Scenario Wriezen, 16th April 1945

 Scenario Wriezen, 16th -17th April 1945 

First Belorussian and First Ukrainian Fronts attacked before dawn on 16 April. The First Belorussian Front, the stronger of the two armies also had by far the tougher assignment. Its main force, deployed in a 20-mile sector between Wriezen and Seelow, had to cross the marshy bottomland of the Oder and Alte Oder and take the Seelow Heights. 

The attack, began in darkness, was intended to achieve surprise, and batteries of powerful searchlights had been positioned to illuminate the German line and blind the defenders. The Russian infantry moved out behind a shattering artillery preparation, but the lights did not have the expected effect. In the mud, smoke, and darkness the waves of infantry piled up on each other. By daylight, the confusion was complete. The Russians were lucky that the Germans failed to appreciate what had happened.

The 47th Soviet Army virtually destroyed the 606th Wehrmacht infantry division, formed only 5 days earlier on the 11th of April

 Elements of the Soviet heavy tank regiments broke through defences along the Wriezen-Thoringswerder-alt Lewin Highway. Kampfgruppe 1001 nights were thrown into the breach to hold and pinch off the breakthrough. 

This scenario is a medium-sized high-paced heavy-metal scenario featuring IS-2 tanks and SU-152 assault guns trying to break through a line held by SS Paratroopers, Hetzer tank destroyers and a lone '88'. German reinforcements, in the form of elements of Albert Speer's personal escort battalion, appear mid-game.

The Kampfgruppe 1001 nights was formed into three combat formations

Commander 

Major Gustav-Adolf Blancbois

Staff car CO x 1

Radio car

Gruppe Suleika 

560th SS tank destroyer Battalion

Commanded by Sturmbannfuhrer Wost

Hq company sturmgesschutze III, bergepanzer iii recovery

• 1st Jagdpanzer-Kompanien 2 Jagpanzer Hetzer  
• 2nd Jagdpanzer-Kompanien 2 Jagpanzer Hetzer  
• 3rd Jagdpanzer-Kompanien 2 Jagpanzer Hetzer 
• 1 Sturmgeschutze III,  (from 27th Friewillgen-grenadier-regiment Langemarcke) 

600th SS fallschirmjager 

Hq Kompanie Kommamder Fritz Leiheit co +4 panzerschrek 

• 1 Kompanie 8 figures in Wehrmacht smocks. 2 x Panzer Faust 
• 1st jager coy 6 figures cycles Panzer Faust 
• Support coy 75mm LG recoilless, kettengrad 3 figs

Gruppe Harem

Panzer-Aufklarungs-Abteilung Speer (arrive turn 5)

• Motorcycle and kettengrad company 8 figures (RAD uniform)(escort coy of Albrecht Speer)
• Armoured car coy 1 x Sd.Kfz 231/17 75mm gun 3 crew, 1 x 251 drilling mount 3 crew
• Infantry coy 8 figs, cycles 
• Anti Tank platoon Pak40, OST tractor 3 rad crew

Sultan

Marschregiment 2 possibly in Panzer Wraps from V2 sites and training companies

Hq co +5 panzerschrek , 5cm leGrW 36 mortar.

• 1 Schutzen-Kompanie panzerfaust 8 figs
• 2 Schutzen-Kompanie panzerfaust 8 figs
• 3 Schutzen-Kompanie  panzerfaust 8 figs
• 13 coy 2x MMG, 1 x 81mm mortar

Heeres-Flak-Artillerie-Abteilung 292

Flak 8.8cm 6 crew no tractor. 

Sdkfz 7/1 2cm flak 4 crew

Russian Army
47th Army Assault Brigade

70th Independent Guards Heavy Tank Regiment, 47th Army, 1st Belorussian Front; 334th Guards Heavy Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment and 125th Rifle Corps, 47th Army)

ISU-152 x 5

BA-64B
IS-2 x 5

8 SMG
8 SMG
8
8
8
8
1x White Scout car

CO+3 8
CO+3 SMG 8 SMG
CO+3 8
CO+3 8
1x Maxim HMG 1x Zis 3 75mm pak
1x Maxim HMG 1x Zis 3 75mm pak
1x Maxim HMG
1x Jeep
1x Jeep
1x 81 mm mortar 1x Jeep
1x 81 mm mortar 1x Jeep
1x 81 mm mortar

