Axis: Germans : Compski/Lickle (CinC)
Italian : Zeb
Allies: British : Canis (CinC), Cat and Humphrey
49th British (Cumbrian) Infantry Division – General Colin Lewis : Humphrey
Morale 7, Command 8, 10 bases.
9 Motorised Infantry battalions (Str 6)
3 Artillery regiments (Str 3, 12")
14th British Armoured Division – General Stanforth Anthony : Canis
Morale 7, Command 8, 8 bases.
3 Medium Tank battalions (Str 4)
1 Armoured Infantry battalion (Str 5)
3 Motorised Infantry battalions (Str 5)
1 Artillery regiment (Str 3, 12")
Air Support : Canis
6 fighters (Str 3), 2 Recon (Str 3), 8 ground attack (Str 4), 4 bombers (Str 2).
Supply
100 initially, 12 per turn after.
Reinforcements to the above organisation
12th Panzer Division (elements) – General Dieter Von Mecklenburg
Morale 8, Command 9.
1 Medium Tank battalion (Str 3)
1 Armoured Infantry battalion (Str 5)
2 Motorised Infantry battalions (Str 5)
18th Italian (Appian) Infantry Division – General Marco Talloni : Zeb
Morale 7 (Blackshirts 8), Command 6, 12 bases.
6 Infantry battalions (Str 5)
2 Blackshirt Infantry battalions (Str 4)
2 Artillery regiments (Str 3, 10")
Air Support
6 fighters (Str 3), 6 ground attack (Str 4), 2 bombers (Str 2).
Supply
70 initially, 6 per turn after and 8 from turn 3).
The German Div formed a defensive position on the Axis right flank. Some of the German forces were in a forward position among the fields, with a heavier concentration on and behind a ridgeline in front a village. The Italian Div held the Axis left flank. Most of the Italian troops were in a large village with some troops placed in the woodland in front of the village.
The North London Div quickly pressed forward and drove back the screening forces of the Germans. When they came in sight of the ridge the German artillery opened up on the British troops with an effective fire. However, the British aircraft launched a strike against the artillery and drove it back in disarray. With the German artillery silenced the British forces quickly advanced into the shadow of the ridge and started an outflanking manoeuvre that was to take most of the remainder of the day.
The Cumbrian Div pushed forward through the woodland on the British right, but soon came up against a well supplied Italian battalion on the edge of the woods. The British decided not press home an attack against the Italians and were also unable to bring down artillery of air support. More British troops moved up through the woods, but were also unable to make any headway. The majority of the British supplies were being sent down the left flank to support the rapid movement of the North London Div and this left little resources to allow the Cumbrian Div to press home a concerted attack to clear the Italians from the woodland. The defending Italians melted away against the probes that the British were able to make. However, the Italians reappear moments later on a different front.
Eventually the British were able to bring up enough forces to launch several battalions against the Italian battalion on the road. Although the Italians were heavily outnumbered they bloodily repulsed the initial attack, but heavy casualties as well. Reinforcements were immediately sent forward from the Italian village and aircraft from both sides appeared over the trees. Inevitably the British eventually prevailed and pushed the Italian forces from the woods. However, the effort had cost the British much and it took several hours before they were able to advance from the woods. During this time the Italians were able to move up some artillery and bolster their defence.
In the centre the Armoured Div slowly crept forward between the Infantry divisions ready to advance forward at any moment. Over the heads of everyone the air was dotted with aircraft battling for supremacy. The British pilots were well trained and, with the added advantage of being more numerous, they were able to clear the sky of German aircraft. For several hours the sky rained death over the German Div as the majority of the British aircraft were sent in support of the North London Div lightning advance.
The North London Division was starting to outflank the German ridge when the German armoured forces started to arrive. Seeing that the situation was grave, General Dieter Von Mecklenburg sent his infantry battalions forward in a counter attack to attempt to cut through the British supply lines and stall the outflanking troops. Initially this was successful, but before they were able to complete the manoeuvre the superior airpowers of the British and some well-placed reserves were able to bring them to a halt.
The British continued and moved onto and around the ridge driving back all the German forces until the supply line were exposed. Expecting to deliver the German forces the final blow the North Londoners pressed forward and attacked the German supply depot. However, unknown to them the delayed German tank battalion was refuelling in the supply depot and was able to stall the attack giving the Axis forces enough time to relocate their supply lines towards the Italians. Unfortunately for the Axis forces, this did have result in their re-supply being delayed for 2 hours.
