Operation Konrad - Round 6 Thread

[OnePingOnly]

As the last battle of Round 5 wraps up, I thought I would go ahead and start a Round 6 thread.

The situation at start of Round 6 will be as shown below, but with resolution of the battle at Buda Hills. The current map shows that square as still being contested. A German loss in Round 5 means that Rounds 6 and 7 would see the Germans trying to fight to a campaign draw, at best. A German victory in Round 5 means a Round 6 Meeting Engagement battle that could end in German victory or go on to Round 7.

Unfortunately for everyone else, the campaign is basically in @Drifter Man / @Spoogles and @Cargol / @Bleskaceq 's hands. The other tracks/battles cannot really affect the outcome other than to soak up reinforcements that could otherwise be used on the Gerecse track. I have maps ready to go for the other 4 battles, which should be a Meeting Engagement at Dorog, and German Attacks at Csakvar, Osi, and Balatonfokajar. I totally understand after so many months if someone doesn't want to finish out these battles - you would be doing it for fun or revenge or...is honor a thing ? Please let me know if you want to skip out. You will still get a ribbon at the end. If we have departures, I will work to assign replacements or, failing that, will consolidate tracks down to battles I can staff.



Both sides will be replenished with 2 Battalions' worth of reserves. These are entering per the schedule in the rules.
Germany will need to use 1 of its 2 reserve moves to place a Reserve on the Puszta track.

Note: If the campaign goes to Round 7, the Soviets commander @Bleskaceq gets to pick the Soviet player assignments.

It's late, so I may have missed some possible outcome. I'm sure someone will let me know.

@Brille @Bleskaceq @Drifter Man @Monty's Mighty Moustache @dkchapuis @Spoogles @Guardsman @Aurelius @Gorst @Cargol @jackal

 

[Aurelius]

Besides the regular tourney participation badge, I think everyone should get a personalized one. For instance, our commanders should get a separate badge, guys with most losses should get the one as well (wound badge for the Germans, penal battalion for the Soviet), etc. Just an idea.

 

[OnePingOnly]

Besides the regular tourney participation badge, I think everyone should get a personalized one. For instance, our commanders should get a separate badge, guys with most losses should get the one as well (wound badge for the Germans, penal battalion for the Soviet), etc. Just an idea.

I like!
By the time this thing is over, we will have been through YEARS of CM and our ribbons should end up looking like :

(I don't know anything about making ribbons, but will see what I can do).

 

[Aurelius]

@OnePingOnly Those are rookie numbers. This or nothing>

 

[OnePingOnly]

Here is the updated campaign map going into Round 6:



Reserves:

• 30th Rifle Corps is added to the Soviet reserve pool
• StuG-Artillerie Brigades 239 and 303 are added to German reserve pool
• 155 Rifle Division added to the Soviet Budapest forces
• Reserves are discretionary at this point, but I am pulling from the chart in the Rules, and trying to make sure that there are at least 2 Bn's worth of Reserves for each side.

Sequence:

1. Both sides issue orders: Reserve deployments, German attacks, Soviet counterattacks.
2. German players are notified of counterattacks
3. Both sides pick battalions to use and update the deployment matrices
4. Campaign map is updated and published.
5. Battles issued by GM

I'd like to get through Steps 1-3 by next Sunday, February 16. I'll be out of town Wednesday through Saturday this coming week, so won't have a lot of time for CM admin before Sunday, in any case.

The Deployment Matrices have been updated in the team-specific Dropboxes:
A "Round 6" tab has been added to each Deployment Matrix
Soviet commanders have been rotated, per schedule
Available units/reserves have been updated
Cells in YELLOW will require input. Cells with Red text will change depending on Counterattack orders.


Tracks to Budapest Notes:
The German team may make up to 2 deployment "moves." They MUST use one of those moves to reinforce Puszta.

The Soviet team may deploy up to 2 reserve units on different tracks. Remember that Soviet reserves are required for a counterattack - Soviet Core Units CANNOT counterattack.

Remember that any Reserve unit pulled out of the line cannot be immediately placed into the line elsewhere - they must go to the reserve Pool for this Round.

