AAR - Storming The Waidhaus Gap, Part 1 Ground and Deployment

The Waidhause Gap sits on the German Czech border and is one of two more obvious routes through the ring of mountains and forests that form the boundary between Germany and Czecheslovakia. These run from the Ore Mointains in the North through the Bohemorwald or Bayerischerwald down to the Alps in the South. On the 17th of August 1988 it was the scene of the initial crossing into West Germany by leading elements of 1 Chezchslovakian Front led by the Soviet 22 Obchevoyskovaya Armiya (CAA).

Once Clear of the wooded highlands that dominate the Czech side of the border, more open country is encountered but the broader valleys remain dominated by high hills and ridge lines and the towns and villages of the region together with its densely packed pine forests created a tactical challenge for the troops of 18 Gvardejskij Motostrelkovaja Divizija (GdsMRD) whoes mission was to storm the border town and exploit west towards a crossing of the river Naab at Wennberg before pushing on towards Nurenberg as one of the opening moves of World War three on Europes Central Front.

The view of the Haggenwald Ridge looking east towards the Czech border beyond the town of Waidhaus, taken by elements of Panzerbrigade 12 as the recced fire positions in early August 1988.

The Same area taken from an MBB105 of Panzerabwehregiment 26 which gives a better impression of the Haggenwald ridge line west of Waidhaus that dominated the border crossing points and exits from Waidhaus into the more open terrain beyond.

The View that would be presented to 468 Motostrelkovyj Battalion as they cleared the more deeply incised ground around the Czech border and looked west towards Waidhaus and the wooded ridge line of the Haggenwald.

A view from the North East Eastern end of Waidhause emphasising the challenge of manoeuvring armour through the constraint created by town, wood and ridgelines. In the far distance beyond Waidhaus can be seen the area of the Schwalmwald which would be occupied during the opening stages of World War 3 by elements of Falschirmjagerbattalion 251 who together with Panzeraufklärungsbataillon 4 provided the bulk of the force deployed to blunt the tip of the Soviet Spear Waidhaus.

An image from a photo reconnaissance Phantom R-F4E of Aufklrungsgeschwader_51 that overflew the area late on the 16th of August, this image shows the landing zone for 901 Otdel'nuju Desantno-Shturmovye Batal'on (Air Assault Battalion) who were to attempt an insertion beyond Waidaus and the Haggenwald to secure the flanks of the lead division as it passed through the area and to clear the Haggenwald in support of468 Motostrelkovyj Batal’on, (MSB) the Army forward detachment tasked with Storming the Waidhaus gap.

The Initial Deployments of the German Defenders have been subject to much historical speculation but thanks to the exhaustive research carried out by Proffesor Gerht Halmer for his book, Breaking down the Door the first 6 days of the Campaign against CENTAG, there is now a degree of clarity.

The Germans Deployed three Anti Aircraft Batteries at Waidhaus, Two Gepard/Redeye batteries from Flugabwehrregiment 4 and one Rolland Battery from Heersflackbrigade 2's Flugabwehrregiment 200. One of the Geppard Batteries covered the Leopard 2s deployed on the Hagegenwald and the open ground to its West. The other battery sat forward around the Western end of Waidhaus and the Farm complex immediately to the South of the town that sat within the area of the Schwalmwald. In addition to the Flak Batteries each of the two Luftlandepanzerabwehrkompanie deployed two 20mm armed Weisels, these deployed within the Schwalmwald itself covering low level transit routes South of Waidhaus.

Panzerbataillon 123's Kompanie 1 occupied a dominating position on the Haggenwald, where it was co-located with anti tank elements of Falshirmjagerbataillon 251. West of the Haggenwald around the small areas of woodland sat the forward elements of Brigadespähzug 10 and Panzerjagerkompanie 100 which were the forward deployed elements of Panzergrenadierbrigade 10. The German forces West of the Haggenwald would find themselves subject to intense Air attack in the opening moments of the war in the preparatory attacks that cleared the way for 901 Otdel'nuju Desantno-Shturmovye Batal'on's air assault.

East of the Haggenwald deployed around the Schalmwald and the town of Waidhouse were the elements of Panzeraufklärungsbataillon 4's Kompanies 2 and 4. Kompanie 2 covered the northern edge of the village and Kompanie 4 the southern. Fallschirmjägerbataillon 251 and its reinforcing Kompanie, Dug itself in around the Northern edge of the Schwamwald and the Western edge of Waidhaus. Both the Luftlandepanzerabwehrkompanie deployed along the Northern edge of the Schwalmwald giving their TOW and 20mm armed Weisels good arcs of fire into the flanks of any vehicles or aircraft trying to bypass Waidhaus to the South.

At 05:00 on 18th August 1988 Sukhoi 25s and Mig 27s of 10 Air Army thundered across the border at Waidhaus, followed closely by 490 Otdel'nyy Boevoy Vertoletnyy Polk (independent Combat Helicopter Regiment), World War 3 had come to Waidhaus.

References:

Breaking down the Door the first 6 days of the Campaign against CENTAG

Related Posts:

TTP

TTP-Forward Detachments and Tactical Air Assault

Scenario:

Scenario - Storming The Waidhaus Gap
ORBAT - Soviet Air Assault Capability Part 1, Overview and Lift Assets
ORBAT - Soviet Air Assault Capability Part 2, Army Air Assault Battalion
ORBAT - Soviet Task Org, Fronts in the Western TVD

Wargames Unit:

Wargames Unit - Soviet Late 80's Independent DShV Battalion
Wargames Unit - Soviet Late 80's MRB
Wargames Unit - The German Army at Waidhaus
Wargames Unit - Soviet, Combat Helicopter Regiment, Assault Helicopter Squadron
Wargames Unit - Soviet, Combat Helicopter Regiment, Attack Helicopter Squadron

AAR:

AAR-Storming The Waidhaus Gap, Part 2 Soviet Air Land Battle
AAR-Storming The Waidhaus Gap, Part 3 Counter Attack

Downloads:

Storming The Waidhaus Gap, 19 Mb

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