AAR-2A WWIII 1958: First Big Clash (Part 1 of 2)

After the initial contact with Soviet ground forces just east of Semmenstedt, British recce withdrew a few kilometers west to positions north and south of Remlingen-Semmenstedt.  Contact was again made, though without incident, and divisional recce withdrew again through regimental recce which spanned a line from the forested hills north of Wittmer south through Dorstadt.

Both armor and infantry from 6 AD was deployed in the woods north of Witmar, in the high ground three klicks west of Witmar and in and around Kissenbruck.  British forces hoped to bloody the Soviet 10thGguards Tank Division here, fall back across the Oker, and do it again.

The Battlefield

The battlefield runs slightly north of west to slightly south of east, with the Soviets entering from the East end.  The British are deployed in the hills north of Witmar, generally diagonally, on a line to the southwest in Kissenbruck.  Most of the battlefield is open and flat with the high ground to along the center north edge, and center near the west edge.  There are no notable water obstacles, and the there is still a low heavy cloud deck with possible rain.

Spotting was hampered in all instances, and limited to no more than 1600 meters due to the rain and mist.  The low clouds and rain also limited availability of aircraft for observation or attack.  Most successful spotting occurred at 800m or less.

The table measures 5400 meters by 3600 meters.

The Soviet view looking west.

British view looking east.
 

British forces had the benefit of hastily made defensive positions (not represented, as I've misplaced a box of terrain bits).  Because of the odd circumstances of the attack (the NATO advance being planned for the next morning, very few mines were deployed in the area.

Forces 

British Forces consist of 3rd Carabiniers Armored Regiment (HQ Sqdn & 3x Tank Sqdn), 2x inf Company & HQ of the 2nd Motor Btln, and 4 batteries of dedicated 155mm guns supporting.  Air and additional artillery support are possible.

British forces, infantry are in the plastic cases.

Soviet Forces consist of most of 10th guards Tank Division, including 2x Tank Btln with T-55.  one of these also included a company of 10 SU-122; 1x Hvy Tank Btln with T-10, 1x Motor Rifle Regiment in BTR-50 (one T-55 btln is part of this regiment), both regimental and divisional recce platoons,  other assorted supporting elements of BTR-152As, ZSU-57/2, 85mm guns, 82mm mortars, and 16 assorted batteries of rockets, guns, and mortars, mostly 122mm, but including 160mm mortars, and BM-14 rocket launchers.  Possible additional air and artillery support.  For more information on TO&E/OB, see my notes at end of AAR part 2.

Soviet forces, the infantry regiment has been split between two 

advancing elements.

UK Deployment

From north to south the British deployed as follows:

One Squadron of tanks, supported by two platoons of infantry in the wooded hill along the north edge of the table immediately east of Witmar.  

British Centurions and Conquerors looking to the south,

deployed on the wooded hill east of Witmar.

A second Tank Squadron in the overgrown field and town of Sottmar slightly west of Witmar and roughly centered on the table.

British forces in and around Sottmar, facing east (left).

The third tank squadron, supported by two platoons of infantry in the wooded hill west of Sottmar near the west edge of the table.

British armor, infantry, and command elements on the forested 

hill west of Sottmar (looking east).

A view from the east of Sottmar and the hill to the west of the town.

Two platoons of infantry along the tree lined road, south of the forested hill on the west end of the table, north of Kissenbruck (just off table).

British infantry in the tree-line north of Kissenbruck.

British armored cars of their reconnaissance sections advanced to points of cover ranging between 1000 and 2000 meters ahead of the British main line.  As units made contact with the Soviets, they would fall back to secondary positions to keep track of the advance until withdrawing behind the main line.

Soviet Advance

The Soviet 10th Tank Division entered at three points from the east edge of the table. Recce platoons consisted of either BTR-40s, BRDM-1s, or PT-76 light tanks bounding along reconnoitering likely points of resistance.  The rain and mist offered some degree of cover in largely open spaces.

Soviet armored cars and light tanks advance along the southern (left),

 and central roads, while to the north, they have barely entered the

 table about 8oo meters behind their comrades in the advance.

With the exception of the BTR-40 that spotted the British armor in the wooded rise to the north, Soviet recce elements were spotted before their British counterparts.

British recce spots Soviet Recce in the distance.

This resulted in British artillery being called in the Soviets, which scored some killed on the light armor.  But, the Soviets responded by calling in their own more numerous batteries on terrain features that might offer hiding spots for the British.  This allowed the Soviets to continue their advance.

Artillery giving recce a hard time on both sides.  

North is to the top of this view.

