Panzer Campaigns Spring Awakening ’45 4.05.3 Update and Expansion Pack Released

Hi All,

We are excited to release the first Panzer Campaigns title upgraded to version 4.05.3.  This version includes bug fixes and other enhancements included with the recently released Panzer Campaigns: Poland ’39.

Of equal importance, César ‘Indragnir’ Moreno, Spring Awakening’s developer, is including twenty-two new scenarios as a free expansion pack for the game. César explains what is included and what has been changed later in this blog post.

Firstly, here is the Changelog for the upgraded game:

Spring Awakening ‘45 Patch 4.05.3 Changelog

Bug Fixes

• Bug: Fixed an issue where scenario files were being overwritten when creating a PBEM game with the second player selected.

• Bug: Fixed crash when selecting the Unit List Dialog under the Air Availability Dialog.

• Bug: Fixed the default Action Speed being set too high.

• Bug: The game will now load the weather file on scenario load if the Programmed Weather optional rule is selected.

• Bug: Dust spotting calculation fixed for foot units.

Enhancements

• Revised sound files.

• Night Shading added.

• Fixed the date order in the Supply Variation Dialog.
  

• On the Artillery Dialog, Target List Dialog & Selection Dialog the list now have initial focus on opening.

Content Changes

• New 22 scenario Expansion Pack Released.

• Updated Design notes including the expansion pack details.

 

Spring Awakening ‘45 Patch 4.05.2 Changelog

Bug Fixes

• Bug: Update to fix problem description display for out-of-range firing errors.

• Bug: Under the Optional Amphibious Rules, units now make use of existing bridges correctly.

• Bug: The music played on the Victory Screen is now stopped when opening a new scenario or save file.

• Bug: Fixed an intermittent error where the File Save dialog was not showing on application exit.

• Bug: Fixed an intermittent crash in the AI Order Determination logic.

• Bug: If the Night Move disruption probability is 0, don't prevent the AI moving.

• Bug: Convert to Sub-scenario was saving a partial full path for the map file instead of just the filename.

• Bug: Mitigated Jump Map display corruption when switching scenarios.

• Bug: Prevented a crash when showing AI orders.

• Bug: Fixed a drawing error when showing wireless intercepted HQs in a large unit stack.

• Bug: Display or hide unit names based on their FOW setting.

• Bug: Removed the Jump Map Org circle when the Org highlight is toggled off.

• Bug: The Hold Order loss expiry check wasn't adding in eliminated units for the strength calc.

• Bug: If the small File Selection dialog is used don't load the new backgrounds.

• Bug: Fix for game messaging revealing enemy positions under FOW.

• Bug: Fix to get the AI to assault over bridges.

• Bug: Fix to stop the AI taking Op Fire for an assault that is then cancelled.

• Bug: Fixed immediate AI movement.

• Bug: Bridge movement costs were being added to units that moved when deployed. All bridge movement costs have now been removed whether deployed or in travel mode.

• Bug: When shifting the map, the conditional reinforcement location wasn't accounted for.

• Bug: Prevent units from being placed in impassable hexes as reinforcements.

• Bug: The Find Unit dialog was not using a case-insensitive search for Org Names.

• Bug: Towed guns can no longer deploy on a full-hex bridge.

• Bug: The Jump Map is now updated when the Objective or Unit display is toggled.

• Bug: Adjusted the hotspot polygon to remove the appearance of clipping.

Enhancements

• Added the functionality for Objectives to have a Start Turn.

• Let the "Enter" key hide the Jump Map as per other non-modal dialogs.

• All main.ai parameters can now be specified per side.

• Direct Orders will now ignore the Engaged and Frontline checks entirely during March (but not Deploy).

• For deployment, Direct Orders will honor the Engaged and Frontline checks if close to the Order Objective.

• AI fixes to reduce the instances of HQ and Artillery units moving too close to contact.

• AI fixes to reduce the instances of support units moving on their own to order destinations.

• When the AI is activated on a player turn, don't auto advance to the next turn.

• Properly cascade player-initiated AI orders to lower-level formations.

• Reduce the amount of Level 1 logging to speed up scenario/save file reading.

• Reduce the amount of Level 1 AI logging to reduce clutter at the start of an AI turn.

• Added the ability to modify formation releases in the editor.

• Added conditional reinforcements to the editor (based on objective ownership).

• On the Artillery Dialog, you can now use the Shift key to scroll the map when scrolling the list of units. This is an alternative to double clicking the artillery unit.

• Changed the AI assault randomization to ensure assaults are always attempted where possible.

• All Bridge Sides PDT values removed from movement costs.

• Ported FOW Strength display from Panzer Battles.

• Replaced instances of MS San Serif to aid with foreign character display.

• Units will now only pay the pontoon cost if they have both a pontoon and an undamaged ferry in the same hex.

• Wireless Intercepts are now an optional rule. They are not a default rule in Panzer Campaigns.

• The Strength + Org Dialogs will now cascade down to individual units.

• Disruption effects no longer impact Fatigue Loss.

• The Editor now supports multi-hex setting of Impassable hexes.

• To turn labels on and off in the Editor us the shortcut key `

• In the OOB Editor increase the size of the Component field.

• Organizations that are flagged as "Cannot Attach" in an OOB can no longer attach to other corps/armies.

• Indirect fire can now downgrade bunker, trench & improved hexes.

• Digging-in units can now be highlighted and will play a sound when digging in is begun.

• Find Unit extended to case-insensitive formation searches and also to allow wildcards.

• Find Unit will also now sync with the Org Dialog and Map when a search result is clicked on.

• The editor now shows AI order arrows in a chained succession. The turn the AI order is to be enacted is shown in white, if individual formation orders are selected.

• New hotkey (keypad . or del) added for digging-in highlighting.

• Context-sensitive help added via PDF bookmarks.

• Bombing scatter probability is now in the PDT.

• Differentiated between "Not Present" & "Eliminated" on the Org & Strength Dialogs.

• Keep scenario features such as entrenchments, visible when selecting "Units Off".

• Air Availability is now sorted by date and then time, to ensure that all is chronologically listed.

These latest changes are significant, and we suggest you either get the patch or download a fresh full build from your store account. Our recommendation is to get the full build because we have reviewed the in-game media and replaced or removed a lot of legacy sounds. For the ‘cleanest’ installation, it is best to start from scratch.

You can get the patch from the Panzer Campaigns Updates page.

All new purchases from today will include these fixes and, as mentioned above, the build available in your store account will be the latest version if you need to download and reinstall the game again in the future.

The changes included from 4.05.1 to 4.05.3 are significant, but we documented many of the 4.05.2 changes in this blog post as well as any additional late changes in the Poland '39 release announcement.

Version 4.05.3 includes a number of fixes that have arisen since the Poland release, but one new enhancement is the addition of Night Shading. Night Shading allows a visual representation of dawn, dusk and night in game by applying a filter over the game map. This allows a clearer indication of the time of day. There is a toggle in the settings that allows this feature to be turned and off. Here are a few sample shots so you can see an example of the time of day shading (all can be clicked for full size).

Day:

Dusk:

Night:

Dawn:

Example of a unit with movement range shaded at night:

If you haven’t bought Panzer Campaigns: Spring Awakening ’45 yet, have a look at some of the information on the Product page including the freely downloadable, and newly expanded Designer Notes. Alternatively, come and see what others are saying about the game at our WDS Forums.

Following is César’s very comprehensive design notes for both the most recent update for Panzer Campaigns: Spring Awakening ’45 and the background and details on the expansion pack.

