Götterdämmerung - A PzC AAR

[Raptor1]

Well, I planned on doing this one when I finished the BftB AAR last year, but due to general laziness I did not get around to doing it. Now that everyone seems to be making AARs, though, I might as well start this one.

This time I shall be playing the Axis in HPS' Panzer Campaigns: Budapest '45 grand campaign, representing the entire Siege of Budapest from the start of Operation Konrad, one of the final German offensives of the war. This campaign is rather long, but at least it has a manageable unit count unlike the utter insanity of, say, the Minsk '44 campaign. The map scale is 1km/hex, and units are generally either at either company or battalion level. Each day turn represents 2 hours, while night turns are 4 hours.

Background and foreground colours on the unit counters represent force/nationality and division respectively, the former is fairly standard, but I'll list it regardless:

Axis:
Wehrmacht - Gray
Waffen-SS - Black
Luftwaffe - Blue
Hungary - Green

Allied:
Red Army (Regular) - Light Brown
Red Army (Guards) - Red
Romanian - Dark Brown

Division colours should be easy to figure out, but I'll list the important ones if anyone wants me to.

Just a note, the game only directly keeps track of fighting infantry, combat vehicles, guns, bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. So unit strength and casualty counts will never include, for example, non-combatant, vehicle and gun crews, trucks, fighters and the like. The only exception to this rule is HQ units, which have a strength in men, but I'm not sure if that's designed to represent the HQ's staff or defense personnel (Or both).

Right, then, let us begin...

----
In the final days of 1944, a massive offensive by the Red Army's 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian Front resulted in the encirclement of of Budapest, trapping tens of thousands of German and Hungarian troops as well as nearly a million civilians in the Hungarian capital. Like Warsaw and Berslau before, Adolf Hitler declared Budapest a Fortress City, whose capture must be resisted at all costs. On December 24th, two days before the final envelopment of the city, IV SS Panzer Corps was hastily sent from its positions in Poland in order to help Army Group South execute an immediate counteroffensive aimed at relieving Budapest.

Day 0 - December 31st, 1944
2200 hours

Staff Report
Current Weather: Snow
Visibility: 1km

Order of Battle in Area of Operations

Army Group South


Sixth Army

LVII Panzer Corps

3rd Panzer Division
8th Panzer Division
20th Panzer Division
211th Volksgrenadier Division
357th Volksgrenadier Division
Szent László Infantry Division (Hungarian)
Reichsgrenadier Division Hoch und Deutschmeister


IV SS Panzer Corps

3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf
5th SS Panzer Division Wiking
6th Panzer Division
96th Infantry Division
711st Volksgrenadier Division





III Panzer Corps

Division Group Pape
Division Group Bieber


I Cavalry Corps

1st Panzer Division
23rd Panzer Division
3rd Cavalry Brigade
4th Cavalry Brigade




Third Army (Hungarian)

VIII Corps

1st Hussar Division
2nd Armoured Division
23rd Infantry Division


II Corps

25th Infantry Division





Total Strength Outside Pocket: 39,675 Infantry, 1,174 Guns, 1,272 Vehicles


IX SS Mountain Corps

8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer
22nd SS Cavalry Division Maria Teresia
Feldherrnhalle Panzer Division
13th Panzer Division


I Corps (Hungarian)

10th Infantry Division
12th Infantry Division
1st Armoured Division



Total Strength In Pocket: 34,661 Infantry, 371 Guns, 253 Vehicles
----

The order of battle laid out before Generalfeldmarschall Ersatz was impressive, certainly impressive enough to convince the Führer this was going to be a great victory, but the numbers told otherwise. The divisions placed under him were all understrength, with all units seemingly either terribly lacking in numbers, quality and often both. To further compound his problems, the more sensible Paula plan has been rejected in favour of Operation Konrad, which called for an immediate offensive, even though large parts of IV SS Panzer Corps were still on trains bound from Poland.

http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/1733/plan01.png

Operation Konrad called for an offensive by IV SS Panzer Corps, aimed directly at Budapest from positions along the Danube river. The main push will be executed by the 3rd and 5th SS Panzer Divisions, thrusting across the Gerecse Hills, and will be directly supported by the 6th Panzer Division. The 96th Infantry Division and the Hungarian Szent László Infantry Division will join the main push by assaulting the far side of the Danube by boat. The initial objective of the operation would be to break through the Soviet 46th Army's lines and establish a salient from which to strike at the encircling forces.

