Scenario 202 Under Cover of Darkness
Scott B
UNDER COVER OF DARKNESS
SCENARIO 202, SERIES 200 PAD
AFTER ACTION REPORT
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
Since July, Colonel Stanisław Dąbek, commander of the Marine Brigade of National Defense, had more than tripled his forces to 17,000 and strengthened Gdynias’ defenses. Even as the Germans advanced on the city, he led three offensive actions against them. The last was a night attack on 12 September before withdrawing to Kępa Oksywska for a final stand.
The heights offered a better defensive position, with dense forest making enemy penetration and aerial and naval bombardment more difficult. It also spared the civilian population of Gdynia from urban combat and destruction. There they inflicted heavy losses on a numerically and technically superior enemy. They capitulated on 19 September, 1939 after constant bombardment, lack of supplies and reinforcements. There was hardly a man left unwounded.
Polish soldiers fought gallantly, and they did not spare blood. The area of Gdynia and Danzig was defended by the elite of the Polish armed forces. Those were young and inspired units of the navy and army, which fought admirably. On the plateau of Oxhöft we found trenches filled with dead Polish soldiers, who fell by hundreds where they fought, with the rifles still in their hands. It was apparent, that they fought to the bitter end.
-- F. O. Busch, Unsere Kriegsmarine im Polnischen Feldzug
RESOURCES
Courtney Alen. The Avalon Hill Company, 1981. Series 200. Scenario 202 Under Cover of Darkness card.
Battle of Gdynia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gdynia
Battle of Kępa Oksywska.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_K%C4%99pa_Oksywska#:~:text=The%20Battle%20of%20K%C4%99pa%20Oksywska,Campaign%20during%20World%20War%20II.
The German Campaign in Poland (1939). Rober M Kenedy, Major. April 1956
https://history.army.mil/html/books/104/104-20/CMH_Pub_104-20.pdf#page=141
XXXI A. K., Orenzgchutz-Abschn. Kdo. 1 (Korps Kaupisch)-Ia, Samelakte Korridor-Odingen-Hela, Kriegstaoebuch u. Anlagen, August-Ohtober 1939. E 292, 1. CRS, TAG.
Digests and Lessons of Recent Military Operations,
The German Campaign in Poland: September 1 to October 5, 1939.
https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/Germany/DA-Poland/DA-Poland.html#2
Stanisław Dąbek, Colonel of Polish forces.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanis%C5%82aw_D%C4%85bek#:~:text=Stanis%C5%82aw%20D%C4%85bek%20was%20a%20Polish,the%20rank%20of%20brigadier%20general.
Friedrich-Georg Eberhardt, wiki (also Ederhard, Eberhard).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich-Georg_Eberhardt
Poland Dispositions 31, August map and Poland Operations 14 September map.
AFTER ACTION REPORT
RULES IN PLAY
The scenario calls for rules in play through CRESCENDO OF DOOM. However, upon mutual agreement we only used the Bypass rules. Therefore, squads could neither Deploy, Ground, Cower nor create Scouts. Pols cannot create Scouts and cannot deploy the 3-4-7s under COD rules so this affected the Germans more.
INITIAL SET UP
SSR 202.1 - No unit may place ‘Star shells’ during the scenario. That limits fire to moving targets (Defensive Fire) or gunflashes. This allows the Polish player to withhold Advancing Fire to avoid gunflashes and deny the German his Prep Fire and Advancing Fire.
German Comments
I expect the Polish forces to withhold fire and advance on the VC buildings under cover of darkness. The Polish concealment halves my Fire Combat power and Close Combat attack strength. I am concerned the Germans reduced initial Fire Combats will have a negligible effect and my gunflashes will allow full strength Polish return fire.
I setup to catch him moving in the open and to adequately cover the Wheatfields against infiltration. I intend to fall back slowly.
Polish Comments
The German initial positions appear to be self supporting as the two groups (Ederhard, 207th) are set up around their boundary. Of the two German sections, Brigade Ederhard seems to be slightly weaker. They have one less MMG, their leadership is not as strong, and they do not have a mortar. An attack on the flank of Brigade Ederhard would use a large wheatfield to advance through and to block fire from any 207th units trying to support them.