Spring Awakening '45 Expansion pack (plus content updates)

While preparing Spring Awakening '45 Expansion pack and the updated content that includes new hypothetical scenarios for Spring Awakening '45, an idea occurred to me: why not include the main Budapest '45 campaign (Operation Konrad), which is not only one of my favorites (and the game that sparked my interest in the Romanian-Hungarian theater of war), but also laid the groundwork for what would become Operation Spring Awakening just five weeks later?

I had already done a lot of research on the many battles that took place around Budapest in 1945.

However, even more information was coming to light in documents that had remained hidden for a long time in Soviet archives, and it was so detailed and abundant that it allowed the campaign to be approached from a new and fresh perspective... It was time to include Operation Konrad in Spring Awakening '45!

This series of battles near Budapest is the perfect complement to Spring Awakening '45. Players will quickly recognize familiar names: places, units, leaders... but also a new battlefield with unique formations, as you will see.

This expansion pack is divided into two parts: the first revolves around the fateful battles of January 1945 around Budapest, and the second around the period of Spring Awakening '45.

Part I: The Fight for Budapest

Background

The Red Army had advanced to the Romanian border in the Uman-Botoșani offensive in early April. The first battle of Jassy-Kishinev (April-June 1944), was the result of the coordinated invasion of Romania carried out by the Ukrainian 2nd and 3rd Fronts. The German-Romanian allies managed to stabilize the front along the Carpathian-Târgu Frumos-lower Dniester line, mainly due to the poor combat performance of the Soviet troops and the effectiveness of the German defensive preparations. (The Soviet side claimed that bad weather greatly helped the Axis forces).

Since then, the main line of defense remained unchanged. Until June 1944, Army Group South Ukraine had been one of the most powerful German formations in terms of armored vehicles. However, during the summer, most of its armored units were transferred to the northern and central fronts to halt the Red Army's advance in the Baltic states, Belarus, northern Ukraine, and Poland.

The Soviets began to accumulate men, material, and machines for a second attempt, which took place from August 20 to 29, 1944 (Second Battle of Jassy-Kishinev). The Red Army's 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian Fronts faced the Army Group South Ukraine, consisting of the German 6th (reconstituted after being destroyed at Stalingrad) and 8th, and the Romanian 3rd and 4th armies, in an operation aimed at destroying the Axis forces in the region and opening the way to Romania, Hungary, and the Balkans.

JS-II advancing into Romania.

The offensive resulted in the encirclement and destruction of the German 6th Army (for the second time) and the defeat of Axis forces in the region, allowing the Soviet Army to resume its strategic advance into Eastern Europe. It also caused Romania to switch its allegiance from the Axis powers to the Allies. For the Germans, this was a massive defeat, surpassing the defeat at Stalingrad. German authors called this battle Die Catastrophe (the catastrophe). Not only was the rebuilt 6th Army destroyed (some 115,000 German soldiers were captured), but Romania's change of sides meant the loss of another 1,500,000 Romanian soldiers, the loss of a vital source of oil for Germany, and the addition of another army to the Soviet forces.

German Army Groups E and F had to retreat rapidly from Greece, Albania, and Yugoslavia to avoid being cut off. Together with Yugoslav partisans and Bulgaria, they liberated the capital, Belgrade, on October 20.
With a huge open wound and without their best allies, and with Soviet and Romanian forces rapidly advancing through Romania and toward Hungary, the Germans did everything they could to stabilize the front, but it was impossible, and key mountain passes fell into the hands of the Red Army. The situation was desperate; only the Hungarian army stood in their way.

The Hungarians (with some German help) fought a month of intense battles (battles of Torda, Arad, Oradea) that held back the Soviet advance, giving the Germans enough time to rebuild the 6th Army for the third time. Gradually, the Axis forces were forced to retreat towards the Hungarian border, to the open plains of Debrecen, while the 8th German Army, together with the Hungarian allies, continued to hold the Carpathians.

A Zrinyi II tank-destroyer in the open plains of Debrecen.

In the tank battle of Debrecen, from October 6 to 29, 1944, the combined German-Hungarian forces managed to cut off the 2nd Ukrainian Front's exploitation group, allowing the Germans to reestablish a stable position on the front and thus prevent the advance of the 2nd Ukrainian Front from becoming a catastrophe for Wöhler's 8th Army and the two Hungarian armies, which escaped isolation and destruction and managed to block the road to Budapest.

The Soviets wasted no time and soon launched the Budapest Offensive Operation. The month of November resulted in exhausting fighting. In early December (considered Phase III of the Budapest Offensive Operation), the Soviets were approaching Budapest with the 2nd Ukrainian Front, and the 3rd Ukrainian Front reached the Danube River after conquering Belgrade, greatly reinforcing Soviet offensive power in Hungary. Finally the Soviet offensive managed to the encircle Budapest on December 26 (Hitler had insisted from the outset on holding Budapest and forbidden any break-out attempt) after three offensive thrusts across two months.

But Hitler wasn't done with Budapest yet...

Operation Konrad

Hitler ordered the IV SS-Panzer Corps (and the 96th and 711th Infantry Divisions) to move from Poland to Hungary and placed them under the command of SS Obergruppenführer Otto Gille, who had been highly decorated for breaking out of the encirclement of Cherkassy. Himmler cabled Gille that Hitler had chosen him because he had the most extensive experience of being encircled and because his corps had proved the best on the eastern front

By now the oil-fields of western Hungary were the German army’s last remaining source of fuel, and this, together with the need to defend Vienna, greatly increased the importance of the Hungarian theater of war. Between autumn 1944 and April 1945 – by which time the first Soviet tank was within 60 kilometers of Berlin – every briefing in the Führer’s headquarters began with the Hungarian operations.

The Wehrmacht command was deciding where to strike the main blow. The plan, codenamed “Paula,” called for an attack in the south, near Székesfehérvár. This plan required more time (five days) and significant fuel reserves, as the armored vehicles would have to cover a long distance.

An alternative was the “Konrad” plan, which consisted of launching the main attack in the north. In this case, the regrouping of troops could be carried out more quickly and less fuel would be needed. In addition, a surprise attack could be launched in the north, which would be favored by the mountainous and wooded terrain. In the south, it was difficult to carry out a surprise attack.

The chief of staff of the ground forces, Guderian, initially favored the “Paula” plan, but then changed his mind. There was no time. The position of the Budapest garrison was critical. The Russians were reinforcing their positions. Therefore, the command opted for the “Konrad” plan.

With the arrival of the New Year and SS troops still disembarking from trains, the order was given to launch the attack immediately. The echoes of Stalingrad were once again being heard. The operation of the IV SS-Panzer Corps came as a surprise to the Soviet troops.

Panzergrenadiers mounted on a half-track vehicle in combat.

The German command launched three major offensives, in an attempt to relieve the capital and recapture the eastern section of the Margit Line from January 1, 1945, to January 28, 1945. The Germans called this operations Konrad I, II and III.

The offensive had four distinct phases:

Operation Konrad I: January 1, 1945, to January 7, 1945. This operation was led by the IV SS-Panzer Corps under the command of Herbert Otto Gille, departing from Tata (Hungary). On New Year's Eve, although not all forces had yet arrived at the starting line (at that time only 32 per cent of the 5th SS-Panzer Division Wiking, 66 per cent of the 3rd SS-Panzer Division Totenkopf and 43 per cent of the 96th Infantry Division was in place, and of the 711th Infantry Division there was no sign), a surprise attack was launched to reach the city from the west, with the intention of contacting troops on the outskirts of Budapest.
Both sides hurriedly moved more troops to the region, each trying to outmaneuver the other. The start of the offensive was successful, the Soviet defense was broken. The reserves of the defending Soviets were thrown into battle in their entirety, but could not prevent the German's offensive from advancing. At the same time, it became clear from the very beginning of the operation that the armored units were tied to hard-surface roads. The Russians could actively use anti-tank obstacles and strike at the flanks of the advancing panzer divisions. In the end, after a week of fighting, the Germans had to halt their attempt near Bickse about 25 km from the city center and find a new point of pressure to continue their advance toward the encircled troops in Budapest. Even if the advance failed, German and Hungarian units could break through the encirclement in small groups. An advance north of Budapest, toward the Pilis Mountains, was particularly promising. The Führer categorically rejected this idea.

