Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Battle of Kodziowce & Sopockinie Poland 22 Sept 1939

Battle of Kodziowce & Sopockinie Poland 22 Sept 1939

Down at the club this month we decided to have a early war rapid fire game, so I decided that we would have a Polish vs Russian game, (as my Poles have not been out for some time) finding scenarios for this part of the war is tough as they mostly concentrate on the German invasion in the west. So I had a quick read through a number of my books and online and settled on my version of the battle of Kodziowce. I made up the troops around some field reports and came up with this order of battle and scenario details.
Ian and Leigh supplied the Russians.

Special rules and victory conditions

Russian; all artillery must use direct fire as per doctrine in this period.
The River must be crossed at the bridge for artillery, trucks and Infantry. A recon can be done once for each 1 ft section, a successful crossing will be found for tanks and infantry on a 5 or 6 on a D6.
Game lasts 10 turns.
Setting up aircraft arrival, roll for each turn on a D10 which turn the Russian aircraft are available, then record, then roll for each turn that Polish aircover is available. Then roll for fighters or bombers 1 to 3 Fighter, 4 to 6 bomber. Then match the Russian and Polish arrivals, Fighters drive off other fighters on highest roll and automatically drive off fighter bombers.
Church offers heavy cover, other buildings light cover.
Observation, Movement, Woods, terrain, as per RF rules.
Game lasts 10 turns.
Setting up, roll for each turn on a D10 which turn the Russian aircraft are available, then record, then roll for each turn that Polish aircover is available. Then roll for
fighters or bombers 1 to 3 Fighter, 4 to 6 bomber. Then match the Russian and Polish
arrivals, Fighters drive off other fighters on highest roll and automatically drive off
fighter bombers.
Church offers heavy cover, Polish may only use the church on a successful roll of 6 on a d6 other 
buildings light cover.
Observation, Movement, Woods, terrain, as per RF rules. No shooting through the village as it is a BUA.

Victory conditions
Polish total victory if both R35s escape off the table and the russians do not clear both villages of Kodziowce and Sopockinie.
Russians minor victory if Kodziowce cleared of all enemy, and one R35 destroyed.
Russian major victory if both villages cleared and both R35s destroyed.

Russian 15th Tank Corps, 2nd tank Brigade
Infantry Command
1 coy of two BA 10 A/C
3 Coys of infantry trucks 10 figs each
1 HQ coy 10 figs radio truck and car
1 support coy 2 x MMG and 1 x mortar
1 bty of two M1902/30 76mm Inf guns
two coy of cossack cavalry 10 figs each mounted
1 AA gun horse tow

armoured command
1 coy of two BT26
2 coy of two BT7
1 x BA 20
2 coy Inf trucks 10 figs each
1 coy of two 122mm artillery tractor tows

Aircraft
Aircraft 1 Polikarpov I-16 and one Fighter bomber Polkarpov I-15 max six turns permitted combined

Turn 1
1 coy of two BA10 A/C on the table Northern road

Turn 2 
arrive on Northern edge between river and table edge
3 coys of Infantry in trucks each 8 figs
1 support coy in trucks (9 figs, 2 x MMG, 81mm mortar) and HQ
1 bty of two 76.2mm M1902/30 FG
1 coy of two T26
1 coy of two BT7

Turn 3 dice for aircraft cover

Turn 4 arrive of southern road
2 coy cossack cavalry
1 x A/A gun horse towed
Turn 4 arrive on Northern road
1 coy of two BT71 BA 20
1 coy Inf in truck 8 figs

Turn 5 arrive on northern road
1 coy of infantry truck 8 figs
2 x 122mm M1910/30 How, 8 figs, tractors

Polish Wołkowysk Cavalry Brigade  101st Polish reserve cavalry Regt

1 HQ coy AT rifle, sniper, 46mm light mortar 10 figs
3 coys of Infantry each 11 figs LMG
1 support coy 2 x MMG, 1 x 81.2mm stokes mortar
1 coy calvary 8 figs (in Sopockinie)
1 coy two R35
1 Coy two Vickers 
1 Coy one FT17 MG
1 coy horse 75mm arty and truck tows and observers (in Sopockinie)

Air cover 
1 fighter and fighter bomber 6 turns total of cover rolled at start PZLP.11 and PZLP.23

All units unless noted set up in the village of Kodziowce and may dig in 






Alas my poles could not stand, the successful flanking arrival of the BT7s and my bad AT fire really let me down along with poor observation rolls for the artillery. A minor victory to the Russians .An enjoyable game, a few tweaks to the scenario and it would work better as it was too easy to cross the river on a 5 or 6.

cheers
Matt