With the start of the new year, the German offensive to relieve Budapest has begun...

[Egan]

Wow, now that's a map! I've never played this. Looks good.

[seaniam81]

This looks like it will be very interesting.

[Raptor1]

Probably. Hopefully I won't get trashed too quickly, or completely sidetracked for that matter. :O:

I'm usually going to try to make daily updates (Campaign days, I mean). But I'll start off with an overview and the first night operations.

----

http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/8056/89976440.png

The state of the forces assigned to the attack was less than optimal. To the north, the 3rd SS Panzer Division was woefully understrength, with only the three battalions of the 5th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment Thule ready for operations. The 3rd SS Panzer Regiment, representing the division's entire tank strength, was still on trains north of Komarno, while the rest of the division was still many kilometers away and would not arrive until the following day. Near Tata, the 5th SS Panzer Division was in better shape, with four infantry, two tank and one assault gun battalions ready for action, along with a respectable amount of artillery and some recon elements. To the south, the 6th Panzer Division was ready to attack with whatever infantry elements it still had, but these were decidedly worse than the Waffen-SS units; the division would also be supported by tanks and infantry of Division Group Pape, but these were still not ready to move forward.

Under the cover of night, German engineers of the Sixth Army have set up seven bridges across the canals to the north and south of Tata. Across these bridges, the assembled troops of IV SS Panzer Corps lunge into the thin defensive line of the 46th Army. The Totenkopf Division mercilessly attacks two battalions of the 34th Guards, throwing one out of its defensive positions and establishing a two-kilometer bridgehead by 0200. The Wiking Division attacks the rest of the 34th Guards's line, bringing most of its combat strength across the canal. The 6th Panzer Division does not fare as well; though establishing a two-kilometer bridgehead, the division runs into heavy fire from defensive positions occupied by the 4th Guards Rifle Division, taking heavy casualties and losing most of its attached self-propelled guns.

Meanwhile, the 96th Infantry Division was already in the process of moving troops across the Danube. Assault boats have landed the first elements of the 196th Fusilier Battalion, and the entire unit was across by 0200, moving to take Sutto from a battalion of Soviet troops. Troop landing by the Szent László Infantry Division was also under way, but these would take more time to ferry across because of the smaller amount of boats. Engineers of both divisions were also hard at work constructing bridges, through which heavy equipment and supplies could eventually be moved.

At around the same time, the tanks of the 3rd SS Panzer Regiment arrive at the battlefield and begin to deploy from their trains.

http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/5290/49706623.png

Night operations continue with the 96th and Szent László Infantry Divisions conducting simultaneous successful attacks against Soviet defensive positions around their landing sites. Totenkopf continues to attack, gaining another kilometer in the north before successfully resisting a Soviet counterattack by a battalion of the 34th Guards, who in turn repulses another push by the 3rd SS Panzer. The 6th Panzer manages to expand its bridgehead slightly by capturing a Soviet defensive position, but continues to come under murderous fire and suffers heavy casualties. Wiking makes by far the greatest gains, breaking through the Soviet defenders in strength; by morning, recon elements of the division advance up to 5 kilometers from the crossing point.

http://img864.imageshack.us/img864/8193/85713338w.png

The Budapest Pocket

Troops of the IX SS Mountain Corps and the Hungarian I Corps await the imminent Soviet attack in their defensive positions, under intense bombardment by Soviet artillery. Soviet troops move forward, suffering heavy casualties from mines and enemy fire, and begin the assault on Budapest.

http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/5782/25843777.png

[Oberon]

Egads...looks like a bad outbreak of multi-coloured chickenpox.

You are rather good at this Mr Raptor...your surname doesn't happen to be Dayan, does it?

"He would wake up with a hundred ideas. Of them ninety-five were dangerous; three more were bad; the remaining two, however, were brilliant."

[Raptor1]

Good at this? Ha, nonsense.

