OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS: PANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN Assaulting the Mystery by Redmond A. Simonsen Although it is perhaps invidious to introduce cooking" effect. It's simply difficult to work present you with the modest amount of my own article, I'll take the risk. 1 received up much excitement for playing the very wisdom I've been able to develop in the past an article on Panzergruppe Guderian (from products that have caused you to tear your month of play. Messrs. Reilly, Kubis, and Conklin) which hair out in producing. though a basically good one, didn't satisfy THE LEARNING PROBLEM Panzergruppe Guderian (hereinafter abbre- my particular editorial hunger. Since I had AND ITS EFFECT ON PLAY viated "PGG") is another matter. It hap- become so enamored of the game, I couldn't At first blush, PGG seems like your pens to be exactly the scale and pace that resist indulging myself in belaboring you all standard, shake-the-box operational most interests me (historical period has very wwn with my own perceptions (many of which are game with a few novel bells and whistles on little impact on my game preferences). PGG substantially the same as the unprinted art- it. It is perhaps this misleading appearance is also a manageable game (I don't know icle). That article was somewhat shorter than that has caused such widely disparate initial about you fellows, but I am disinclined to mine: you may finally wish that it had seen appraisals as to whajside-has what chance to ride the back of a brontosaurus like Terrible print instead of the following (I do go on, win what level of victory. Players I respect Swift Sword or War in the West). don't I?). have insisted that the Soviets have a It's not often that your lovable Editor gets to One of the advantages of my job is that I get "lock" -other Players assure me that the do much actual game playing, even though to see the finished game before anyone else Germans zoom right through the Soviets he sits amidst a swirl of titles-and even (other than the pressman). I've therefore had without working up a sweat. In fact, my though he is a clenched-jaw, monomaniac time to playa number of PGG games against initial appraisal of the game was that the when he does manage to get into a game. opponents and against the guy that always Soviets didn't have the dimmest chance of Aside from being swamped with things to do beats me-myself. Because the game is an stopping the German onslaught. I still (i.e., designing the stuff you lay hands upon), interesting synthesis of a number of game believe that the Germans have the best the reason is the old "familiarity-breeds- elements and because the Player training chance of winning a Marginal Victory (i.e., contempt/it's hard to enjoy your own problem is so nicely evident, I've decided to doing what they did historically). I think they =approximate Soviet defense positions _= approximate German line of advance __ -= alternate German line of advance i i 5 will do this more than 660/0of time. But, it no of the 20th Army (starts 0108-0115) to GAME-TURN SIX (and later) longer appears to be the totally lopsided 0518/0617 road junction. Armored units to contest of my first few games. The Soviets vicinity of 1116 on Orsha/Smolensk road. All Soviet: Hold Smolensk as long as possible. If can rarely win more than Marginal Victory other units: fastest possible routes to sizeable forces become trapped in and (unless the German Player is spaced-out on Smolensk/Roslavl. around Smolensk, do not commit fresh wood alcohol and Contac) but the Soviet forces in an attempt to "rescue" them unless Player should find fighting the Germans to German: All Panzer divisions: fastest the positioning of such forces is consistent an historical standstill very satisfying. possible route toward Smolensk and vicinity with a good resultant defense position. If south of Smolensk. Motorized infantry Smolensk falls and Roslavl holds well, at- The errata/addenda incorporated into the divisions to pin Soviet rearguard (if any). tempt to fall back to the line Vop second printing of the rules suggests that the Under no circumstances shall the Soviet River/Dnepr River/Roslavl with forces al- Players treat a German Marginal Victory as rearguard be heavily engaged. ready committed; other forces defend im- a Draw for competitive purposes-this forces GAME-TURN TWO: mediately west of Vyazma. Assign leader and the German Player to stretch for a Sub- three divisions each to Kaluga and 5915. Use stantive Victory which exposes him to Soviet: Continue concentrating forces on MLR running on a north-south line three or any mobile, by-passed forces to pin un- many