Schwarzau ETO (id:#62317)

(Vae Victis HS #14 ID: VV70)   [next]   [previous]

Schwarzau, Poland 1945-01-23 (0 others)

No balance information available

Overview:

On 13th January 1945, the Red Army launched its major operation “Vistula-Oder”. The defenders were quickly overwhelmed by a much more powerful and mobile opponent. Lacking reserves, the Germans mobilized some 176 Volkssturm battalions. Most of them, ill-equipped, poorly trained and poorly motivated were swept away, some of them experiencing 80% losses in the process. Some however received proper arms and operated alongside regular army units – one such was the 69th Volkssturm Battalion (VStBtl.69). It received 568 Soviet guns, including the semi-automatic SVT48 and some 30 machine guns of the same origin, but its allowance of panzerfausts was a little thin. The unit departed its training depot on 18th January, but the fluid situation at the front delayed its deployment. Then, made available to the 25th Panzer Division, the VStBtl.69 dug-in on the edges of Schwarzau (Sieradz in Polish). On 22nd January, a first clash took place with two Soviet tanks. One was destroyed by a Panzerfaust, whose jet flame killed its operator, and panic seized part of the Battalion. Some fugitives rejoined their unit the next day before the Russians came back…

Defender: German (Elements Volkssturm Battalion 69 & 25th Panzer Division)  

Errata (source)