On January 6, just as the Konrad I offensive began to lose momentum and stall, the Russians launched their own attack. The blow was struck along the northern bank of the Danube River by  the Soviet 2nd Ukrainian Front with the Kravchenko's 6th Guards Tank Army and Shumilov's 7th Guards Army, with the aim of capturing the city of Komarom, which was the most important supply center for the Axis forces and the Reich's main oil refinery outside Germany. The battle was fought between January 6 and January 22, 1945. It was an integral part of the Battle of Budapest, parallel in time to Operation Konrad. On January 6, Shumilov and Kravchenko's armies, broke through the Axi's defenses on the Gran River. By the end of January 7, Soviet troops had advanced 25-35 km and were engaged in battles for Nove Zamke and Komarom. In the following days, Soviet units encountered increasing enemy resistance and counterattacks by the Axis. On January 11-13, the Axis forces intensified their counterattacks, throwing the fresh and powerful 20. Panzer Division into battle. Fierce battles between the rivers Gran and Nitra ended with the Germans pushing the Russians back 15 km and thus the Soviet attack failed to stop the continuation of the Budapest relief operation.

The mountainous and difficult roads that cross the mountains used in Konrad I.

Operation Konrad II: January 7–12. The setback to their northern offensive compelled the Germans to fall back on the southern option. The command of the German Army Group South decided to try and break through between Székesfehérvár and Mór with new forces (Korpsgruppe Breith), the objective being not only to recapture the Margit Line but also to surround, jointly with the IV SS-Panzer Corps, the Soviet units on the western slopes of the Vértes Hills. The IV SS-Panzer Corps and the I Cavalry Corps, with the 1st, 3rd, 23th Panzer divisions, the 503rd heavy tank battalion and the 4th Cavalry brigade, under Hartneck's command, were to participate in this new offensive, with groups scheduled to depart from Esztergom (IV SS-Panzer Corps) and north of Varpalota (I Cavalry Corps) on January . After their failure at Bicske, both the German Army Group South and Gille, made plans for the IV SS-Panzer Corps to breach the Soviet defense near Esztergom and relieve Budapest across the Pilis Hills, in what was to be the northern branch of Operation Konrad II. The Southern Army Group command hoped not only to break the siege of Budapest, but also, through the joint efforts of two attack groups, to encircle a significant portion of the Soviet troops on the western slopes of the mountains and then reestablish the front along the Danube. The increasingly ominous news from the capital made this appear even more urgent. On the 11th, the Germans approached Ferihegy Airport (Budapest International Airport) and the Westland Regiment had crossed the Pilis-nyereg saddle and occupied Pilisszentkereszt, 21 kilometers from Budapest. By the evening of 11 January, the advance units of the Wiking Division had reached the Csobánka fork on the road to Pomáz, only 17 kilometers from Budapest. On this very day, Hitler ordered the regrouping of the IV SS-Panzer Corps, which was now to shift the focus of its attack to the northwestern shores of Lake Balaton. During the day, Gille tried to convince the high command of the advisability of continuing the offensive in the north, where there had already been serious successes. It was only necessary to strengthen the strike group. However, in the evening, a repeated order came to regroup the troops. Three hours later Gille cabled that the offensive was making progress. Gille’s superiors passed his cable to Hitler without comment. When Hitler repeated the order Gille appealed to Himmler, but in vain. As his troops had shown no spectacular results since the capture of Pilisszentkereszt he had lost his last trump card, on January 12, Gille gave the order to retreat.

The command of Army Group South asked the High Command to begin breaking the encirclement from the inside. Part of the Budapest group, after abandoning their heavy weapons, could have been easily saved. General Wenck, at the request of Army Group South headquarters, spent two hours trying to convince Hitler that Budapest should be abandoned and that the encircled group should press on regardless of casualties. The Führer again refused to withdraw the troops.

The cessation of the offensive has provoked heated arguments in memoirs and historical studies. In the unanimous opinion of the combatants, Hitler’s order deprived them of certain success. However, several military historians argue that the Soviets would have cut off the Germans if they had continued their advance. The debate is rooted in diametrically opposed interpretations of Hitler’s objectives. Gille and his officers were convinced that the relief attempts were intended as a rescue mission. In their view, their offensive could have opened a corridor for the defenders to escape, but could not have maintained a link over a longer period. Hitler and his generals, who were not sufficiently familiar with the situation, hoped that their limited forces would be able to restore the pre-Christmas status quo. For them, abandoning Budapest was out of the question.

Fighting ceased between January 13 and 16. By January 14, the Soviets had reoccupied Dobogoko and Pilisszentkereszt without encountering opposition, as the Germans had withdrawn. The offensive seemed to have stalled. But the Germans were not finished yet...

Operation Konrad III: January 17 to 28. On 17 January the IV SS-Panzer Corps, whose relocation to the region between Lake Balaton and Székesfehérvár had been completed in utmost secrecy on the previous day, was thrown into battle. There they launched the final offensive to break the siege of Budapest. This last attempt was to begin on January 17, with the participation of the IV SS-Panzer Corps and the I Cavalry Corps in a converging movement on Budapest from Székesfehérvár. On the January 20, the SS troops' offensive south of the city managed to reach the Danube, interrupting Soviet traffic. On January 22 the Soviets lost Székesfehérvár after heavy street fighting. First to enter the city was the Ney Combat Group.

Stalin gave carte blanche to the commander of the 3rd Ukrainian Front, Tolbukhin, to retreat east of the Danube, even authorizing him to abandon all equipment but save the men, which was a strange thought for a man who had sacrificed millions of men with ruthless orders in the past. Stalin needed them to continue occupying European territory and feared a confrontation with the Allies, but such was the nature of war in 1945.

On 24 January the Totenkopf Division captured the southern section of Baracska, 30 kilometers from Budapest. Tolbukhin’s troops developed a firm defense along the Váli-viz river, whose icy banks the German tanks could scale only with great difficulty, but by 26 January the offensive had reached a point roughly 20 kilometers from the ring around the capital.

On January 27, Soviet troops launched a counteroffensive. Troops of the 133rd, 30th Rifle and 18th Tank Corps attacked from the south. The 23rd Tank and 104th Rifle Corps attacked from the north.

The German spearheads that had reached the Danube could at any time be cut off by Soviet divisions from Lake Velence in the north and Simontornya in the south. Recognizing this advantage, Tolbukhin attacked from both directions. The defenders of Budapest requested permission to contact their rescuers and withdraw, but Hitler refused.

On January 28, German relief troops were finally forced to withdraw after Hitler canceled the operation, without sufficient reserves or resources they had to abandon many of the occupied territories, with the notable exception of Székesfehérvár. The German offensive failed again.

Following German's defeat and the capture of Budapest (February 13, 1945), German troops were sent from the western front (including four SS Panzer Divisions, the 1^st, 2^nd, 9^th and 12^th), and in March, the Germans launched Operation Spring Awakening (Unternehmen Frühlingserwachen) in the Lake Balaton area. The overall objectives of this operation were to protect one of the last oil-producing regions available to the Axis and to encircle and destroy the 3rd Ukrainian Front.

A destroyed Tiger I tank.