The Soviets may counterattack against ONE zone. As counterattacks are not allowed against starting zones (on the far left), the possible Soviet counterattack locations are Tokod, Buda Hills,, or Zamoly . If the Soviets choose to counterattack, the battle type will be dictated by the type of defending unit chosen by the German commander: If the German player elects to use an Infantry battalion, the resulting battle will be a Soviet Probe; If he elects to use an Armor or Armored Infantry battalion, the resulting battle will be a Meeting Engagement.

The German player will be notified of a counterattack, and will have the opportunity to declare which unit will defend (if more than one is present). The Soviet player will not know what type of battle until orders/deployments are given, and must take into consideration that German reserve deployments may change the composition of the defending force. The German player may not know which specific battalion will be counterattacking, when a counterattacking unit has more than one battalion. Note the rules changes to improve Fog of War in this area.

Budapest Notes:
The map shows German unit locations from the last round, but none of these are locked and @Cargol is free to change these around during Orders.
Three Soviet units ARE locked onto the map, as denoted by the fortifications.
The Soviet player will need to pick one of their 2 unused units and 1 Budapest zone in which to fight.


If you no longer wish to fight, let me know ASAP.
Guardsman, I believe I have a replacement for one of your tracks. If that works out, you will keep Osi. If it does not, do you (or anyone else) want to play Balatonfokajar?

 

[OnePingOnly]

Maps:
Maps for Round 6 are up!
https://www.dropbox.com/home/Op Konrad/Op Konrad QB Maps?di=left_nav_browse
There might be some curve balls for the tracks marked with a "*" if there is a counterattack.

Pilis Track: @Brille vs @Monty's Mighty Moustache
OK Dorog ME Rd6*

Gerecse Track: @Drifter Man vs @Spoogles
OK Budakeszi ME Rd6 (default - German "attack") or
OK Buda Hills ME Rd6 (Soviet counterattack)

Vertes Track: @dkchapuis vs @Gorst
OK Csakvar GAtk Rd6*

Velence Track: @Guardsman vs @Aurelius
OK Osi GAtk City Rd6

Puszta Track: @Guardsman (or New Guy) vs @jackal
OK Balaton GAtk Rd6

Budapest: @Cargol vs. @Bleskaceq
Bleskaceq picks one of the following:
BU-Train Station Probe Rd6
BU-Eagle Hill Probe Rd6
BU-Csepel Probe Rd6

 

[OnePingOnly]

As it is pivotal to this round's decision-making and has come up in the private threads, I will address Counterattack and Counterattack Outcome rules here. The official rules in the Rules Thread aren't as clear as they need to be in this area. I'll interpret them, and give some transparent rationale of why I am doing so.

Section VI.B Battle Outcomes - Units:
1. The Battalion used by the LOSING side is removed from play.
2. If a Battle is a DRAW, then BOTH sides have the Battalions used removed from play, regardless of casualty level.
3. If a Defender achieves VICTORY but loses >60% casualties in men, then the defending Battalion is also removed from play.
In Probe and Attack battles, the Defender is the actual Defender.
In Meeting Engagements, the Defender is always the Soviets, EXCEPT when a Meeting Engagement is the result of a Soviet Counterattack. In the latter case, the Defender is the Germans.
4. If both units are destroyed, the WINNING side will occupy the square with a Reserve Unit at the start of the next turn. If the game ended in a DRAW (no winner), the side with the lowest % casualties will occupy the square with a Reserve Unit at the start of the next turn.

Section VI.C Battle Outcomes - Map:
1. For each Square where the attacking Germans achieve a Victory (any level), they claim the square along their Track.
2. For each Square where the Soviets achieve a Victory (any level), they retain control of the square, and the Germans remain in the adjacent square they possessed at the start of the Round. In the next Round, the Germans will have to try and take the next square again.
3. For each Square where the Soviets attempted a counterattack and achieved a Victory (any level), they occupy the square and the Germans are pushed back one square along that Track.
4. For each Square where the Soviets attempted a counterattack but LOST to the Germans, the Germans MAY elect to move ahead one square along that Track, occupying the square from which the Soviet counterattack was conducted. This can only be performed once during the entire campaign, so it should be chosen wisely. The Soviet unit must retreat to the next open square on the Track.

In these rules, "Victory" means a Tactical, Minor, Major, or Total Victory. It does NOT mean a Draw that results in holding a position - i.e., an operational level victory. "Win" or "Winning" means achieving a Victory, as defined above. "Lose," "Losing," or "Loss" is the opposite, and a Draw is not a Loss.

