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3rd Battle of Kharkov--Winter 1943
Peiper's Blowtorch Battalion Series is available for download at the Scenario Depot II:
http://www.the-scenario-depot.com Here's the summary and introduction: Peiper's "Blowtorch" Battalion Combat Mission Scenario Series Ó 2006 George McEwan and Charlie Meconis www.blowtorchscenarios.com A CMBB combat history of the III. (gep)/ SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. 2 commanded by Jochen Peiper, following its actions from the 3rd Battle of Kharkov in the winter of 1943, to the conflagration of Kursk in the summer of 1943. Formation of the III. (gep)/SS-Panzer Grenadier Regiment. 2 On the 14 th September 1942 Jochen Peiper became the commander of the III Battalion of Infanterie Regiment 2 of the 1st SS “Leibstandarte Adolph Hitler” Division. Shortly afterwards on the 14th October 1942 orders were raising an additional Panzer battalion for the Leibstandarte, so that it could have a Panzer regiment. The Leibstandarte was officially re-designated a Panzer – Grenadier division from the 24 th November 1942. On the same date orders were issued for the formation of a Schutzenpanzerwagen-Bataillon (Armoured Personnel carrier Battalion or SPW), for which the Main Command office designated the III. Bataillon of the SS-Infantry- Regiment 2. Peiper set about re-organising his motorised infantry battalion into an SPW battalion. Peiper commanded the SPW battalion (III. (gep)/SS-Panzer Grenadier Regiment) until the death in action of the commander of SS Panzer Regiment 1, SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer Schonberger, on the 20th November 1943. The Divisional commander SS-Oberfuhrer Wish gave Peiper the command of the Panzer Regiment. At this time Peiper had no experience of commanding a tank unit; his promotion was based solely on his previous successes, and his reputation for aggressiveness. Peiper handed over command of the “Blowtorch” Battalion to the commander of the 11. (gep) Kompanie, SS-Haupsturmfuhrer Paul Guhl. About the “Blowtorch Battalion” scenarios The legend of the Blowtorch Battalion was born in the battles around Kharkov in the winter of 42/43. The nickname “Blowtorch Battalion” was worn with some pride by this unit as many of its vehicles eventually sported a blowtorch symbol painted on their bodywork. Peiper developed armoured mounted infantry tactics that were for the time extremely innovative, and which made best use of the SPWs mobility and firepower. Jochen Peiper is quoted in the biography by Agte as saying the nickname came about due to their innovation of successfully attacking tough Soviet positions in villages with high-speed night assaults, mounted in their new halftracks. The thatch in the houses roofs caught fire due to tracer rounds etc - hence the nickname. This nickname was then given different connotations after the war with the allegation, denied by Peiper, that the unit deliberately set fire to houses with blowtorches. After the war this allegation formed part of the case that was made against Peiper for his being tried for war crimes. Given the total and brutal nature of the war in the East, it is likely that Peiper and his troops both committed and were the victims of war crimes in terms of international law. No one came out of that apocalypse called World War II with their hands really clean. We do not condone those actions. Peiper's "Blowtorch" Battalion Combat Mission Scenario Series Ó 2006 George McEwan and Charlie Meconis www.blowtorchscenarios.com This series of scenarios recreating several of the actions involving Peiper's unit were born out of a desire to recreate some rather audacious, courageous and ultimately bloody actions that were fought by both Soviet and German units during the winter of 42/43 around Kharkov, and latter in the summer of 1943 during the epic Battle of Kursk. Both authors have been very meticulous to research the Soviet side and give the Soviets their own identity rather than a faceless 'Red Horde' - as the bravery shown by the Soviet units during this fighting was exceptional. Although it should be borne in mind that to date, Soviet sources are still not as detailed and complete as German ones are. It is to be hoped that through time these sources will become more available in English, so that the efforts and contributions of the Soviet soldiers to the victory over Nazi Germany will become as well known. You can read more about The Third Battle of Kharkov here Or The Battle of Kursk here Peiper's "Blowtorch" Battalion Combat Mission Scenario Series Ó 2006 George McEwan and Charlie Meconis www.blowtorchscenarios.com The “Blowtorch” Scenarios