New Sources, New Research, New Campaign Scenarios.

Since the Budapest '45 Grand Campaign scenario was released almost 20 years ago, a lot of new sources have come to light that the original team didn't have access to, including valuable new information that we thought was lost.
Significant changes have been made at all levels of the campaign: order of battle, releases, reinforcements, victory threshold, weather file, PDT file and victory point locations. Another major change is that the campaign now lasts 280 turns instead of 395. The scenario covers all of Konrad's operations, i.e., from January 1 to January 28. After that date, there is no German offensive toward Budapest.

New Sources

The best source is Norbert Számveber's The Sword Behind The Shield. Packed with almost unlimited data, tables and maps. He is the most authoritative author for the war in Hungary in WW II.

It is replete with primary source data from both sides. The narrative is pretty dry (unit X goes to point Y and defeats the enemy) for the most part. The tables are rather practical and full of raw data. This excellent book, while not ideal for the average WWII-themed reader, is the cornerstone of this game and I don't think I could offer the campaign scenarios as it is without this book.

Another great book is Drama between Budapest and Vienna, by Georg Maier. Like the previous one, this book is not for the casual reader, it is very detailed and tells day by day operations of the armies and corps. It is also replete with raw data. With the inclusion of entries from war diaries and communications between commanders as well as with Berlin, the reader can get a sense of what the German command was experiencing. The book is written from a German perspective. The author, as a member of the Operations Staff of the 6^th Panzer Army, also has his own interests. Naturally, he tries to defend the actions of the SS units, with some justification.

The third book in importance despite its Soviet-centric bias is Aleksei Isaev and Maskim Kolomlets's Tomb Of The Panzerwaffe. The book is quite honest and does not hide Soviet mistakes, although it manages to mitigate the extraordinarily adverse situation in which the Germans attacked to make the defenders more gallant. It is also somewhat dry and difficult to follow if you are not very familiar with the battle. The Germans seem more amateurish than they were at the time. The book is unreliable on the German data, but really superb on the Soviet data. Indispensable for completing the Soviet side.

Douglas Nash's book From the Realm of a Dying Sun: Volume II - The IV. SS-Panzerkorps in the Budapest Relief Efforts, December 1944–February 1945 is another must-read. This excellent book is packed with information, raw data, personal accounts, etc. One of its greatest strengths is that it goes into areas that The Sword Behind The Shield does not cover. Much of the information that does not appear in The Sword Behind The Shield book is present in this one. The exhaustive research on the SS Panzer divisions is truly amazing. In addition, the narrative style is very entertaining. Excellent book, as usual from Mr. Nash.

The final recommendation is Kamen Nevenkin's truly monumental work, Fortress Budapest. It is simply unrivaled when it comes to siege warfare and urban combat in Budapest. Highly detailed and packed with so much diverse information (even the defenses of every street are shown!), this gigantic book shaped the way I used to depict the battle of Budapest.

New Research
Here you can see what kind of information remained hidden in Russian archives for 80 years! In this example, you can read the detailed Kampstärke (combat strength) of most Axis units as of January 6, both German and Hungarian forces.

Another one shows the strength of anti-tank guns as of January 15.

In this series we can watch the Gneisenau units that were incorporated to the Absnichtt Kormarom in face of the Soviet assault from 6 January, with all detailed and precise strength. 7 January.

Here more detail on Gneisenau units and these under the Kampgruppe Von Roden by 9 January.

 New Campaign Scenarios: The Battle for Budapest scenario pack

This pack has 4 campaign scenarios:

 #45_0101_00a_The_Battle_For_Budapest

Date: January 1, 1945 -  Size: Large - Location: 70 Km W of Budapest.

Intended for Head To Head.

Scenario Briefing: This scenario is, in fact, 2 linked battles: North of Danube (Komarom Tank Battle January 6-January 23) and Operation Konrad I-III January 1 to the end of scenario.

Operation(s) Konrad. The Axis offensive to relieve Budapest and free the trapped troops inside. The first phase was launched on January 1 until January 7, led by IV SS Panzer Corps and halted near Bicske. The second phase began by January 7 until January 12 led by IV SS Panzer Corps and I Cavalry Corps, it was halted near Budapest International Airport. The final attempt on January 17 led by IV SS Panzer Corps and I Cavalry Corps from south of Budapest near Székesfehérvár, halted about 20 km south of Budapest. After facing continuous counterattacks paired with the almost liquidation of the Budapest garrison, the operation is canceled on January 28.

Komarom is the main supply hub for the Axis, if the Soviets take the city the Axis not only will suffer the VP lost but supply will get a bump down across all the front, that was the main point of the soviet offensive.

Design Notes: This scenario uses Limited Victory Points locations.

House Rules

No forces may be transferred north or south of the Danube, apart from those already present in the scenario. North or South of Danube is always referred to the Komárom-Esztergom Danube course, not Budapest Danube one.

Recommended Rules: [Default] Alternative Assault Resolution, Artillery Set Up, Recon Spotting, Virtual Supply Trucks, Low Visibility Air Effects, Quality Fatigue Modifier, Counterbattery Fire, Night Fatigue, Programmed Weather, Limited Air Recon and Extended Patrolling.

#45_0101_00b_The_Battle_For_Budapest

Date: January 1, 1945 -  Size: Large - Location: 70 Km W of Budapest.

Intended for Axis player vs Soviet AI.

Scenario Briefing: This scenario is, in fact, 2 linked battles: North of Danube (Komarom Tank Battle January 6-January 23) and Operation Konrad I-III January 1 to the end of scenario.

Operation(s) Konrad. The Axis offensive to relieve Budapest and free the trapped troops inside. The first phase was launched on January 1 until January 7, led by IV SS Panzer Corps and halted near Bicske. The second phase began by January 7 until January 12 led by IV SS Panzer Corps and I Cavalry Corps, it was halted near Budapest International Airport. The final attempt on January 17 led by IV SS Panzer Corps and I Cavalry Corps from south of Budapest near Székesfehérvár, halted about 20 km south of Budapest. After facing continuous counterattacks paired with the almost liquidation of the Budapest garrison, the operation is canceled on January 28.

Komarom is the main supply hub for the Axis, if the Soviets take the city the Axis not only will suffer the VP lost but supply will get a bump down across all the front, that was the main point of the soviet offensive.

Design Notes: This scenario uses Limited Victory Points locations.

Recommended Rules: [Default] Alternative Assault Resolution, Artillery Set Up, Recon Spotting, Virtual Supply Trucks, Low Visibility Air Effects, Quality Fatigue Modifier, Counterbattery Fire, Night Fatigue, Programmed Weather, Limited Air Recon and Extended Patrolling.

#45_0101_00c_Operation_Konrad_I-III

Date: January 1, 1945 -  Size: Large - Location: 70 Km W of Budapest.

Intended for Head To Head.

Scenario Briefing: Operation Konrad I-III. The Axis offensive to relieve Budapest and free the trapped troops inside. The first phase was launched on January 1 until January 7, led by IV SS Panzer Corps and halted near Bicske. The second phase began by January 7 until January 12 led by IV SS Panzer Corps and I Cavalry Corps, it was halted near Budapest International Airport. The final attempt on January 17 led by IV SS Panzer Corps and I Cavalry Corps from south of Budapest near Székesfehérvár, halted about 20 km south of Budapest. After facing continuous counterattacks paired with the almost liquidation of the Budapest garrison, the operation is canceled on January 28.

Design Notes: This scenario uses Limited Victory Points locations.

Recommended Rules: [Default] Alternative Assault Resolution, Artillery Set Up, Recon Spotting, Virtual Supply Trucks, Low Visibility Air Effects, Quality Fatigue Modifier, Counterbattery Fire, Night Fatigue, Programmed Weather, Limited Air Recon and Extended Patrolling.

