West German Campaign
SN1 Leading the Way
20 Jul14:00 - 20:00 |
vs
| @ Ebelsbach
The unthinkable had happened: the 48-hour General Defense Plan (GDP) was rendered useless by a sudden, unanticipated Warsaw Pact offensive. Despite suffering from heavy jamming, relentless airstrikes, and precision surface-to-surface missile (SSM) attacks, Panzerbataillon 363 (PzBtl 363) rapidly mustered from its peacetime positions. Rushed mobilization saw them rolling into action under fragmented communications and with only a hazy battlefield picture. By mid-morning, reports of friendly and enemy positions were sparse, leaving much of the brigade fighting blind. After nearly eight grueling hours, PzBrig 36 began to coalesce, reforming into a cohesive combat force as the need for action reached critical urgency.
Intelligence painted a grim picture. Elements of the Nationale Volksarmee (NVA) 4. Motorisierte Schützendivision (4. MSD) had been spotted bypassing Bamberg and pushing west. Civilian reports confirmed the enemy avoided urban centers where the 1st Armored Division (1 AD) and 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment (2 ACR) were mounting stubborn defenses. Instead, the 4. MSD aimed for Hassfurt, a critical pre-war staging area for the Second "Spartan" Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division (3 ID). Under the GDP, the Spartans were tasked with a decisive thrust northward toward Bad Königshofen, targeting the nerve center of the 8th Guards Army (8 GA).
But the war’s sudden onset forced all plans into disarray. PzDiv 12 and the Spartans were caught off guard and forced to adapt under fire. For the West Germans, the mission was clear: the Spartans’ movements must remain undetected and unimpeded at all costs.
Attempts to establish contact with the 2 ACR failed, dangerously exposing the left flank. With no time to waste, PzBrig 36 was ordered to advance from Bad Mergentheim to Ebelsbach, establishing the Main River as their line of departure. PzBtl 363, hastily task-organized and supported by the brigade's assets, was chosen to spearhead the operation. The battalion’s Leopard 2 tanks would lead the charge into the teeth of the enemy’s advance, setting the stage for a brutal clash at Ebelsbach.
As the sun dipped lower in the sky, the men of PzBtl 363 prepared for their moment. Their mission was clear: to fight the enemy and ensure the path to victory remained open.
Scenario by Stimpak, and JohnO | Map by Alexander Schwarz
SN2 Uphill Struggle
21 Jul03:00 - 09:00 |
vs
| @ Bamberg
Following their decisive destruction of the 4. Motorisierte Schützendivision (4. MSD) spearhead, PzBrig 36, pivoted east toward the still-smoldering ruins of Schesslitz. The area had already become a crucible of combat, leaving the Warsaw Pact in partial control.
By the previous night’s end, Pact forces had established fire dominance over Schesslitz and the critical Bundestrasse B505 and B22 highways. This control secured a vital approach to Bamberg, putting NATO forces in a precarious position. The B505/B22 route offered the Nationale Volksarmee (NVA) a direct line to Hassfurt—key for the recently withdrawn 2nd Brigade (Spartan), 3rd Infantry Division (2BDE, 3ID) to re-enter the fight. Complicating matters, the 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division (3BDE, 1AD) was regrouping south of Bamberg, exposed to renewed enemy pressure.
The strategic stakes were high. Securing Bamberg would give the Warsaw Pact control over the vital B279 highway, a critical artery for NATO’s 12. Panzerdivision (12. PzDiv). Losing it would not only isolate 2BDE and 3ID’s objective at Bad Königshofen but also disrupt their supply routes as they pushed north.
As dawn neared, the battered Motorisierte Schützenregiment 21 (MSR-21) of the NVA had entrenched themselves on the commanding high ground surrounding Schesslitz. This terrain dominated the town and the B505/B22 routes, creating a natural chokepoint. Overnight, Soviet reinforcements, led by the fresh Panzerregiment 4 (PR-4), began executing a forward passage of lines to seize Schesslitz and drive northwest. Meanwhile, Motorisierte Schützenregiment 23 (MSR-23) prepared to intercept the advancing American forces, aiming to delay them long enough for follow-on Soviet echelons to consolidate and press their offensive.
The West Germans were not caught off guard. The Panzerkampfgruppe (PzKpfGr) deployed their forces precisely, ready to meet the enemy’s downhill charge head-on. As the first light crept over the battlefield, their resolve was clear: crush the Soviet advance in a single, decisive engagement.
