TAHGC 18" The Defense of Luga"

Updated 051207; rev 0

SOUTH OF LENINGRAD, July 19, 1941: As the panzers drove deeper into Russia, intent on even greater encirclements, many potentially dangerous Russian armored groups were bypassed. The German infantry, being primarily foot or horse bound, was forced to keep up as best they could to safeguard the panzer's line of communication. Hence when the Russians attempt to break out, their armored attacks often had to be dealt with, not by their armored counterparts, but by infantry and anti-tank units. Once such instance occurred at Luga, where elements of the German 269th Infantry Division were assigned to hold the western approaches to the German drive on Leningrad. Desperate to stop or delay the advance, bypassed remnants of the 21st Tank Division, 16th Rifle Division, and the 2nd DNO (a militia unit), were hastily declared Operational Group Luga and ordered to take the city.

RULE LIMITATIONS: All rules through 95.

VICTORY CONDITIONS: The Russians win by being the last side to occupy any 16 of the stone buildings. The game starts with all buildings considered as last occupied by the Germans. The Germans win by avoiding the Russian victory conditions.

BOARD LAYOUT:

North

SCENARIO SEQUENCE:

German sets up first	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	END
Russian moves first

GERMAN FORCES:

AT START: Elements of the 469th Infantry Regiment and detachment of the 269th Divisional Artillery. Set up anywhere south of hex row K of board 3 and 4 utilizing Hidden Initial Placement (42). Germans may not start more than 12 counters on any individual board.
1x9-2; 2x9-1; 3x8-1; 13x467; 6x247;4xLMG; 2xMMG; 2xHMG; 1x20L AA (#); 1x37L (8) AA; 2x AT 37L; 2x AT 50L

RUSSIAN FORCES:

TURN 1: Elements of Operational Group Luga enter anywhere along the North edge.
1x9-1; 1x8-0; 1x7-0; 24x447; 12x436; 3x628;2xMMG; 4xLMG; 1xATR; 2xT28c; 3xT40a; 3xT26s; 2x BT72; KVIIa; T34/76a

SPECIAL SCENARIO RULES:

18.1: The Russian tanks, often without radio equipment and handicapped by the ill-conceived an poorly planned attack, were totally confused throughout the battle. Therefore, the Russian tanks are not given freedom of movement. The Russian player must roll one die during his Rally Phase for every multiple of six (or fraction thereof) mobile tanks he still possesses. The resulting number is the number of his AFVs which he may move that turn. Tanks already on the board are not prevented from firing or pivoting within that hex they already occupy by this rule. The sole exception to this movement limitation is the T34/76A which is considered the Russian command vehicle. It may move every turn without counting as a moving tank.\
18.2: The German AT and Flak guns do not have to record their Covered Arc during Hidden Initial Placement. These weapons may chose their Covered Arc at the time they are revealed.
18.3: The Russian forces must start the game stacked off the board, adjacent to the hexes they will use to enter the game.
18.4: The German AA guns start the game "hull down" (63.17)
18.5: There is no HEAT ammunition available for the 37mm AT Guns.

AFTERMATH: The Russian attack, though supported by an assortment of tanks, was stopped on the outskirts of town. German anti-tank guns dispatched the Soviet armor which blundered forward piecemeal with relative ease, while the Russian infantry, lacking solid leadership, where repulsed by far fewer Germans. The result was decisive, but had the Russians better planned their assault, it could easily have gone the other way.