----
Day 1 - January 1st, 1945
0600 hours

Staff Report
Current Weather: Snow
Visibility: 2km

Order of Battle in Area of Operations

Army Group South


Sixth Army

LVII Panzer Corps

3rd Panzer Division
8th Panzer Division
20th Panzer Division
211th Volksgrenadier Division
357th Volksgrenadier Division
Szent László Infantry Division (Hungarian)
Reichsgrenadier Division Hoch und Deutschmeister


IV SS Panzer Corps

3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf
5th SS Panzer Division Wiking
6th Panzer Division
96th Infantry Division
711st Volksgrenadier Division





III Panzer Corps

Division Group Pape
Division Group Bieber


I Cavalry Corps

1st Panzer Division
23rd Panzer Division
3rd Cavalry Brigade
4th Cavalry Brigade




Third Army (Hungarian)

VIII Corps

1st Hussar Division
2nd Armoured Division
23rd Infantry Division


II Corps

25th Infantry Division





Total Strength Outside Pocket: 39,325 Infantry, 1,172 Guns, 1,266 Vehicles


IX SS Mountain Corps

8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer
22nd SS Cavalry Division Maria Teresia
Feldherrnhalle Panzer Division
13th Panzer Division

I Corps (Hungarian)

10th Infantry Division
12th Infantry Division
1st Armoured Division




Total Strength In Pocket: 34,638 Infantry, 369 Guns, 251 Vehicles
----

Dawn sees a slowing down of the German attack, as the Wiking division is temporarily stalled by Soviet engineers, who occupy the high ground on the western edge of the Gerecse Hills. Totenkopf's 3rd SS Panzer Regiment joins the fight, making a minor breach in the Soviet line, but are still engaged and unable to exploit. The 6th Panzer Division makes minor gains to the north with the help of a battalion of the 5th SS Panzer Division's Westland Regiment, but is still unable to make advances elsewhere. The 96th and Szent László Infantry Divisions, meanwhile, pursue retreating Soviet troops into the hills and start heading for their objectives.

http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/3452/56988961.png

After 0800, the offensive at last gains momentum. Totenkopf breaks completely through the 34th Guards Rifle Division, with tank units advancing 12 kilometers over the following four hours. Wiking continues a steady advance, destroying direct opposition to its advance and encircling the 31st Guards Rifle Corps' HQ along with an entire regiment of artillery on the road running through its line of advance. Meanwhile, the 284th and 287th Grenadier Regiments disembark trains to reinforce the 96th Infantry Division, along with a number of artillery batteries.

The 6th Panzer Division is still bogged down in combat with the 4th Guards Rifle Division and unable to break through. However, at 1000, Division Group Pape begins to move to support it. While this formation is somewhat lacking in quality, it possesses over 100 operational Panzer IV and Panther tanks of the 10th and 11th Panzer Regiments, making it a formidable force.

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/9342/57212814.png

Because of the failure of the 6th Panzer Division to break through, the axes of advance of the 3rd and 5th SS Panzer Divisions are adjusted southwards. At 1400, the Totenkopf Division forms up and sweeps aside the 34th Guards Rifle Divisions' HQ, it then proceeds to exploit its tank battalions to the southeast, meeting no resistance over the following four hours until lead elements arrive at Bajna, the divisions' objective. Coinciding with this, Wiking destroys the 31st Guards Rifle Corps' HQ and its attached artillery regiment, beginning a similar uninterrupted advance, except for one Soviet battalion which is attacked and forced to retreat by the tanks of the 5th SS Panzer Regiment. Wiking's recon company advances up to Kirva before turning back to the division's final line. The first breakthrough on the southern sector happens as tanks of the 10th and 11th Panzer Regiments, supported by SS Regiment Ney punch through the 4th Guards Rifle Division's lines and advance up to 4 kilometers over the next two hours.

Meanwhile, lead elements of the Szent László Infantry Division begin to form a line as they reach the divisions' objective, immediately beginning skirmishes with nearby units of the 86th Guards Rifle Division.