Scenario by Stimpak, and JohnO | Map by William van der Sterren
SN3 Night Knights
21 Jul22:00 - 06:00 |
vs
| @ Lichtenfels
At this stage, the Nationale Volksarmee (NVA) 4. Motorisierte Schützendivision (4. MSD) moved further east and adopted a purely defensive posture, effectively removing them from the operational battle. Meanwhile, to their northwest, the 11. Motorisierte Schützendivision (11. MSD) pushed south to secure the B4 highway, containing pockets of resistance for the advancing Warsaw Pact forces to annihilate.
Panzerbattalion 363 (PzBtl 363) was relieved by Panzerbattalion 361 (PzBtl 361), and fell back to the B4, joined by Panzergrenadierbattalion 364 (PzGrenBtl 364), preparing for a northward maneuver. By this point, their initial guarding mission was complete as the 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) began its northward advance toward Bad Königshofen, catching the 8th Guards Army (8 GA) off guard.
Now, a full-scale counteroffensive was set to begin. Panzerbrigade 36 (PzBrig 36), supported by all available firepower, advanced into the Lichtenfels district, screening the Spartan Brigade on its eastern flank and driving north along the B4 toward the "Coburg Gap."
This action had three objectives: to screen the 2nd Brigade 3rd Infantry Division (2BDE 3 ID) during its advance, secure a staging area for future offensives, and clear a path toward the American forces still encircled near Coburg.
Scenario by Stimpak, and JohnO | Map by Alexander Schwarz
SN4 The Coburg Pocket
22 Jul10:00 - 20:00 |
vs
| @ Coburg
As the war erupted across Franconia, the Hindenburg Kaserne in Coburg was obliterated in a surprise attack that marked the beginning of intense hostilities. The 4th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment (4 SQD, 4 CAV) conducting a routine border patrol was caught off guard by devastating artillery barrages and a sudden communications blackout. Within hours, the Soviet 39th Guards Motor Rifle Division (39 GMRD) bypassed Coburg, leaving a trail of destruction: Bravo Troop annihilated, squadron headquarters and the Air Cavalry unit neutralized by a VX gas attack, and Alpha Troop trapped in the rugged hills southeast of Rödental.
The Nationale Volksarmee 11th Motorized Rifle Division (11. MSD) was tasked with securing the strategic B4 route. Their orders were to contain the remaining U.S. forces, preventing their escape and clearing the way for the Soviet 20 GMRD to deliver the finishing blow. Despite being outnumbered and outgunned, the American troopers leveraged their intimate knowledge of the terrain and Soviet tactics to mount a tenacious defense. A handful of M3 Bradleys conducted harassing actions, delaying entire regiments. Yet, their situation grew increasingly dire with dwindling supplies, exhaustion, and no relief.
Relief came in Panzerbrigade 36 (PzBrig 36) after a grueling fight through the 11. MSD the previous day, the brigade—spearheaded by Panzerbataillon 363 (PzBtl 363)—was advancing north. Their path was marked by the wreckage of NVA T-55s from Panzerregiment 11 (PR-11), leaving no doubt of their momentum. The German armor’s mission was twofold: break through to the besieged U.S. forces and destroy the remnants of the 11.MSD then prepared to blunt the advancing Soviet forces.
The stakes were high. Holding Coburg was critical to denying the Soviets a vital entry point into West Germany and securing the flank for a major NATO counteroffensive brewing further east. As PzBrig 36 thundered north, the clock was ticking for the defenders of the Coburg Pocket.
Scenario by Stimpak, and JohnO | Map by Alexander Schwarz
SN5 Operation Entgleisen
24 Jul08:00 - 20:00 |
vs
| @ Lichtenfels
Panzerbrigade 36 (PzBrig 36) operated in what should have been the enemy's rear area—or at least it would have been had a continuous frontline still existed. The brigade was at the edge of its communication range with 12 Panzerdivision (12 PzDiv), and relentless Soviet electronic warfare (EW) interference complicated already tenuous coordination. Sporadic and fragmented reports indicated Soviet activity on all sides, including unverified claims that the enemy had advanced as far as Heilbronn.
For the troops, such rumors were a bitter pill. If Heilbronn had fallen, Bad Mergentheim had likely also succumbed to the Soviet advance. Each passing day reinforced a grim reality: the forward NATO defenses had collapsed, local Territorial Army units were still scrambling to organize, and the specter of a nuclear escalation loomed larger.
Yet, all was not lost. NATO forces had secured the Coburg Gap, and the troops that had pushed the Soviets back to the border regrouped with a renewed sense of purpose. If the Soviets had plunged deep into Baden-Württemberg, their logistical lines would be overextended, presenting an opportunity for exploitation.