#45_0101_00d_Operation_Konrad_I-III.

Date: January 1, 1945 -  Size: Large - Location: 70 Km W of Budapest.

Intended for Axis player vs Soviet AI.

Scenario Briefing: Operation Konrad I-III. The Axis offensive to relieve Budapest and free the trapped troops inside. The first phase was launched on January 1 until January 7, led by IV SS Panzer Corps and halted near Bicske. The second phase began by January 7 until January 12 led by IV SS Panzer Corps and I Cavalry Corps, it was halted near Budapest International Airport. The final attempt on January 17 led by IV SS Panzer Corps and I Cavalry Corps from south of Budapest near Székesfehérvár, halted about 20 km south of Budapest. After facing continuous counterattacks paired with the almost liquidation of the Budapest garrison, the operation is canceled on January 28.

Design Notes: This scenario uses Limited Victory Points locations.

Recommended Rules: [Default] Alternative Assault Resolution, Artillery Set Up, Recon Spotting, Virtual Supply Trucks, Low Visibility Air Effects, Quality Fatigue Modifier, Counterbattery Fire, Night Fatigue, Programmed Weather, Limited Air Recon and Extended Patrolling.

 

An American truck from the Lend-Lease program passed by a broken-down Panzer IV.

Notes on the OOB.

Some formations in this battle had been shrouded in a dense cloud of inaccuracies, confusion, and misunderstandings. Among these, the following stood out:

Division Gruppe Pape (plus the successor Division Gruppe Bieber.)

Divisiongruppe Pape was established on 21^st December 1944, using the headquarters and one signal company of Pz.Gren.Div. Feldherrenhalle, which unlike the rest of the division, was not trapped inside Budapest. It was used instead to control the armored elements of the 3, 6, 8, 24 and Lehr Panzer Divisions. which had been earmarked to participate in Unternehmen Spätlese, while some of these divisions went north of the Danube to defend along the Gran River against the attack by the Second Ukrainian Front the armored parts remained close to Tata. Its composition shifted constantly. It was dissolved in the night of 5 January.

1^st January 1945 Division Gruppe Pape consisted of the following units (included their ultimate destination):

KGr. Bieber. One battalion-sized consisting of remnants of the 271 V.G.D: I./Grenadier Regiment 978 with 186 men,  II./Artillery Regiment 271  and 5 Anti-Tank guns. Later elevated to DivisionGruppe Bieber.  (See below.)

Panzer Battalion 208. 21 PzIV and 7 Jagdpanzer IV 70(a) sent to North of Danube against the 2^nd Ukrainian Front Offensive, under Korpsgruppe Kirchner by early January. When they came back they left their Jagdpanzers to PanzerJäger Battalion 13 under the Szent Lazslo division.

KGr. Knoop (8. Panzer Division.) with 16 Panthers from the Panzer Regiment, I./PanzerGrenadier Regiment 98, 3./PanzerPionier Battalion 59 and I./Panzer Artillery Regiment 80. They were sent back to their parent division after the dissolving of this group.

KGr. Philipp (6. Panzer Division.) with 16 Panthers from the Panzer Regiment, I./PanzerGrenadier Regiment 114, 1./PanzerPionier Battalion 57 and I./Panzer Artillery Regiment 76. They were sent back to their parent division after the dissolving of this group.

Sturmgeschütz Brigade 239. 17 vehicles sent to VIII Korps as reserve after the dissolving of this group.

Tanks from Panzer Divisions 3, 24 and Panzer Lehr. In total 28 Panthers. Upon dissolving distributed into 1, 3, 6, 8, and 23 Panzer Divisions and I./Panzer Regiment.24. This confused many sources, which is why these Panzer divisions were stronger than indicated in many sources if the reports on troop strength were sent the night before January 5. Given that most of them were engaged in intense fighting on January 7, the reports on troop strength on January 8 end up, in a sense, camouflaging the actual strength of the divisions on January 6.

The crews were sent to the Western Front, but the remaining Panthers of this group stayed in Hungary. 5 went to the 1. Panzer Division, 10 went to 8. Panzer Division, 10 went to the 23. Panzer Division, 13 went to the 3. Panzer Division, 10 to the 6. Panzer Division and the rest (12) reinforced the arriving I./Panzer Regiment 24. Tracking this particular unit was truly a nightmare.

A destroyed SU-100 in its combat debut.

Elements from Pz.Gren.Div. FHH: (the parts that evaded the cauldron of Budapest)

Marsch Battalion Panzer Division FHH. 252 men, sent back to Germany to rebuild FHH division after the dissolving of this group.

PanzerJäger Battalion 13. 13 vehicles. Sent North of Danube against the 2^nd Ukrainian Front Offensive under Szent Lazslo division after the dissolving of this group.

3./PanzerPionier Battalion "FHH." same as Marsch Battalion Panzer Division FHH

Alarm Battalion Tata. integrated in DivisionGruppe Bieber after the dissolving of this group.

Machinegun Battalion "Marck." 264 men. Integrated in DivisionGruppe Bieber after the dissolving of this group.

4./102nd Hungarian Anti-Air Battalion. A very unusual unit. The Hungarians mounted their anti-aircraft guns on half-tracks and used them against ground targets, combining them with anti-tank infantry mounted on half-tracks. Integrated in DivisionGruppe Bieber after the dissolving of this group.

SS-Reiter Schwadron Sparwasser. 5 JagdPanzer 38t and a mounted company from SS-Kavallerie Regiment 18 (they evaded the encirclement), sent to 1. Panzer Division with reinforcements after the dissolving of this group.

As of 31 December 1944, Div.Gr. Pape fielded 81 (60 Panthers and 21 PzIV) operational tanks, 18 assault guns, and 20 tank destroyers, for a total of 119 of all types.

Since the casualty’s report from Pape is incomplete, so far, we know he reported only 8 casualties.

Due very poor performance in battle all units under this command are rated D. Once back to their parent formations or under DivisionGruppe Bieber they performed as usual and are rated higher.

SS Rgt Ney was not attached to this Gruppe, in fact arrived quite later in the battle.

A group of Panzergrenadiers resting.

Division Gruppe Bieber

Kept from Divisiongruppe Pape:

Machine-gun Battalion."Marck."

KGr. Bieber.

Alarm Battalion Tata.

4./102nd Hungarian Anti-Air Battalion

Receive new:

Machine-gun Battalion "Lausitz."  Lowered to quality D since they were a Geneisenau unit, which units were involved the mobilization of Ersatz and Ausbildungs units.

Grenadier Regiment.979

2./Pioneer Battalion 271

4x Infantry Battalions from the Hungarian 25^th Infantry Division plus an artillery Battalion.

5x 7.5cm AT and 3x 2cm Anti-Air guns.

Combat Debut of SU-100 (compared vs other SU)
The combat rate of fire, despite a shell that was twice as heavy (32.6 kilograms versus T34-85 16 kilograms), remained acceptable – 4-5 shots per minute, against the SU-85’s 7-8 shots per minute.

Regarding the SU-100’s armor protection, Zakharov stated: “The frontal armor of the SU-100 is invulnerable to light and medium [anti-tank] artillery; against heavy tanks and 88mm guns, the frontal armor is inadequate and very frangible.”

SU-100 shortcomings: the ponderous operation of the gun laying mechanisms and the fact that the optics were often damaged by the shock of shell hits, whereas in the SU-85, the optics were unaffected by the shock of shell hits. Zakharov also observed that it would be desirable for the

SU-100 to have a machine gun for self-defense against infantry.
On the whole, the SU-100 self-propelled guns were evaluated as “a most effective means for combating the enemy’s heavy tanks.”