Meanwhile the Cumbrian Div was on the move and started to pushes back the light Italian forces remaining between the woodland and the village. The Italians attempted to counter this by advancing a supported battalion onto the Cumbrians far right flank. This had the limited success of drawing off some of the British forces. The British advancing on the village were coming under stiff artillery fire and air attack. They drove the Italian forces in front of them back into the orchards in front of the village, but were unable to progress further and after an hour or two were forced to retire towards the woodland.
Meanwhile, seeing that the Germans were in trouble and that the initial supply route had been cut off General Talloni sent a Blackshirt battalion to support the German forces and allow them to regroup. It held up the British advance for an hour and then bravely attacked. Unfortunately it hit several untouched battalions of British Infantry and has thrown back in complete disarray. However, the effort was not entirely wasted as the British forces also received casualties and took heavy casualties from a massed German air attack. The British still advanced but their attack was nearly spent and their supply was low.
For several hour previous to this the British Centre had been on the move. The Armour would move up plaster any Axis forces with artillery and airpower and after driving them back they would advance. The Italian forces resisting this advance were scant and the remaining troops were either engaged against the British Infantry divisions or they waited for the armour to assail their defended positions in the woods to the left of the ridge and Italian held village.
As the day wore on until evening the Axis supply line was restored and injected much needed resources to resist the British armoured attack. This was in the hope that they would be able to hold until nightfall. The final phase was about to begin. On the Axis right the North Londoners had be almost halted. Their re-supply had been re-routed to the Armoured Division and they were unable to make best use of their flanking position. The Cumbrian Div had been halted. The Axis forces prepared for the attack of the armoured British division.
As the 14th Armoured Div advanced upon the village the Italians assaulted the Cumbrian Div in the woods in the hope that they would either be able to drive them back or at least prevent them supporting the 14th divisions attack on the village. They advanced against a British Infantry battalion in the woods and were able to push back the initial resistance before hitting more forces behind. This did at least prevent the Cumbrians moving in support of the 14th division’s attack.
As the armour neared the village the Italians realised that they would be unable to prevent a concentrated attack by the entire 14th Div. Therefore, they decided to launch an attack against one of the advancing columns in an attempt to break up the assault and identify targets for air attack. Two Italian battalions (one untouched Infantry battalion and one heavily mauled but regrouped Blackshirt battalion) sallied forth from the village and struck the central column of the 14th Div. Unknown to them they had attacked the biggest force (it consisted of one Tank battalion, one Armoured Infantry battalion and one Motorised Infantry battalion). However, they caught the British completely by surprise and fell into disorder. The Italian troops were able to make use of the confusion and caused heavy casualties on the British. Although the Italian troops escaped lightly for the forces they engaged they till took heavy loses. As the German bombers dropped bombs from above the Italians assaulted again, but the well trained British had regrouped and threw the Italians back into the village. Although the Italian forces had been thrown back into the village with many casualties, the central British armoured units had taken a pounding and were not in a condition fit to assault the village. So the gambled had paid off and the British were forced to halt and regroup.
As darkness fell to the British marshalled their forces outside the village and the Axis forces prepared for a night time retreat to regroup and take up a defensive position further back. The Italian limited counter attack had not been a complete success, but neither had the British troops had an easy day. The day will be remembered as a great day for the Italian Army, where it proved itself as a brave and capable force. They had given British a bloody nose where their superior numbers and command should have been able to succeed.
Blucher (with about 20,000-24,000) joined with the retreating forces of Hohenlohe (about 12,000-15,000). Lannes and Murat caught the rearguard of the Prussians (4000) at Prenzlau (SW of Stettin). The prisoners included Hohenlohe.
Bernadotte received orders to join up with Lannes and Murat and CRUSH the Prussians before they could retreat towards the Russians (intelligence indicates that the Russians are still forming up an army under Bennigsen and are not expected to attempt to cross the border for over a month).
The Prussians have retreated onto the garrison (about 5000) at Stettin. On the 1st Nov Bernadotte arrived and the French forces (about 45,000 all arms) approached Stettin and found a Prussian army under Blucher camp in a defensive position East of Stettin.
The Next morning the French attack!
Marching NE towards Prenzlau a Russian messenger arrives. Hohenlohe decided to command the rearguard (4000) at Prenzlau to allow the main force enough time to get the Stettin on the border. Hohenlohe was out manoeuvred by the French Cavalry under Murat and was cut off and forced to surrender. Blucher continued with the retreat and decided to give battle outside Stettin if the situation was at all favourable (4000 troops from the Stettin garrison have been added to the army).
The French have not been as fast on the pursuit from Prenzlau as feared and the evening of 1st November brings news of their final approach (about 40,000). Late in the evening there is also news of the approach of a small force of Russians (mainly Cossacks).