The Polish decide that a flank attack on Brigade Ederhard is the desired approach. Hopefully, they will get a dark night to make an unseen approach.
TURN ONE
SSR 202.4
No German unit may perform any function during the first game turn unless it has “sighted” a Polish unit.
Polish Comment:
The initial NVR is rolled at 5 hexes. The Polish Marines move up using the abundant darkness to get at the German flank. With enough speed and luck they may be able to get behind the German line and roll them up onto the boundary with the 207th Infantry Division. There is no fire from the Germans as the Polish are not “spotted”.
German Comments
The Night Visibility Range is five and the Pols stay out of NVR while moving forward. Accordingly, the Germans cannot move or fire. I can only hope for a better NVR roll next game turn - seven hexes is expected and there is a 44% probability of rolling between six and eight. That’s a pretty good chance as SQUAD LEADER goes.
Pols have 0 of 6 VC Buildings.
TURN TWO
SSR 202.5
Brigade Ederhard may not cross row R and the 207th ID may not cross row Q, keeping each in its setup area and bifurcating the battle.
Polish Comments
With the NVR going to 2 hexes, the Polish continue to race for the open flank. No shots are fired as both sides continue to dance around each other. The Germans finally get to move and now scramble to turn the defense to the threat. The Polish bluff the Germans into firing and then break one squad in the return fire. Three VP hexes fall to the Polish in the pitch dark night without resistance. The Polish try to gain as much ground as possible without resistance.
German Comments
The Germans can’t see their hand in front of their face with an NVR of two. It seems like the whole Polish army slips by unseen. Considering the Pols local firepower advantage (see SSR 202.5) of 100 FP to 44 FP and their concealed status effectively reduces German FP to 22, the minus two moving in open is the great equalizer. However, the darkness allowed the Pols to close distance and gain advantageous position without loss or even dropping concealment. This turn goes to the Pols.
Pols have 2 of 6 VC Buildings.
TURN THREE
SSR 202.1 No unit may place star shells during the scenario. The German must employ ‘shoot and scoot’ tactics. The Pols must position kill stacks to advance fire at German Defensive Fires.
Polish Comments
The moon comes out from behind the clouds (NVR=8) and numerous Polish stacks are within observation range. The units moving on the flanks continue to try to sweep into the German rear. The center freezes and then crawls forward toward the German positions.
German Comments
The Germans move out of enemy LOS and advance into positions that cover open ground. They leave no movement nor gun-flashes for the Pols to fire at. Keeping the 207th close to the boundary allows their MMGs to mutually support Ederhard.
Pols have 3 of 6 VC Buildings.
TURN FOUR
Polish Comments
With NVR=8, the Polish got a bit nervous. They wanted to move units and decoys within the NVR to draw fire. Hopefully the Germans would fire and expose themselves to return fire, taking the worst of the engagement. It did not work out as three Polish squads were eliminated and two others were broken. The Germans had one squad broken, but that was a small price to expose the Polish fire base. All the movement allowed the Germans to pull back to strong fire positions and await the Polish rush. The Polish will have to fight the Germans sooner or later.
German Comments
Shoot and Scoot. Ederhard group pulls back to stop the Pols from slipping behind them. The north-south road is the quickest path to the control buildings and the Germans position to control the road. Hopefully they charge a heavy toll to anyone attempting to use it.
However, that control has come at a cost, group Ederhard has given up all ground and there is no more falling back. The Pols should be able to position several kill stacks and then infiltrate and spot with weaker units. They may finally be in position to deliver their lesson to the Germans. This feels like Panzeblitz spotting rules.
Pols have 3 of 6 VC Buildings. Polish casualties are 3x347. No German casualties.
TURN FIVE
Polish Comments
The Polish fire group races forward to get a foothold in the fourth VP building. They are likely to see action there. Other stacks move around the flanks in the darkness to get the Germans to react. One German squad and leader pulls back to cover. Other Polish stacks crawl forward to the edge of the German positions. There they charge. With four moves to go, this strategy is likely taking too long to be a winner.