215mm 44M Buzogányvető (aka Mace Thrower)
A 3 man crew weapon. Produced in the factories of Budapest, about 600 to 700 were produced and widely used in the Siege. Those weapons were used as anti infantry weapon due to the scarce number of Russian tanks as the weapon had a anti-personal warhead Zápor (Rainfall) with a range of 1200-2000 meters and 4.2 kg of High Explosive. It was regarded as one of the most effective anti-tank weapon used in WWII. Mostly used by the Tank-hunters companies inside Budapest.

3.SS-Panzer Division Totenkopf
Of the 1,191 light machine guns according to TO&E, Totenkopf  had only 536. It is reflected on their SA values of the Motorized Infantry.

5.SS-Panzer Division Wiking
They had 2,900 panzerfausts, which is an incredible amount, one for every two men (in relation to combat strength). And not only that, but they had twice as many heavy weapons as any other division.

That explains why this division led almost all attacks for 28 days during Konrad I, II, and III, considering that by Konrad III (January 18), it had fewer than 15 operational tanks!

SS-Regiment Ney
On January 1, 1945, the regiment's total strength had reached 2,000 men, all Hungarian volunteers, of whom 1,870 were infantry soldiers and 130 were supply troops. The unit fought continuously in the most critical areas, demonstrating great bravery. This unit was very well equipped.
On January 23, hundreds of young men from the Levente Organization and a company of volunteers from the Royal Hungarian Air Force reported for duty in the regiment.

Hungarian 55^th Company, 52^nd and 104^th anti-air Battalions
These units were quite unique. They were equipped with 4 cm and 8.5 cm anti-aircraft guns on half-tracks and motorized infantry companies as a single combat group. They were used in ground missions against ground targets with great success. In the case of the 104^th, the infantry was mounted on half-tracks.

4.Kavallerie Brigade
That unit had a large number of submachine guns and Panzerschrecks above the authorized complement according to 1945 cavalry standards.

8.Panzer Division
Their Panzer Grenadiers were credited with an astonishing number of tanks destroyed in battle with portable rockets and general weaponry.

Sturm Artillerie Brigade 303
Every Assault Gun was given 2x 7.92 Machine Guns additionally. That was a unique feature among StuG Brigades and it's reflected in their SA value.

A Panther tank driving through a small settlement.

Szent László Parachute Division
The Soviets lost approximately 60 tanks in the sector of the Szent László Parachute Division just in the first two days.

211.Volksgrenadier Division
Despite the division's lack of experience, Soviet attacks failed to break through the defensive position of the 211.Volksgrenadier Division, even after the 4^th Guards Mechanized Corps and the 24^th Guards Rifle Corps were sent in. It withstood attacks from three Soviet rifle divisions, two Guards tank brigades, and a Guards mechanized brigade. In the process, the German formation lost more than 1,500 men. The division commander, who had previously been awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and Oak Leaves, was, according to his superiors, one of the best German generals.

Siege of Budapest. Peculiarities and units.

Many of the Hungarian units trapped in Budapest attempted to evade combat. In reports on their strength and armament, they concealed their true numbers. When receiving their rations through the Hungarian I Army Corps, they inflated their numbers, while in communications with the Germans they underestimated them. For example, the 10th Infantry Division only managed to assemble a fighting force of between 200 and 300 men, the 6th Infantry Regiment (6/I and 6/II battalions) did not fight at all from December 24 until the end of the siege, and the 10th Reconnaissance Battalion remained a “hidden unit” whose existence was never reported to the Germans. Most units kept two different records of troops and weapons. The vast majority of their soldiers did not see combat.
 Although at the time of the siege their ration was 7,000 and their official combat strength was 1,630.

The 1st Armored Division, which at the beginning of December had 14,000 troops, reported only 2,038 infantry soldiers to the Germans.
By the end of December, there had been 80 desertions, but no investigation was carried out.

After Christmas, Captain Dezso Németh, quartermaster of the Hungarian I Army Corps, in an act of deliberate sabotage, transferred Hungarian reserves to locations where they could soon be found by the Red Army. 
It should be noted that many of the Hungarian soldiers deliberately decided to remain in Pest; they even refused to refuel their vehicles to avoid being evacuated to Buda.
This is not surprising, as at that time the Hungarian military command considered it futile to continue the fight.

A Hummel heavy self-propelled artillery vehicles opening fire inside of Budapest.

Although nearly 65,000 Hungarian soldiers were trapped in Budapest, only about a third were combat troops and/or participated in the battle.

Approximately 50% of the rationing force was not trained for infantry and 16% had been recruited during the siege. The latter constituted 30% of the total Hungarian combat force, which in turn was only about 30% of the total rationing force. The police combat groups were also made up of people who were not originally combatants.

OOB units only have actual strength, not rations or authorized strength. Units that avoided the battle are not in the OOB (despite its name), they only represent other troops fighting under the division. Known deserters and surrendered forces are also outside the OOB.

Some formations (including the 22. SS-Kavallerie Division), recruited from the local population, fought to defend their homes. They took advantage of their local knowledge with deadly results, choosing the best defensive positions, setting ambushes, and bringing in reserves via road networks they knew well. This is reflected in their quality.
 
Sources show many discrepancies, often mixing the strength of rations before and after the encirclement and listing all weapons in inventory despite actual combat figures. It is a bit of guesswork and a puzzle.

Due to fuel and ammunition shortages, a significant portion of the personnel from combat support units were employed as infantry. When ammunition for heavy weapons ran out, these formations joined the decimated ranks of the infantry.

Soviet infantry assaulting Budapest.

District Combat Groups

They have good moral, were equipped with panzerfaust and AT guns.

Morlin Group made up of military academy students and many soldiers who had been separated from their units. These men had a strong anti-tank capability being equipped with many panzerfaust. Desertions form this group were rare, and they often fought to the last bullet.

I and II University Assault Battalion

Made up of highly motivated students and led by junior Army officers. It was the only militia group to be adopted into the Royal Hungarian Army’s Order of Battle and received uniforms.

2^nd Danube Flotilla

They fought as infantry mainly in Pest. Still using MG08 machine guns from the boats, a cumbersome relic from the First World War.

Group Sodró

3 Battalions of former firefighters trained as combat engineers.

Vannay Flying Squad Battalion

This highly motivated Battalion was composed of WWI veterans and young students trained and mentored by the veterans but also conscripts. Their intimate knowledge of the tram and railway operators, water works, and other utilities was invaluable in the city fighting, especially their knowledge of the tunnels and sewers of Budapest. Vannay proved a good but draconian leader, he would use loudspeakers to announce to the Soviet troops facing his men that they would take no prisoners, meaning his men could now expect no quarter in return.

Gruppe Schmidthuber: Panzer Grenadier Division Feldherrnhalle and 13^th Panzer Division.

During the fighting the two divisions was grouped together to act as a mobile reserve and fought against Soviet assaults and break-ins. The Panzergrenadiers of the divisions fought side-by-side in the northeast of the city, often counterattacking Soviet assaults and reinforcing Hungarian positions. Thus both units are under the same division in the OoB.

A column of Panzergrenadiers on the snow-covered road

SS-Polizei Regiment 1

This Regiment had large amounts of MG42 and was equipped with plenty SMG and mortars.      

Budapest Air Defense Corps

When this formations spent all their ammunition they were employed as infantry. At the end of the siege there were 600 men still fighting.

102. sz. Páncélvonat – Armored train:

With 1 x 22M 80mm field gun, 1 x 36M 37mm AT gun, 2 x 36M 20mm AA gun, 8x 31M 8mm machine gun.

