GHQ, 28100 Woodside Road, Shorewood, MN 55331 USA • 612-374-2693 • www.ghqmodels.comJuly–August 2015 Modeling Excellence Since 1967

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WWII Micro Squad Scenario

This scenario portrays one of the most violent clashesbetween the German and Soviet armored forces duringOperation Bagration. The German front lines have beenruptured, the cities of Vitebsk, Orsha, and Mogilev havebeen either captured or encircled, and the Berezina Riverhas been crossed in force. The 3rd Guards MechanizedCorps and 29th Tank Corps belonging to 5th Guards TankArmy are advancing towards Minsk, a vital road andrailroad juncture.

On July 1st and 2nd, 1944, the 5th Panzer Division engagedunits belonging to the Fifth Guards Tank Army northwest ofMinsk, buying time for wounded and administrativepersonnel to be evacuated west along railway lines. By theend of a week's fighting, 5th Panzer, Division, the 505thHeavy Panzer battalion equipped with Tiger Is, and somesmaller formations had knocked out 295 Soviet armoredvehicles. However, by July 8th all the Tigers were lost, the

5th Panzer Division was reduced from 125 tanks to eight,and its position was outflanked to the south. The remainingpanzers withdrew westward to regroup, abandoningcomrades retreating toward Minsk from the Berezina River.When the German Fourth Army was permitted to retire westof the Berezina, it was a shell of its former self. By the end ofthe operation, it had lost some 130,000 of its 165,000 men.

This is a very large scenario, which is ideal for team playwith 3 to 4 players (or more) on a side and should takearound 6 hours to complete. Although large, this scenarioshould play quickly due to the absence of any infantry orartillery units. It is a classic meeting engagement betweenGerman and Soviet armor. Therefore, the base point ratio is1 to 1. While the German side was given the standard 35%Base Determination Level, the Soviet forces were given a45% Base Determination Level due to their willingness toaccept heavier losses when conducting offensive operations.

SCENARIO LENGTH: 20 TURNS

STEMMING THE RED TIDE July 1st, 1944

SPECIAL RULES

12.1 Unit Determination12.2 The Hot Shot!12.3 Intuitive Action12.6 It's Jammed!12.16 Battlefield Air Strikes

BIBLIOGRAPHYThis is a short list of materials available on Operation Bagration. 1. "Bagration 44", Steven Zaloga, Osprey, 1997.2. "Soviet Tank Units", David Porter, Amber Books, 2009.3. "The 1944 Battle of Minsk", Joseph Miranda, World at War Issue 22, 2012.

AIR STRIKESBoth sides have airstrikes available but their availability and turn of arrival areproblematic.

1. The German player(s) has two JU-87G1 air strikes available.

2. The Soviet player(s) has four IL-2M3 air strikes available.

3. At the start of the Artillery Fire Phase, each player rolls 1D20 and compares this tothe required die rolls listed below:

On a roll of 1 or 2, one German air strike arrives.On a roll of 1 through 4, two Soviet air strikes arrive.

4. At the beginning of any aircraft's "turn of arrival'' you must notify your opponentand designate the target area.

5. Once all allotted air strikes have been expended, no further air strikes may arrive.

Scenario and map by George Chrestensen

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INITIAL DEPLOYMENTA. All Soviet units enter the map on the northern edge of

the map on game turn 1.

B. All German units enter the map on the southern edge ofthe map on game turn 1.

VICTORY CONDITIONS1. The German player wins if two Soviet commands reach

their break points before the end of the game.

2. The Soviet player wins if two German commands reachtheir break points before the end of the game.

3. Any other result is a tie.

TERRAIN SUGGESTIONS1. The map should be approximately 96" (East to West) x 72"

(North to South).

2. Sighting distance is limited to 2000 yards (80 inches).

3. All buildings are “light buildings.”

4. The bridge negates the effect of the stream along the road.Two wrecks on the bridge, one on top of another, blockmovement along the bridge for the remainder of the scenario.

5. Crop fields have the following terrain effects:a. Crop fields are treated as clear terrain for movement

purposes.

b. Units firing at vehicles located in crop fields or acrosscrop fields add 1 to their firing cohesion die rolls.

SOVIET FORCESElements, Fifth Guards Tank ArmyCohesion: 15Elements, 3rd Guards Mechanized Corps: Break Point = 104 43rd Guards Tank Regiment, 7th Guards Mechanized Brigade

1st Company: 6 x M4 Sherman (76mm), 1 x M4 Sherman (76mm) HQ

2nd Company: 5 x M4 Sherman (76mm), 1 x M4 Sherman (76mm) HQ

Regiment HQ: 1 x M4 Sherman (76mm) (+1 GHQ)

Elements, 35th Guards Heavy Tank Regiment4 x JSII, 1 x JSII HQ

Elements, 1st Guards Motorcycle Battalion8 x T-34c, 1 x T-34c HQ

Elements, 29th Tank Corps: Break Point = 120362nd Tank Battalion, 25th Tank Brigade

1st Company: 9 x T-34/85

2nd Company: 8 x T-34/85

Battalion HQ: 1 x T-34/85 HQ (+1 GHQ)

Elements, 1223rd Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment1st Battery: 5 x M-10

2nd Battery: 4 x M-10

Regiment HQ: 1 x T-34c HQ

Elements, 75th Motorcycle Battalion6 x T-34c, 1 x T-34c HQ

Elements, 29th Tank Corps: Break Point = 98142nd Tank Battalion, 32nd Tank Brigade

1st Company: 9 x T-34/85

2nd Company: 10 x T-34/85

Battalion HQ: 1 x T-34/85 HQ (+1 GHQ)

Elements, 14th Guards Heavy Tank Regiment4 x JSII, 1 x JSII HQ

Elements, 1446th SU Regiment 4 x SU-85

GERMAN FORCESElements, Fifth Panzer DivisionCohesion: 17

1st Battalion, 31st Panzer Regiment: Break Point = 1081st Company: 13 x PzV, 1 x PzV HQ

2nd Company: 10 x PzV, 1 x PzV HQ

3rd Company: 11 x PzV, 1 x PzV HQ

Battalion HQ: 1 x PzV HQ (+2 GHQ), 2 x Flakpanzer 38T

2nd Battalion, 31st Panzer Regiment: Break Point = 1131st Company: 14 x PzIV H, 1 x PzIV H HQ

2nd Company: 10 x PzIV H, 1 x PzIV H HQ

3rd Company: 12 x PzIV H, 1 x PzIV H HQ

Battalion HQ: 1 x PzIV H HQ (+2 GHQ), 2 x SdKfz 7/ 20mm

Elements, 505th Heavy Panzer Battalion: Break Point = 541st Company: 7 x PzVI A, 1 x PzVI A HQ

2nd Company: 8 x PzVI A, 1 x PzVI A HQ

Battalion HQ: 1 x PzVI A HQ (+1 GHQ), 1 x Flakpanzer 38T

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Photos notto scale

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