GC Minsk41: Tactical Recommendations & Combat Concepts (1/4)

[anchopal]

Preliminary notes

Version 1.0 by anchopal, all following content is based on (a) existing information within the slitherine forum and/or (b) on my own panzer corps experience.
Tactical recommendations and combat concepts exemplarily discussed on the basis of an after-action report of the scenario GC1941 Minsk.

Difficulty level: Field marshal (using weather, supply, fog of war, undo options, no additional adjustments at the advanced option menu)

PanzerCorps version: 1.21

Prestige: 14,657 (beginning)
- after Grand Campaign 1939, 1940 and 1941 (scenarios Belgrade, Metaxas Line, Crete Airborne) on difficulty level field marshal)
- without using special reinforcements and no prestige of disbanding special reinforcements (special units disbanded not in the deployment phases) of version 1.21

List of contents

1. Basic tactics (I): focusing objectives and assembling forces
2. Basic tactics (II): scouting, attacking and advancing/defense positioning
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Force A/Turn 1: Crossing the NYOMAN RIVER (hex 13/3)
2.3 Force B/Turn 1: Towards BYALISTOK (hex 10/15)
3. Basic combat mechanics: initiative/mass attack, suppression, entrenchment/terrain effects, experience/heroes effects, retreat/surrender, rugged defense/ambush situations, weather effects
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Force B/Turn 3: Capturing AIRFIELD NEAR VAUKAVYSK (hex 18/14)
3.3 Force C/Turn 3: Towards BREST-LITOVSK (hex 12/24)
4. Advanced tactics: synchronizing/coordinating activities of different forces considering basis combat tactics and combat mechanics
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Forces A, B, C and D/Turn 7-14: Capturing MINSK (hex 34/7)

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1. Basic tactics (I): focusing objectives and assembling forces

Starting the new scenario I conducted the following preparation activities:

- focusing objectives, that is understanding the victory conditions (here: capturing 5 city hexes) and considering the intelligence information (here: significant importance to capture as many airfields as possible to prevail enemy air attacks as soon as possible),
- assembling forces, that is selecting units according to the needed abilities (spotting, movement, ranged/close/tank/air attacks etc.) and to divide your army into combat groups and assigning them the identified objectives with a synchronized time order. Here, I identified as objectives the 5 city hexes and the 11 airfield hexes. I divided the available forces into three forces (Force A, B, C), two paratrooper units (Force D) and the supporting Air Force.

Legend of strategic map:

- A1: First operational objective (city/airfield hexes) of Force A
- B3: Third operational objective (frontier/border) of Force C
- Operational objective (region/area) of Force C (blue)
- Direction of movement/advance (strong forces = thick arrow)
- Direction of movement/advance (small forces = thin arrow)
- Direction of movement/advance paratroops (dashed arrow)



In order to grant a balanced and challenging game play (and to achieve the maximum of prestige gains that is possible considering the soft prestige cap of version 1.21) I considered building up a historical core force. That is, I considered that …

- the German tank forces predominantly consisted of light and medium heavy tank vehicles (e.g., Panzer II, Panzer 38t) at the beginning of the Operation Barbarossa.
- the German forces only disposed of few self-propelled anti-tank units at the beginning of the Operation Barbarossa
(i.e., the core forces contain only less mobile light towed anti-tank units and no self-propelled anti-tank units).
- the German forces were not fully motorized and predominantly disposed of land transport vehicles (i.e., the core forces contain also infantry units without transport vehicles and only few infantry units with half-tracked vehicles).

Moreover, I use the provided three auxiliary strategic bomber units in the Minsk scenario only for recon purposes, whereas I use the provided three auxiliary self-propelled anti-aircraft units as normal support of my core force. Awarded heroes effects to units are denominated in the following as “abilities” and presented in brackets at the description of my forces. Thereby, I ordinarily use the denomination field of units in order to have a better overview about these abilities. For example SE Grenadiers: 3D = +3 defense, 1SA = + 1 soft attack, 1M = + 1 movement etc.



The stated forces (Force A, B, C, D, supporting Air Force) consist of the following units, respectively. Thereby, the units are classified in light, medium heavy and heavy units.



Force A consists of …

- 2 light tanks (with spotting/defense abilities),
- 1 towed light anti-tank unit,
- 2 motorized light infantry units (with spotting/defense abilities),
- 1 towed medium heavy artillery unit (with spotting abilities) and
- 1 self-propelled anti-aircraft unit.

SE infantry units dispose of +1 soft attack compared to the same non-SE-infantry type.



Force B consists of …

- 2 light tanks (with defense abilities),
- 2 medium heavy tanks (with defense abilities),
- 1 towed heavy anti-aircraft/anti-tank unit
- 1 motorized heavy infantry unit (with defense/movement abilities) and
- 1 self-propelled light artillery unit.

Recon units do have the ability to sequentially move. Combined with their given spotting range of 3 they are usually suitable for scouting activities. Moreover, the Panzer IIF is the strongest tank of the German Panzer II-class. SE tank units dispose of +1 hard attack compared to the same non-SE-tank type. The German 8.8 Flak is switchable between the anti-aircraft and anti-tank mode. Within both modes the 8.8 Flak disposes of strong combat values which makes it to a strong weapon system especially between 1939 and 1941. Grenadiers are the strongest infantry units. However, they are usually less mobile with a standard movement of 2 instead of 3 of the light infantry units.



Force C of two groups. The first group consists of …

- 1 medium heavy tank,
- 1 towed heavy anti-aircraft/anti-tank unit,
- 1 recon unit (with attack abilities),
- 1 motorized heavy infantry unit (with defense abilities) and
- 1 towed medium heavy artillery unit (with attack abilities) and
- 1 self-propelled medium heavy anti-aircraft unit.