Soviet

Rifle Divisions in the Siege of Budapest
Soviet infantry were also equipped with a plethora of siege weapons: demolition charges, flamethrowers. Some rifle divisions in the Budapest Group were equipped quite differently from the rest of divisions in this battle: more AT guns, much more 76mm regimental guns, demolition charges and flamethrowers, thus, they have better Assault ratings.

A Soviet crew of a 4.5cm Anti-Tank gun.

Danube Flotilla
They used mainly the BK-321 ships equipped with 2x76mm guns (with some Rockets launchers on board)

The Volunteer Regiment of Buda

It was a unit recruited from Hungarian prisoners of  war to fight for the Red Army during the siege of Budapest. Soviet command often      assigned them to the toughest parts of the line and of the roughly 2,500 men who fought in the regiment, approximately 600 were killed in action at Budapest.
The men wore Hungarian uniforms with red armbands. For their hard fighting in the final stage of the siege, the Hungarians were allowed to raise their own flag alongside the Soviet one over the Royal Palace in victory.

252nd Amphibious Battalion

This motorized battalion was equipped with American amphibian vehicles DUWKs.

61^st and 70^th Dog Mineclear Battalions.

These formations helped clear the way through Budapest. A real rarity.

A pair of Soviet SU-76M self-propelled vehicles in the outskirts of Budapest.

Part II: Spring Awakening '45 content.

New Scenarios:

Three new variants for Spring Awakening '45 campaign for Axis player and HTH and Dynamic and Non-dynamic movement.

#45_0306_01b_Spring_Awakening_Campaign_Waldteufel

Dynamic Movement. For Axis player. This is a hypothetical scenario in which Operation Waldteuffel -the crossing of the Drava- consists of a single crossing reinforced by the Panzergrenadier Brigade 92 (army reserve, no tanks, but mobile), the entire 1st Kossaken Cavalry Division, and three strategic options for sending KGr. vRudno (March 8), KGr. Böttcher (March 9), and KGr. Blank (March 12) in support of the LXXXXI Corps.

#45_0306_01c_Spring_Awakening_Campaign_Waldteufel
As above but for HTH.

#45_0306_01d_Spring_Awakening_Campaign_No_Southwind

Dynamic movement. For Axis player. This is a hypothetical scenario that assumes that the I SS-Panzer Corps was not used in Operation Southwind (February 17–February 24, 1945)     to eliminate the Gran River salient. The operation was a success, but 2,989 casualties were suffered, including 413 killed in action during the same period. Material losses were approximately 130 Panzers and Tank destroyers among all Axis forces involved, although most were repairable. The corps lost 42 tanks and tank destroyers and 44 guns. This variant features a stronger I SS-Panzer Corps.

1. SS-Panzer Division lost (non repairable): 4 Pz IV, 13 Panther 1 PzJg-70, 12. SS-Panzer Division lost 14 panthers and 7 PzJg-70. By the start of Spring Awakening they have recovered all vehicles but for those non repairable.

On average every division lost about 1000 panzergrenadiers including Engineers and Recon battalions but in reality 12. SS-Panzer Division lost most of those 2000 men. 1. SS-Panzer Division received a good amount of replacements but 12. SS-Panzer Division didn't. That's why in Spring Awakening 12. SS-Panzer Division is much weaker than 1. SS-Panzer Division

Some units from 12. SS-Panzer Division lost their replacement rates (Panzer Regiment and III./SS-PanzerGrenadier Regiment 26)

1. SS-Panzer Division gained: +4 Pz IV, +13 Panther, +1 PzJg-70, +3 Nebelwerfer, +8 le.FH   18, +9 s.FH 18, +6 s.IG 33, +3 8.8cm FlaK 18, + 8 Heavy Armored Cars, +1 Pak 40 AT gun.

12. SS-Panzer Division gained: +14 Panthers, +7 PzJg-70, +9 8.8cm FlaK 18, +16 le.FH 18, +6 s.FH 18. II./SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment 26 had 401 men they day Southwind started.    The other battalions had approximately the same strength.

SS-s.Pz.Abt.501: At the start on 17 February, there were 34 operational, just three more than in Spring Awakening.

In addition, given that the trains used to transport all the I SS-Panzer Corps to the Gran River and back to the front between Lake Balaton and Lake Valence for the start of Operation Spring Awakening a week later, meant that the armored component of the 12.SS-    Panzer Division and s.Panzer Abt.501 could not arrive in time for March 6, arriving between 16 and 24 hours later. The same happened with the entire II SS-Panzer Corps, which was delayed between 10 and 24 hours... and with the independent armored battalions      of the III Panzer Corps (Sturmpanzer Abt. 219, Flammenpanzer Company 351, I./Panzer Regiment 24, and elements of s.Panzer Abt. 509). In this variant, these units are ready a day earlier, just in time for the start of the operation.
The Soviet side was not very concerned on the morning of March 6, as there were only two armored formations on the front line. When, on March 7, the German assault gained momentum, the Soviets reacted by sending in their reserves, which in this scenario are released one day earlier and, in the case of the 208th SU Brigade, two days earlier. All Soviet mobile reserves have a triggered release.

#45_0306_01e_Spring_Awakening_Campaign_No_Southwind

As above but for HTH.

#45_0306_01f_Spring_Awakening_Campaign_W+NS

Dynamic Movement. For Axis player. Both Waldteufel and No Southwind variants at the same time, this means a single crossing on the Drava with strategies for placements of reinforcements on the Drava at the expanse of Kaspovar area and I.SS-Panzer Corps did not take part in Operation Southwind and it's stronger and both sides have earlier release date for most of their mobile formations

#45_0306_01g_Spring_Awakening_Campaign_W+NS

As above but for HTH.

#45_0306_02b_Spring_Awakening_Campaign_Waldteufel

Non-dynamic movement. For Axis player.

This is a hypothetical scenario in which Operation Waldteuffel -the crossing of the Drava- consists of a single crossing reinforced by the Panzergrenadier Brigade 92 (army reserve, no tanks, but mobile), the entire 1st Kossaken Cavalry Division, and three strategic options for sending KGr. vRudno (March 8), KGr. Böttcher (March 9), and KGr. Blank (March 12) in support of the LXXXXI Corps.

#45_0306_02c_Spring_Awakening_Campaign_Waldteufel
As above but for HTH.

#45_0306_02d_Spring_Awakening_Campaign_No_Southwind

Non-dynamic movement. For Axis player. This is a hypothetical scenario that assumes that the I SS Panzer Corps was not used in Operation Southwind (February 17–February 24, 1945) to eliminate the Gran River salient. The operation was a success, but 2,989 casualties were suffered, including 413 killed in action during the same period. Material losses were approximately 130 Panzers and Tank destroyers among all Axis forces involved, although most were repairable. The corps lost 42 tanks and tank destroyers and 44 guns. This variant features a stronger SS Panzer Corps.

1.SS-Panzer Division lost (non-repairable): 4 Pz IV, 13 Panther 1 PzJg-70, 12.SS-Panzer Division lost 14 panthers and 7 PzJg-70. By the start of Spring Awakening they have recovered all vehicles but for those non repairable.

On average every division lost about 1000 panzer grenadiers including Engineers and Recon battalions but in reality 12. SS-Panzer Division lost most of those 2000 men. 1.SS-Panzer Division received a good amount of replacements but 12. SS-Panzer Division didn't. That's why in Spring Awakening 12. SS-Panzer Division is much weaker than 1. SS-Panzer Division

Some units from 12.SS-Panzer Division lost their replacement rates (Panzer Regiment and III./SS-Pz.Gr.Rgt.26)

1.SS-Panzer Division gained: +4 Pz IV, +13 Panther, +1 PzJg-70, +3 Nebelwerfer, +8 le.FH    18, +9 s.FH 18, +6 s.IG 33, +3 8.8cm FlaK 18, + 8 Heavy Armored Cars, +1 Pak 40 AT gun.

