The final instalment of the Wisenberg counter attack covers the fighting that occurred between 18 Guards MRDs reserve and 12 Panzer Brigade on the afternoon and early evening of the 19th August 1988. As we know now this was the opening move in what was to become one of the larger and more critical meeting engagements of the war. It represents an attempt by both the German
4 Panzer Grenadier Division to stabilise a deteriorating situation from their perspective, whilst at the same time represents the beginnings of the same for Major General Khrenov of
18 Guards MRD the ensuing action would ultimately lead to the committal of 22 Combined Arms Armies 31 Tank Division as an Operational Manoeuvre Group, deep into the rear of
VII US Corps, threatening the defence of The
Fulda Gap and of Western Europe in a battle that would engage the Germans, French, Canadians, Americans, Czechoslovakians and the Red Army.
Following the initial exchanges of fire with 12 Panzer Brigades Recconaisance elements, 122 Panzer Grenadier Battalion in the West launched attacks to clear units of 79 MRD and 151 Air Assault Battalion holding Weimensheim and the Eastern Edge of the Hochwald, Whilst two flights of
BO 105P HOT armed Attack Helicopters from
26 HeersFliegerRegiment deployed in support of 121 Mixed battalion and the elements of 4 Aufklärung Battalion in the East with the aim of assisting in clearing the Soviet Anti Tank Batterys located To the North East of Weimensheim and the Infantry that had been identified dug in South of Schmalwiesen that together dominated Fire Pocket Александр.
The BO -105Ps caught 280 MRR's Anti Tank battery in the process of relocating from its exposed position North of Hattenhof to its new position astride the Weimensheim/Schmalweisen Road, although the effectiveness of this initial attack was disrupted by
SAM 7 engagements from the Anti Aircraft Platoon of 79 MRB dug in to the North.
The Soviets having redeployed 280 MRR'S AT Battery now had to slow the rate of advance of 121 Mixed Battalion and 4 Aufklärung Battalion moving into fire pocket Александр, In order to keep them in the kill zone they engaged with all three battalions of the RAG, which slowed the german advance but did little to destroy their tanks. Despite the AT fire and indirect fire the Germans continued to fight forward into the fire pocket.
The combined effect of the flights of Anti tank Helicopters together with the
Leopard 1s of the two units proved too much for the Soviet Infantry and Anti tank batteries and as there resistance was worn down the pace of the German advance in this sector accelerated. Colonel Rokovski in his war diary records at 14:30 that things were becoming critical around Fire Pocket Александр and had warned both his reserve tank Company of
T72As and the Divisional Helicopter Squadron for action in the vicinity of Schmalwiesen.
Col Rokovski's other pressing concern was the lack of availability of the Divisional
BM27 battalion that had been on call to provide a SCATMIN attack to seal the exit of and disrupt movement through Fire Pocket Александр. Given the clear indication that 12 Panzer Brigade was avoiding Weisenberg he ordered the Regimental Recce company in that location to pull back to the rear of the fire pocket. The Mobile Obstacle Detachment enhanced the city as an obstacle by cratering road junctions as it withdrew whilst it's anti tank mine laying capability laid a hasty minefield across the principal exit from the fire pocket. 28 Battalion of the Regimental Artillery Group commenced preparation to deploy onto the forward edge of Weisenberg for a direct fire engagement into the depth of the fire pocket
122 Panzer Grenadier Battalion in the West had commenced clearance of the Hochwald supported by the battalion mortars in Weimensheim, in an attempt to reinforce the success of this attack
Leopard 2s of the Battalions attached Panzer company pushed forward. As they did so they discovered the depth of the Soviet positions in the Hochwald and took further casualties.
122 Panzer Grenadier battalion's other company together with reconaisance and anti aircraft elements supported by the fire of 4 Artillery Regiments
M110s had successfully cleared the elements of 79 MRB who had resolutely defended an area that was to become known in the histories as the Lidel cross road at the western end of Weimensheim and were consolidating their hold in that area.
Concurently with this the Mixed Battalion was completing its clearance of the forward AT positions but had started to draw fire from infantry believed to be from 79 MRB positioned around the watertower at the Northern edge of the light industrial estate on the outskirts of Weisenberg.