There are seven scenarios currently in the series. The first five cover the desperate mobile counterattacks and blocking actions against the Soviet 6 th Guards Cavalry Corps, the brutal mobile street fighting in Kharkov and Peiper’s headlong drive to seize the city of Belgorod. Whilst the last two are set during the Battle of Kursk, or Operation Citadelle in which Peiper’s unit found itself in the middle of attacking Soviet tanks and infantry. Peiper’s Chariots of Fire 7 th February 1943 Peiper’s Blowtorch Battalion fights to hold the village of Andrejewka against attacks from the Soviet 6 th Guards Cavalry Corps. Operation Peiper 13 th February 1943 Peiper’s III ‘Blowtorch’ (armoured) Battalion from SS Panzergrenadier Regt 2 conducts a deep penetration mission to rescue the 320 th “Heart” Infantry Division during the Battle Of Kharkov, February 1943. Bridgehead at Fedorowka 6 th March 1943 Peiper’s III ‘Blowtorch’ (armoured) Battalion from SS Panzergrenadier Regt 2 attempts to seize a bridgehead over the Msha River during the Battle Of Kharkov, Winter 1942 - 1943. Peiper’s Bridge in Kharkov 13 th March 1943 The Blowtorch Battalion must fight through Kharkov to link up with Panzermeyer’s Kampfgruppe surrounded at the cemetery near the crucial Volchansk – Chuguyev crossroads. Peiper’s Race for Belgorod 18 th March 1943 After being heavily involved in the fighting to recapture Kharkov in the winter of 1943, the Blowtorch Battalion races to take Belgorod before powerful Soviet reinforcements arrive from Stalingrad – and beat the Heer’s “Grossdeutschland” Panzergrenadier Division to being the first to the city… Peiper’s Nahkampftag* 8 th July 1943 Peiper’s battalion whilst attacking towards Teterovino during the Battle Of Kursk, was counter attacked by strong Soviet armour and infantry units. Surrounded, Peiper had a call for help sent out and elements from the 7. /SS-Panzer regiment were ordered to fight their way through, and make contact with the beleaguered panzer grenadiers. *Note: Nahkampftag means close combat day. Born Again Near Prokhorovka 12 th July 1943 Soviet counter attack against the 1 st SS LSSAH Panzergruppe (of which the Blowtorch Battalion was part) at Prokhorovka. During this action both Obersturmfuhrer Rudolf Von Ribbentrop, commander of the 6th Company II Abteilung 1st SS Panzer Regiment, and Untersturmfuhrer Werner Wolff of the Blowtorch battalion (Peiper’s Adjutant who took command of the 13th Company when it’s CO, Wendt, was wounded on the 12th July during the Soviet attack) won the Knights Cross. Peiper's "Blowtorch" Battalion Combat Mission Scenario Series Ó 2006 George McEwan and Charlie Meconis www.blowtorchscenarios.com Information Sources All of the following were found to be of great help in preparing the scenarios. On the net German unit histories and much more Excellent site covering the Soviet view of war in the East. Superb free source of 1:100,000 maps of the Ukraine. Books and Publications “Jochen Peiper” by Patrick Agte “After the Battle: The Four Battles for Kharkov” No112 "Red Army Tank Commanders: The Armored Guards" by Richard N. Armstrong “Last Victory in Russia: the SS Panzerkorps and Manstein’s Kharkov Counteroffensive” by George M. Nipe Jr “The Leibstandarte III” by Rudolf Lehmann “From the Don to the Dnepr: Soviet Offensive Operations December ’42-August ’43 by David Glantz “Panzer Aces I” by Franz Kurowski “Grenadiers” by Kurt Meyer “Armour Battles of the Waffen SS, 1943 – 45” by Will Fey “Chronicle of the 7. Panzer Kompanie 1 st SS Panzer Division “Leibstandarte” by Ralf Tiemann “The SS Panzer Artillery Regiment 1 Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler” by Thomas Fisher “Soviet Armour Tactics in World War II” by Charles C. Sharp “Battle Group!” by James Lucas “The Battle of Kharkov” by Jean Restayn “Platz der Leibstandarte” by George Nipe Jr & Remy Spezzano “Slaughterhouse: The Handbook of the Eastern Front”, David Glantz, et al. “The Red Army Order of Battle in the Great Patriotic War” by Robert Poirer and Albert Conner “Colossus Reborn” and “Colossus Companion” by David Glantz “The Battle of Kursk” by Glantz and House “Operation “Zitadelle” July 1943: The Decisive Battle of World War II” by Franz Kurowski “The Battle of Kursk” by Robin Cross “Steel Storm: Waffen SS Panzer Battles of the Eastern Front 1943 - 1945” by Tim Ripley Special Thanks The images of the fighting in Kharkov used to illustrate this page are used by very kind permission of Kimmo Nummela who’s website www.silentwall.com has a whole host of original WWII Eastern Front photos. It’s well worth a visit. Thank you Kimmo.
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