PONYRI STATIONAND

HILL 253.5

Adaptation for FoW of a Crossfire scenario by José Pereira

Ponyri, Kursk Region, Russia:

This scenario represents one attack and counter-attack cycle of the battle around Ponyri Station and Hill 253.5 on 7 July 1943.  Nominally it covers the early morning attack by the German 86th Infantry Division (in reality two infantry battalions supported by Tigers, Pz IVs, and Ferdinands) on Hill 253.5 and an assumed simultaneous attack by the 292 Infantry Division on Ponyri Station. The scenario then goes on to represent the counter attack by the Russian 307th Rifle Division supported by 13th Anti-tank Brigade (40 x 76mm + 20 x 45mm towed ATG), the 11th Mortar Brigade, and the 2nd Guards Mortar Brigade (Katyushka multiple rockets). The counterattack destroyed 10 Tigers and 12 PzIVs and retook Hill 253.5, but the battle raged on with more attack and counter-attack cycles.

Table game size: 1, 50 X 4, 50 m (squares of 30 cm on map)

North

Game length: As long the players can play.

Terrain:

Key features are:

- Village of Ponyri Station in the centre part of table.- Railway embankment going across the middle bisecting Ponyri Station

- Hill 253.5 dominates the eastern part of the table. It is largely covered by woods/orchards.

- There are seven objectives on the table:

o Within Ponyri Station there is a schoolhouse, tractor depot, railway station, water tower and two road junctions (west and east).

o The peak of Hill 253.5.

- All objectives are marked with an X on the map. In the case of multi-segment buildings, only the marked segment is the objective.

- The fortified railway station counts as a bunker.

- Otherwise terrain is typical for Kursk area during summer, i.e. in-season fields (lots), woods (lots), depressions, crests, streams (usually sunken), low hills. The Ponyri region was famous for orchards and the battle accounts describe attacks from woodland and the hills around Ponyri being "ablaze". The Battle of Kursk was fought in high summer so the fields were full grown and orchards in leaf.

Objective:

The Germans are attempting to penetrate the Russian defences and seize the various terrain objectives (Schoolhouse, Tractor depot, Railway station, Water tower, Western Road Junction, Eastern Road Junction, and Peak of Hill 253.5). German player wins if he gains the majority of the objectives. Russian player wins preventing this.

Deployment:

- The Russians deploy first with all troops entrenched and Gone to Ground to the south of the line A-A.- All the independent German platoons / troops must be attached to one of the four grenadierkompanie.

All of these grenadierkompanie must have attached platoons.

- The Germans begin the scenario with the initiative. They deploy second to the north of the line A-A. The Germans must be deployed in two groups, with the railway embankment as the dividing line. Each group must contain two grenadier kompanies. All armour of a particular type (Ferdinand, Pz IV G, etc) must be in one or other of the groups.

- More over, each infantry company, German or Russian, must be led by a different player. This is important regardless the Russian reinforcements.

Reinforcements: 

The Russian counter-attack phase 

The game is divided into a German attack phase and a Russian Counter-attack phase. The Russian Counter-attack commences as soon as the Germans capture three objectives (of the seven).  

From that moment the Russians can receive reinforcements at the start of any friendly initiative. All Russian reinforcements arrive from the southern table edge. Throw 1d6 for the type of reinforcement. Each type of reinforcement can only appear once, if you've already received that reinforcement, then nothing appears that imitative.  

German OB: (Stalingrad & Hitler’s Fire Brigade German Intelligence Briefing)(6055 Pts)Elements of 86th and 292nd Infantry Divisions with armoured support:Grenadier Battalion: Confident Veteran

- 1 X Battalion HQ:o 1 X Battalion Command SMG teamo 1 X 2iC Command SMG teamo Replace all Command SMG teams with Command Panzerknacker SMG teams

- 4 X Grenadierkompanie:o HQ Company:

Full strength Replace Command SMG teams with Command Panzerknacker SMG teams 1 X Anti-tank Rifle squad

o 3 X Grenadier Platoons: 3 X Grenadier Squads Replace Command SMG team with Command Panzerknacker SMG team

o 1 X Machine-gun Platoon: 1 X MG section Replace Command SMG team with Command Panzerknacker SMG team

