1st Ukraine Front - Insiders look at a Play Test

[Strela]

i All,

I thought I would share with you an AAR of one of our playtests for Korsun '44.

We are currently working on version 3 of the _Alt scenarios and have found further research that has adjusted the Soviet setup on the left flank of the pocket.

In initial playtests of version 2 we had found that 5th Mech Corp and 5th Guard Tank Corp were breaking through the German line, but usually quicker and futher south than the historical breakthrough. This had the impact that 198th and possibly 34th Infantry Division were being pocketed, something that did not happen historically and with dire implications for the German counterattack led by III Panzer Korp.

So we have a conundrum : Soviet forces led a full blooded assault in the south which was hung up for a full day and ultimately moved 233rd Tank Brigade to supprt 27th Army in the north where the ultimate breakthrough was made. German forces have to hold against all of 40th Army, 5th MC & 5th GTC for 1+ days and then be able to pull back without being totally overrun. In addition ideally not to much of 198th and 34th Infantry should end up in the pocket.

This AAR will take the reader through the latest version of the 1st Ukraine scenario to illustrate how some of these challenges have been handled and how closely the historical outcome is achieved.



Here is how the startup looks:





The overall plan will look like this and is essentially the historical plan. To breakthrough German defences, take the bridges at Lisyanki and push through Zvenigorodka to meet the 2nd Ukraine Front spearheads :






The details for 27th Army sector is as follows :






In the German 198th Infantry sector, the Soviets will be trying to hit the seam between 88th and 198th Infantry. 198th is in a quandry here do they fight or flight. Historically, it was briefly surrounded and had to fight its way out to the south :





For 40th Army sector, the Germans will be under the most pressure with both 5th Mech Corp and 5th Guards tank Corp being released during the day and trying to batter through the German defences :





First turn to follow....