At 1600, the rest of the Totenkopf division, including its attached artillery, tank destroyers, assault guns and pioneers, as well as the 6th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment Eicke, arrives at the field and begins deploying from trains.

http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/9467/59121689.png

At 1800, engineers of LVII Panzer Corps finally manages to set up the first bridge across the Danube at the 96th Infantry's crossing points. The newly arrived reinforcements as well as the divisions' assault gun company immediately use this bridge to cross the river. Totenkopf deploys and storms Bajna shortly after 2200, capturing its objective. Wiking reaches the river southwest of Kirva and stops until the second phase of the operation begins. The 6th Panzer Division, with its situation improved by Division Group Pape's breakthrough, manages to clear the final Soviet defensive positions. The survivors of the 4th Guards Rifle Division reatreat into the forest. At the same time, the 10th Panzer Regiment attacks and routs the 4th Guards' HQ, while the 11th Panzer Regiment pushes forward and attacking that division's attached artillery regiment.

End of Day 1

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/4263/91532059.png

The 3rd and 5th SS Panzer Divisions have accomplished their revised objectives, advancing nearly 40 kilometers to the east and nearly completely capturing the Gerecse Hills, unfortunately the advance was held up slightly too long, which means they will have little rest before the advance recommences. The Szent László Infantry Division has also reached its objective line, but the 96th Infantry Divisions' advance has been too slow because of the lack of motorization and the longer route. The only real failure seems to be the 6th Panzer Division, which still hasn't managed to completely break through its crossing point.

The Soviet attack force advances slightly in Budapest, capturing some strongholds, but takes heavy casualties in the process.

Casualties and Losses

Axis -
Infantry: 2,492
Guns: 16
Vehicles: 43

Allies -
Infantry: 5,700
Guns: 36
Vehicles: 11

[Raptor1]

Don't have time to play through the turns as fast as I'd like (Or write extensive AARs, for that matter) at the moment, but at least I'll update some.
----
Day 2 - January 2nd, 1945
0200 hours

Staff Report
Current Weather: Snow
Visibility: 1km

Order of Battle in Area of Operations

Army Group South


Sixth Army

LVII Panzer Corps

3rd Panzer Division
8th Panzer Division
20th Panzer Division
211th Volksgrenadier Division
357th Volksgrenadier Division
Szent László Infantry Division (Hungarian)
Reichsgrenadier Division Hoch und Deutschmeister


IV SS Panzer Corps

3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf
5th SS Panzer Division Wiking
6th Panzer Division
96th Infantry Division
711st Volksgrenadier Division





III Panzer Corps

Division Group Pape
Division Group Bieber


I Cavalry Corps

1st Panzer Division
23rd Panzer Division
3rd Cavalry Brigade
4th Cavalry Brigade




Third Army (Hungarian)

VIII Corps

1st Hussar Division
2nd Armoured Division
23rd Infantry Division


II Corps

25th Infantry Division





Total Strength Outside Pocket: 38,786 Infantry, 1,171 Guns, 1,246 Vehicles


IX SS Mountain Corps

8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer
22nd SS Cavalry Division Maria Teresia
Feldherrnhalle Panzer Division
13th Panzer Division


I Corps (Hungarian)

10th Infantry Division
12th Infantry Division
1st Armoured Division




Total Strength In Pocket: 33,337 Infantry, 359 Guns, 243 Vehicles
----

The rest of the night is spent by the lead elements of SS Wiking and Totenkopf trying to rest for continued operations the following the morning, which also allows trailing units to attempt to catch up. Meanwhile, Division Group Pape's 10th and 11th Panzer Regiments break through final resistance on the 6th Panzer Division's front and begin a rapid advance, with elements of the 11th Panzer advancing nearly 15 kilometers to the southeast until dawn.

At 0600, IV SS Panzer Corps was ready to recommence the advance on Budapest, when suddenly SS Wiking's lookouts reported massed columns approaching. Counterattack! The Soviet 18th Tank Corps runs straight into the tank destroyers of the 5th SS Panzer Regiment and troops of the 9th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment 4 kilometers west of Tok with over a hundred T-34 tanks.

