_______"PAW OF THE TIGER"*
___________Adapted from* 
___Avalon Hill's Squad Leader Series*
__________ Scenario #14*
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Battle Type: Russian Advance*
__________________vs.*
____________German Defend*
Location: South of Leningrad, Russia*
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Date:  January 12, 1943*
Time:  1200 Hours*
Turns: 32*
SPWAW Version: 8.2+*
Map: Ken "Orzel Bialy" Baran*
Scenario: Ken "Orzel Bialy" Baran*
E-Mail: OrzelBialy@SPWAW.Com*
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________HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:*
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In the summer of 1942 the Wehrmacht still held its siege lines around the city of Leningrad in hopes of forcing the city to fall. An operation to storm the city (code named "Northern Light") had been considered by OKW in the early spring, but that plan was postponed and then eventually cancelled as the main German offensive to the south ("Fall Blau") began to require more and more of the Wehrmacht's resources.*
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However, the Leningrad Front did not stay quiet during this period of time. Throughout the summer and fall of 1942 the Soviets launched several attacks in the effort to break the strangle hold that the Germans had on the city. All of these were met with stiff German resistance and none were able to achieve the goal of smashing through the siege lines.*
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The continous fighting around Leningrad did, however, have a two-fold effect on the German war effort. First of all it limited the number of units that the Germans could withdraw from the Leningrad front to use in their drive to the Volga and the Causasus region. Second of all, it slowly sapped the strength of the units that were left holding the lines around Leningrad since nearly all replacements and reinforcements were flowing to Von Paulus's Sixth Army.*
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By the winter of 42'-43' the collapse of their Front to the Soviet counterattack at Stalingrad (operation "Uranus") meant that even more German units were drawn away from all sectors of the Eastern Front, including the already thinned Army Group North. Whatever could be spared was rushed south to fill the gapping hole that had been torn into the line and to form new defensive lines.*
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All the while the Soviet Leningrad and Volkhov Fronts continued to pressure the German lines around the city. Eventually the German units that remained holding the siege lines were forced to develop what could best be described as a "trip wire" defense, so as to make the most of their meager reserves. In most cases an outer "skirmish" line of foxholes and rifle-pits were set up along the fringes of the main defensive line. These, along with small tank-hunter groups and infantry squads, held the high ground where trails and roads passed through the swampy, hilly terrain. These "outer" forces were in place to detect and then delay any Soviet attack, hopefully even weakening it, so that the main defensive line (made up of Anti-Tank gun positions and heavier Machine Gun nests)had enough time to be re-inforced by a local armored "Fire Brigade".*
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Once called upon these "Fire Brigades" would move into pre-selected firing positions just behind the main defensive line (usually on hills over-looking a small clearing) and take on whatever Soviet forces managed to penetrate the front. It was a tactic that served the Germans well, until the overwhelming flood of Soviet manpower and equipment finally broke the German siege the following year.*
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________SCENARIO NOTES:*
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On January 12th, 1943 a full battalion of the Soviet 122nd Tank Brigade launches an attack against the German lines south of Leningrad.*
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As this force moves through the hills and frozen marshlands they are detected by the first "trip wire" of the local defending German unit. Even as the first fire-fights break out, the call goes out to Regimental HQ alerting them of the oncoming storm. The fact that the Soviet force is "armor heavy" requires that a "Fire Brigade" be dispatched to cope with any possible Russian breakthrough.*
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The nearest "Fire Brigade" is made up of elements of the 1st Company of the 502nd Tiger Battalion, which includes ace Panzer Commander Captain Hans Bolter. Within minutes the crews man their panzers and are on the move, heading down the frozen roads towards the threatened sector. It is yet another call to duty in the un-ending struggle to stem the Soviet onslaught and the question is the same: Can they pull off the impossible one more time against overwhelming odds?*
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_______HISTORICAL AFTERMATH:*
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The two Tigers and their three support panzers (2 MkIII's and a MkIV) arrived just in time to bolster the crumbling defensive line. The trip wire defenses had succeeded in delaying the attack and causing enough losses that the Soviets could not deliver a quick and fatal blow to the German line.*
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Though heavily outnumbered the Tigers were able to deal with those Soviet tanks that did breakthrough the main defensive line. By the end of the engagement the attacking battalion of the Soviet 122nd Tank Brigade had been virtually crushed, it's burning and wrecked tanks littered the landscape while the survivors turned tail and withdrew.*
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The combination of the Tigers massive armor and firepower with Bolter's superb leadership and gunnery skills had made all the difference.*
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_____DESIGNER NOTES/HINTS:*
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Your infantry forces are scattered and not especially strong.  It is best to allow the advancing Russians to "stumble" upon your positions rather than start long range fire-fights.*
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Use you ATG's wisely. Allow Soviet armor to provide them with flank shots whenever possible, especially since half of your ATG's are 50mm PAK's and therefore not the best at taking on T-34's and KV-1's head on.*
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When the Fire Brigade arrives it is best to split them into two groups. Send one group each to Hill 309 and Hill 310 and have them take up firing positions there initially. Once you blunt the first wave of Soviet armor it best then to move them about, so as not to fall victim to any Soviet artillery barrages. Remember to use their strengths to your advantage!* 
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PAW OF THE TIGER is originally from Avalon Hill's popular Squad Leader Series (Scenario #14) which I grew up on as a teen. Although the scenario was always a classic to me, it took some time to get it into a playable format for SPWAW. I hope it does service to the original and I hope that all who play it find it enjoyable and interesting.
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