The Crossfire rules includes a Stalingrad scenario. I’ve reproduced it here mainly because I wanted a map that was scaled to match my 3″x3″ Generic Building Sectors rather than the 4″x4″ sectors of the original. I’ve taken the liberty to embellish the scenario a bit.
Historical Situation
Setting: Somewhere in Stalingrad; 1942
The scenario could be any part of the conflict in the industrial zone from about 27 Sep 1942. As an example of the historical conflict here is an excerpt from my Timeline of the Battle of Stalingrad for 3 October 1942:
In the Orlovka salient the 115th Special Brigade struggled to fend off the XIV Panzer Corps and intended to break out to the factory area (Fowler, 2005).
At dawn a German infantry regiment with 20 tanks in support attacked 112th Rifle Division (Sologub) (Chuikov, 1963). The Soviets were pushed back to the clearing about 800m east of point 97.7. That night the division pulled back across the River Mechetka.
At 1200 hours the 308th Rifle Division (Gurtiev) counterattacked and drove the Germans north-western sector of the factory buildings, back to the Silicate Factory, and cleared part of the latter (Erickson, 1993; Fowler, 2005). Chuikov (1963) says the division held off German attacks until 1800 hours then withdrew, but he doesn’t mention the earlier attack.
The regiments of 193rd Rifle Division (Smekhotvorov) were reduced to 100-150 men, but they still managed to fight off German attacks on the kitchens, bath house and workers’ flats of the Red October Factory (Chuikov, 1963; Erickson, 1993). The buildings changed hands several times.
The 95th (Gorishny), 284th (Batyuk), 13th Guards (Rodimtsev) Rifle Divisions all beat off German attacks (Chuikov, 1963).
Somehow the bit about the Soviet 308th Rifle Division seems to have the right feel for this scenario. If this this is the historical context then each company in the scenario’s order of battle represents the remains of an entire Soviet regiment.
Mission
The antagonists are locked in a bitter struggle for an industrial section of the city with a factory complex at the centre. Previous fighting has left the combatants interspersed throughout the area and neither side has a clear understanding of where the enemy troops are hidden.
The side that can mass sufficient troops to capture a significant foothold in the area will win the day.
Map/Terrain
I have copied the map from Crossfire p. 42. All I’ve done is:
- Colour it
- In particular change it so Soviet buildings have red chimneys and German buildings have blue chimneys
- Shrink it so the building sectors are 3″x3″ rather than 4″x4″
- Add empty space around the edge so it can go on a 3’x4′ table
Key features are:
- 4’x3′ table
- Buildings, lots of them, all of them 3″x3″ to match Generic Building Sectors on an Urban Grid
- Building complexes – any group of three or more contiguous building sectors
- Factory – a building complex with six building sectors
- The map is divided into Blocks A-D plus Factory.
Pre-game preparation
- Both sides record hidden deployment.
- Throw a die to see who starts with initiative.
German Player
Objective
Seize the factory complex or a city block, and prevent the enemy doing the same.
Forces Available
Two rifle companies including some veterans. No indirect fire weapons.
German Order of Battle
- 1 x Infantry Company
- 1 x CC (Veteran, +2)
- 1 x HMG
- 1 x Rifle Platoon (Veteran): PC (+2); 3 x Rifle Squads
- 2 x Rifle Platoons: PC (+1); 3 x Rifle Squads
- 1 x Infantry Company
- 1 x CC (Veteran, +2)
- 1 x HMG
- 3 x Rifle Platoons: PC (+1); 3 x Rifle Squads
- 2 x Snipers
- Morale: Regular except where noted
- Command & Control: Good, i.e. German
Deployment
All Germans deploy Hidden inside any building sectors with Blue chimneys.
Reinforcements
None.
Soviet Player
Objective
Seize the factory complex or a city block, and prevent the enemy doing the same.
Forces Available
A large rifle company and a reduced strength submachinegun company. No indirect fire weapons.
Soviet Order of Battle
- 1 x Rifle Company
- 1 x CC (Veteran, +1)
- 1 x HMG
- 3 x Rifle Platoons: PC (+1); 4 x Rifle Squads
- 1 x SMG Company
- 1 x CC (Veteran, +1)
- 1 x HMG
- 2 x SMG Platoons: PC (+1; 3 x SMG Squads
- 3 x Snipers
- Morale: Regular except where noted
- Command & Control: Poor, i.e. Russian
Note: in this scenario Russian PCs get +1 for both close combat and rallying.
Deployment
All Soviets deploy Hidden inside any building sectors with Red chimneys.
Reinforcements
None.
Victory Conditions
Terrain objectives.
Immediate Victory is claimed for either side when either of the following conditions are met:
- capture all 6 building sectors in the factory building complex; the six building sectors in the factory City Block but outside the factory building complex itself contribute nothing to victory
- Capture all building sectors in any one City Block (A, B, C or D); the map shows the number of sectors in each
Only Squads, HMGs or CCs may capture building sectors – PCs may not.
Scenario Special Rules
CF 4.4.1a Building Complexes are in use for 3 or more contiguous building sectors. Remember that movement between adjacent building sectors within a building complex never attracts reactive fire.
All building sectors are 2 squad capacity (excluding commanders).
Notes
None.
Small Table Option
The map has a lot of empty space around the built up area. So I squeezed it onto a smaller (3’x3′) map to see how it looks. Probably a bit tight.
References
Conliffe, A. (1996). CrossFire: Rules and organisations for company-level WW-II gaming. Quantum Printing.