Situation at 0600 and German operational planning

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/1672/plan301.png

Wasting no time, SS Wiking will use mechanized forces to rapidly envelop and destroy the still concentrated 18th Tank Corps. With Soviet mobile forces at the very least tied down by Wiking's attack, SS Totenkopf and the Szent László Infantry Division will attempt break through the 86th Guards Rifle Division to the north, proceeding to Pilisesaba to the southeast while also attempting to capture Esztergom, which is likely to be lightly defended. Meanwhile, the 6th Panzer Division and the attached Division Group Pape will continue moving eastwards in order to guard Wiking's flank as it attacks.

[Egan]

Don't have time to play through the turns as fast as I'd like (Or write extensive AARs, for that matter)

You'd be surprised how fast you can write one if you just jot down the first thing that comes into your head! :DL

Do you have War in the East as well? I'm wondering how they compare. Obviously the scale is a little different.

[Raptor1]

You'd be surprised how fast you can write one if you just jot down the first thing that comes into your head! :DL

Do you have War in the East as well? I'm wondering how they compare. Obviously the scale is a little different.

But then it will be rampantly incoherent and confusing...err...I mean, even more rampantly incoherent and confusing...

Yes, I have WitE. It is significantly more detailed for the scale it's at, obviously, has better graphics (I'm using a graphics mod here, since the original ones are atrocious) and a far superior interface. So, in most aspects, WitE is 'better'. But, as you say, you can't really compare them because the scale is different.

[Raptor1]

Day 2 - January 2nd, 1945
0600 hours

Staff Report
Current Weather: Snow
Visibility: 2km
----

The hastily drafted plans are communicated to division commanders, with operations to begin immediately. SS Totenkopf starts to advance, but the tanks leading the advance immediately run into strong resistance by the 86th Guards Rifle Division's infantry. The 6th Panzer Division and attached elements run into detached elements of the 18th Tank Corps, including a regiment of ISU-122 tank destroyers, west of Bickse and lose several Hetzers and Panthers.

SS Wiking begins its encirclement operation, with the 2nd Battalion of the 5th Panzer Regiment spearheading the advance, closely followed by mechanized infantry of the Westland and Germania Regiments. Meanwhile, 1/5th Panzer and the 5th Assault Gun Battalion, holding the defensive line against the 18th Tank Corps' offensive, come under a strong attack and are forced to partially retreat from the river. The 18th Tank Corps attempts to evacuate its position once the flanking attacks are spotted, but the terrain prevents them from achieving that before the pocket is sealed at 1000.

http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/8208/map9c.png

Bloody stalemate ensues. SS Totenkopf presses against the 86th Guards Rifle Division, which refuses to retreat despite taking massive casualties, and manages to advance a mere two kilometers over the next four hours. Wiking and the trapped 18th Tank Corps exchange fire, while infantry attempts to breach the encirclement; neither side makes any significant advance. The 10th and 11th Panzer Regiments manage to destroy the 18th Tank Corps' ISU-122 regiment, and subsequently proceed to advance westwards unopposed. The 271st Panzerjägers, on the other hand, are thrown back from a town they captured by a Soviet counterattack before infantry of the 6th Panzer Division can arrive to reinforce them.

http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/2433/map10v.png

At 1400, results begin to appear. SS Wiking isolates the majority of the 18th Tank Corps' tanks west of the river and begins to push against it, inflicting heavy losses. Totenkopf advances two kilometers over the next two hours, still facing stiff resistance by the 86th Guards Rifle Division. At the same time, tanks of Division Group Pape advance up to Torbagy, approximately 15 kilometers from Axis troops in Buda.

http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/3207/map11.png

Attacks continue against the isolated 18th Tank Corps; slightly before 1800, the survivors of the main force surrender to SS Wiking, though several units continue resisting in the rest of the pocket. At the same time, Totenkopf surrounds the remnants of the 86th Guards Rifle Division 4 kilometers east of Sarisan. Division Group Pape's tanks halt their advance until the 6th Panzer Division catches up and deploy in case a counterattack is mounted against the salient.

