AAR 11

On February 11-13, 2000, I participated in the USMAPS Kanev wargame. This was an event that used wargame miniatures and a comprehensive set of board game rules to simulate a WWII campaign. The purpose of this wargame was to simulate the Kanev experience, learn about operational warfare, and to enjoy. Fortunately, there was a large turn out of approximately forty participants. Some were military professionals while a couple were just plain "eccentric people" which added much to the atmosphere of the event.

Before the event my instructor, Major Panzeri, instructed the class to prepare for the campaign. Each individual in the class was assigned a staff position on the Soviet side. Our objective was to prepare a plan in which the Soviet Army would cross the Dneper River at and around Kanev against German opposition. I was assigned to be S-4 for the entire Soviet army group. As the S-4, it was my duty to deal with all logistical matters such as ammunition, fuel, transport aircraft, and supply bases and routes. In accordance with my duties, I supplied transport aircraft for the airborne operation, designated supply bases, and set up secure supply routes for the 3rd Guards Tank Army and 40th Army.

The actual battle started on Saturday afternoon and I was given a tactical command in the seventh Guards Tank Corps of the 3rd GTA. My tank brigade was given the order to block a German infantry division from advancing up the road leading to Kanev. After a brief skirmish the German division retreated and attempted to find another way to Kanev. When the next tactical day started my the 3rd GTA commander gave me orders to take two heavy assault gun companies and assist in taking the Kanev bridge. When I arrived at Kanev, I found a Soviet infantry and tank brigade preparing to assault the city, which was defended by two well-prepared German infantry divisions. The commander was reluctant to attack the city because the enemy outnumbered him two to one and was well entrenched in buildings. However, I developed a plan in which the tank brigade and heavy assault guns would line up on the riverbank and fire into the German positions. The river prevented the German infantry and short range anti tank guns from firing back and the Germans started to take casualties. After this started, I called on artillery to put smoke on the German side of the bridge in order to conceal our infantry that was about to assault across the bridge. The infantry regiment crossed however took heavy casualties on the German side.

Immediately I took the tanks of their firing positions and moved them across the bridge. The Germans, who were already heavily engaged with the infantry, could not deal with the advancing tanks and they started taking heavy casualties. As the tanks started to gradually expand the bridgehead, heavy Soviet reinforcements arrived. When these forces poured into the bridgehead the surviving Germans realized that they were defeated. Because of the taking of Kanev, the Soviets won a decisive victory in the operation.

I learned a great deal about battle staff operations and combined arms warfare during the wargame. When I was the S-4, I realized how complicated the planning behind a battle is. I had to collect a vast amount of information and extract relevant points from it. Then I had to discuss it with my staff members and then with my subordinates. This entire interaction became very confusing at times. In the tactical game, I used previous knowledge from the "Market Garden" wargame and I applied it to the battle for the Kanev bridgehead. During "Market Garden" I recalled a similar forced bridge crossing that failed. Then the attacker sent his tanks straight down the bridge into the sights of the awaiting enemy guns. The attacker did not make use of his infantry or artillery support and therefore his tanks were destroyed on the bridge and prevented further crossing. I learned was that you need to use combined arms in order to succeed in such a situation. Fortunately, I implemented a strategy using combined infantry, artillery, and tank support, and therefore my determined attack succeeded in defeating a superior enemy.

In conclusion, the wargame was an excellent experience. It was an opportunity to learn about teamwork and military tactics. Most of all, it was fun and interesting.