12.SS-Panzer Division gained: +14 Panthers, +7 PzJg-70, +9 8.8cm FlaK 18, +16 le.FH 18, +6 s.FH 18. II./SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment 26 had 401 men they day Southwind started. The other battalions had approximately the same strength.

SS-s.Pz.Abt.501: At the start on 17 February, there were 34 operational, just three more than in Spring Awakening.

#45_0306_02e_Spring_Awakening_Campaign_No_Southwind

As above but for HTH.

#45_0306_02f_Spring_Awakening_Campaign_W+NS

Non-Dynamic Movement. For Axis player. Both Waldteufel and No Southwind variants at the same time, this means a single crossing on the Drava with strategies for placements of reinforcements on the Drava at the expanse of Kaspovar area and I.SS-Panzer Corps did not take part in Operation Southwind and it's stronger and both sides have earlier release date for most of their mobile formations.

#45_0306_02g_Spring_Awakening_Campaign_W+NS

As above but for HTH.

#45_0306_14b_Battle_Between_The_Lakes_Balaton_&_Valence_No_Southwind

As #45_0306_01d_Spring_Awakening_Campaign_No_Southwind. Dynamic Movement.   For Axis player.

#45_0306_14c_Battle_Between_The_Lakes_Balaton_&_Valence_No_Southwind

As above but for HTH.

#45_0306_15b_Battle_Between_The_Lakes_Balaton_&_Valence_No_Southwind

As #45_0306_02d_Spring_Awakening_Campaign_No_Southwind. Non-dynamic movement. For Axis player.

#45_0306_15c_Battle_Between_The_Lakes_Balaton_&_Valence_No_Southwind

As above but for HTH.

 

Content Updates:

OOB

Further research on German Armored Trains and inspired by Mike Prucha's Poland '39 approach to armored trains has resulted in the Panzerzug 64, 78 and 79 split into different units.

Panzerzug 64 was a BP42 model, a design patterned after Polish and Soviet armored trains and armed with two turreted 7,62cm FK 295/1 and two 10cm leFH 14-19. Two of the artillery cars also had platforms for mounting the quad 20mm Flak 38 automatic cannon for antiaircraft defense. These trains also deployed special flatcars for transporting and disembarking two Pz 38(t) tanks to carry the fight away from the rails. In addition, the trains were generally accompanied by two captured French Panhard 178 armored cars equipped with a 25mm gun.

Panzerzug 78 and 79 were BP44 models with improved the armament with the use of four heavier 10.5cm leFH 18/40 turrets and added two tank-destroyer car using the 7,5cm gun from PzKpfw IV Ausf H. The Panzerjagerwagen was used at the front and rear of the train to provide antitank capability as well as direct artillery support. It fielded a heavier armor.

Small German Panzer regiments (and some PanzerJager battalions) have mixed tank components to give the German player more impact power and endurance.

SS-PzJg.Abt.12 and s.PzJg.Abt.560 (12.SS-Panzer Division) have 1% Replacement due new research (For example 6 March -first day of the offensive- they had 27 combat ready vehicles, by 15 March -last day of the offensive- they had 28 combat ready with only 3 in repair.)

Updated strength of Soviet Mechanized Brigades due to new research. (small adjustments.)

Reconnaissance company from a Mechanized brigade, notice the Lend-Lease US half-track M3 and the heavy M2 Machine-gun.

Updated TO&E for Soviet Artillery Divisions post summer 1944.

Standardized defense and movement for all HQs.

Corrected errors on D quality Soviet Artillery. They should be C (a couple of units in total.)

Corrected errors on Soviet motorized artillery (12.2cm and above) unit class. They use now soft half track movement costs, as they should. (Bulgarians and Yugoslavian are not changed.)

Corrected errors on German motorized artillery and anti-tank guns (over 7.5cm both types) unit class. They use now soft soft half track movement costs, as they should.

Corrected an error on unit class of Axis IV./Artillerie Regiment 356 and IV./Artillerie Regiment 297.

Corrected an error on Axis 15cm sIG 33 (mot) speed.

Corrected an error with 8.8cm FlaK 18 unit type in SS formations. (some were labeled as Anti-Tank.)

Corrected Hungarian 24th and 25th Recon Battalions and Fusilier Battalion 11 (11.Luftwaffen Feld Division) unit type. They are now Recon units.

Corrected an error on Command Radius of II-SS Panzer Korps and some SS-Panzer Divisions.

Corrected an error with HQ SS-Panzer Regiment unit class.

A column of T-34/85 tanks and their crew resting.

Updated Scenarios:

All scenarios not listed below have undergone changes following the OOB update.

Every scenario from the 01 to the 06, both HTH and against AI (the Soviet side is facing PzAOK.2 near Kaspovar, not the Drava crossing!) every Soviet Rifle Division already has its third battalion on the map. No changes for the Bulgarians and Yugoslavs either.

#45_0306_03_2nd_Panzer_Army_The_Long_River_Flank

Design Note: Axis side has strategies for placing formations under the command of Pz.AOK.2 in the Kaspovar area or at any of the Drava crossings: KGr. Böttcher, KGr.      vRudno, KGr. Blank,     and KGr. Fischer. Additionally, the Axis receive Pz.AOK.2 last reserve: Panzergrenadier Brigade 92.
The additional VP locations at the Drava crossings    make the decision taken by both players regarding the placement of formations in their strategies more interesting.

#45_0306_03a_2nd_Panzer_Army_The_Long_River_Flank

As above but for HTH.

#45_0306_04a_2nd_Panzer_Army_The_Long_River_Flank_Initial

Design Note: Soviet side has a strategy for reinforcements that allow 84th Rifle Division to either go the Drava or to Kaposvar area.

#45_0306_05_LXVIII_Corps_Fight_For_Kaposvar
Design Note: Received an adjust VP threshold, and added some Russian reinforcements (84th Rifle Division, 53rd Motorcycle Regiment, and 1891st SU Regiment).

#45_0306_05a_LXVIII_Corps_Fight_For_Kaposvar

As above but for HTH.

#45_0306_06_LXVIII_Corps_Road_To_Kaposvar

Design Note: Soviet side received 84^th Rifle Division as reinforcement.

#45_0306_06a_LXVIII_Corps_Road_To_Kaposvar

As above but for HTH.

#45_0306_07_LXXXXI_Corps_Into_Yugoslavia

Design Note:  Axis receive Pz.AOK.2 last reserve: Panzergrenadier Brigade 92 and the rest of 1.Kossaken Kavallerie Division.
The additional VP locations at the Drava crossings    make the decision taken by both players regarding the placement of formations in their strategies more interesting.

#45_0306_07a_LXXXXI_Corps_Into_Yugoslavia

As above but for HTH.

Miscellaneous

Corrected some impassable hexes in the scenario campaign that shouldn't be there.

 

We hope you enjoy this additional, free content for Cesar's first title for WDS. The Budapest campaign scenarios builds on the Variant scenarios he included in that title but doesn't supplant them. Different time periods are covered in each title. The inclusion of the scenarios here give additional context to the subsequent fighting around Lake Balaton, as well as highlight the additional scenarios added to further flesh out the Spring Awakening operation.

With this the first title to be upgraded to 4.05.3, we plan to roll out the other titles across Panzer Campaigns, Modern Campaigns, and First World War Campaigns when able. Thank you for all your support.