As night falls, most units not directly involved in combat halt their advance to rest. The 86th Guards Rifle Division briefly escapes their encirclement but are subsequently trapped again by troops of the Szent László Infantry Division. The rest of the 18th Tank Corps surrenders, with the exception of several hundred infantry and combat engineers in Zsambek. With the arrival of more troops of the 6th Panzer Division, Soviet resistance in the south is crushed, and the division begins establishing a defensive line. The 96th Infantry Division, having marched south all day, is also beginning to reinforce the southern sector.

http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/4098/map12u.png

Finally, in a strange move, a Soviet unit moves into contact with the 1st Panzer Division's line west of Szekesfehervar (This is way south of the action, so don't bother looking for it on any maps I posted so far). This unit is apparently attached directly to the 4th Guards Army, and is therefore likely a Penal Company sent on some kind of suicide mission (Or perhaps they were just coming over to ask if we have any milk).

End of Day 2

http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/3008/map13.png

SS Wiking has won a spectacular victory by destroying the 18th Tank Corps, but elsewhere results vary. Totenkopf's attack inflicted massive casualties on the 86th Guards Rifle Division, but failed to advance more than a few kilometers, with the Szent László Infantry Division supporting it achieving similar results despite facing much lighter opposition. The 6th Panzer Division's Kampfgruppe achieved its objectives, but most of its forces are still trying to catch up with leading elements.

Soviet units in Budapest still advance slowly, but most of the ground lost is in Pest, east of the Danube river. Buda is the critical sector here, and it is so far holding fairly well.

http://img861.imageshack.us/img861/7943/sc000995.png

I haven't mentioned this yet, since it's still rather irrelevant, but the 3rd Panzer Division has been released for operations and is currently crossing the Danube. The 711st Volksgrenadier Division has also arrived by train and is moving to reinforce the southern flank of the salient.

Casualties and Losses

Axis -
Infantry: 4,105
Guns: 28
Vehicles: 134

Allied -
Infantry: 11,607
Guns: 108
Vehicles: 199

[Oberon]

Looks like you've created a pretty solid breakthrough there. Of course the real fun will be piercing the bubble around the trapped troops. Get them out and you can probably turn this around fairly easily I'd wager.

[eddie]

Great AAR Raptor!:salute:

[Raptor1]

Looks like you've created a pretty solid breakthrough there. Of course the real fun will be piercing the bubble around the trapped troops. Get them out and you can probably turn this around fairly easily I'd wager.

Yes, I was wondering what to do if...when...I actually get there. The Soviets have some powerful forces around which will be hard to break quickly even if encircled. I thought about having the troops in Buda attempt to break out (Thus contradicting the Führer's orders), but their offensive ability is terrible and they are completely outmatched when it comes to artillery, so I'll hold off that until IV SS Panzer Corps is really close. Also, I'd like to hold Buda if I can, though I'll probably have to evacuate Pest in either case.

[Raptor1]

Alright, time for another post that won't include any After Actionness but will hopefully make the following events make more sense (To me, mostly).

----
Day 3 - January 3rd, 1945
0200 hours

Staff Report
Current Weather: Snow
Visibility: 1km
Forecast: 2km-3km

Order of Battle in Area of Operations

Army Group South


Sixth Army

LVII Panzer Corps

8th Panzer Division
20th Panzer Division
211th Volksgrenadier Division
357th Volksgrenadier Division
Reichsgrenadier Division Hoch und Deutschmeister


IV SS Panzer Corps

3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf
5th SS Panzer Division Wiking
6th Panzer Division
96th Infantry Division
711st Volksgrenadier Division
Szent László Infantry Division (Hungarian)
3rd Panzer Division
Division Group Pape





III Panzer Corps

Division Group Bieber


I Cavalry Corps

1st Panzer Division
23rd Panzer Division
3rd Cavalry Brigade
4th Cavalry Brigade




Third Army (Hungarian)

VIII Corps

1st Hussar Division
2nd Armoured Division
23rd Infantry Division


II Corps

25th Infantry Division





Total Strength Outside Pocket: 38,410 Infantry, 1,172 Guns, 1,176 Vehicles


IX SS Mountain Corps

8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer
22nd SS Cavalry Division Maria Teresia
Feldherrnhalle Panzer Division
13th Panzer Division


I Corps (Hungarian)

10th Infantry Division
12th Infantry Division
1st Armoured Division




Total Strength In Pocket: 32,378 Infantry, 348 Guns, 224 Vehicles
----

With the conclusion of the Battle of Tok and the halting of all offensive operations at the end of the previous day, Sixth Army HQ prepared for continued operations against the Budapest encirclement.