German Comments
The Germans sit tight and hold defensive fire to deny the Pols targets. They control the road and open ground to the remaining buildings. The burden of movement is on the Pols.
Pols have 4 of 6 VC Buildings. Polish casualties are 3x347. No German casualties.
TURN SIX
Polish Comments
In Turn 6, the pattern seems to be set. The Polish will have to wade through a sea of German squads to get to the final victory hexes. With Brigade Ederhard, the Germans allow the Polish to launch into close combat. With the stacks locked in melee, the Germans fire on the struggling men with a highly accurate MG fire. The Polish units are broken and the Germans are cut down. Afterwards the Polish rally, but the fact that they have come out better off will make little difference if they run out of time.
In the area of the 207th, the same pattern develops as two German squads enter into close combat with the Polish fire group. Both German squads are cut down, but the Polish are broken/rally again. This pattern is slowing the advance of the Polish.
On the flanks, Polish hidden stacks move to gain an advantage. Will it be enough?
German Comments
Ederhard is outnumbered in a melee, so he shoots (Advancing Fire) into them for even odds and finds targets for all four penetration factors (how often does that happen). He advances out of gun-flash hexes and throws a few squads forward of the VC building as a buffer. With the first push thrown back, he waits for the second.
The 207th moved two squads adjacent to the Polish kill stack hoping for a reaction and gun-flashes to provide a target for Advancing Fire. He doesn’t bite so the Germans hop into Close Combat, dropping the Pol’s concealment and a gun-flash. Outnumbered, they hope to lock him in melee for a thirty IFT Fire Combat next turn.
Pols have 4 of 6 VC Buildings. Polish casualties are 3x347. German casualties are 2x467.
TURN SEVEN
Polish Comments
In Turn 7, the flanking stacks continue to move around to the German rear. One stack tips off the Germans that it is a dummy. In the center, the 207th falls back on their VP building. The Polish fire group will follow. Group Ederhard sends fresh squads to control the road in front of their final VP building.
The Polish have done a wonderful job rallying their broken squads. I feel it would be a rare game to have the Poles do this well at getting men back into action. The junior officers and non-coms have done a great job with that.
German Comments
The 207th sustain two MMGs and get their 30 IFT Defensive Fire resulting in a 2MC but a Polish leader and squad remain unbroken. This was a loss for the Germans, exchanging two 467 for two 347 and one turn delay was not worth it. They would be more valuable protecting the closest VC building and allowing other forces to reinforce the unguarded 4I10 and 2D4 VC buildings.
A concealed Polish stack behind the lines on Hill 621 forces them to pull back and cover the VC building and road.
Edenhard is in a good defensive position because there are no gun-flash hexes so the Pols cannot Prep Fire.
What do 50mm mortars do best? Malfunction after you’ve lugged them around the battlefield for half the game. So the Germans learned this DFPh.
Pols have 4 of 6 VC Buildings. Polish casualties are 4x347. German casualties are 5x467.
TURN EIGHT
Polish Comments
The Germans have fallen back to their final positions. The Polish try to surround them as best they can. The flanking stacks will try to surprise them by capturing VP buildings and at the same time take the high ground to slow movement along the north-south road. The plan is to capture six VP buildings by faint, assault the remaining two buildings, and then have enough units to prevent the eventual German counterattack. The assaults on the final buildings will likely be failures, but the Polish might get lucky and complicate the German position for their final move.
German Comments
The Germans pick two buildings to defend and then must counterattack to retake at least one more on the last turn. I put the 9-1 with the MMG to cover open ground I know he must cross. A 6 IFT -3 (Sustained Fire) has a 42% and 92% probability of a KIA and MC, respectively. The Night Visibility Range decides if he slips by or not.
Pols have 4 of 6 VC Buildings. Polish casualties are 4x347 and 4x447. German casualties are 7x467.