During the artillery duel to the south, the Soviets opened up on the British armor in the forest to the north with six batteries of guns dropping white phosphorus.  The barrage chased the British armor out of the woods, which advanced towards the Soviets, rather than withdrawing for a later fight.

White phosphorous can be seen beginning to land 

in the upper left above.

British losses were actually quite light with only a couple of APCs and a few squads actually being destroyed.  For the most part, the infantry were able to mount up and escape to the west.

As the British received the barrage, the lead T-55 battalion, including a support company of SU-122s veered to the north to meet the British coming out of the woods.  As they closed, the T-55s received cover of friendly smoke.

T-55s advance behind smoke top right, while the other 

T-55 battalion advances at the bottom of the view.

By this time, most Soviet recce had tried to take cover, the second T-55 battalion advanced to the south supported by a motor rifle company in BTR-50s, and an assortment of other elements.

A view from the British side.

Some of the most westerly T-55s were spotted, and two batteries of British 155mm guns began to harass them during their advance.

T-55s began to break through their own smoke which clung close to the ground, given the weather conditions. Centurions and T-55s exchanged shots with mixed results, many shots hitting, some bouncing.  And there were the Conquerors, firing their massive 120mm guns and consistently smashing T-55s at a range no greater than 700 meters.  

T-55s fire at the Conquerors was futile, resulting a couple of mobility hits, but no kills.  In time, a few Centurions were destroyed, but the Soviets lost tanks at nearly a three to one ratio.

The Soviets burst through their wall of smoke into a bruttle 

short range battle.

The British armor held their ground, despite being out-numbered, and in time, the number of functional T-55s dwindled, only to be "saved" by the massive JSU-122s.  But both sides quickly learned that the WWII vintage JSUs were no match for the Centurions.

Again, a view from the British side.

The few remaining T-55s did score a few more hits, and a couple of kills, and eventually the British Squadron had to withdraw, abandoning the two immobile Conquerors in the process. 

As the Soviets lost both company and battalion HQs, the attack faltered, allowing the British to escape to the west.

The T-55 BHQ attempting to save the day, shortly before 

expending itself.

To the south, PT-76s continued searching for the British, followed by the second T-55 battalion.

Soviet recce and T-55s advance to the south.

The platoon of PT-76s were spotted by both the British infantry in the tree-line on the southwest corner of the table, and by British armor on the southern fringe of Sottmar in the center of the battlefield, and were directly engaged by the a Centurion and a Conqueror to devastating effect.

Pt-76s found British tanks in Sottmar.

Behind the PT-76s, the T-55 battalion was forming up for the advance, at the same time that the T-10 heavy tank battalion was entering the battlefield on, and either side of the center road.

The second T-55 battalion prepares for the advance.

T-10s enter the battle, bottom center.

The T-55 battalion that attacked to the north was intended to contain the northern British force and prevent a flank attack on the center of the Soviet advance.  Given that the battalion was destroyed and could not confirm the status of British forces to the north, a company of T-10s was sent north to supplement the few remaining T-55s.  

The other two T-10 companies struggled to form up for the advance in the center, and fell somewhat behind the T-55 battalion to the south.  All Soviet forces were directed to push the attack with the utmost haste, rushing past defenders if needed, and allowing follow-up forces to mop up overrun enemy forces.

The British view of things.

The T-10 company advancing to support remnants of 

the T-55 battalion.  The British armored squadron can 

be seen withdrawing to Witmar in the distance.

By this time, Soviet artillery had started to hit Witmar and had driven British infantry and command elements out of town.  The British tanks made their way into Witmar just as the bombardment was ending, and with the threat of being shot by their own T-10s, the remaining portion of the T-55's BHQ managed to rally the few remaining T-55s, which again began a slow advance.

British armor pulling back into Witmar.

As the British moved through Witmar with a couple of Centurions covering the withdraw, the T-10 company moved through the debris that was a T-55 battalion, and they began to exchange shots with the Centurions as they vanished in Witmar.  This exchange resulted in some mobility hits, as the T-10s had a hard time hitting the British, and the 20 pounder guns of the Centurions couldn't penetrate the T-10s.

There were a small number of British infantry that were separated from their force by the white phosphorous barrage in the woods earlier.  One element of that infantry was a M20 bazooka team, who fired at and destroyed the only vehicle to come within range, a ZSU-57/2.  It was one of very few instances of infantry involved in the fighting.

The British M20 team just before destroying the ZSU57/2.

This ended the fighting in and east of Witmar along the north edge of the battlefield, the British infantry and armor withdrew from Witmar and moved to reinforce Sottmar in the center of the battlefield.  The M20 team would soon be listed as "Missing in Action", as they began their journey through what was now enemy territory.

Part 2 of this AAR will be posted in a day or two.