Combat Log, Oberst Willi Langkeit, Abteilung Kommandeur

[SCG_Neun]

Just for fun I thought I would chronicle some of my combat logs for our campaign Operation Winter Storm that we did a couple of years ago.  Of course it's semi historical in that we used the 503rd Heavy Panzer Division that really reported to late to join the battle, but we love those Tiger tanks, especially back then.  Now we run around a lot in our MkIII M in other campaigns.  Anyway, the combat is all true to what really occurred within our Tank Crew combat.  

I just post 2 for now.....in case it turns out to be a bore....:)

Edited June 30, 2022 by SCG_Neun

[Lofte]

22 hours ago, SCG_Neun said:

503rd Heavy Panzer Division

Oh my gosh)) Whole division!) I thought there was only one battalion and even that one somewhere at Rostov-on-Don..)

[SCG_Neun]

You're right, my mistake, I meant Battalion.... On 12 December 1942, Hoth's Fourth Panzer Army's LVII Panzer Corps began its north-eastward drive toward German forces trapped in the Stalingrad pocket. The 6th and 23rd Panzer Divisions made large gains, surprising the Red Army and threatening the rear of the Soviet 51st Army. The German drive was due to be spearheaded by the 503rd heavy tank battalion (Germany) of Tiger I heavy tanks, but the unit did not reach the Don front until the 21st December.  So...it's more about Tiger was a viable asset, had it been in place, so our guys used it...because well, to put it rather mildly, we didn't stand a chance of breaking through without them.

 

Also I said this was semi-historical.....I didn't claim the 503rd was there....but thanks for pointing out the difference in the battalion and division strength, and thanks for reading it.  I just wanted to show how a lot of the combat is similar to the actual accounts I have read.  Of course I use triggers to have soviet AT and some tanks come into action to simulate the excellent concealment capabilities of the Soviets.  

 

In fact when I read the account of this drive I found that our actual timing and locations were right on target with the actual events, not exactly.....but really close.

Edited July 1, 2022 by SCG_Neun

[MajorMagee]

I was just looking at some archive photos of the 503rd's Tigers in this time period (Winter 42/43 near Rostov) and they were sporting turret storage bins borrowed from the Pz.III and IV rather than the later Tiger Rommelkiste.