To ease command difficulties, all major units participating in offensive operations in the salient have been put under the command of IV SS Panzer Corps.

Units Reassigned to IV SS Panzer Corps

3rd Panzer Division from LVII Panzer Corps
Szent László Infantry Division from LVII Panzer Corps
Division Group Pape from III Panzer Corps

All data from aerial reconnaissance, signals intercepts and ground spotting has been compiled into a (hopefully) clear picture of Soviet opposition to the continued offensive:

Apart from the isolated remains of the 86th Guards Rifle Division, Sixth Army intelligence is fairly certain that the majority of the 49th Guards Rifle Division is located between 3 to 6 kilometers west of the 3rd SS Panzer Division. Beyond this, it is estimated that between one and two Soviet divisions are located in defensive positions around Pilisvorosvar. In the 5th SS Panzer Divisions' area of operations, it is expected that no major formations are located in a position to defend against against an advance on the encirclement, though scattered units may provide resistance.

The southern defence line, currently composed of most of the 6th Panzer Division and Division Group Pape and beginning to be reinforced by the 96th Infantry, 711st Volksgrenadier and 3rd Panzer Divisions, is expected to come under imminent attack by forces from the south. The enemy is assumed to include one Rifle Division and one Tank Corps, but there is not much information about the current strength of Soviet forces south of the salient and therefore this is only a guess.

Information from troops in Budapest indicates that the following Soviet units are participating in offensive action against the pocket:

Buda:

59th Guards Rifle Division
68th Guards Rifle Division
180th Rifle Division
320th Rifle Division
2nd Guards Mechanized Corps
108th Guards Rifle Division
109th Guards Rifle Division
99th Rifle Division
316th Rifle Division
11th Guards Cavalry Division
83rd Naval Infantry Brigade

It is apparent that the attack on Buda lacks armour support, with only a few T-34 units of the 2nd Guards Mechanized Corps and some Soviet light and lend-lease medium tanks of the 11th Guards Cavalry Division spotted.

Pest:

30th Rifle Corps
155th Rifle Division (Assumed part of 30th Rifle Corps)
151st Rifle Division (Assumed part of 30th Rifle Corps)
2nd Infantry Division (Romanian)
297th Rifle Division
9th Infantry Division (Romanian)
8th Cavalry Division (Romanian)
317th Rifle Division
18th Special Rifle Corps
66th Guards Rifle Division

Additionally, NKVD units and Front engineers are participating in the offensive against Pest.

Offensive plans are laid out for the next several days; with the scale of Soviet forces in most areas still unknown, it is impossible to know how long the offensive will take. The 3rd SS Panzer Division, after destroying the remains of the 86th Guards Rifle Division, will split into two Kampfgruppes. One group will attack the 49th Guards Rifle Division from the west and south, in conjunction with an attack from the north by the Szent László Infantry Division, in an attempt to destroy the Soviet division. In the meantime, the second group of the 3rd SS Panzer Division will head north and link up with the armoured elements of the Szent László Infantry Division, then attack Pilisvorosvar from the north in an attempt to outflank Soviet defences. Once the 49th Guards Rifle Division has been annihilated, the remaining units will join the attack and breach the line. Once the path is clear, the Szent László Infantry Division will proceed to encircle Soviet forces around Buda. At the same time, the 5th SS Panzer Division will rapidly advance through two axes, one at the road through Budaors and the other through the hill at Budakeszi, and will similarly envelop the Soviet attack on Buda. Meanwhile, the divisions to the south will conduct a mobile defense against the expected Soviet counterattack, while reinforcements gradually arrive to support them.

http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/2337/plan4.png

[eddie]

Have you begun the final assault against Budapest yet Raptor?

[Raptor1]

Not quite, though I'm fairly close.

I'm about 2 turns away from finishing the next day, don't have almost any time to play this right now so it's going very slow. Should update it by tomorrow or so, I think.

[Raptor1]

Most units spend the remainder of the night resting, except those units directly engaged in combat, such as the 5th SS Panzer Regiment at Zsambek and elements of the 3rd SS Panzer Division northeast of Kirva.