TURN NINE
Losses
Polish Comments
The only play for the Polish at this point is to take the final two buildings and set up the remaining squads to stop any counterattacks by the Germans. The corporal quickly takes the last buildings and sets up shop in the last. He maintains his concealment in a last ditch attempt to last through any close combat roll.
Next, Polish stacks move into positions to at least cover most of the obvious counterattacks by the Germans. Two of these stacks maintain concealment to keep the Germans guessing what the Polish strength is at.
After the German movement, the Polish defense worked surprisingly well in cutting off the advancing Germans. Only two leaders made it through to achieve a German victory because of one bad roll.
German Comments
The squads adjacent to the VC buildings act as a buffer and prevent him from moving adjacent and then into Close Combat. This works even if broken in his Prep Fire. The low NVR allows the Pols to skirt by unseen and take control of the sixth and final VC hex, setting the table for the German counterattack.
For their final player turn, the Germans sprint as many units to the Polish held buildings as possible. Most are cut down, but laws of probability always come through. One leader passes his MC and gains control of the last building needed for victory.
Pols had 6 of 6 VC Buildings, but lost one to German counterattack. Polish casualties are 4x347 and 4x447. German casualties are 9x467.
AFTERMATH
Polish Comments
The first decision to be made was one of a flank attack or an early assault by the Polish. I played for low NVR rolls when I made the decision to make the flank attack. The average NVR roll for the entire game was 5.67.
After that, I continued to play with concealed units for as long as possible to keep the Germans guessing what was real and what was faint. The Polish will not stand up to a long/mid range duel with the Germans. They will break and then likely be slow to rally. It was important to maintain fire discipline and close to close combat where the odds would be an advantage with the concealment.
The Germans responded with a dispersed defense around the important VP buildings. This represented individual squads spaced out to block and slow advances. This defense countered the Polish strategy beautifully.
I was very lucky to be in this game as the Polish rallied broken squads well and got them back into the fight. The NVR rolls were low. The Polish matched up well with the Germans in each close combat, with losses being very equivalent. Without this much help, the Polish probably would not have gotten close to taking the six buildings.
As it was, I was a couple of rolls and/or bad decisions from winning. Thanks Scott for an enjoyable game.
German Comments
The scenario play was very Cat and Mouse with opportunity to infiltrate and ambush. The Pols have a high learning curve because the normal Night Rule tactic of close, starshell, fight does not work without Starshells. They are tasked with locating an enemy that cannot be seen and that can retrograd one hex into the darkness. Learning a solution can take more turns than the Pols can afford to lose.
For their part, the Germans may win or lose the scenario during setup. Familiar daylight tactics work here with slight modifications. Cover the open ground, establish the line with enough room to fall back and hope for a high NVR roll. Once the German line is setup the initiative is with the Pols, especially with the boundary dividing Ederhard and the 207th.
I enjoyed comparing normal Night Rules (49) play with SSR 202.1 no Starshell play. It is very difficult to engage the enemy when he can Advance one hex back and fall out of sight. It felt like Panzerblitz’s spotting rules were in play.
Playing without Starshells gave me a better appreciation of the mechanics of the normal Night Rules (49). Generally, they let one close with the enemy, illuminate him with Starshells and engage in combat. The variable Night Visibility Range provides opportunity to both attacker and defender. A low roll may allow the attacker to close unseen and a high roll may provide the defender with more targets for Defensive Fire. The fighting usually settles in at eight hexes or less, the furthest a Starshell can illuminate the battlefield.
POSTFACE
We switched sides for a second game and the Pols formed three kill stacks and several concealed maneuver groups. The German setup was similar to the first game. This night scenario was a little brighter as the average NVR for the 8 turns was 6.75. The maneuver groups tried to engage the Germans in Close Combat and the kill stacks advance fired at gun flashes left by German defensive fire. The 207th was effectively eliminated and the Pols secured four of six victory buildings. However, time expired with a strong portion of the Pols still on the board if not disorganized and broken. At least two additional turns would be needed to gain the two remaining victory buildings for a win, and probably more to effectively reduce German resistance.