F9) (Iron Cross 2nd Class, F15)
1st Motorcycle Squad -  LCpl Wilhelm (Acting, F9)
2nd Motorcycle Squad - Sgt Janke (Iron Cross 2nd Class, F7)
3rd Motorcycle Squad - (Eliminated until replacements received, F15)
4th Motorcycle Squad - (Eliminated until replacements received, F7)

Assault Engineer Platoon - 2nd Lt Orstens
1st Engineer Squad - Sgt Barkstrom
2nd Engineer Squad - Sgt Hafl
3rd Engineer Squad - (Eliminated until replacements received, F15)
4th Engineer Squad - Cpl Dilbertt

Assault Gun Section - Sgt Wagner (Stug III)
                                  - Cpl Gebhardt (Stug III)

Panzerjaeger Section - Sgt Dittrich (PzJgr I)
                                   - Cpl Taube (PzJgr I)

Notes:
F1: 2nd Lt Nessler (1st Gren Plt, executed for cowardice); Cpl Obst (3rd Sqd, 2nd Gren Plt, Wound Badge, campaign); lost ~20 KIA/WIA; caused ~30 KIA/WIA, captured ~20 EPW, 1 FG, 1 MTR; 1st Lt Freitag (Schutzen Co Commander) and Sgt Haas (2nd Squad, 1st Gren Plt) decorated for valor.

F2: Sgt Fittzbaum (V3, 3rd Panzer Plt, Wound Badge, campaign); lost ~20 KIA/WIA and 1 Panzer Mk III destroyed.  1 Sdkfz 221 was damaged, but recovered and put back into action; caused ~45 KIA/ WIA, captured ~35 EPW and 2 anti-tank guns; Lt Krugmann (2nd Gren Plt) decorated for valor.

F3: Cpl Landauer (1st Sqd, 1st Gren Plt, executed for cowardice; Cpl Knacke (V5, 1st Panzer Plt) decorated for valor, KIA; Sgt Grebel (V2, 1st Pz Plt), captured; Sgt Zedler (V3, 1st Pz Plt, Wound Badge, campaign); Lost ~50 KIA/WIA/POW, lost 3 x Pz Mk III, 2 x Pz Mk II; Caused ~25 KIA/WIA, destroyed 1 37mm ATG.

F4: 2nd Lt Schiffer (2nd Pz Plt, Wound Badge, campaign); Cpl Schonan (V4, 2nd Pz Plt, Wound Badge, KIA); Sgt Mader (1st Sqd, 4th Gren Plt) decorated for valor, Tank Killer Badge; Four of five tanks of 2nd Pz Plt knocked out; Lost ~35 KIA/WIA/POW, two Pz III, and two Pz II; Caused ~30 KIA/WIA, destroyed two medium tanks.

F5: Officer Cadet Hinkle (1st Gren Plt, Wound Badge, campaign); Lost ~20 KIA/WIA; Caused ~50 KIA/WIA, captured ~35 EPW.

F6: Lt Bohm (Pz Co Cmdr), Wound Badge, campaign, F6); Sgt Lowenstam (2nd Squad, 3rd Grenn Plt, Wound Badge, campaign, F6); Sgt Jurgens (V3, 4th Pz Plt, Pz Co), Wound Badge, rtn next fight, F6); Sgt Hasselbach (2nd Squad, 2nd Gren Plt, Wound Badge, campaign, F6); Lost ~50 KIA/WIA, one Pz III, and one Pz IV; Caused ~50 KIA/WIA, captured ~20 EPW, destroyed four 37mm ATGs.

F7: 1st Lt Unger (Recon Co Cmdr), Wound Badge, KIA, F7, recommended Iron Cross 2nd Class for leading three close assaults; Cpl Mathes (4th Squad, 2nd M/C Plt, Recon Co), Wound Badge, KIA; Cpl Zimmer (3rd Squad, 2nd M/C Plt, Recon Co), Wound Badge, Captured, F7, recommended Iron Cross 2nd Class for leading three close assaults; Sgt Janke (2nd Squad, 2nd M/C Plt, Recon Co), recommended for Iron Cross 2nd Class for assistance provided under heavy fire to Officer Cadet Distler's armored car; Lost ~40 KIA/WIA, ~15 EPW, one Sdkfz 231, and one Sdkfz 221; Caused ~50 KIA/WIA.