With all that in mind, I'll discuss the 3 possible outcomes, below.

A. If the Soviets counterattack and they WIN (any level of Victory above Draw), the Germans lose the defending Bn and get pushed back to Germely, along with any other unit previously in the same square. The Soviets occupy Buda Hills with the victorious unit, and we are on to Round 7.

B. If the Soviets counterattack and they LOSE (any level of Victory below Draw), the Soviets lose the attacking Bn. The Germans can then use the once-per-campaign ability to advance into the square from which the counterattack was launched (Budakeszi), ending the campaign with a German victory.
Q: If the Soviets deploy a second reserve unit to Budakeszi at the start of the round but that Reserve doesn't fight and is pushed back to Budakeszi, is Budakeszi still contested?
A: 2 Reserve units cannot be deployed on the same track. Since the Gerecse track already has 1 reserve deployed (1GMC), a second cannot be deployed and so this situation cannot arise. Section VI.A.1.d: "Multiple Reserves may not be deployed on the same track. A Track can contain a maximum of one Reserve and one Core unit."

Q: If the Germans WIN (any level of victory above Draw) but the German defender suffers >60% casualties and suffers unit elimination, what happens?
A: As the German player still has another unit in the square, that unit remains in the square, and can exercise the special advance ability to occupy Budakeszi and win the campaign.

C. If the Soviets counterattack and the game ends in a DRAW, both sides lose the Battalions used in the QB. The square ownership is then determined by which combat unit has the lowest % casualties.
If the Soviets, the German unit still gets knocked back one square and the Soviets can deploy a reserve to Buda Hills in Round 7.
If it is the Germans, the second unit in the square remains there. While the Germans would still have a unit in the Buda Hills square, they cannot use the special advance ability because the Soviets did not LOSE (i.e. a Draw is not a Victory or Defeat). The Germans retain Buda Hills, and the Soviets can place a unit in Budakeszi for Round 7.

I hope this is clear, and makes sense per the rules. As I don't want to be seem as putting a thumb on the scales or being a pre-Super Bowl Kansas City Chiefs referee , I am sticking to as literal interpretation as I can.

 

[Drifter Man]

German reserve moves are in the deployment matrix.

 

[Guardsman]

sorry i never got any notifications for this thread ! yes i will continue with Osi at the least and also happy to fight the southern border again if needs be, but if you have a willing contender then fine with that too.

 

[OnePingOnly]

My travel for last week got pushed to this week, and this coming weekend is full of family stuff…so it may be a few days before I can kick things off.

@KingOnyx will be joining us to fill the Balaton track previously filled by Shady Side and Guardsman. Please welcome him, and he has access to the German private thread.

@KingOnyx I will walk you through what you will need to do, but for now, introduce yourself to your team and read up on the Rules thread

 

[KingOnyx]

Hi all! Still fairly new to the H2H side of the game but I have ~250 hours in the ww2 titles so I have a decent grasp of the mechanics.

Heard this campaign was winding down a bit but I'm looking forward to participating!

 

[OnePingOnly]

Hi all! Still fairly new to the H2H side of the game but I have ~250 hours in the ww2 titles so I have a decent grasp of the mechanics.

Heard this campaign was winding down a bit but I'm looking forward to participating!

Yes, the campaign state is such that your battle isn’t critical for the outcome, which means you can just get some experience, have some fun, and get to know some of the folks here.

 

[OnePingOnly]

Quick update: I should be able to post the Round 6 campaign map update and the battle briefs for everyone, either tomorrow or Sunday. They may not all be at once, so if you don't see yours initially, it will be forthcoming!

 

[OnePingOnly]

Alright! Here we go!

Budapest - Csepel Island:

Historical: Csepel Island is a large island stretching some 30 miles from southern Budapest along the Danube. Home to much of Budapest’s heavy industry, the factories of Csepel Island were still manufacturing munitions for the German and Hungarian defenders right up until the Soviets captured the island in mid-January 1945.

Campaign: The Soviets attempt to capture a fourth critical defensive position in Budapest - this time, the factories of Csepel Island where they overlook the Danube River on the northwest corner of the island.