3° Battalion HQ Cp
1° cp
2° cp

3rd Heavy Weapons Company

Artillery Battalion 1st Company

HQ Co +5 radio truck 

FO +1 Jeep

Tank Regiment 

HQ Company
1x T34/85 
3x T34/85 
3x T34/85 
3x T34/85 

Heavy Tank company 

2x Js2

Tank destroyer Regiment HQ Cp
1° cp 2x SU 85
2° cp

CO + 3 8
8
8

FO + 1

1x Maxim HMG 1x Zis 3 75mm pak

Russian Armour 

2x ISU 152 
2x ISU 152

4x SU85

1x 81 mm mortar 1x Jeep
1x Jeep
1x Zis 3 75mm pak

1x Jeep

Air support 

1x Stormovich IL27

Reichsarbeitsdienst “Albert Speer” panzer grenadier Abtielung 1945

 Albert Speer RAD Panzer Grenadier Abteilung 1945

I have commenced my kampfgruppe 1001 nights, part of the unit was Albert Speer’s RAD body guard Abteilung, which was made up of Reichsarbeitsdienst troops from Berlin, many of whom come from anti aircraft batteries around Berlin. One RAD motorcycle company plus the Armoured cars joined the Kampfgruppe 1001 nights to fight in the Seelow Heights. The remainder stayed in Berlin to man 88 gun batteries and to act as infantry in he Spree sector. 

The miniatures are from Simons Soldiers fall of Berlin range, which are very versatile miniatures for the last days of the Reich wargaming 

HQ company

RAD commander

RAD panzerschrek

Rifle coy

RAD rifle company

RAD Rifle coy

MG Support Coy

RAD MG42

RAD MG team

Rapid Fire Organisation 

Panzer-Aufklarungs-Abteilung Speer 

• HQ, Co + 3 car, medic, panzerschrek 
• 2 x Motorcycle company (RAD uniform) 7 figs, two Fausts
• Armoured car company 
• 2 x Sd.Kfz 231 A/C, 1 x Sd.Kfz 263
• Support Company 
• Pak 38 Anti Tank mot tow, 4 crew
• Sdkfz 7 quad 20mm flak 38, RAD 4 crew
• Two kettenkrads plus trailers 2 x MMG 5 figs

It seems that this unit may of increased in size with infantry reinforcements and armoured cars or have been just renamed on the 3rd of April as the “Spree Panzer Grenadier Regiment” (this also may be a mistaken renaming as they were assigned the Wehrmacht Feldpost 43449 and posted to the Spree sector in Berlin).

I hope you found this interesting as I have researching it, any notes, organisational mistakes I have made please let me know!

Kampfgruppe 1001 Nachtes - Looking East

Looking East

Reading books can be a dangerous thing, but is good for stirring the blood for new projects (not that I need any). While reading James Lucas Battlegroup book this week, I came across this unusual unit, Kampfgruppe 1001 Nachtes. Recently Steven Shann, released some Rapid Fire scenarios based around the fighting for the Seelow Heights, so with that influence I have dug deeper to build this unusual Kampfgruppe for my Rapid Fire late war Fall of the Reich units. 

So I have decided to build this unit as part of my last levy German forces for the fighting around Kustrin -Wriezen, the Seelow Heights and the defence of Berlin. I will build as normal for Rapid fire which can also be used for skirmish games also. As luck would have it, I have quite a few Hetzers in my collection not assigned to units, some painted but most not, plenty of spare fallschirmjagers and german infantry, odd AA gun, motor bikes and a few SdKfz 251 and 231s! So over the next month or so I will pull something together to fight Marks and my Russian  hordes and defend the Reich. A big plus also, an opportunity to force me to complete some more German countryside buildings for ww2 and modern cold war games!

Kampfgruppe 1001 Nachtes 

The Kampfgruppe was formed into three combat formations

Commander 

Major Gustav-Adolf Blancbois

Suleika 

560th SS tank destroyer Battalion

Commanded by Sturmbannfuhrer Wost, then later Haupsturmfuhrer Markowz

Hq company T34 with drilling mount, bergepanzer iii recovery

• 1st Jagdpanzer-Kompanien 14 Jagpanzer Hetzer (three tone factory camouflage) 
• 2nd Jagdpanzer-Kompanien 14 Jagpanzer Hetzer (three tone factory camouflage) 
• 3rd Jagdpanzer-Kompanien 14 Jagpanzer Hetzer (three tone factory camouflage) 2
• 3 Sturmgeschutze III,  (from 27th Friewillgen-grenadier-regiment Langemarcke) 
• 600 SS fallschirmjager Kompanie (140 men) in Wehrmacht smocks. 
• Kommamder Fritz Leiheit  (joined 1st April) 
• 1st jager coy
• Support coy 75mm LG recoilless. (No FG -42) 

Harem

Panzer-Aufklarungs-Abteilung Speer

• Motorcycle and kettengrad company (RAD uniform)(escort coy of Albrecht Speer)
• 2 x Sd.Kfz 231/17 75mm gun, 1 x 251 drilling mount armoured company
• Anti Tank platoon Pak40

Sultan

Marschregiment 2 (27th March-1st April) possibly in Panzer Wraps

• 1 Schutzen-Kompanie 
• 2 Schutzen-Kompanie 
• 3 Schutzen-Kompanie 

History