As its Infantry companys formed up to clear the western outskirts of Weisenberg from an FUP on the Weisenberg - Hattenhof Road the area selected between Hattenhof and Weimensheim seemed secure and Brigadier General Wittenberg ordered Panzer Battalions 123 and 124 to Form up to the South East of Weimensheim ready for an attack North towards 18 Guards MRD. At around the same time 16:30 in Colonel Rokovski's war diary it was noted that the reserve tank company and the Divisional Helicopter Squadron entered the fight around Fire Pocket Александр to the North of Schmalwiesen. With his available reserve committed he requested that 31 Independent tank battalion be prepared to counter attack into his area of responsibility approaching from the Northern end of the Hochwald.
by 17:30 121 Mixed battalion together with the remenents of 4 Aufklärung Battalion had just about reached the Northern edge of fire pocket Александр. In order to halt its onward advance Colonel Rokovski moved 161 Artillery Battalion's 2S3s into position to engage with direct fire from the Southern edge of the woods they were located in North of Schmalwiesen . With Mi 24 Hinds from the Divisional Helicopter Squadron committed along with armoured reserve the Soviets still strugled to have any great effect on the fast moving armour that had spread out onto the open ground North of Hattenhof and West of Schmalwiesen
With the bulk of the Soviet forces now committed on fire pocket Александр and the villages of Weimenshiem and Hattenhof neutralised or secured the NATO artillery focused on the Russian farm and 27 Battery's Spruts, with their fire power suppressed the conditions to launch 123 and 124 Panzer battalions had been met, and despite the late discovery of a 151 Air Assault Battalion Ambush on the Eastern end of Weimensheim the Germans were ready to launch their Armoured Strike.
At around 18:00 hours Panzer Battalions 123 and 124 launched North through the Gap between Weimensheim and Hattenhof into the cleared space created by the exploits of the Brigades Panzer Grenadier Units. With their Eastern Flank secured by the deepening penetration of Fire Pocket Александр by the mixed battalions Leopard 1 s and Panzer Grenadiers Marders they drove North and West aiming to pass between the Hochvald and the Russian Farm.
At around the same time the leading elements of 18 Guards MRDs 91 independent Tank battalion started to appear in the vicinity of the Russian Farm Driving Hard into Fire Pocket Влад. Setting the stage for one of the most confined and intense tank actions of the war.
As the leopard 2s of the two panzer battalions accelerated through fire pocket Влад they ran head on into the T72Bs of 91 Independent tank battalion, with scenes reminiscent of the vicious close range tank battles around Prokhorovka at the climax of the battle of Kursk the two tank forces became decisively engaged.
Reflections:
That completes the tale of the game and indeed the Wisenberg Counter Attack Project, which I have been playing with for around 6 months this included building additional forces, generating the scenario, building Terrain playing the game and writing it all up. Which to my mind is a bit of an in depth gaming experience. It has been an absorbing exercise and has extended my knowledge of Soviet operational concepts and doctrine significantly.
Models and Terrain
The models and terrain were provided from the collections of the Guilds Panzerfaust 200, Mausman, Elhiem and myself.
Who won,
Well it's quite difficult to say, in the finest traditions of most gaming experiences we didn't quite finish, the German team delt methodically with the problems that they were presented with whilst the Soviets in hind sight made some interesting unforced errors. The wide deployment of the Soviet Force presented a stimulating challenge for the Germans that they could have capitalised more on by concentrating their assault on one rather than both of the sectors, which in fairness, in the execution of the armoured attack they did. The large gaming areas and quite low density of the initial forces engaged allowed for a degree of Manouver that has been missing from previous big games.
What worked,
phased deployment, different opposing force structures, gaming space, terrain density
What could be improved,
creating a mini campaign rather than a single game, speed of movement off road, weapon and acquisition ranges, artillery play.
What's Next,
At the moment we're debating that, but it could well be: "Securing The Weidhaus Gap"
I hope you have found reading about the experience fun, useful and informative.
References:
TTP - Soviet, Forward Detachments as a Covering Force
Scenario - The Wiessenberg Counter Attack
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