Operation: Airbase Rostov

OPERATION: Airbase rostov

Description: As Hitler’s planned 10-week invasion of the Soviet Union entered its 6^th month, the German Army faced stiffening Russian resistance and deteriorating weather conditions. In what would become Army Group South’s final offensive operations in 1941, the port town of Rostov became the target of the Blitzkrieg.

Capturing the town of Rostov would cut off areas east from the vast shipping lanes of the Black sea, as well as provide a launching point for an invasion of the Caucasus.

The job of capturing Rostov fell to von Kleist’s 1^st Panzer Group recently redesignated the 1^st Panzer Army. Facing von Kleist was the recently reinforced 9^th Soviet Army under Kharitonov, and the 56^th Independent Army under Remezov. On November 16^th, in a temperature of nearly –20°C, the attack on Rostov began.*

Crucial to the German Blitzkrieg tactics was securing enemy airfields and preventing enemy aircraft from entering the fight. Operation: Airbase Rostov depicts one such battle for control of a tactically critical Soviet airfield.*

Special Rules:

1. Snow rules are in effect, movement is halved for all units except AFV’s. Movement along roads is not affected by snow. Minefield attacks +1.

2. Russians set up using Hidden Initial Placement.

3. Germans move onto board on turn 1.

Victory Conditions: The Germans win if they can capture the airfield and prevent any aircraft from taking off.

Special Rules:

Offboard Artillery – 3 rounds of 88mm Artillery to be resolved prior to Turn 1.
Paratroop Drops – German Assault troops will enter the game via Paratroop Drop.
Stukas – A die roll of 1at the start of the German Players turn results in a Stuka attack.

German Forces:

Assault Co. of the 1^st Battalion, 421^st Infantry Division.

1^st Panzer Army, elements 13^th Panzer Division (arrive Turn 5 from west edge).

Victory Conditions: The Russians win if they can get 2 aircraft off the ground within the first half hour of the attack (Turn 15).

Special Rules:

1. The Russians set up using Hidden Initial Placement.

2. Russians place minefields (64 Factors) prior to start.

3. Russian Aircraft - The Russian Pilots are in the Hangar building at the start of Turn 1. On Turn 4, the Pilots may move to their planes using normal movement for squads. The Pilots must spend 3 turns at their planes for start-up and inspection without being fired at. If the pilots are fired at, that turn does not count towards inspection. After the inspection, the plane must taxi 1 turn, and may take off on the second. The plane may be fired at as a moving AFV. As one plane takes off, another may taxi into position.

Russian Forces:

Elements 9^th Army, Rostov NKVD Garrison (set up using Hidden Initial Placement).

Elements North Caucasus Military District (arrive Turn 7 from south edge).

Aftermath:

The initial German attack on Rostov was successful. By November 20, Rostov had been taken with 10,000 Red Army prisoners.

Remezov’s 56 Independent Army then counter attacked across the Don, trying to cut off Rostov from the West. Kharitonov’s 9^th Army also attacked from the north, trying to cut off the 1^st Panzer Army from Army Group South.

The General order to withdraw from the Don was almost complete, when on November 28, Hitler gave the order to stand and fight. By the end of November, the Germans had been pushed back to their original position along the Mius, where they would remain until the following summer.

Although the action at Rostov was not a major reverse for the Germans, it marked the first time in the Second World War that the German Army was checked.*

* The Russo-German War, Albert Seaton, 1971 Preager Publishers