F8: Cpl Arndt (Schutzen Co, 3rd Sqd, 2nd Plt), Wound Badge, Campaign, F8; Sgt Pichler's Sdkfz 221 damaged, but recovered, as well as two other KG Klink armored cars lost on 8 Sept 1939; Lt Klugmann (Plt Cmdr, 2nd Plt) and Sgt Haas (2nd Sqd, 2nd Plt) mentioned in dispatches for valor, leading several close combats each.  This will not gain the Iron Cross 1st Class, but will count towards its achievement; Lost ~15 KIA/WIA, one Sdkfz 221 damaged but recovered; Caused ~40 KIA/WIA, captured ~10 POW, two 37mm ATG.

F9: Sgt Friessler (V2, 3rd Pz Plt) mentioned in dispatches for destroying two enemy tanks; Cpl Pankau (1st Squad, 3rd M/C Plt) recommended for Iron Cross 2nd Class for eliminating enemy commander and two rifle squads in close combat; 2nd Lt Wendt (Plt Cmdr, 2nd M/C Plt) Wound Badge, KIA, F9; 2nd Lt Gerhart (Plt Cmdr, 3rd Pz Plt) Wound Badge, Panzer Assault Badge, KIA, F9; Lost ~30 KIA/WIA, 1 Pz III, and 1 Pz II; Caused ~60 KIA/WIA, two 7TP medium tanks.

F10: Sgt Mangold (Vehicle 2, 4th Pz Plt) knocked out an enemy tank (F10); Lost ~10 WIA/KIA; Caused ~40 WIA/KIA and destroyed one medium (7TP) tank.

F11: Maj Schultz (KG XO), Infantry Assault Badge, Wound Badge, Campaign), recommended for Iron Cross 2nd Class for leading close combat against enemy tank and destroyed rifle squad and enemy commander, F11; Sgt Gradl (3rd Squad, 1st Motorcycle Platoon, Infantry Assault Badge, Wound Badge, recommended for Iron Cross 2nd Class for leading close combat against enemy tank and destroyed rifle squad and enemy commander, F11; Sgt Pichler (V3, Armored Car Platoon), recommended for Iron Cross 2nd Class, for using his armored car to assault an enemy tank, driving it back and allowing other units of the kampgruppe to redeploy, before being destroyed, F11, Sgt Sachs (2nd Squad, 1st Motorcycle Platoon), Infantry Assault Badge, Wound Badge, Campaign, F11; Lost ~50 WIA/KIA, one Sdkfz 221 destroyed, and one Pz Mk IV destroyed; Caused ~60 WIA/KIA.

F12: Cpl Hauer (3rd Squad, 3rd Gren Plt), Wound Badge, Infantry Assault Badge, recommended for Iron Cross 2nd Class for leading close assaults which eliminated to enemy squads; LCpl Otjen (V5, 2nd Pz Plt) scored one tank kill; Lost ~10 WIA/KIA; Caused ~50 WIA/KIA, captured approximately 20, and destroyed one enemy light tank.

F13: Officer Cadet Vetter (PC, 4th Gren Plt), Wound Badge, Infantry Assault Badge, killed in action.
-1st Lt Ost (Acting KG XO), Wound Badge, Infantry Assault Badge; Sgt Lehmkuhl (2nd Squad, 4th Gren Plt), Wound Badge, Infantry Assault Badge, Campaign; Cpl Pankau (3rd Squad, 1st MC Plt), reprimanded for cowardice; Cpl Imhofe (3rd Squad, 4th Gren Plt), recommended for Iron Cross 2nd Class for leading close assault which eliminated enemy western position, opening way for assault onto objective; Sgt Keck (V2, Arm Rec Plt), recommended for Iron Cross 2nd Class for placing his crew in mortal danger to secure, then defend the objective from enemy assault; Lost ~30 KIA/WIA; Caused ~55 KIA/WIA, captured ~10 personnel.

