Bob Mackenzie's web Page - Wargames & Scenarios

This scenario represents the opening action of a 3-week battle in northern Hungary (now SW Slovakia), initiated by the Soviets to take the pressure off the Soviet besiegers of Budapest by threatening the communications of the German forces attempting to relieve the city in Operation Konrad. (Thanks to Chris P for the intro)

The scenario is designed to fit on a 8x5 ft table. Even so the ground scale has been compressed by a factor of 1.25. If you have an 8x5ft space you can skip the rest of this section. There are two options to fit the battle on to a 6x4 ft table

Firstly the ground scale can be squeezed even further to fit the entire battle on a 6x4 table. If this is done note the ratio of the width to height of two table sizes is not the same. A small part of the 8x5ft table will not fit on the 6x4ft table. 1/16th of the length must be removed from the east end of the map. The scenario turn length should be reduced by 2 turns.

Secondly the "canted" 6x4 table can be used. The playing area for this is shown on the main map as a dotted grey rectangle. If this option is chosen the victory conditions change somewhat, the turn length is reduced and some units are no longer in play. The victory locations for the canted game are referred to with a following "tick" e.g. A'

1st Para Regt Szent László, the Airforce Rifle Battalion, MG Bataillon Sachsen and 662 Heers Panzerjäger Abteilung are all deployed within the areas shown on the map by the pink dashed lines. All these units are entrenched (2L shift).

There are 12" of minefields in the 1st Para Regt Szent László deployment area.

II/367 Grenadier Regiment is deployed in the within the area shown on the map with the pink dashed lines. The Grenadiers are entrenched. Note this unit does not appear in the "canted" version of the scenario.

VIII Artillery Battalion is deployed within 6" of Sarkanyfalva, It is entrenched

The Gepanzerte KG 8 Panzer Division is a reinforcement arriving turn 4 between points E and F. For the canted game it arrives turn 5 between E' and F'.

The 13th Panzerjäger is deployed within 6" of Bucs or Bartorkeszi. For the canted game it is deployed on point E'

The 28 Panzergrenadier Regiment is a reinforcement arriving turn 5 between points E and F. For the canted game it arrives turn 6 between E' and F'.

HQ's not mentioned above and logistics units can be deployed as the Axis players wish. Those associated with reinforcements may enter on the turn the first reinforcement enters for that unit.

The units of the 409th Rifle Division and 6th Guards Airborne Division are deployed in the areas delineated by the pink dotted lines. Note the 6th Guards do not appear in the "canted" version of the scenario.

The 46th Guards Tank Brigade enters the table turn one between points A & B (A' & B' in the canted scenario)

The 31st Guards Motor Rifle Brigade enters the table turn one between points B & C (B' & C' in the canted scenario)

The 22nd Guards Tank Brigade enters the table turn one between points C & D (On turn 2 between C' & D' in the canted scenario)

The 21st Guards Tank Brigade enters the table turn two up to 18" from corner D along the south edge of the table (On turn 2 between C' & D' in the canted scenario)

The 6th Guards Motor Rifle Brigade and 57th Guards Mortar Regiment enter the table turn three within 6" of point C. (On turn 3 within 6" of point C' in the canted scenario)

The 301st AT Regiment enters the table turn four between points A & B (A' & B' in the canted scenario)

The 14th Guards Motorcycle battalion arrives from turn 6 onwards on a roll of a 6 (d6). It enters within 6" of point X

The 18th Guards Motor Rifle Brigade enters the table turn eight within 6" of point C. (On turn 8 within 6" of point C' in the canted scenario)

Engineers and HQ's can be deployed as the Soviet players wish. Those associated with reinforcements may enter on the turn the first reinforcement enters for that unit.

The 9th Guards Logistics and 5th Guards Logistics unit enter down road C on turn 9.

The Garam is a wide river. The light blue section of the Panzi Csatoma is a normal river. The dark blue section is a marshy river. The Gorbe Folyas is a marshy river

Red lines are roads - they have no game effect except when reinforcements enter the game

The dark brown dashed lines are level 2 ridgelines. Level 1 ridgelines have been omitted as they have little game effect. If using hills as area terrain the edge of the hill can be delineated by the ends of the ridgelines.

Terrain	Movement			Cover ‡			ZOC	Fire Power
Terrain	Leg/non-motorised	Wheels/ motorised	Tracked/ mechanised	Inf & Cav	Towed Guns	Vehicle	ZOC	Inf & Cav	Towed Guns & Vehicles	IDF
BUA Suburban	Difficult	Difficult	Difficult	2L	1L	1L	Cluttered	-	1R	Zero
Fortifications: Trenches	*	*	*	2L	2L	-	*	*	*	*
Hill (optional)	*	*	*	-	-	-	Clear†	*	*	*
Woods Unmanaged	Pure	Impassable	Impassable	1L	-	-	Cluttered	-	-	Zero

Terrain	Movement			Cover	ZOC	Firepower
Terrain	Leg/non-motorised	Wheels/ motorised	Tracked/ mechanised	Cover	ZOC	Firepower
Bridge & Defile	Difficult	Difficult	Difficult	-	-	1R
Fortification: Mines	Difficult	Difficult	Difficult	-	-	-
Ridgelines	-	-	-	-	Cluttered	-
River, Marshy	Pure	Impassable	Difficult	-	-	-
River, Normal	Difficult	Difficult	Difficult	-	-	-
River, Wide	Pure*	Impassable	Impassable	-	-	-

Turn 7 onwards the Soviet player can roll for aircraft each turn. On a 5 one Il-2m arrives on a 6 2 Il-2m arrive.

The game is 12 turns long. (One turn less for the "canted" scenario and 2 turns less for the compressed 6x4 table)

The first turn is in the dark and subsequent turns are foggy. For turns 1-6 all ZOCs are cluttered.

All units of the 409th Rifle Division and 6th Guards Airborne Division, that do not have any vehicle stands are equipped with assault boats and rafts. They may cross the Garam as an obstacle.

To contend a location a Soviet units (not logistics, HQ or GS artillery) must be touching the village (or within 3" of the exit point if playing the canted scenario) and that unit must be able to trace a line along a road back to C (or C'). If there is an enemy* touching the road the road is considered blocked. Note to contend a village it can still be occupied by an Axis unit

The Soviets need to contend one location to win. If they are touching a victory location but do not have a route back to point C the game is a draw, otherwise its an Axis victory

The main reference is the excellent: Days of Battle by Norbert Szamveber. Some additional information was gleaned from the Soviet Order of Battle WW2 by Charles Sharpe.

The lack of logistics for the Soviets is deliberate. Historically, once past the initial pre-programmed bombardment, Soviet artillery ammo supply was not as good as the Germans. Many of their units are very under strength and a disproportionate amount of the firepower comes from the attached artillery.