The second group consists of …

- 1 motorized heavy infantry/engineer unit (with movement abilities),
- 2 light infantry units,
- 1 towed light anti-tank unit,
- 1 towed heavy artillery unit and
- 1 towed medium heavy artillery unit.

Engineers do generally ignore entrenchment effects. Moreover, they dispose of the special abilities against fortifications and minefields. Therefore, they are especially suitable for attacks against fortifications and units that do have a high entrenchment level. However, there defending abilities are less well compared to grenadiers.



Force D consists of two light infantry/paratrooper units (with initiative/defense abilities).

Paratroopers do have the special ability of proceeding drop downs also at non-airfield hexes. All other units can be transported by aircrafts only between two airfields. Moreover, paratroopers do also have special abilities against fortifications. However, the ammo capacity with 4 is compared to other infantry units low. Therefore, they need more combat breaks than other infantry units to refresh their ammo resources.



The air force consists of …

- 3 fighters (with attack/defense abilities),
- 3 tactical bombers (with attack abilities) and
- 2 strategic bombers.

Strategic bombers can cause suppression effects. Moreover, they are able to weaken enemy units by diminishing their ammo and fuel resources. Finally, they can neutralize cities. This means, that for the case that a city hex allows the deployment of new units the attacked city hex losses this ability for the current and the turn after the current turn.The Bf 110D is usable as tactical bomber and (light) fighter as well. Therefore, this unit is valuable especially against the Russian Air Force.

[anchopal]

2. Basic tactics (II): scouting, attacking and advancing/defense positioning
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Force A/Turn 1: Crossing the NYOMAN RIVER (hex 13/3)
2.3 Force B/Turn 1: Towards BYALISTOK (hex 10/15)
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2. Basic tactics (II): scouting, attacking and advancing/defense positioning

2.1 Introduction

Usually, each turn consists of …

- scouting the operational objectives/area that has to be reached,
- attacking (conducting combined attack operations) and
- advancing/defense positioning (guaranteeing good defense positions).

There is no standard order of the stated activities. I describe these basic activities in the following by two examples “Force A/Turn 1: Crossing the NYOMAN RIVER (hex 13/3)” and “Force B/Turn 1: Towards BYALISTOK (hex 10/15)”.

2.2 Force A/Turn 1: Crossing the NYOMAN RIVER (hex 13/3)



Starting position: the main operational object is to cross the river that is secured by a light anti-tank unit without ammo. Otherwise the advance of the complete Force A is hindered.



The light artillery attacks the anti-tank unit.



This leads to 3 losses and a suppression of the remaining strength. However, suppression has no additional effect because the anti-tank unit already is out of ammo.



The infantry unit attacks the rest of the anti-tank unit. Moreover, additional hexes are scouted by the movement of the infantry unit that disposes of a spotting range of 3.



After I destroyed the anti-tank unit the other units can cross the river. First, I advance with the Panzer IIC in order to scout additional hexes, because this unit also disposes of a spotting hero and therefore a spotting range of 3. Afterwards, I advance the other ground units. A last attack with the Panzer IIC is possible. When the units are advanced usually the objective positions have to be carefully identified in order to guarantee a safe defense position against counter attacks.

That is for example guaranteeing that …

- infantry units are positioned at close terrain if possible and not positioned at clear terrain if (tank) attacks are expected,

- tank units are positioned at clear terrain and not positioned at close terrain if infantry attacks are expected,

- mounted units/artillery units/recon units/anti aircraft units/tactical and strategic bombers or units with few strong points and/or few ammo are not positioned unprotected at the frontline/in the enemy spotting range if (tank) attacks are expected (here, I can directly position my mounted anti-tank unit in front of the light tank because this is out of ammo). Moreover, it is useful to strengthen vulnerable positions by bordering artillery, anti-aircraft units (protecting ground units) or fighter units (protecting ground and air units).



Finally, I attack the enemy units by my air force. This also contains spotting activities.



The final attack results in physical losses and a neutralized city. Consequently, the enemy position is weakened what is usually a good starting position for the next turn. However, the enemy has now the possibility to strengthen his units by reinforcements (that are arriving suppressed what moderates but did not eliminate the effect of the reinforcements). Therefore, I normally try to fully destroy units if possible.

2.3 Towards BYALISTOK (hex 10/15)



Starting position: the main objective is to conduct a deep and fast advance before the enemy is able to supply his troops, that is I have to use the phase while the enemy units are out of ammo what reflects the moment of surprise of at the beginning of the German offensive in the east (Operation Barbarossa).



I advance with my tank/recon units in order to scout additional hexes. The scouted anti-aircraft unit, infantry unit and light anti-tank unit are attacked by the Air Force.



The air attacks result in physical losses, suppression and a neutralized city. The enemy anti-aircraft unit is attacked by my artillery unit and then by my mounted heavy infantry unit using a half-tracked vehicle. Usually, it is not recommended attacking with half-tracked vehicles because their attack and defense values are very low (only heroes effects but no experience bonuses are considered when a unit is fighting in the mounted modus). However, here the enemy anti-aircraft unit is only reachable in the mounted modus. Moreover, the enemy cannot defend himself because he is out of ammo.



The attack activities are completed by a fighter attack and an attack of the mounted heavy 8.8 flak. Again, attacking with half-tracked vehicles means that the combat is based on the attack and defense values of the armored transport and not of the transported unit. Finally, the enemy anti-aircraft unit is destroyed. It remains the enemy infantry unit in the city hex that is weakened. A protection of my strategic bomber unit is not necessary because there are no enemy air force attacks expected within the first turns (compare to the information that is provided in the scenario briefing).