In a Dark Wood - Warsaw Pact Order of Battle

Comrades! In this special edition of the Pravda we will meticulously examine the glorious Socialist forces assigned to liberating the proletariat in southern Germany, oppressed by the illegal government of Bonn and their capitalist collaborators from the American VII Corps and other NATO lackeys, already described in a previous issue of the Pravda.

This sector of the Western Theatre will be covered by the fourth module of the Marxist - Leninist doctrinally correct C3 series, designated as object C3-1985-4 "In a Dark Wood".

And remember, the Motherland needs you! Report to the Western Military Commissariat at info@TRLGames.com to volunteer immediately for OPERATION LADOGA, also known as OPERATION APEX PREDATOR in the decadent capitalist countries.

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Finding any coherent historical Warsaw Pact plans for a war against NATO is nearly impossible. Most available plans are heavily influenced by political agendas, starting with a NATO attack followed by a Warsaw Pact counteroffensive, often involving indiscriminate use of tactical nuclear weapons from the outset. Additionally, the expected rate of advance for Warsaw Pact forces is utterly unrealistic, likely the result of either excessive vodka consumption or the need to appease the Politburo.

An improbable Czechoslovakian war plan, reaching Nurnberg by D+2.

The Warsaw Pact's strategic plan used for the C3 series, codenamed Operation Ladoga, focuses its main effort on northern Germany, specifically in the BAOR and West German / Dutch I Corps sectors (see The Dogs of War and Die Festung Hamburg modules).

Therefore, the Warsaw Pact's objective in southern Germany is not a grand breakthrough to the Rhine, but a deliberate, energetic offensive to pin down and inflict as much damage as possible to the NATO forces and the incoming reinforcements in the sector.

To this end, some formations from the Belorussian and Carpathian Military Districts began mobilizing early to be ready by D0, providing the offensive in the Southern sector with sufficient punching power. The full Czechoslovak People's Army is also present, bringing four first-line divisions, and an additional four second-line divisions within a few days.

Let's go down to the details of the Warsaw Pact forces that will engage US VII Corps in the Wurzburg - Nurnberg sector.

The Soviet Forces

The main Soviet formation is the 28th Combined Arms Army from the Belorussian Military District, including the following units:

• 6th Guards Tank Division (CAT II)
• 28th Tank Division (CAT III)
• 50th Motorised Rifle Division (CAT III)
• 111th Artillery Regiment (2S5 Hyacint-S, 2A36 Hyacint-B)
• 1199th Artillery Regiment (9P140 Uragan MLRS)
• 330th Helicopter Regiment (Mi-24)
• 233rd Missile Brigade (9K714 Oka)

Soviet 6th Guards Tank Division

The following additional formations are also available:

• 24th Motorised Rifle Division (CAT II, Carpathian MD)
• 39th Independent Landing-Assault Brigade (Carpathian MD)

While the Soviets are missing their usual huge numbers of ground troops, they can count on a heavy fire support from four missile brigades, mostly from the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany. 

• 119th Missile Brigade (TR-1 Temp-S, GSFG)
• 164th Missile Brigade (9K72 Elbrus, GSFG)
• 175th Guards Missile Brigade (9K72 Elbrus, GSFG)
• 185th Guards Missile Brigade (9K72 Elbrus, Central Group of Forces)

Mass firepower and bombardment of strategic objectives could make a difference in a sector where the difficult terrain limits the space of manoeuvre to a few, well identified roads.

Soviet 164th Missile Brigade

The Czechoslovak People's Army

On short and medium term, Czechoslovakia can contribute to the liberation of Europe with two armies from Western Military District: The 1st Army including four first-line division, and the 4th Army with four second-line divisions.

The equipment of these two armies is on average below the standard of the Soviet units in eastern Europe. The most used MBT is still the T-54/T-55, and the self-propelled / towed artillery ratio is far from optimal as at least half of the division-level artillery still uses old M-30 / D-30 towed guns.

Moreover, it must be noted that the Czech tank regiments include only one motorised rifle company each, making them practically "pure" tank units.

Czech 1st Army

• 1st Tank Division (1st Line)
• 2nd Motorised Rifle Division (1st Line)
• 19th Motorised Rifle Division (1st Line)
• 20th Motorised Rifle Division (1st Line)
• 321st Heavy Artillery Brigade (9K72 Elbrus)
• 322nd Cannon Artillery Brigade (SpGH DANA, M-46 towed)

Czech 4th Army

• 3rd Motorised Rifle Division (2nd Line)
• 4th Tank Division (2nd Line)
• 9th Tank Division (2nd Line)
• 15th Motorised Rifle Division (2nd Line)
• 331st Heavy Artillery Brigade (9K72 Elbrus)
• 332nd Cannon Artillery Brigade (M-46 towed, wz. 18/46 towed, SpGH DANA)

Czech 1st Tank Division

On the other hand, the artillery support from Western Military District is above average, as it includes a good number of  locally produced SpGH DANA self-propelled artillery and RM-70 Multiple Launch Rocket System.

Western Military District

• 17th High Power Artillery Battalion (2s7 Pion)
• 71st Cannon Artillery Brigade (M-46 towed)
• 74th Rocket Launcher Brigade (RM-70 MLRS)
• 75th Heavy Howitzer Brigade (SpGH DANA)
• 311th Heavy Artillery Brigade (9K72 Elbrus, OTR-23 Oka)

Czech SpGH DANA, and its C3 unit equivalent

Czech RM-70 Rocket Artillery, and its C3 unit equivalent

Last but not least, the Czech can also add some attack helicopter and a small airmobile unit to the fray:

• 11th Helicopter Regiment (Mi-24D)
• 22nd Special Purpose Airborne Regiment

Conclusions

To my surprise, some playtest results seems to indicate that the overall situation in this sector of the front is initially more favourable to Warsaw Pact than expected. The reasons for this are:

1. The extensive length of the front to be defended, including the potential for an attack from the north if the Soviet 8th Guards Army succeeds in breaking through.
2. The insufficient number of NATO covering forces: the US 2ACR and one or two battalions spread across a 200 km front.
3. The peacetime deployment of NATO forces, positioned too far from the FEBA, as seen in other sectors.
4. The limited number of roads available for NATO to reach the front line, making them easy targets for Warsaw Pact interdiction and bombardment.

Of course, this could change quickly once French and Canadian forces arrive... We shall see!

A possible Warsaw Pact plan for the sector