Developer’s Preview
Romanian Soil: Battles for Targu Frumos, 1944
By Doug McNair
February 2009

Designer Mike Perryman continues to expand the list of Panzer Grenadier offerings with his latest: a comprehensive treatment of the Red Army offensive and German counterattacks near the vital Romanian crossroads town of Targu Frumos. In Romanian Soil, the divisions of Germany’s eastern ally play a key role along with one of Germany’s most celebrated: Grossdeutschland Panzer Grenadier Division. And like our recent offering North of Elsenborn, Romanian Soil is a nice mix of Allied attacks and Axis counterattacks, giving each side plenty to do.

A summary of all ten scenarios in Romanian Soil with commentary by me follows. Enjoy!

Scenario One
Booted from Botosani
7 April 1944

The town of Botosani controlled the road net (such as it was) east of the Seret River, so 40th Army designated it as a first-day objective for 2nd Ukrainian Front’s upcoming offensive. In late March, Gen. Otto Wöhler had started pulling Romanian formations from the front lines as soon as German ones became available, because he was convinced the Romanians “had no discernable desire to fight.” But the Romanians were still at Botosani when the Red Army attacked.

Note: This scenario uses boards and pieces from Eastern Front and Road to Berlin. Only use Soviet leaders from Road to Berlin.

Conclusion

The Romanians put up what defense they could, and then withdrew southward with the enemy in hot pursuit. The 8th Infantry Division had just returned to the front after being decimated at Odessa in 1941, and would soon be destroyed again.

Developer’s Commentary

Here a badly-outnumbered Romanian infantry division must use defensible terrain as best it can to slow the initial advance of the Red Army’s 232nd Rifle Division. Factors working in the Romanians’ favor include the fact that the Soviets don’t have armor support or superior morale (both of which are crucial for any attacker trying to take town hexes in assaults). Still, Soviet numbers will tell over time, so I made the victory point schedule tougher on them than usual.

Scenario Two
Steamrolled at Coarnele-Capru
7 April 1944

The last natural barrier between the Soviets and their primary objective of Tirgu Frumos was Coarnele-Capru. Despite Marshal Ion Antonescu’s devotion to the Axis, most Romanian soldiers were concerned only with their own survival and the officers had stopped wearing any German decorations awarded them. The only positive from their perspective was the fact that the Soviet logistical system was breaking down after three months of constant maneuvering, leaving Red Army formations significantly under strength.

Note: This scenario uses boards from Battle of the Bulge and Elsenborn Ridge, boards and pieces from Eastern Front and Road to Berlin, and a BM-13 piece from Red Warriors. Only use Soviet leaders from Road to Berlin.

Conclusion

The combination of poor equipment and morale had undermined the defenders’ ability to resist so much that the muddy ground proved more of an impediment to securing the village than the Romanians. In the fighting around Stalingrad, 7th Infantry Division had been bled white and did not see action again until late 1943. When it re-entered the fray, it contained only 6,500 men and the artillery park consisted of only four 75mm field guns and two 100mm howitzers. The Germans refused to supply them with adequate artillery or armor support, but were always ready to slander their fighting ability.

Developer’s Commentary

This is nearly the opposite of the last scenario: The Romanian defenders actually outnumber their attackers, but instead of unsupported infantry the Soviets are attacking with a combined-arms force of tanks and SMG units supported by rocket launchers and off-board artillery. The Romanians have nearly no AT capability, so they’ve got to try and pin down the Red Army tanks in town assaults or they will simply wither under close-range combined fire from Soviet tanks and infantry.

Scenario Three
Slowing the Juggernaut
9 April 1944

Marshal Ivan Konev of 2nd Ukranian Front identified Targu Frumos as his main target thanks to its strategic position. Interrogations of German prisoners revealed that the Axis would stand around Kishinev before falling back to the Romanian Strunga Line. Taking Targu Frumos would outflank the Kishinev position from the northwest and unravel the German line. If the Soviets could strike quickly, Konev believed, they could isolate and destroy the entire Axis force on the Romanian front.

Note: This scenario uses boards from Elsenborn Ridge, boards and pieces from Eastern Front, and pieces from Road to Berlin and Red Warriors. Only use Soviet leaders from Road to Berlin.

Conclusion

Gen. Wöhler knew the Romanian 7th Infantry Division could not deal with the two enemy tank corps now assaulting it, so he quickly dispatched a battle group of 12 tanks and a battalion of panzer grenadiers from 24th Panzer Division to the area. The next day when the Soviets resumed their advance, the Germans attacked their flank. Heavy fighting ensued, and while the Axis were forced back almost to Podu Iloaie the German counterattack kept the Soviets from reinforcing their infantry fighting at Targu Frumos. That bought the Germans enough time to bring in more forces to deal with the situation.