- Independent Units to be attached to one grenadierkompanie:o 1 X Pioneer Platoon:

3 X Pioneer sections Replace Command Pioneer Rifle team with Command Panzerknacker SMG team Equip 2 Pioneer teams with Flame-thrower Add 4 3-ton trucks

o 1 X Assault Troop: 2 X Assault squads 1 X Heavy squad

2 X Pioneer SMG team Replace Command Pioneer SMG team with Schmidt Warrior team

o 1 X Scout Platoon: 2 X Scout squads Replace Command SMG team with Command Panzerknacker SMG team

o 1 X Anti-tank Platoon: 1 X Anti-tank section Replace gun with 7.5cm Pak 40 gun Replace Command SMG team with Command Panzerknacker SMG team

o 1 X Heavy Tank Platoon: 1 X Pz VI E Tigre

o 1 X Heavy Assault Gun Platoon: 1 X Ferdinand

o 1 X Panzer Platoon: 3 X Pz IV G

o 1 X Assault Gun Platoon: 3 X StuG III G

o 1 X Infantry Gun Platoon: 2 X Infantry gun sections Add Horse-drawn limbers Replace Command SMG team with Command Panzerknacker SMG team

o 1 X Artillery Battery: 2 X Gun sections Replace all horse-drawn limbers and wagons with 3-ton trucks

o 1 X Rocket Launcher Battery: 2 X Launchers sections

o 1 X Sporadic Air Support: Ju -87 D Stuka

Soviet OB: (Stalingrad Soviet Intelligence Briefing)(4140 Pts)Elements of 1019 Rifle Regiment, 307th Rifle Division supported by the 13th Anti-tank Brigade, 3rd Tank Corps, the 129th Separate Tank Brigade, and the 27th Separate Tank Regiment:Strelkovy Batalon: Fearless Trained

- 1 X Battalion HQ:o 1 X Anti-tank Rifle Platoono 4 X Snipers teams

- 3 X Strelkovy Companies:o 2 Rifle Platoonso Replace all Rifle teams with Rifle/MG teamso 1 X HMG teamo 1 X Light mortar team

- 1 X Submachine-gun Company:o 2 X Submachine-gun Platoonso 1 X HMG teamo 1 X Light mortar team

- 1 X Anti-tank Company:o 2 X Anti-tank Platoonso Replace all guns with 45mm obr 1942 gunso 4 X trucks

- 1 X Tank Destruction Company:o 1 X Anti-tank Platoono Replace all guns with 76mm ZIS-3 guns

- Fortifications:o 4 X 20 cm length and 32 mm width minefieldso 3 X Bunkers

Reinforcements:1d6 Reinforcements  Player 

1- 1 X Rifle Platoon - 1 X Guards Rocket Mortar Battery - 2 X Rocket Mortar Platoon

Owner of Rifle Company 1

2

- 1 X Rifle Platoon - 1 X Artillery Battalion - 4 X Gun Platoons - 1 X Observer team - Add Horse drawn limbers and wagon

Owner of Rifle Company 2

3

- 1 X Rifle Platoon - 1 X Heavy Mortar Company - 2 X Mortar Platoons - 1 X Observer team

Owner of Rifle Company 3

4 - 1 X Tankovy Company: - 3 X T34-76 1943 - Add Tankodesantniki

Owner of SMG Company 

5

- 1 x Storm Group: - 1 X Assault Group - 1 X Reinforcement Group - 1 X Pioneer SMG team + 1 X Anti-tank Rifle team

- 1 X Heavy Mortar Company - 2 X Mortar Platoons - 1 X Observer team

Any 

6- 1 X Assault Gun Company : - 3 X SU-76 M

Any 

Type of Units German RussianInfantry 132 131HMG 8 4Tank 8 6Transports Ard / UnArd 8 / 10 0 / 24AT Gun 1 8Howitzer / Rockets / Mortar 6 / 6 / 0 4 / 4 / 12Air Support Sporadic None