Toaw Scenario: The 2nd Battle of Kharkov (by Wilcks)

Briefing
The 2nd Battle of Kharkov Version 1.0, 2000 1. Unit colours 1.1. Russian White on brown: Southwestern Front Light brown on brown: Southern Front Gold on red: Southwestern Front guards Black on red: Southern Front guards Lt. blue on brown: Southwestern Front air Dk. green on brown: Southern Front air 1.2. German White on grey: 6th Army Grey on grey: 17th and 1st Pz. Army White on green: Hungarian forces Red on blue: Rumanian forces White on lt. blue: Luftwaffe 2. Overview In the early spring of 1942, the Soviet High Command (Stavka) was convinced, that the German summer offensive of '42 would aim straight for Moscow. Believing that Axis forces elsewhere would be stretched very thin, they picked the south as the area for their own counterattack. Little did they know, that OHK - the German High Command - was marshalling forces here for "Operation Blau" the drive towards Stalingrad and the Caucasus. The Stavka picked Kharkov for their limited offensive. Just south of the city, the Red Army held a large bulge westward, the Izium bridgehead over the Northern Donets River seized during the previous winter. To the northeast of the city, the Soviets held yet another small bridgehead across the river. Kharkov, a key German logistical center, was thus ripe for an encirclement by Soviet pincers from the north and south. But the Soviet grossly underestimated German strenght. When the attack started the 12th of May, the northern pincer made only very slow progress. Things seemed better for the Soviets in the southern pincer, but it was here, that the real danger lurked in the form of the III Motorised Korps of Kleists 1st Panzer Army. Striking against the weak 9th Soviet Army on the 17th of May, 1st Panzer Army drove hard for Balaklaia, where it linked up with 6th German Army units the 22nd of May. Despite relentless Soviet counterattacks, it sealed the fate of almost a quarter of a million Soviet soldiers trapped in the pocket. 3. Orders 3.1. Soviet commander Comrade. The objective of the offensive is to encircle the fascist forces in the Kharkov area. You will do so by attacking north of Kharkov with 21st, 28th and 38th Army and south of Kharkov with 6th Army. A special army detachment Army Group Bobkin will support your attack by making a diversionary effort towards Krasnograd. 57th and 9th army from Southern Front will cover your southern flank.Your army orders are as follows: 21st Army Breach enemy defences and advance towards the Belgorod/Kharkov railroad. Guard the northern flank of 28th Army. 28th Army Penetrate enemy defences with your infantry and artillery. Create a gap and introduce your mobile force, 3rd Guards Cavalry Corps. Encircle Kharkov from the north with your cavalry and link up with 6th Army units arriving from the south. 38th Army Capture Chuguev and advance towards Kharkov from the east. 6th Army Penetrate enemy defences south of Zmiev. Create a gap in the enemy line and introduce your mobile forces, 21st and 23rd Tank Corps. In cooperation with the tank corps your orders are to develop the attack towards Merefa and Kharkov. Link up with 3rd Guards Cavalry Corps. After the capture of Zmiev attack towards 38th army with limited forces in order to secure a quick destruction of any trapped fascist forces. Army Group Bobkin Penetrate enemy defences and introduce 6th Cavalry Corps. Capture Krasnograd and protect 6th Army against counterattacks from the west. 57th Army Protect the left flank of Southwestern Front. 9th Army Defend in place. Air units and reserve forces will be commited according to the situation. 3.2. German commander Your orders are simple. 6th Army is to protect Kharkov at all cost. Defend the city to the last man! 1st Panzer Army will concentrate in the Slaviansk area and launch a counterattack along the Izium-Balaklaia axis no later than the 17th of May. 6th Army will attack towards 1st Panzer will all available mobile forces, when Izium is captured. 4. Designers notes Here are the sources I have used: "Kharkov 1942 - Anatomy of a Military Diseaster Through Soviet Eyes", David M. Glantz. "When Titans Clashed - How the Red Army Stopped Hitler", David M. Glantz. "Kharkov '42", scenario supplied with the ACOW cd. "Operation Blau 4.0", scenario by Brian Topp. "7km Barbarossa", map downloaded from The Gamers Net "1942 Rumanian OOBs", from ??? "German Army WWII TOE", by S. Sheckell "Soviet Army WWII TOE", by S. Sheckell "Hungarian 1941 Infantry Brigade", from ??? "Rumanian OOBs", by Martin Rapier "Russian OOBs", by Martin Rapier "WWII Rumanian Army OOBs", from ??? I have also received a lot of help from the discussion board at Talonsoft. There are to many to mention here, but thanks to ya all. I intend to keep developing the scenario, so any feedback is more than welcome, and will be answered. Enjoy! Holger Wilcks