Developer’s Commentary

Here the brave Romanian infantry finally gets some support from the Germans. Between them, the German and Romanian infantry equal the Red Army infantry in numbers, but the Soviet tanks greatly outnumber their German counterparts. The Germans need to be very careful to use the hill and woods terrain on the board to shield their Panthers from crossfire attacks, which are the Soviet player’s best means of eliminating German armored opposition.

Scenario Four
Engineers Really Can Do Anything
9 April 1944

Targu Frumos had an importance all out of proportion to its size; its loss would threaten two German and two Romanian armies with encirclement. When word reached Gen. Wöhler that the Romanians had been driven from there, he ordered Grossdeutschland Division to rectify the situation at once. As luck would have it they had already been ordered eastward, and were currently arriving on the battlefield. Their engineer battalion was one of the first to arrive, and without waiting for help they took the fight to the enemy.

Note: This scenario uses a board and pieces from Elsenborn Ridge, and pieces from Eastern Front and Road to Berlin. Only use Soviet leaders from Road to Berlin.

Conclusion

Drawing on all their hard-won experience, the outnumbered engineers of Grossdeutschland managed to wedge themselves into the southern part of the town. Once there they refused to be driven off and later that night German reinforcements would arrive to drive the Soviets out before daylight.

Developer’s Commentary

Here’s a quick scenario where the engineer battalion must do what its historical counterpart did: rush the town and gain a foothold there, taking control of enough town hexes to win the scenario on victory points. It won’t be a cakewalk because the Germans don’t have much time and are outnumbered by the Soviet defenders, but superior German morale and the column shift bonus which ENG units get in town assaults will make a big difference.

Scenario Five
Situation Under Control
10 April 1944

With his engineer battalion fighting for control of Targu Frumos, Gen. Hasso von Manteuffel needed to get the rest of his Grossdeutschland Division there without delay. On the morning after the engineers took the town, he brought the rest of Grossdeutchland into action along the Podu Iloaie-Targu Frumos road.

Note: This scenario uses boards from Elsenborn Ridge, boards and pieces from Eastern Front, and pieces from Road to Berlin. Only use Soviet leaders from Road to Berlin.

Conclusion

The Soviets had been so absorbed in their own offensive that they ignored the signs of an imminent counterstrike. Grossdeutschland took full advantage of this by securing Podu Iloaie and continuing westward to secure Targu Frumos, pocketing a large number of Soviets in the process. But the Germans lacked the infantry to properly seal the pocket, and throughout the night trapped Soviet troops filtered back northward through enemy lines to reach safety.

Developer’s Commentary

Here Grossdeutshland strikes the vital blow that begins the end of 2nd Ukranian Front’s offensive. The Germans attack with a powerful combined-arms force including Tiger tanks, while the Soviet 202nd Rifle Division has no armor support at all. For that reason, I set the bar high for German victory, giving them several objectives and requiring them to achieve most of them to win.

Scenario Six
A Slow Response
10 April 1944

After pushing aside a rifle division at Podu Iloaie, Grossdeutschland replaced the shock units with new ones and continued westward. Among the shock units were a group of Romanians with an attitude, riding on the lead tanks. Initially little opposition was encountered as the 93rd Guards Rifle Division was still trying to re-orient itself to meet this new threat.

Note: This scenario uses maps and pieces from Eastern Front and Road to Berlin, and possibly pieces from Red Warriors (see Soviet Reinforcements below).

Conclusion

The Soviets still lacked the ability to respond rapidly to changing conditions on the battlefield. This led to the majority of 93rd Guards Rifle division being trapped behind enemy lines, leaving Targu Frumos inadequately defended. Most of the pocketed Soviet soldiers managed to work their way back to friendly lines over the next few days.

Developer’s Commentary

Here the Germans run into Soviet Guards, who match them on morale and are thus a much tougher nut to crack. But the Guards are outnumbered and have no armor support, so it will be all they can do to hold the road and hope that they receive enough reinforcements (which are determined turn-by-turn via random die rolls) to keep from being overwhelmed.

Scenario Seven
The Guards Move Forward
10 April 1944

An often overlooked reason for Grossdeutschland’s success (especially in German accounts) was the forceful pinning attacks mounted by the Romanians farther south. One such attack was carried out at Ganesti by Romania’s battle-hardened 1st Guards Division. Viewing the Royal Guards as a symbol of political reaction, Red Army kommisars encouraged a particular dislike for the Romanian division, one heartily returned by its officers.

Note: This scenario uses maps from Elsenborn Ridge and pieces from Eastern Front and Road to Berlin. Only use Soviet leaders from Road to Berlin.

Conclusion

While Soviet Guards received their designation for outstanding performance in battle, the Romanian Royal Guards Division had conducted ceremonial duties before the war and the prestige of assignment to the unit assured that it received the Army’s best young officers and recruits. Hard experience in front of Odessa assured that the division was no mere set of parade-ground soldiers and they performed admirably under trying conditions. Despite their lack of heavy weapons support, the Royal Guards pressed forward hard enough to secure Ganesti and tie up the Soviet 206th Rifle Division so it could not send forces northward to deal with Grossdeutschland.