F14: 2nd Lt Loeb (Acting Pz Co CO), Wound Badge, Panzer Assault Badge, 2 TK, WIA, Campaign; Cpl Glucke (V5, 3rd Pz Plt), Wound Badge, Panzer Assault Badge, KIA; Officer Cadet Kleiber (PC, 4th Pz Plt), Wound Badge, Panzer Assault Badge, WIA, Campaign; Sgt Mangold (V2, 4th Pz Plt), 1 Tank Kill; Cpl Mayer, (V4, 2nd Pz Plt), 1 Tank Kill; Sgt Friessler (V2, 3rd Pz Plt), 2 Tank Kills; Sgt Fahrmann (Acting PC, 2nd Pz Plt), 1 Tk Kill; Sgt Keck (V2, Arm Rec Plt), 1 A/C Kill; Lost ~15 KIA/WIA. 1 Pz Mk II; Caused ~40 KIA/WIA, destroyed 7 tanks and 1 armored car.

F15: Lt 2nd Lt Wehner (Acting Recon Co Cmdr), Wound Badge, Infantry Assault Badge, recommended for Iron Cross 2nd Class for leading close assault which halted enemy armored attack,WIA, campaign; Sgt Albrecht (3rd Squad, Eng Plt) Wound Badge, Infantry Assault Badge, recommended for Iron Cross 2nd Class for leading close assault which halted enemy armored attack, KIA, Sgt Behrendt (Acting Plt Cmdr, 2nd M/C Plt), recommended for Iron Cross 2nd Class for leading close assault which eliminated enemy rifle squad and armored car; Cpl Zukert (3rd Squad, 2nd M/C Plt) Wound Badge, Infantry Assault Badge, KIA; Sgt Klivens (4th Squad, Eng Plt) Wound Badge, Infantry Assault Badge, WIA, campaign; Cpl Vogel (Mtr Tm, Schwere Plt) Wound Badge, KIA; Sgt Kallenbach (ATG, Schwere Plt), Wound Badge; Lost ~60 KIA/WIA, 1 ATG, 1 80mm mortar; Caused ~40 KIA/WIA, captured ~5 POW, destroyed one light tank, and one armored car.

F16: 2nd Lt Tausch (Plt Commander, 3rd Gren Plt), recommended for Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Class for leading close assaults which eliminated enemy central position, consisting of two field pieces, a machine gun, the enemy commanding officer, and two rifle squads; Sgt Schlessinger (1st Squad, 3rd Gren Plt), Wound Badge, Infantry Assault Badge, KIA; Lost ~10 KIA/WIA; Caused ~55 KIA/WIA, captured ~50 POW, destroyed MG, 76mm Field Gun, and a 37mm Anti-Tank Gun.

