Panzergruppe Guderian: the Battle of Smolensk, July 1941 / by Graham
Wheatley

In this article I shall give a rundown of the Soviet and German forces
and the tactics they can employ. I had better make it clear now that
this is the subscription game as received in 'Strategy and Tactics and
may not cover all the rules in the published game; this is the basic
scenario. 'Panzergruppe Guderian' is an operational level game of the
Battle of Smolensk, July 1941. The units are division sized, except for
the German mechanised units, which are regiments. Nobody knows the
strength of the Soviet units until they are committed to combat. The
combat results table uses the familiar ratio system with losses in step
depletions (four steps for the German infantry, two for regiments and
cavalry divisions and one step for all Soviet units). The Soviets are
much at the mercy of the leaders, who maintain the combat strengths and
movement allowances of units within their leadership radius. Leaders
also give a combat strength boost (in attack) to units stacked with
them. The scale is 10.5 km per hex and two days per game turn; the 22 x
321/2 inch, three colour, mapsheet is a pleasure to behold. Also, the
mapsheet is covered in 16mm hexes not, as in some SPI games, by charts,
comba results tables and the like.

German Force Evaluation

Your army should be centred on your nine Panzer divisions. Each of these
com prises a Panzer and two Panzer Grenadier regiments (using the German
Divisional Integration rule it can double its combat strength). To
support these, there are 6 motorised infantry divisions (2, or in the
case of the SS Das Reich division, 3 regiments) and a couple of
independent panzer grenadier regiments. The 18 powerful infantry
divisions are also yours, together with a useful Air Interdiction
capability. It is not really the quality or numbers of units that you
are worried about, it is the time limit.

Soviet Force Evaluation

One major problem you have is that you don't know the strengths of your
units. An advantage of this is that the enemy doesn't either; the only
way to find out is to attack with them or force the Germans to attack
you. Both methods are slow and painful. An average division of infantry
has, approximately, between 2 and 5 attack strength points and 4 to 5
points in defence, with some 0-0-6's and 0-1-6's thrown in for good
luck. To be fair you may turn over a 6-8-6 or maybe even an 8-8-6; on
occasions a 9-8-6 has also been seen. You know (or should know) that
none of your divisions, even those mentioned above, can match the 9-7 of
the German infantry but don't let that worry you too much; the enemy
doesn't get victory points for destroyed units and reinforcements should
- it depends much on the activity of the German Air Interdiction - keep
pouring in.

German Activity

On the first two game turns the 39th and 57th Panzer Corps should be
used to decimate the Soviet 20th army. This shouldn't be difficult but
for God's sake do not risk anything: one unit loss to a division and it
will lose its integrity bonus. When the 24th, 46th and 47th Panzer Corps
and the second corps of infantry enter the scene, an advance should be
made to hold the woods north east of Mogilev. After a couple more
infantry corps have arrived a pincer movement should be attempted
against enemy divisions between the Dnepr and Sozh rivers, crossing the
Sozh river with strong mechanised units between the towns of Mstislavl
(hex 1524) and Krichev (hex 1427), then swooping down on the enemy from
behind. A general assault with all available infantry divisions should
have been carried out to keep the Soviets occupied so that they have no
time to redeploy: with a bit of luck great slaughter will be inflicted
(if the Soviets have neglected to place a garrison at Roslavl (hex 2526)
send a few mechanised regiments to capture it and other eastern
objectives.

For the Northern drive you should not devote too many divisions, giving
most of the reinforcements and perhaps a depleted Panzer division (for
capturing victory point hexes). A front line at about hexrow 1200 would
be in order, or perhaps some where more easterly than this, so as to be
within Panzer striking distance of Smolensk.

Soviet Activity
Initially the 13th army, the reserve and anybody else you can lay your
hands on should be formed into a defensive line from around hex 11 or
1218 to 1521. Hex 1521 is the best place to put the flank, as it is
bordered on three sides by a river. A few divisions between the line and
Roslavl would be in order to keep a line of hexes in zones of control, a
necessary part so as to prevent a successful flank attack. The 21st army
should be based at Roslavl, together with strong mechanised forces so as
to provide a mobile reserve should a strong German attack develop. As
soon as a mobile attack does develop, with a flanking movement as
described above, the line should be withdrawn as far as possible to a
line around hexrows 1800 or 1900. If heavy losses are then received,
slowly fall back towards Smolensk. Remember - your losses do not lose
you victory points.

On the northern front the 13th army should be withdrawn to the south of
the W. Prina river and to Vitebsk (hex 0412). The 16th, 19th and 24th
armies should reinforce it together with the 22nd, when it comes. It is
obvious that the Vitebsk area cannot be held for long and it is
inconvenient, as there are little other natural defences between there
and Smolensk. When things start getting desperate (and they will)
retreat to hexrow 1600, where you have a subsidiary of the Kasplya river
to protect you from some of the German's divisions. Never miss an
opportunity to damage an already depleted unit or to destroy one: you
get 5 victory points for every complete German division destroyed
(except their weak cavalry division). But remember, trade land and units
for time; use your Air Interdiction, weak as it may be, to its greatest
(or perhaps only) effect - to delay German reinforcements, or in any way
gain time, as time is the most important thing in this highly playable
game of the Russian war.