All,
It's 1000, 1 Sept 1939, and KG Klink is in disarray, having just been thrown back from the village of Mokra by strong anti-tank defenses of the Polish 21st Uhlan Regiment. As the KG is regrouping, the Polish 21st Armored Regiment and 12th Uhlan Regiment counterattack the 4th Panzer Division, which also was treated roughly by the defenders of Mokra. One of the Polish counterattack columns strikes just south of the KG's last attack, right at the operational boundary of one of 4th Panzer Division's Panzer battalions and KG Klink. Seeing the potential calamity, Maj Schultz grabs an ad-hoc force comprising 2nd Panzer Platoon and 4th Grenadier Platoon, and charges southeast to meet the enemy counterattack head on.
**WARNING: SEVERE, DISGUSTING PROXY ALERT**
The opposing forces, very armor heavy; I'll give up the ghost and let you know that the Germans lose (again), but it's the infantry that almost (almost!) save the day…
The Polish force. I apologize for my hideous use of proxies here, but I don't have any Polish tanks. So, this is very ahistorical, but I'm doing the best I can, and this is probably the only fight that we'll see Polish tanks in. The Poles have their CO, three squads of cavalry, three medium tanks (T-26s), two light tanks (T-70s), two infantry tanks (Matilda Is), and two tankettes (Vickers, which I think the Poles actually had some of). Hold your nose and bear with me, it's a good fight.
Ze Germans: CO for this fight is Major Schultz, the KG Executive Officer, with 2nd Lt Schiffer's 2nd Panzer Plt (of 3 Pz IIIs and 2 Pz IIs) and Officer Cadet Vetter's 4th Grenadier Platoon (of four rifle squads, though Cadet Vetter actually missed the fight as he was aiding Col Klink with the regrouping when Maj Schultz grabbed his platoon and sprinted southeast into the fight).
Overview, north is up, Germans on the left (west) and Poles on the right (east). The Poles have armor across the board (Vickers in north, then infantry tanks (Matildas), then medium tanks (T-26s) then light tanks (T-70s) and cavalry in the south, and the Germans, with armor in the north and infantry in the south.
Things were going very poorly by the time Sgt Mader distinguished himself by close assaulting a Polish medium tank, earning the Iron Cross 2nd Class and Tank Hunter Badge.
Notes:
-2nd Lt Schiffer WIA, out for campaign.
-Cpl Schonan KIA.
-Sgt Mader recommended for Iron Cross 2nd Class for charging and destroying enemy tank.
-Four of five tanks of 2nd Pz Plt knocked out.
-Lost ~35 KIA/WIA/POW, two Pz III, and two Pz II.
-Caused ~30 KIA/WIA, destroyed two medium tanks.
Check out the full report here:
link
Another butt-whoopin'. Hey, I'm getting used to it. Just couldn't get my tanks going… Now time for the enemy's infantry counterattack. Should go okay, I've been doing better with infantry than tanks anyway ;)
V/R,
Jack