Developer’s Commentary

Another quick scenario in which the Romanians get some revenge against the Red Army. The Royal Guards Division troops outnumber the Soviet defenders by more than two to one, but they have no armor support so a successful capture of the town of Ganesti is far from a sure thing.

Scenario Eight
Forward Again
12 April 1944

The German counterattack totally frustrated the Soviets, but two days later they had reorganized their forces and were ready to push forward again. Their main effort would fall on the small village of Totoesti, held by Lt. Gen. Maximilian von Edelsheim's 24th Panzer Division, a converted cavalry division with a poor fighting record. Edelsheim had greatly improved the division's performance, but he would need his troops to exceed that standard if the Axis line was to hold.

Note: This scenario uses a map from Battle of the Bulge, maps and pieces from Elsenborn Ridge and Road to Berlin, and pieces from Eastern Front and Red Warriors. Only use leader pieces from Road to Berlin.

Conclusion

The initial Soviet assault by a brigade of tanks and one of motorized infantry broke through the German lines and threatened to unhinge the Axis position. But Edelsheim's troops reacted promptly, with the division's reserve battle group rolling to the sound of the guns. The Germans pushed the Soviets back to their starting positions, and by nightfall all of the fighting positions held that morning once again contained German armored cavalrymen.

Developer’s Commentary

Here the Soviets get their best shot at re-starting their offensive, with huge numbers of infantry backed by T-34C and T-34/85 tanks driving southward in an attempt to retake the Targu Frumos road and the towns along it. Unfortunately for them, the forces spearheading the attack are standard Red Army and not higher-morale Guards, who would have a much better chance of breaking the German line.

Scenario Nine
And Again
13 April 1944

Marshal Konev had given firm orders to Lt. Gen. S.I Bogdanov of Second Tank Army: the salient held 24th Panzer Division was to be eliminated. Having failed with one of his two tank corps, Bogdanov now committed his other, fresh corps and attached additional infantry for the assault. Twice as many tanks would be used, with the main thrust shifted slightly to the west to accommodate the larger forces.

Note: This scenario uses a map from Battle of the Bulge, maps and pieces from Elsenborn Ridge, Eastern Front and Road to Berlin, and pieces from Red Warriors. Only use leader pieces from Road to Berlin.

Conclusion

Though Bogdanov had sent in a larger force, Edelsheim's men were ready for them and the Soviets only made limited gains. The division's reserve attacked again, and restored the initial German line when threats against both of 3rd Tank Corps' flanks forced the Red Army formation to pull back. With Bogdanov clearly stopped, Konev consulted with Stavka and agreed the offensive should halt until two fresh armies could join 2nd Ukrainian Front.

Developer’s Commentary

This is essentially a larger version of Scenario Eight, with the Soviets attacking on a broader front and thus forcing the Germans to spread their forces more thinly to contain the advance. But once again the main attacking force is standard Red Army and not Guards, and thus suffers from having lower morale than the German defenders. The Soviets do get reinforcements from 3rd Guards Rifle Division halfway through the game, but it’s only one battalion, which won’t make much of a difference if the main assault has bogged down by then.

Scenario Ten
When Elites Meet
13 April 1944

Unsure whether the Soviet offensive had really ended, Lt. Gen. Hasso von Manteuffel of Grossdeutschland Division ordered a series of small-scale attacks to expand his defensive perimeter around Targu Frumos. The Soviet 3rd Guards Airborne Division had entered the line, and Manteuffel reasoned that a spoiling attack might also upset Soviet plans should they be preparing a fresh attack.

Note: This scenario uses a map from Elsenborn Ridge, and a map and pieces from Road to Berlin and pieces from Eastern Front. Only use leaders from Road to Berlin.

Conclusion

Like their German counterparts at this time, Soviet airborne troops often weren’t jump-trained but were utilized as elite infantry. But unlike the Fallschirmjägers, they were equipped the same as a regular (Guards) infantry division, relying on their élan to carry the day. Unfortunately for them, their antagonist this day was also an elite unit and lavishly equipped with armor and heavy weapons to boot. Grossdeutschland overwhelmed the Guards and advanced to the north of Harmanesti by noon. Pressure from other Soviet forces in the area forced them to pull-back somewhat, but at nightfall the German lines were over three miles northwest of Targu Frumos.

Developer’s Commentary

Here’s a quick scenario where the Germans outnumber the Soviets two-to-one, and German mobility and firepower are enhanced by the fact that each GREN unit has an SPW 251 halftrack unit supporting it. The Guards will have a tough time holding the town, so I made the victory point schedule tougher on the Germans than usual.

That covers all of Romanian Soil. Stay tuned for more Panzer Grenadier releases coming soon, including the long-awaited Cassino ’44!

Romanian Soil is now available in print and download—order now!