German Order of Battle

Russian Order of Battle

The Situation

The Germans occupied defensive positions on the slopes of two hills and along the east-west running road between them. Captain Hans Bolter, one of Germany’s leading “tank aces” maneuvered his Tiger Tank and a Panzer- IV into hulled down (protected) positions on “Nord Huegel,” (North Hill) as the Germans called it. Lt Stahler had already established a dug-in position with one of his squads, the MMG and a field radio. His position would serve as an Observation Post (OP) for any artillery fire missions. Another of Stahler’s squads occupied dug-in positions on “Sud Huegel” (South Hill), while the remainder of Bolter’s tanks, another Tiger and 2 Panzer-IVs, took up hull-down positions. The PAK-36 and the remaining squad were emplaced in a copse of woods, adjacent to the road and in the shallow valley between the two hills.

At the eastern foot of Nord Huegel lay open fields blanketed in deep snow and interspersed with trees and solitary buildings. While the eastern foot of Sud Huegel was dotted with a series of collective farmhouses and barns, hedgerows and stone walls. Over 1 kilometer distant from the German positions lay a large forest. A forest road emerged from the treeline directly opposite Lt Stahler’s OP. The road curved to the south and wound its way around the various farm buildings before turning north to a village in front of the two hills. Here, a secondary road formed a “Y” intersection. The road then cut between the hills and joined an access road behind the Germans.

Just as the Germans finished their defensive preparations, elements of the Soviet 122nd Tank Brigade began assembling along the forest road. Their objective was to drive through the German positions in order to relieve the siege of Leningrad. (The game’s victory conditions called for the Russians to exit 4 or more tanks off the western edge of the battlefield while not leaving behind any mobile German tanks).

Course of Action

0720—0724 hours:

The Russian tank column snaked along the forest road and emerged out of the treeline. As the lead elements turned and followed the road south all 5 German tanks opened fire. Even at ranges of over 1000 meters, the Germans could not pass up the opportunity of firing into the flanks of the Russian vehicles. In less than 5 minutes, 3 T-34s were knocked out by the long-range fire from the hulled-down tanks on Sud Huegel. Meanwhile, Lt Stahler tried to raise the promised artillery battery in order to call in a “fire for effect” mission.

0724 hours:

The Russian KV-IIs emerged from the forest road and established a base of fire with 3 T-34s. They opened fire with their 76mm guns concentrating their fire on the two Tiger Tanks. Due to their hulled down position and because the Russians fired on the move, no hits were scored.

The Germans weren’t having too much luck either. By now all the Russian armor were either presenting their thicker frontal armor towards the Germans, or managed to make it to the cover of the buildings in the south. No hits were scored by either side. Lt Stahler still had no success raising the artillery battery.

0728 hours:

The KV-IIs and escorting T-34s braved the deep snow and advanced across the open fields. While the KV-IIs had a higher ground pressure ratio none of the heavy tanks or the T-34s bogged down. The Russian tanks in the field fired as they advanced without scoring any hits. The tanks traveling the road now darted among the collective farm buildings and patches of woods to avoid detection by the Germans on Sud Huegel.

The German defensive fire turned deadly against the tanks they could see, or as long as their guns were operable. Just when the Tiger tank on Sud Huegel was about to fire, the main gun malfunctioned! Fortunately one of the escorting Panzer-IVs acquired the southernmost KV-II. The panzer fired and scored a lucky hit against the heavy tank. The 75mm armor piercing round managed to tear through the KV’s thick armor. The Panzer-IV on Nord Huegel knocked out the lead T-34 in the field, while Bolter’s Tiger knocked out one of the follow-on tanks.

Lt Stahler finally contacted the artillery and the battery commander promised him 4 fire missions.

0730—0734:

Lt. Stahler called in a “fire-for-effect” mission against the 3 remaining KV-IIs. The Russian tank forces began to converge on the “Y” intersection. Two T-34s were knocked out in quick succession by Bolter’s Tiger and his escorting Panzer-IV. However, all 3 tanks on Sud Huegel fell back from their positions since they could no longer acquire any of the oncoming Russians. The Tiger crew tried repairing the gun while moving down the slippery slope.

Not all the Russian tanks managed to stay above the snow. One T-34 sunk into a soft patch and was immobilized. Another T-34 tried getting off a shot at one of the retreating panzers only to have its gun malfunction. The crew hid the tank behind a farm building in order to affect repairs. The rest pressed forward with the attack. German 150mm artillery shells screamed in and exploded around the KV-IIs but caused no damage. One T-34 entered the “Y” intersection. In doing so it inadvertently presented its flank to the PAK-36 anti-tank gun emplaced in the woods. Despite the tank’s orientation, the tiny 37mm rounds merely plinked off the T-34’s armor. Another T-34 roared through the intersection and wound up within 40 meters of Sgt Hieken’s position.