Casualties:
2nd Lt Nessler (1st Gren Plt, executed for cowardice, F1)
Cpl Landauer (1st Sqd, 1st Gren Plt, reduced F1,executed for cowardice, F3)
Cpl Knacke (V5, 1st Pz Plt, Iron Cross 2nd Class, Wound Badge, Panzer Assault Badge, KIA, F3)
Cpl Schonan (V4, 2nd Pz Plt, Wound Badge, Panzer Assault Badge, KIA, F4)
1st Lt Unger (Recon Co Cmdr), Wound Badge, Panzer Asst Badge, KIA, F7), Iron Class 2nd Class
Cpl Mathes (4th Squad, 2nd M/C Plt, Recon Co), Wound Badge, KIA, F7
2nd Lt Wendt (Plt Cmdr, 2nd M/C Plt, Wound Badge, KIA, F9)
2nd Lt Gerhart (Plt Cmdr, 3rd Pz Plt, Wound Badge, Panzer Assault Badge, KIA, F9)
Off Cad Vetter (PC, 4th Gren Plt, Wound Badge, Infantry Assault Badge, KIA, F13).
Cpl Glucke (V5, 3rd Pz Plt, Wound Badge, Panzer Assault Badge, KIA, F14).
Sgt Albrecht (3rd Sq, Eng Plt, Wd Badge, Inf Ast Badge, TKB (1) KIA, F15) Iron Class 2nd Class
Cpl Zukert (3rd Squad, 2nd M/C Plt, Wound Badge, Infantry Assault Badge, KIA, F15).
Cpl Vogel (Mtr Tm, Schwere Plt, Wound Badge, KIA, F15).
Sgt Schlessinger (1st Squad, 3rd Gren Plt, Wound Badge, Infantry Assault Badge, KIA, F16).
Sgt Grebel (V2, 1st Pz Plt, Captured, F3)
Cpl Zimmer (3rd Squad, 2nd M/C Plt, Recon Co), Wound Badge, Captured, F7, Iron Cross 2nd Class
Cpl Obst (3rd Sqd, 2nd Gren Plt, Wound Badge, campaign, F1)
Sgt Fittzbaum (V3, 3rd Pz Plt, Wound Badge, campaign, F2)
Sgt Zedler (V3, 1st Pz Plt, Wound Badge, campaign, F3)
2nd Lt Schiffer (2nd Pz Plt) Wound Badge, campaign, F4)
Officer Cadet Hinkle (1st Gren Plt, repl F1/2, Wound Badge, campaign, F5)
1st Lt Bohm (Pz Co Cmdr), Wound Badge, campaign, F6)
Sgt Lowenstam (2nd Squad, 3rd Gren Plt, Wound Badge, campaign, F6)
Sgt Hasselbach (2nd Squad, 2nd Gren Plt, Wound Badge, campaign, F6)
Cpl Arndt (3rd Squad, 2nd Gren Plt, Wound Badge, Campaign, F8)
Maj Schultz (KG XO, Infantry Assault Badge, Wound Badge, Campaign, F11) Iron Cross 2nd Class
Sgt Sachs (2nd Squad, 1st M/C Plt, Infantry Assault Badge, Wound Badge, Campaign, F11).
Sgt Lehmkuhl (2nd Squad, 4th Gren Plt, Wound Badge, Infantry Assault Badge, Campaign, F13).
2nd Lt Loeb (Acting Pz Co CO, Wound Badge, Panzer Assault Badge, 2 TK, Campaign, F14).
Officer Cadet Kleiber (PC, 4th Pz Plt, Wound Badge, Panzer Assault Badge, Campaign, F14).
2nd Lt Wehner (Act Rec Co CO, Wound Badge, F7 and F15, Campaign, F15) Iron Cross 2nd Class
Sgt Klivens (4th Squad, Eng Plt, Wound Badge, Infantry Assault Badge, WIA, campaign, F15).

2 comments:

  1. That monocle is worth at least 1 Shock die in close combat.

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  2. The +1 is for being cold, cruel, and calculating; the monocle is simply emblematic of that ;)

    I think this OOB will fit better; the other one was probably more realistic, I just worried that I've have lost my mind trying to keep up with that many folks/vehicles. I originally named only the platoon commanders and above, but the game has individual squad/team/vehicles, so I figured I'd just refer to them as "Lt So-and-so's" 1st Squad, 2nd Squad/1st Vehicle, 2nd Vehicle, etc...

    But then it dawned on me that invariably one of those squads/teams/vehicles would do something to distinguish itself from the group, and, whether it was heroic or cowardly, I would want to identify it for the rest of the campaign. It would no longer be "Lt So-and-so's 1st Squad," it would be "Sgt Knucklehead's 1st Squad in Lt So-and-so's platoon."

    That was a recipe for disaster in terms of the administrative burden it would have placed on me, so I 'down-scaled.' I am confident it will work, and, if it doesn't, well, I'll change it after Poland.

    V/R,
    Jack

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