• German Player - @Cargol
• Soviet Player - @Bleskaceq
• Battle type – Soviet Probe
• Battle size – Medium
• Length of Battle – 30 minutes
• Year/Month - February 1945
• Weather – Overcast
• Ground condition - Light Snow
• Temperature - Cold
• Rarity: Loose (due to armor)
• Points Adjustment: None

 

[OnePingOnly]

Pilis Mountains - Dorog:

Historical: After conducting a crossing from the north to the south bank of the Danube on January 1, 1945 which outflanked Soviet defenders along the river bank, the 96th Infantry Division moved east towards Gran (Esztergom). Tokod was captured on January 3, but then advance elements ran into a strong Soviet blocking force near Dorog, consisting of a Soviet rifle regiment and both T-34 and JS-2 tanks. Despite the mismatch, the 96th attacked Dorog on January 5. By this time, most of its StuGs were out of action, and the attack was a failure. Over the next few days, hard fighting resulted in the germans nearly encircling the town. A major push on January 7 resulted in the Germans capturing the town center, but a counterattack by the 37th Tank Brigade of the 2nd Guards Mech Corps resulted in them being pushed back to the outskirts.

By January 9, the German 711th Infantry Division had advanced past Dorog along the banks of the Danube to Gran. This opportunity to advance in the north became Konrad II, and both the Wiking and Totenkopf Divisions were re-oriented to attack through the Pilis mountains. German forces advanced to Piliszentlelek, but despite many attempts, they were unable to capture Dorog, which remained an obstacle to concentrating forces, resupply, and communications for the Germans that had advanced further east. On January 12, Konrad II was canceled.

Campaign: After several weeks of effort - and loss of the Sturmpanzers of Abt 219 and the 3rd Kav Bde - the heights around Dorog remain in Soviet hands, preventing further German advance along the south bank of the Danube. The Germans are trying to penetrate loosely-held Soviet lines north of Dorog, closer to Gran, with hopes of breaking through along the highway along the south bank of the Danube. The Soviets are racing a force to stop them.

• German Player - @Brille
• Soviet Player - @Monty's Mighty Moustache
• Battle type – Meeting Engagement (German Attacker)
• Battle size – Medium
• Length of Battle – 30 minutes
• Year/Month - February 1945
• Weather – Overcast
• Ground condition - Light Snow
• Temperature - Cold
• Rarity: Loose
• Points Adjustment: +10% Germany (armored reserve)

 

[OnePingOnly]

Gerecse Mountains - Buda Hills:

In Konrad I, 3rd SS Pz Division Totenkopf and 5th SS Pz Division Wiking were never able to advance beyond Many and Bicske, having been stopped by Soviet reserves. Days later, Totenkopf attempted to breakthrough the Pilis mountains to the north, but was slowed by Soviet defenses in the hills and forests and ultimately stopped by orders from OKW - even when lead elements of the German forces could see Budapest from the hills northwest of the city. The SS divisions were pulled back and re-emerged far to the south on January 18 to break through Soviet lines near Stuhlweissenberg and sweep northeast toward Budapest. The advance went much further and wider than than through the mountains, but in the end, also fell short of reaching Budapest.

Campaign: The King Tigers of schwere-Abteilung 509 advanced through the Buda Hills, destroying the Sherman battalion of the 1st Guards Mech Corps in the process. Before they could reach the last major town in the hills just outside Budapest, the Soviets have launched a counterattack to push the Germans back, spearheaded by Assault Guns.

• German Player - @Drifter Man
• Soviet Player - @Spoogles
• Battle type – Meeting Engagement (Soviet attacker)
• Battle size – Medium
• Length of Battle – 30 minutes
• Year/Month - February 1945
• Weather – Overcast
• Ground condition - Light Snow
• Temperature - Cold
• Rarity: Loose
• Points Adjustment: +10% Soviet (armored counterattack)

 

[OnePingOnly]

Vertes Mountains - Csakvar:

Historical:
By January 6, Operation Konrad I had become stuck and unable to advance further through the Gerecse Mountains. The IV SS-Pz Korps had advanced through Tarjan to Many and Bicske through he mountains, but was assailed from all sides by Soviet reserves. The German I.Kav Korps overseeing the Vertes mountains had been unable to breakthrough to Csakvar to relieve pressure on IV SS-Pz Korps. This prompted the change in avenue to attack to Konrad II, along the Danube River and through the Pilis Mountains.

Although Zamoly was finally captured during Konrad III, The 20th Guards Rifle Corps and the 68 Rifle Corps managed to hold the Vertes mountains and the Csakvar area throughout the Konrad operations.