The morning of the 2nd is cold but clear. The Prussian forces are drawn up in defence and the French are advancing. A few Cossacks have arrived and it appears that a Russian force is about 1-2 days away, there is certainly no sign of them approaching Stettin.
Blucher still has a chance to defend successfully against the French attack
Intelligence suggests that the French are in pursuit of the Prussians towards Stettin. Bagration decided to force March his troops and cross the Oder south of Stettin and take the French in the Flank to try and relieve the pressure on the Prussians.
It worked better than thought. The morning of 1st Nov arrives and the Russians are marching to the sound of the guns. Evidence suggest that the French are not aware of their presence.
The Prussians held a defensive position behind a stream. A ridgeline occupied the center rear of their position and was held by the reserve infantry. To the left of the ridge was a village and then another hill and beyond the hill on the far left was a forest. The stream cut across the center of the position and there was a village in the middle across the stream. In front of the stream was the French position. Most of the Prussian forces were initially arrayed just behind the stream (left to right: Left Wing, Advanced Guard, Right Wing with Reserve Cav).
On French far left were a Forest and then a hill. To the center right was another hill and between this and the Forest on their far right was a small wood. Most of the area to the South (French right) was open. The French entered from the west (left to right: I Corps, V Corps, Cav Reserve).
As the village bells showed 7:30am the French moved onto the Field. I Corps moved towards the hill on the French left, Lannes advanced to the hill further to the right and Murat swept around onto the left flank.
At 8am the Prussians started to cross the stream. They rapidly attempted to close with their Cavalry across the whole front. They heavily outnumbered the French Cavalry on their right, but the opposite was true on their left as Murat advanced against the Cavalry of the Advanced Guard and the Left Flank.
Battle is joined at about 9am when Murat charges the Prussian Cavalry. However, the much to everybody’s surprise the French charge falters and a vicious melee starts with charge and counter charge from both sides. At about 9:30am Murat is attempting to lead his troopers in a final another attempt to win the contest, but is shot with a pistol in the attempt and is mortally wounded. Unable to allow himself to quit the field and his men he merely coughs up blood and carries on.
Further along the line Cavalry charge Lannes and Bernadotte and are repulsed with loses. The infantry of the Prussians started to approach and the sound of artillery fire sounds across the battlefield. Meanwhile Murat is an Inspiration to his men and starts to drive the Prussian Cavalry back and is able to smash several regiments, but not without equal losses. Murat sights approaching Russian troops to the far right flank and sends hurried messages to his fellow commanders.
As the hour of 10am approaches Murat wheels his trooper around and drives then into yet another scattered Prussian Cavalry regiment in an attempt to finish them off before the Russians arrive. At 10:30am, with Prussian Cavalry still on the French right, the first Russian colours are seen to the south. Murat is forced to send the 3rd Dragoon Division to slow down the Russian advance, but it is beaten back by the steady volleys of a Russian Grenadier brigade at 11am. As Murat watches this event the accumulated blood loss from his wound is too much and he slumps from his saddle into the arms of an aide and is rushed from the field to the forlorn cries of his men.
After the Prussian Right Cavalry is beaten back Grawert is forced to send in his Infantry and Bernadotte takes the challenge and sends forward his veteran Infantry columns. The superior French Infantry marches forward and completely overwhelms the fragile line of Prussian troops. The Right Wing is broken by 11:30am and Grawert attempts vainly to hold his force together and is injured in the process as noon approaches.
As the Right Wing breaks the Prussian Advanced Guard and finds itself in dire straight and its scattered remnants retreat. As the Russians advance upon the French Cavalry Reserve the Prussian Left Wing Infantry start to retreat on to the Reserve Infantry still lined up on the Ridge.
As the Prussians retreat the French commanders see it as a opportunity to crush the Prussians before the Russian troops fully engage and sound the advance along the whole front. As the French I and V Corps advance the confused remnants of the Cavalry Reserve do their best to stem the Russian advance, but their energy is spent and the Corps morale is broken at about 12:30pm. Nevertheless, pockets of resistance succeed in slowing the Russians down enough to allow the Infantry of V Corps to close on the Prussians.
Over the next few hours the French advance across the stream and swing down upon the Prussians defending the hills and village. Bernadotte holds his forces off as Lannes makes the final approach and sweeps the Prussians from the hill on the Prussian left and starts to the make headway against the village. The Russians finally manage in sweeping away the final units of the French Reserve Cavalry and descend on the rear of V Corps as it continues to sweep the Prussians from their defensive positions. However, Lannes turns his rear echelons towards the new threat and as darkness approaches the French hold the hill to the Prussian left and the village.