At noon twelve enemy tanks came up from the south and west . . . The tanks approached the elevator from two sides and began to fire at our garrison at point blank range. . .The explosions were shattering the concrete; the grain was in flames. We could not see one another for dust and smoke, but we cheered one another with shouts.
German tommy-gunners appeared from behind the tanks. There were 150-200 of them. They attacked very cautiously, throwing grenades in front of them . . .On the west side of the elevator the Germans managed to enter the building, but we immediately turned our guns on the parts they had occupied.
Fighting flared up in the building. We sensed and heard the enemy soldiers' breath and footsteps, but we could not see them in the smoke. We fired at sound.
Lifted from Barbarossa by Alan Clark
The battle for the grain elevator raged between the 14th and 20th September 1942. I loosely based this scenario for CrossFire, upon Andrey Khozyaynov`s account of the fighting on the 20th September 1942, when the Soviets fought off several attacks by elements of the 24th Panzer Division during the day, but the handful of survivors were forced to withdraw that night when they were down to one and a half drums for their remaining DP light machine gun and 8-10 rifle rounds per man.
The map opposite was created from several aerial photographs, both top & oblique, which I have 'rationalised' for the tabletop. Photographs of German soldiers fighting in this area show a number of goods and stock yards with fences, sheds, barrels, etc. I leave it up to you to further decorate your tabletop with these plus the occasional tree and burnt out truck etc.
The objective of the German player is to have complete control of the grain elevator main building (position jš) by the end of the 12th game turn. It`s a draw if the German has a foothold on the ground floor and a defeat if no units are inside by the end of the game.
The Germans
Kampfgruppe Hannam (Veteran)
- 1 Platoon Commander (+1)
3 Assault Pioneer Squads
3 Flamethrower teams
1 HMG
1 50mm Mortar
Kampfgruppe Sparkes (Mixed)
- 1 Company Commander(+3)(Veteran)
2 Platoon Commanders(+1)(Regular)
2 Platoons of 3 Rifle Squads(Regular)
1 Platoon Commander (+2)(Veteran)
1 Platoon of of 3 SMG squads (Veteran)
1 Panzer MkIII H
1 Panzer MkIV D
2 HMG
1 81mm Mortar
Kampfgruppe Minshaw (Regular)
- 1 Company Commander (+2) (Veteran)
1 Platoon Commander (+2)
1 Platoon of 3 SMG squads
2 Platoon Commanders(+1)
2 Platoons of 3 Rifle Squads
2 HMG
1 Panzer MkIII H
1 75mm Infantry Gun
The Russians
Elements of 35th Guards Rifle Division & 154th Naval Infantry (Veteran)
- 1 Platoon commander (+2)
2 Rifle squads
1 SMG Squad
2 HMG
1 Anti-Tank Rifle (2 rounds only)
Sniper
Elements of 35th Guards Rifle Division (Veteran)
1 Company Commander (+1)
3 Platoon Commanders(+1)
3 Platoons of 4 Rifle Squads
1 50mm Mortar
1 81mm Mortar
1 Anti-Tank Rifle
1 45mm Anti-Tank gun
1 HMG
Sniper
Workers Militia (Green)
1 Company Commander (+1)
2 Platoon Commanders (0)
2 Platoons of 4 Rifle Squads
1 Naval or NKVD SMG Squad (Regular)
1 HMG
Our battalion, plus tanks, is attacking the elevator, from which smoke is pouring -the
grain in it is burning, the Russians seem to have set light to it themselves. Barbarism. The battalion is suffering heavy losses. There are not more than sixty men left in each company. The elevator is ocupied not by men but by devils that no flame or bullets can destroy".
Lifted from Barbarossa by Alan Clark
Special Rules
Treat the large buildings on the map as Building Complexes (rule 4.4.1a).
The grain elevator consists of one large admin and elevator shaft and four huge grain silos topped by a gantry. The silos themselves are full of grain and cannot be entered/defended. The elevator building and gantry can both be defended and should be treated as a buildingcomplex as above. The elevator has 3 levels each of which can be a separate part of the building complex. The gantry is one long building at level 3.
The Soviets may claim three HardPoints (rule 4.4.2) within the Grain Elevator complex.
All large buildings are concrete and stone structures, smaller ones are wooden.
Rubble is Rough Ground (rule 4.4). However, it only provides cover from LOS & direct fire weapons at ground and one level buildings. It provides cover from two level buildings if more than 24" away and 3 level buildings if more than 48" away.
Shellholes are also Rough Ground (rule 4.4). They do NOT block LOS at ground level unless troops are Ground Hugging (rule 4.1.2). Shellholes do not provide cover from LOS or direct fire from 2 or 3 level buildings under 12" away (from base of building). Movement MUST stop at these areas of concentrated shellholes (in same manner as hedgerow/walls etc.
A German Pioneer company had approximately 20 flamethrowers. I felt it better to simulate this massed arsenal of flamethrowers by creating special teams rather than fudging and assuming the pioneer squads had the inherent ability. To prevent the flamethrowers being given 'special attention' by the Soviet player, I suggest that you use standard rifle/pioneer squads as flamethrower teams UNTIL the first use of flame at which point it is replaced by a model flamethrower for the rest of the game.
Each flamethrower team is allowed three 'squirts' of flame in the game. Treat flame as SMG fire. Flamethrower teams only take two 'hits' instead of the normal three, though you could argue that one hit would be enough to persuade the flame operator to ditch the highly flammable tank on his back.
Wooden buildings catch fire on a 3,4,5,6, stone on a 5,6. If part of a building complex is on fire, roll each turn to see if the fire spreads. Soviet troops may remain in part of the building until it catches fire. Germans must pass a morale check to remain in the building.
An important but forgotten part of infantry combat is smoke. Each German squad may produce 1 infantry squad long smoke counter in front of it`s position once. Pioneer squads 4 times. Pioneers can create two 3 counter smoke screens during the game.
"I am a son of the Party, my country is my mother, My father - our beloved Lenin..."
Map
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