Poland

  

1 Battle of Wielun 

(Rules: Arras to Ardennes)

 Battle Turn Zero and Start

The Germans deployed with two infantry battalions in the front and two tank battalions in support.  The Poles had two infantry battalions forward creating a barrier defence with the third infantry battalion split between the front village and the woods, with the Supply centre hidden in the back village and the Command centre in the woods.  A company of Vickers E tanks that were in support was positioned in the gap between the two woods.

Battle Turn One

The Germans started with an infantry assault on their southern flank, which immediately displaced one company of Polish troops who retreated back to the forest.  The First tank battalion then used the opportunity to approach on the southern flank to threaten to attack into the rear areas, which caused the next Polish company in the defence line to withdraw to cover the gap in the defences that was developing.

 

 

Battle Turn 2

During turn two the Polish troops on the southern flank had more success, driving back the German infantry assault, while the infantry on the northern flank held an attack developing there.  However, the Germans renewed their attacks and on the southern flank the Polish troops withdrew into the village complex as the Polish centre crumbled.  An air raid by the Polish Air Force failed to achieve any success, bombing open land.  Polish attempts to bring their tanks into action were unsuccessful due to communication failure.  

 

Battle Turn 3

2nd Panzer pulled to the north while the 2^nd infantry concentrated on taking out the Polish held wood in the centre.  The Polish tanks still were out of command, the confusion was then confirmed when the special event card came out and the Polish tanks were shown to be suffering from command and supply issues; in a firefight against the German tanks, they lacked supplies (single die) and were routed.

Battle Turn 4

With the 2^nd Panzer focused on clearing a route through by eliminating the remaining Polish infantry in the ‘gap’, the 2^ndinfantry became engrossed in clearing the woods.  At this point the German 2^nd Panzer also fell into supply shortages that held up dealing with the diehards.  Meanwhile, the 1^st infantry got involved with clearing the villages complex, supported by 1^stPanzer.

Battle Turn 5

2^nd Panzer finished off the remaining ‘gap’ defenders while 2^nd infantry cleared the woods, capturing the command centre and advancing to flank the village, causing the Polish battlegroup commander to retreat.  1^st Panzer pulled across the road towards the ‘gap’ while 1^st infantry failed to defeat the village defenders, who caused one unit to retreat away. 

Battle Turn 6 and End

2^nd infantry continued to close on the village complex while 1^st infantry ousted the last defenders in the village.  However, dusk was falling and benefitting from this the defenders were able to slip away in the gloom, together with the evacuated supply centre. 

The Germans scored 1VP for the village, 1VP for the Command centre and 1VP for the LoC opened through the ‘gap’ but missed out on the second village and the Supply centre.

 

Lessons
1.     The importance of the indirect approach.
2.     The need for greater integration between infantry and tanks; also, the comparative shortage of German infantry compared to the number of tanks.