After losing all their mid-Dalmatia strongholds, the German army tried to retain Knin as the key to the defense of Western Bosnia. In late November 1944, the town was defended by several Axis units with the 264th Static Division as the main German formation. The Partisans estimated the total enemy forces at 20,000 troops with 20 AFVs and 80 artillery pieces. The attacking forces were part of the 8th NOV Corps with the 19th and 26th Dalmatian Divisions as the major units. Using British equipment, including guns and battle-dresses, the Partisan infantry also received the welcome support of part of the 1st Tank Brigade and some artillery.
Attacker: Partisan (NOVJ) (Partisans of the 26th Dalmatian Division and Armor from 1st Tank Brigade)
Defender: German/Croatian (Reinforced elements of the 26th Infanterie Division)
In Axis OB, replace "see SSR 2 and SSR 3" with "see SSR 2 and SSR 4" // In Partisan OB partisan, replace "see SSR 4 and SSR 5" with "see SSR 3 and SSR 4"
LFT website
Players wanting to play this game/Request a match:
This scenario poses challenges for both sides, though tougher I believe for the Axis. The Partisans have to deal with all sorts of fortifications plus a couple nice guns, while the Axis have a number of factors against them: poor ELR, lots of VC hexes to maintain control of, superior Partisan weaponry and abilities (OBA, vehicles, heavy mortar, stealth). The name of the game for the defense is, of course, delay. I figured my tanks could not stand up to the enemy, so I drove them into buildings and concealed them. Meanwhile my token resistance on Board 10 was easily dealt, and by the start of Turn 3 the Partisans were already on my doorstep. My HIP mortar crew in the woodsline never even fired a shot, but did bag themselves a Stuart with a PF. My heavy wire in the east redirected a large part of the Allied force west. The two buildings over there were the next to fall, but it took the Allies 3 turns to accomplish this, and the next course of action would involve them having to cross two streets, one guarded by my HMG, and the other by my AT beast. Another Stuart was soon flamed by him, but my HMG squad was forced to abandon their cubbyhole when their gun overheated and they were swarmed by infantry. Thankfully they were able to ambush withdraw back behind Partisan lines, and eventually fix their gun. The next turn saw the East building finally fall, while the AEC busted up the guarding PB machine gunners. With two turns to go it would be a tight finish. I still had three of my four HIP HS in the upper reaches of VC buildings, but Partisan momentum was building and I was running low on bodies to keep them at bay. Turn 7 saw me lose my gun to overheating, and a tank to CC (allowing him to take his 5th building), but my sniper broke the squad holding the southernmost building, who just happened to be guarding a full squad's worth of prisoners. They successfully revolted and rearmed, but he moved another squad and his radio operator there to maintain control of the building. A CH by my tank killed an important squad in DD7, while my other tank immobilized his last remaining tank (his AEC was stuck behind wall and wire). My newly armed conscripts killed his one squad in the south, but his 8-0 still remained to keep control of the building. The last Turn went all my way though, as one of my HIP HS bagged a DC-toting AE while guarding one building, his 8-1 and accompanying 5-2-7 were broken crossing the street while trying to take another, and my sniper went off and drilled his 8-0 in the head, giving me a very pleasant surprise by allowing me to retake a building. Now needing to take two buildings, the Partisans conceded. A very exciting and tense game!