At dawn on 24 July, PzBrig 36 developed a bold counteroffensive plan. Panzerbataillon 361 (PzBtl 361) battered and nearly combat-ineffective after holding the eastern flank of the B4 highway against relentless Nationale Volksarmee (NVA) and Soviet attacks, was absorbed into Panzerbataillon 363 (PzBtl 363), which had itself endured days of heavy fighting. Meanwhile, Panzerbataillon 362 (PzBtl 362) and Panzergrenadierbataillon 364 (PzGrenBtl 364) spearhead the brigade’s renewed offensive effort.
The focus of the operation was Lichtenfels, a strategic rail and transport hub now heavily fortified by elements of the Soviet 18th Guards Motorized Rifle Division (18 GMRD). Unbeknownst to the division’s leadership, their entrenched positions had become the centerpiece of PzBrig 36’s counterattack. The town’s critical infrastructure—bridges, roads, and railways—served as lifelines for the advancing Soviet 48th Motorized Rifle Division (48 MRD), 20th Guards Motorized Rifle Division (20 GMRD), and 15th Tank Division (15 TD).
The Soviets are expected to defend Lichtenfels at all costs. The stage was set for a high-stakes battle, where victory could determine the momentum of the war in Southern Germany.
Scenario by Stimpak, and JohnO | Map by Alexander Schwarz
SN6 The Blood Trail
25 Jul04:00 - 09:00 |
vs
| @ Kronach
Time was scarce, and the battlefield offered little reprieve. Despite the heavy casualties sustained by Panzerbrigade 36 (PzBrig 36), Panzerbataillon 363 (PzBtl 363) retained sufficient strength to execute a bold and devastating raid deep into Soviet-held territory. Their assault struck at the heart of the enemy's logistics and command network, leaving the Soviet sector reeling.
The 18th Guards Motorized Rifle Division (18 GMRD) commander was caught off guard. He had not anticipated such a decisive breakthrough by a relatively small NATO force. His defenses were ill-prepared to face such determined resistance this close to the German border. With his headquarters at risk, the Soviet general scrambled to stabilize his crumbling lines and protect his command.
By dawn, Jägerbataillon 126 (JgBtl 126) had reached PzBtl 363 northern flank. Ahead of them loomed rugged hills and dense forest, a landscape favoring the light infantry's expertise. Loaded with extra ammunition, the battalion prepared for a dangerous mission: infiltrate the hostile terrain northwest of Kronach to disrupt Soviet logistics and communications long after the main German force had moved on. The odds were grim; it was almost certainly a suicide mission. Yet, in the chaos of war, such operations had proven unexpectedly effective.
With the 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) having accomplished its primary objective and inflicted significant damage on the Soviet forces, the time had come to regroup and return to the front lines.
But before that, one final raid awaited...
Scenario by Stimpak, and JohnO | Map by Alexander Schwarz
SN7 One Last Catfight
25 Jul17:00 - 01:00 |
vs
| @ Kulmbach
The operation had been a hard-fought success. In a relentless sweep through the operational hinterland, Panzerbrigade 36 had inflicted significant damage on Warsaw Pact forces. Two Soviet divisions had been worn down, a third effectively annihilated, and critical supply chains running through the Coburg and Hof gaps were thrown into chaos. With luck, their actions would delay the Soviet advance by at least a day, buying precious time and weakening the effectiveness of the forward divisions.
Now came the hard part—withdrawal. Ivan wasn’t making it easy. Despite Panzerbattaillon 363's stellar performance, the rest of the brigade had fared far worse. Panzerbattaillon 362 and Panzergrenadierbattaillon 364 had been battered by fierce counterattacks supported by overwhelming Soviet artillery. The situation grew even grimmer as brigade-sized Warsaw Pact forces pushed south from the border, rolling over the stretched defensive screens of West German and American troops.
The U.S. 3rd Infantry Division had been forced back to the Bavarian border, while the 1st Armored Division was similarly mauled. With the dust settling over the battlefield, Panzerbrigade 36 stood alone, its flanks exposed and the enemy closing in.
The situation was dire: ammunition reserves were critically low, the soldiers were utterly exhausted, casualties were mounting, and communications were becoming unreliable. Staying in place meant annihilation, while surrender was unthinkable. The only option left was to break out.
Once again, Panzerbattaillon 363 was given the lead in the desperate mission to carve a path to safety. Their objective: punch through the remnants of the shattered 18th Guards Motorized Rifle Division east of the ruins of Kulmbach.
If successful, the brigade could evacuate its wounded and salvage its remaining equipment. But success came with no guarantees—Warsaw Pact forces would be in relentless pursuit. A rearguard action was inevitable to buy precious time for the brigade’s retreat, and the cost would be high.
For Panzerbrigade 36, this would be their final stand as a cohesive fighting force.
Scenario by Stimpak, and JohnO | Map by William van der Sterren