1201_01a Close Call at Kubinka HTH

[Plain Ian]

EldarEldrad has challenged me to a game of Moscow 41. We are playing 1201_01a: Close call at Kubinka (HTH). I am playing the Russians and will try and do an AAR.

Scenario brief is below.




The scenario pits elements of 4th German Army/4th Panzergruppe against part of the Soviet Western Front (5th/33rd Army) in December 1941.

      

The Germans field what looks to be an impressive force with 3 Infantry Divisions (7th/258th/292nd), the 3rd Motorised Division, and the 19th Panzer Division.

However the Infantry Battalions of the Infantry Divisons are at 80% (400 men) and the 7th Infantry Division has only 4 battalions deployed, the rest being off map to the west. The average fatigue in the 7th is about 30, the 292nd is around 50 whilst the 258th is well rested and has no fatigue. 

The 3rd Motorised Division has one Battalion off map (only 5 available) and its units also average 50 fatigue.

The 19th Panzer Division is a depleted unit with only 22 Pz 38’s runners in its two tank Battalions. It has only one Schtzen Rgt of two Battalions on the map. Its well rested with no fatigue.
The only other motorised units that the German have are 10 armoured cars belonging to the 3rd Motorised. These are wheeled vehicles.

The German command situation is slightly complicated in that the units are subordinated to 3 different Corps organisations  and two different Army/Panzergruppe commands. Not that it makes much game difference since  there is only one Corps HQ (XX Korps) physically on the map.

The Soviets field 2 Rifle Divisions (both 100%) and just over half of the new 1st Guards Division. (5 Battalions) They are well dug in. 

In the rear there are 3 of the newly raised 41 Tank Brigades which are each equipped with 30 BT7 and 30 T60 light tanks. Not impressive but more than a match for the German armour. Fortunately for the German player the tank Brigades are Fixed and will only be released gradually during the game.
 
The Soviets have certain extra Front level assets available in the form of Sapper Bns (x2), AT Rgts (x4).  I was slightly amused to see that one of the AT Rgts is armed not with the usual 45mm ATG but with 85 mm ATGs!!!  Really???? In 1941?

Soviet command is split with two subordinate Armies but again it makes no difference to the game as the Soviet player does not have any higher command units on the map.

The German player has a daunting task. Somehow he must exploit the weakly guarded join between 5th and 33rd Army and strike north to capture and hold Kubinka. If he is daring enough there is even an exit VP hex at the top of the map for him. There is also the lure of Naro-Fominsk which has a juicy 250 VP hex close to the start line. Unfortunately he will have take on a well entrenched Guard Division to win this one.

There will be no reinforcements for either side. The weather is Frozen so no digging in. 
 
Here is the map with the starting positions and the initial positions. 



Turn 1 shortly.