1st Guards Rifle Corps: 9 October, 1941
Operations Section, 0800 hours
Distribution: 4th Tank Brigade 5th Airborne Corps
General Situation: On September 30 the Germans opened a major offensive against Bryansk front and quickly broke through, capturing Orel and driving north toward Tula. The 1st Guards Corps has been tasked with stopping the German drive short of Tula and stabilizing the front. Light elements of the corps have been skirmishing on the appraches to the Lisza River. This morning the Germans seized a bridgehead across the river and began moving large numbers of medium tanks across.
Opposing Forces: The principal German operational force is the 24th Panzer Corps of Guderian's 2nd Panzer Group. Tanks and infantry of the 4th Panzer Division have been encountered in the approach battles, and strong spearhead elements of that division have been assembling southwest of the Lisiza River for the last 48 hours. This spearhead, in reinforced regimental strength, is probably concentrated in the bridgehead by now.
Friendly Troops: A reduced strength regiment of border guard troops, reinforced with tanks of the 11 th Brigade, holds the river line northwest of of the bridgehead while a forward detachment of 5th Airborne Corps holds the village of Voin. Both forces are subordinated to 4th Tank Brigade.
Mission: The 4th Tank Brigade, plus its attached forces, is to defend the Voin area, delaying the enemy and inflicting maximum losses, so long as such actions are consistent with preservation of the defending force. The brigade is to avoid decisive engagement by the enemy. If the brigade is threatened with either encirclement or serious losses it is authorized to withdraw northeast to the prepared fall-back positions near Mtsensk, and is to execute this withdrawal after nightfall in any case.
Execution: The brigade must expect a renewal of enemy activity within the hour.
Soviet Order of Battle
4th Tank Brigade, with:
(Troop Quality: Experienced, Morale: 10)
Brigade Headquarters
- 1 command BA-20M armored car 1 recon BA-20M armored car 1 recon BA-32 armored car 1 recon motorcycle infantry stand 1 quad AAMG truck 4 medium ammo trucks with trailers
1st Tank Battalion
- Headquarters, with: 1 command T-34/41 tank
Heavy Tank Company, with: 2 KV-1/41 tanks
2 Medium Tank Companies, each with: 2 T-34/41 tanks
2nd Tank Battalion
- Headquarters, with: 1 command BT-7 tank
2 Light Tank Companies, each with: 4 BT-7 tanks
1 Light Tank Company, with: 1 BT-5 tanks
4th Motorized Rifle Battalion
- Headquarters
- 1 command infantry stand 1 flamethrower stand 1 medium truck
3 Rifle Companies, each with: 2 infantry stands 1 medium truck
Mortar Company, with: 1 82mm mortar stand (ds) 1 medium truck
Antitank Company, with: 1 gun crew stand 1 45L46 AT gun 1 light tractor
1st Battalion, 1st Airborne Brigade, 5th Airborne Corps (deploy in Voin)
(Troop Quality: Veteran, Morale: 10)
- Headquarters
- 1 command SMG stand 1 recon SMG stand 1 engineer flamethrower stand 1 MMG stands
1 PTRD ATR stand
3 Parachute Infantry Companies, each with: 1 command SMG stand l SMG stand
Composite Battalion, NKVD Border Guard Regiment (deploy in woods or along river)
(Troop Quality: Experienced, Morale: 9 )
- Headquarters
- 1 command stand 1 command infantry stand 1 recon SMG stand 1 engineer flamethrower stand 1 MMG stands 1 82mm mortar stand (ds) 1 PTRD ATR stand
3 Rifle Companies, each with: 2 infantry stands
Remnants, I Battalion, 11th Tank Brigade (attached to, and deployed with, NKVD Regiment)
(Troop Quality: Trained, Morale: 8)
- Headquarters, with: l command BT-7 tank
1 Medium Tank Company, with: 1 T-34/41
2 Light Tank Companies, each with: 1 BT-7 tank
Battle of Mtensk CDII Scenario: October 9, 1941
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© Copyright 1995 by Greg Novak.
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