The offensive resumes at dawn. The 10th Panzer Regiment encounters tanks of the Soviet 7th Mechanized Corps southwest of Torbagy and hastily pulls back to defensive positions. SS Wiking, as expected, advances while encountering little resistance except for 46th Army tank destroyers. By 0800, the 86th Guards Rifle Division has been destroyed by SS Totenkopf. Meanwhile, contact with the majority of the 49th Guards Rifle Division's fighting strength is established as it attacks and sends the leading elements of the Szent László Infantry Division routing in disarray.

http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/4921/d3i1.png

The 3rd SS Panzer Divisions begins its pre-planned flanking maneuver, and the 49th Guards Rifle Division realizes its weak position and begins to withdraw from its attack. However, the foot infantry is too slow and is caught and encircled over the next four hours. In the meantime, the 7th Mechanized Corps advances on the southern defensive line with a probing attack on the 10th Panzer Regiment and a large armoured offensive against positions held by the 6th Panzer Division and SS Regiment Ney near Bickse. SS Wiking begins to encounter large concentrations of artillery used against Budapest, including batteries of heavy howitzers, Katyushas and massive 203mm siege guns (Whoever played MoWAS is familiar those things).

http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/5060/d3i2.png

The outflanking attack on Pilisvorosvar reaches its destination and finds only light resistance, with the defending troops of the 2nd Guards Mechanized Corps apparently having successfully retreated to the southwest. By 1600 the majority of the 49th Guards Rifle Division has been crushed, with only minor resistance remaining, and the remainder of the Szent László Infantry and 3rd SS Panzer Divisions turn to advance up the ridge separating them from Budapest. At the same time, a counterattack by the 6th Panzer Division, together with troops from the newly arrived 3rd Panzer Division and the 11th Panzer Regiment, manages to drive back the 7th Mechanized Corps' attack and encircle most of the attacking tanks.

http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/8922/d3i3.png

With nightfall, most operations once again cease for troop resting. By 2200, Pilisvorosvar and the 7th Mechanized Corps' pocket near Bickse are cleared. Meanwhile, the 62nd Guards Rifle Division begins an attack of unknown strength on the 25th Hungarian Infantry Division's line north of Lake Balaton. Otherwise, nothing of note happens for the rest of the day.

End of Day 3

http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/2289/d3em.png

The destruction of the 7th Mechanized Corps' attack and the flanking and taking of Pilisvorosvar has been fairly large successes, except for the latter town's defenders managing to escape largely unharmed. SS Wiking's advance has been slightly less rapid than I would've liked, but still pretty good.

The 5th SS Panzer Division is now a mere 5 kilometers from troops inside the Budapest pocket.

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/8986/sc000999.png

Casualties and Losses

Axis -
Infantry: 5,753
Guns: 63
Vehicles: 194

Allied -
Infantry: 17,230
Guns: 353
Vehicles: 367

[eddie]

It looks like the northeast secter of Budapest doesn't have that many Russian units there, wonder if that's a weak point that might be exploited? Maybe a breakout attempt there, then moving north to the first crossing so they can head west towards the German lines.

[Raptor1]

It looks like the northeast secter of Budapest doesn't have that many Russian units there, wonder if that's a weak point that might be exploited? Maybe a breakout attempt there, then moving north to the first crossing so they can head west towards the German lines.

It is true that the Russian attack is rather weak there (The area you speak of is right between what looks like the 30th Rifle Corps to the east and an NKVD Regiment to the north), and I am using it to march a Hungarian battalion that got cut off back to the line. However, a breakout from there can't achieve much. There aren't any intact bridges across that part of the Danube except those I hold in Budapest itself and a Soviet pontoon to the north near Vac (I've no idea what it's there for). I could rush some of my spare bridging units there, but getting there will take a day or so and setting the bridge up will probably take another day or more and I can't afford to take that long.

For now I consider most of the units in Pest expendable, along with that part of the city. If they hold on until I break the Soviet lines in Buda, I'll probably evacuate the units back across the Danube with the bridges in the city.

Oh, I edited the casualties into the last update, since I forgot about that.

[eddie]

Very acceptable losses, with almost 3-1 in men, 6-1 in guns, and amost 2-1 in vehicles, I'd say that's pretty darn good shooting!:DL