risks and enhances the opportunities damaged Enemy Panzer Divisions. for a Soviet win. In this article, the "victory" four hexes west of Smolensk/Roslavl. Line I'll discuss is a German Substantive (aka generally follows southern edge of forest in German: Attempt to secure and clarify the 'Strategic') Victory and Soviet Marginal the area north of Smolensk. Rearguard situation around Smolensk by Game-Turn Victory. The implications of many of the armored units shall attempt to harass (pin) Eight. If the Enemy south-center has broken, subsystems in the rules will not always be easternmost Enemy armor. Bring in four send at least two fresh Panzer Divisions on realized in the initial playing(s) of the game. Rifle divisions from Southwest Reinforce- long-range sweep towards east edge. If Even experienced Players will find many ments. Enemy fall-back to Vyazma is relatively layers of "truth" to the mysterious PGG German: 57th Panzer Corps to vicinity of weak, make full scale assault on that city. onion. If you'll bear with me, in the following Velizh and thence to area north and Such an assault must be made quickly to paragraphs I'll attempt to review what I northwest of Smolensk to threaten Enemy pre-empt Enemy buildup. If Enemy position believe to be the essentials of the game and flank. Do not become heavily engaged. 39th is strong, contain it and move on 5915 and offer general operational and tactical Panzer Corps attempt to cut road between Kaluga. Maintain rear-area security against guidelines for the two Player roles. Smolensk and Roslavl. If Enemy line is isolated Enemy units. formed, concentrate Panzer Divisions on one It is most important that Roslavl be secured BASIC GERMAN OBJECTIVES Enemy position south of Smolensk and as quickly as possible and road/supply lines The German Player's goal is to take terri- attempt to break through. be established through it. If this can be ac- tory (Certain specific cities) and 'hold them in GAME-TURN THREE: complished by Game-Turn Nine, victory is communications at the end of the game. virtually assured. Once these conditions Destroying Soviet units is victory-making Soviet: Continue forming dense (two and three divisions per hex) line of alternate exist, forward mechanized formations can only insofar as it contributes to the Germans' effectively deal with any Soviet covering force ability to penetrate the Soviet line. To hexes on the MLR. Pin any strong formation that threatens to turn the line (if possible). attempting to secure 5915 and/or Kaluga. At achieve a Substantive Victory the Germans least one division must be assigned road German: Use incoming infantry force to must accrue a net 80 Victory Points. These security duty if such a long push is made. Points will be garnered in three (or more) reduce any Soviet rearguard cutting main Point Set One: road. 46th and 47th Panzer Corps advance GENERAL NOTES (20 pts Total); towards Soviet MLR; 24th Panzer Corps to The cities Vitebsk, Orsha and Mogilev. stage in and north of Krichev. Forces already ON GERMAN OPERATIONS Point Set Two: engaged continue attempt to penetrate and Maintain flexibility and mass. Decide where (45 pts Total; 65 pts Cummulative); disrupt Enemy defensive positions. 1st Cav the weak point in the Enemy MLR is and at- The cities Smolensk, Roslavl, and Yelna. Div advance towards 1225. tempt to smash it quickly. Once the line has Point Set Three: GAME-TURN FOUR been decisively cracked make a deep pene- (15 pts Total; 80 pts Cummulative); Soviet: Continue consolidation of defensive tration as quickly as possible before the So- The city of Vyazma, or road hex 5915 (20 pts) positions. If an Enemy breakthrough has viets have time to re-organize a new line. Try or the city of Kaluga (20 pts). occurred that severs communications, con- to remain aware of the over-all estimated Except for the first set of points (which is sider counterattack if forces are available, if force ratio. Keep track of how many Soviet virtually a given) the acquiring of an entire not pin and contain. Consider deployment of 0-0-6's have turned up. set will take three or more Game-Turns each. air interdiction marker on hex 0120 if GENERAL NOTES BASIC SO VIET OBJECTIVES Roslavl is seriously threatened. ON SOVIET OPERATIONS Of course, the main Soviet objective is to German: Concentrate 46th and 47th against deny the German the Victory Point sets anyone significant spot in enemy line. If Early in the game, use as little force as poss- outlined above. Other than this obvious goal, possible use other forces to pin local Enemy ible to delay the Enemy as long as possible. the Soviet Player should attempt to maintain reserves. North flank should be turned.