Briefing

The 2nd Battle of Kharkov

Version 1.0, 2000

1. Unit colours

1.1. Russian

White on brown: Southwestern Front
Light brown on brown: Southern Front
Gold on red: Southwestern Front guards
Black on red: Southern Front guards
Lt. blue on brown: Southwestern Front air
Dk. green on brown: Southern Front air

1.2. German

White on grey: 6th Army
Grey on grey: 17th and 1st Pz. Army
White on green: Hungarian forces
Red on blue: Rumanian forces
White on lt. blue: Luftwaffe

2. Overview

In the early spring of 1942, the Soviet High Command (Stavka) was convinced, that the German summer offensive of '42 would aim straight for Moscow.
Believing that Axis forces elsewhere would be stretched very thin, they picked the south as the area for their own counterattack. Little did they know, that OHK - the German High Command - was marshalling forces here for "Operation Blau" the drive towards Stalingrad and the Caucasus.
The Stavka picked Kharkov for their limited offensive. Just south of the city, the Red Army held a large bulge westward, the Izium bridgehead over the Northern Donets River seized during the previous winter. To the northeast of the city, the Soviets held yet another small bridgehead across the river. Kharkov, a key German logistical center, was thus ripe for an encirclement by Soviet pincers from the north and south.
But the Soviet grossly underestimated German strenght. When the attack started the 12th of May, the northern pincer made only very slow progress. Things seemed better for the Soviets in the southern pincer, but it was here, that the real danger lurked in the form of the III Motorised Korps of Kleists 1st Panzer Army.
Striking against the weak 9th Soviet Army on the 17th of May, 1st Panzer Army drove hard for Balaklaia, where it linked up with 6th German Army units the 22nd of May. Despite relentless Soviet counterattacks, it sealed the fate of almost a quarter of a million Soviet soldiers trapped in the pocket.

3. Orders

3.1. Soviet commander

Comrade. The objective of the offensive is to encircle the fascist forces in the Kharkov area. You will do so by attacking north of Kharkov with 21st, 28th and 38th Army and south of Kharkov with 6th Army. A special army detachment Army Group Bobkin will support your attack by making a diversionary effort towards Krasnograd. 57th and 9th army from Southern Front will cover your southern flank.Your army orders are as follows:

21st Army Breach enemy defences and advance towards the Belgorod/Kharkov railroad. Guard the northern flank of 28th Army.
28th Army Penetrate enemy defences with your infantry and artillery. Create a gap and introduce your mobile force, 3rd Guards Cavalry Corps. Encircle Kharkov from the north with your cavalry and link up with 6th Army units arriving from the south.
38th Army Capture Chuguev and advance towards Kharkov from the east.
6th Army Penetrate enemy defences south of Zmiev. Create a gap in the enemy line and introduce your mobile forces, 21st and 23rd Tank Corps. In cooperation with the tank corps your orders are to develop the attack towards Merefa and Kharkov. Link up with 3rd Guards Cavalry Corps. After the capture of Zmiev attack towards 38th army with limited forces in order to secure a quick destruction of any trapped fascist forces.
Army Group Bobkin Penetrate enemy defences and introduce 6th Cavalry Corps. Capture Krasnograd and protect 6th Army against counterattacks from the west.
57th Army Protect the left flank of Southwestern Front.
9th Army Defend in place.
Air units and reserve forces will be commited according to the situation.

3.2. German commander

Your orders are simple. 6th Army is to protect Kharkov at all cost. Defend the city to the last man! 1st Panzer Army will concentrate in the Slaviansk area and launch a counterattack along the Izium-Balaklaia axis no later than the 17th of May. 6th Army will attack towards 1st Panzer will all available mobile forces, when Izium is captured.

4. Designers notes

Here are the sources I have used:

"Kharkov 1942 - Anatomy of a Military Diseaster Through Soviet Eyes", David M. Glantz.
"When Titans Clashed - How the Red Army Stopped Hitler", David M. Glantz.
"Kharkov '42", scenario supplied with the ACOW cd.
"Operation Blau 4.0", scenario by Brian Topp.
"7km Barbarossa", map downloaded from The Gamers Net
"1942 Rumanian OOBs", from ???
"German Army WWII TOE", by S. Sheckell
"Soviet Army WWII TOE", by S. Sheckell
"Hungarian 1941 Infantry Brigade", from ???
"Rumanian OOBs", by Martin Rapier
"Russian OOBs", by Martin Rapier
"WWII Rumanian Army OOBs", from ???

I have also received a lot of help from the discussion board at Talonsoft. There are to many to mention here, but thanks to ya all.

I intend to keep developing the scenario, so any feedback is more than welcome, and will be answered.

Enjoy!

Holger Wilcks