SQLA Scenario WG300  

" Szack "

©2007 A Squad Leader Academy Scenario;

Scenario Design by Bill Sosnicki;  Updated 070210;   

PLAYTEST STATUS: This scenario is currently in playtest (Beta Release).  Please contact Squad Leader Academy to join this effort.  Playtesters currently involved in development:  Phil Grashna, Scott Bramley, and Bill Sosnicki

Eastern Poland, September 28, 1939, near the village of Szack: After the outbreak of the Polish Defensive War of 1939 the Border Defense Corps (KOP) was severely stripped of all its reserves, heavy armament, and all available forces were sent to the west to reinforce the Polish units resisting the German onslaught. When the Soviet Red Army invaded Poland on September 17, there were barely any Polish forces to oppose them. The garrisons of the KOP were overstretched and after initial clashes and skirmishes for the border forts, the Polish units had to fall back.  Deputy commander of KOP, General Wilhelm Orlik-Rueckemann decided to unite as many troops under his command as possible and join with the rest of Polish forces in the west. He ordered all the KOP forces in the Polesie area to withdraw.  In several days he managed to gather together approximately 9,000 men under his command, coming from various units spread across the 300-kilometer long strip of the Polish-Soviet border. On September 19 he ordered all his units to march towards Kowel, where his forces were to be joined by the Independent Operational Group Polesie under general Franciszek Kleeberg.  However, the difficult situation and the outcome of the Battles of Brześć and Kobryń forced Rueckemann's group to change plans.  The Polish units changed the direction and started to march through the forests towards Włodawa and Kamień Koszyrski.  The group found itself in a no-man's-land between the Soviet forces and the Wehrmacht and could now operate freely.  However, the morale of the troops was low and on September 27 General Orlik-Rueckemann decided to engage the Soviet forces in order to achieve some victory and thus raise the morale.  The Polish forces marched in two columns towards the small town of Szack (pronounced ‘Shack’) where Polish reconnaissance had reported that Soviet infantry and tanks had occupied.  In the early morning hours the northern column reached the forests near the village of Mielniki while the southern column reached the forests east of Szack.  Both columns were ordered to form a defensive line along the border of the forest perimeter and provoke the Red Army into attacking.  It didn’t take long and at 8 o'clock in the morning the Soviet tank forces (composed mostly of T-26 tanks) with supporting infantry started a direct assault on the Polish positions.

VICTORY CONDITIONS:  The side that forces the other to “retreat” first is immediately declared the winner.  A side is forced to “retreat” the instant it has lost by KIA or removal (twice broken units) a total of 15 squads, leaders, or AFV’s.  If at the end of the game, neither side has been forced to retreat; the game is considered a Polish victory providing the Russians have not exited 8 squads off the western edge of board 2 via 2Q10 or 2Y10 road hexes in which case it would be considered a Russian victory.  An exiting AFV with functioning MA counts as 1 squad.  A destroyed, immobilized, disabled, or abandoned AFV counts as 1 unit eliminated for purposes of ‘retreat’.

BOARD CONFIGURATION:

tNORTH   

4   
 2  (or 2z)

TURN RECORD CHART:
Poles sets up first
1
2
3
4
5
6
 7 8 9
10
END
Russian moves first
POLISH FORCES:
RUSSIAN FORCES:
SPECIAL SCENARIO RULES:

AFTERMATH: The Polish forces did not open fire until the tanks came close.  When the tanks were only some 500 meters from the Polish lines the Polish Bofors wz36/37mm anti-tank guns opened fire.  Soon the infantry and the 75mm artillery guns joined them.  All Soviet tanks were destroyed and the battalion of major Balcerzak was ordered to attack the town of Szack.  The Soviet units were taken by surprise and after a short hand-to-hand fight the Soviet forces were routed.  Only a small part of the motorized infantry managed to retreat, but had to leave behind all their lorries, artillery and 9 T-26 tanks.  The Poles also captured the staff headquarters.  Found within the headquarters of the Soviet 52nd Rifle Division were orders directing the Soviet units operating from the Kobryń area to "clean up the area east of the Bug River from the bands of Polish officers”.  At 2 o'clock in the evening the Soviet reserve units appeared in the area and General Orlik-Rueckemann decided to withdraw his troops from Szack and move back into the forests.