By now there were 3 T-34s in and around the contested road junction. Sgt Hieken thought it was too dangerous to launch a close assault against the nearest tank on the road. The men of his squad thought otherwise. They rose from their entrenchments, braved the machine gun fire from their quarry and immobilized it! Two more salvos of 150mm shells rained down upon the KV-IIs. The high explosive shells churned up the snow and ice but had no effect on the Russian tanks.

0734—0736:

Lt Stahler now had his hands full. While calling for another artillery fire mission, he directed his squad’s medium machine gun at a Russian tank crew bailing out of a T-34. The tank was just hit by an 88mm armor piercing round fired by Bolter’s Tiger. The crew panicked and ducted under their crippled vehicle. With all this going on, the new target coordinates relayed to the artillery battery weren’t the same ones Lt Stahler initially plotted.

Meanwhile Sgt Hieken was urging his men to return to their positions. Too late. One of the supporting T-34s spotted the German infantry’s assault on the lead tank. Hieken’s squad was gunned down by machine gun fire before they could reach the relative safety of their entrenchments. With his squad gone, Hieken made his way to the PAK-36’s position.

The KV-IIs now entered the intersection. The PAK-36 gun crew fired once more at a supporting T-34 just as Hieken arrived. Once again, the tiny 37mm rounds bounced off the T-34’s sloped armor. In reply, the T-34 trained its 76mm gun on the defiant anti-tank gun. The high explosive round missed causing no damage to the gun. Nor did the round inflict any casualties among the gun crew. However, the Russian tank crew followed up their attack with both machine guns. This proved to be too much for Sgt Hieken. He, along with the tank crew panicked and scattered into the woods never to be seen again. In apparent retribution, Capt Bolter’s Tiger tank finished off the immobilized T-34. The KV crews used the village’s buildings to mask their movements tanks from Bolter.

0736—0738 :

The Tiger Tank and the 2 Panzer-IVs from Sud Huegel took up flanking positions west of the hill. The only German unit left on Sud Huegel was an infantry squad manning some entrenchments. Up until now they were content to watch the tank duels. The high pitched whistle of incoming artillery fire—German artillery fire, shocked them out of their reverie. The men dove back into their entrenchments as 150mm artillery shells exploded around them. Once the 30 second barrage lifted the men left on Sud Huegel showed no more interest in watching the rest of the battle.

The Russian tanks were now less than 500 meters from the 3 German tanks behind the southern hill. One T-34 closed to within 200 meters of the Tiger whose crew was still trying to ready the main gun. They forgot all about their repair work and bailed out when a 76mm armor piercing round ripped through the Tiger’s heavy frontal armor. Both Pz IVs shared the Tiger’s fate as 76mm rounds fired by the KVs put them out of action.

Other tanks were on the move, or were attempting to do so. The Panzer-IV escorting Captain Bolter’s Tiger tried to negotiate the slippery slope of Nord Huegel. The panzer slid down into a snowbank and was immobilized. Bolter got his tank moving and closed in on the KV-IIs. Despite their heavy armor, the 88mm armor piercing rounds proved deadly when fired at less than 350 meters. Bolter knocked out one of the KVs as it was moved west on the road.

The crew of the T-34 hiding behind the farmhouse east of Sud Huegel finally repaired their tank’s main gun. They felt confident enough to rejoin the battle. Once again they braved the deep snow and skirted around the southern slopes of the hill, giving Bolter’s Tiger Tank a wide berth.

0738—0740:

One T-34 and 2 KV-IIs were still churning westward on the road. Bolter put an 88mm round into the flank of the lead KVs taking it out of the race. The remaining two Russian tanks sped past the wreck and headed towards the Russian siege lines at Leningrad. The T-34 with the newly working gun continued to slew across the snow and rejoined the others beyond the reach of Bolter’s gun. Lt Stahler called the artillery battery to inform them he had no more targets for them.

Battle Results

German Losses
1 Tiger Tank destroyed
2 Panzer-IVs destroyed
1 Panzer-IV immobilized
1 Infantry Squad KIA
1 gun crew MIA
Sgt. Hieken MIA

Russian Losses
3 KV-IIs
12 T34s destroyed
6 tank crews KIA
1 T-34 immobilized
1 Tank crew broken

Russian Units Exited
1 KV-II
2 T34s

Dead of Winter Wargaming A “Squad Leader in Miniature” After Action Review

Introduction .
Scenario 1: The Dead of Winter .
Scenario 2: The Paw of the Tiger .
Commentary .