Campaign: The Soviet counterattack at Csakvar led to the destruction of the Panzer Battalion of the 5SS “Wiking” and the recapture of the town, which is an important crossroads to Bicske. With the 23rd Tank Corps being withdrawn to reserves, the Germans are again attacking east, attempting to bypass Csakvar and open the road towards Budapest.

• German Player - @dkchapuis
• Soviet Player - @Gorst
• Battle type – German Attack
• Battle size – Medium
• Length of Battle – 30 minutes
• Year/Month - February 1945
• Weather – Overcast
• Ground condition - Light Snow
• Temperature - Cold
• Rarity: Loose
• Points Adjustment: +10% Germany (armored reserve)

 

[OnePingOnly]

Velence - Osi:

Historical: The area northwest of Osi had been the site of multiple weak, failed German counterattacks in December 1944. For Operation Konrad I, the 1st Panzer Division staged a diversionary attack on Osi on January 1, 1945. The Soviets expected a major counterattack in Hungary in early January, and believed that Osi was the focal point for German operations aimed at Stuhlweissenburg / Szekesfehervar and on to Budapest. As a result, Osi was fortified and there were significant reserves behind it. The Germans captured the town on January 1, but pulled back after a major counterattack. The diversion was successful in pinning Soviet units that could otherwise have deployed north against Konrad I in the Gerecse Mountains.

On January 18, the 1st Panzer Division again assaulted Osi and captured it after breaching significant fortifications and minefields. From there, the 1st Panzer was able to push on to Lake Velence.

Campaign: Despite a 5-week-long attempt to break through at Osi, the Soviets have held the town and the immediate surrounding area, and have managed to chew up the German units facing them. To prevent a collapse of the flank, the HG Süd had to assign the 356th Infanterie Division to this area, depriving the overall operation of precious reserves. Attempts to bypass the town through the woods and fields to the east and west have not been successful. Since the lines have stabilized in Osi, the Germans are again attempting to attack through the town to capture the key road junctions and break open this part of the front.

• German Player - @Guardsman
• Soviet Player - @Aurelius
• Battle type – German Attack
• Battle size – Medium
• Length of Battle – 30 minutes
• Year/Month - February 1945
• Weather – Overcast
• Ground condition - Light Snow
• Temperature - Cold
• Rarity: Standard
• Points Adjustment: None

 

[OnePingOnly]

Puszta - Balatonfokajar:

Historical: IV. SS-Pz.Korps launched its attack between Lake Balaton on January 18, 1945 as part of Operation Konrad III, with the optimistic goals of reaching the Danube, encircling the Soviet 4th Guards Army deployed west of Budapest, and relieving Budapest itself. The 3rd Panzer Division met light resistance and was able to drive south south-west to the Sarviz Canal on the main axis of attack and the Sio Canal on the operation’s right flank. The 5th SS Panzer Division ran into resistance from the 1st Guards Fortified Region troops in Balatonfokajar, and spent the day clearing out the infantry and machine gun nests from the town before being able to advance to the Malom Canal en route to the Sarviz.

Campaign: Despite a month-long attempt to break through at Balatonfokajar, the Soviets have held the town and the immediate surrounding area, and have managed to chew up the German units facing them. To prevent a collapse of the flank, the HG Süd had to assign the StuG-Artillerie Brigade 303 to this area, depriving the overall operation of precious reserves. In the prior week, the Soviets captured and held a town and high ground near Lake Balaton; this week, the Germans are attacking to wrest this from the Soviets and open the way southeast. The town was devastated in the prior battle between @Aurelius and @Guardsman .

• German Player - @KingOnyx
• Soviet Player - @jackal
• Battle type – German Attack
• Battle size – Medium
• Length of Battle – 30 minutes
• Year/Month - February 1945
• Weather – Overcast
• Ground condition - Light Snow
• Temperature - Cold
• Rarity: Loose
• Points Adjustment: +10% Germany (armored reserve)

 

[OnePingOnly]

All the games and DropBoxes are now posted. If you don;t have a Dropbox invite, let me know - I may have gotten your e-mail wrong.

First turns should be for @Cargol @Brille @Drifter Man @dkchapuis @Aurelius @jackal

@KingOnyx - I will PM a password to you.

Almost forgot: Here is the updated campaign map: