Battle of Rostov, 1942

[chequita guevara]

What can you tell me about it?

[TheStinger]

In 1942 there was a battle in Rostov, I think it was between the SU and germany. Tanks were used on both sides

[chequita guevara]

Hey thanks, just what I was looking for.

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by TheStinger
In 1942 there was a battle in Rostov, I think it was between the SU and germany. Lots of tanks were used on both sides

Fixed

[TheStinger]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
Hey thanks, just what I was looking for.

Happy to help

If you need any info on other battles please ask

[Felch]

I checked on Wikipedia and realized why you were asking here.

It might help if you clarified what you were looking for. Do you want a strategic or political level overview, a tactical analysis, or just some rough idea of how many fascists were put to death by the heroes of the Soviet Union?

[chequita guevara]

I'm trying to build a tank diorama. My idea is to have an early Pz. IV G and a Pz. 38(t) G (both from the 204th reg of the 22nd Pz Div) facing off against a Soviet tank, either a T-34 or a KV-1. I know all those types of tanks participated in the battle, and I know the Soviets' tank unit was in the center of town and that the 204th was also fighting in the center of town, but did that unit actually come in contact with any Soviet armor? And if so, what kind?

To Zkribbler: Actually, the Soviets didn't have that many tanks in this battle, comparatively. They were vastly outnumbered by the Nazis.

As an aside, this particular Nazi unit (22nd Pz Div.) was later destroyed by the Soviets at Stalingrad . . . by mice eating the electrical wires. When the Soviets counter-attacked, they were unable to fight back.

[BeBMan]

It's the second battle in summer 42 for the city after the Wehrmacht had taken it in late 41 for the first time, but had to give it up again only some days later due to a strong Soviet counter offensive with the risk of encirclement.

[Felch]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
I'm trying to build a tank diorama.

Aren't you supposed to be relaxing on the beach?

[chequita guevara]

I can't do both?

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
As an aside, this particular Nazi unit (22nd Pz Div.) was later destroyed by the Soviets at Stalingrad . . . by mice eating the electrical wires. When the Soviets counter-attacked, they were unable to fight back.

Commie mice

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
....
To Zkribbler: Actually, the Soviets didn't have that many tanks in this battle, comparatively. They were vastly outnumbered by the Nazis....

One, two, many, lots.

[Dry]

Re: Battle of Rostov, 1942

Originally posted by Comrade Snuggles
What can you tell me about it?

Me? Nothing.
But I did a google search and got almost directly this, from a forum discussion.

http://www.battlefront.com/community/showthread.php?t=39618

The defenders were from the 18th (roughly, the west facing or left sector) and 56th Armies (roughly, the north facing or right). Both were disorganized and in retreat at the time, since they had been flanked deeply to their north and their supports there had given way. The Russians conducted a fighting withdrawal and avoiding giving the Germans the large bags of prisoners their more rigid defense had led to in 1941. (There were still sizable "bags" farther north, but not at Rostov).

The main German effort was a hook from the north by von Kleist's 1st Panzer Army, with the 17th Army taking a more direct route at the city from the west. The outer hook got there first, and was led by the 14th and 22nd Panzer divisions, joined soon after by SS Wiking.

Note that Wiking was already a Panzergrenadier division in effect at this point, as it had a 50+ tank panzer battalion plus a StuG battalion organic. A company of the tanks were Panzer IV longs, another III longs and another's worth were just Pz IIs, and the StuGs were early model longs.

14th Panzer bypassed the city after the first day or two of the fighting, 22nd was involved longer, and Wiking was clearing it block by block for days. Mostly long IIIs in the Panzer regiments.

17th Army arrived in time to participate in the street fighting phase. Notably it made use of some of the more obscure Axis minors in the fight for the city. The 100th Jager division was one of its formations involved, and included the 369th Croat regiment. 100th Jager got a reputation as street fighting experts there, and carried it to Stalingrad later in the campaign. The 1st Slovakian (fast) division also took part, some of its heaviest fighting of the war occurring at a collective farm northeast of the city.

While the fighting was moderately prolonged - days I mean - it was never seriously in doubt, since the Germans had flanked the whole position and the Russians were withdrawing across the board.

I hope this helps. Sorry I can't offer more detail on the Russian defense.

If you go down in the topic, you will find discussions about the composition of units on both sides.

Example of composition found on page 2:

- The 22nd PZD/204th Panzer Regiment reported the following tanks operational in July 42 prior to the Rostov committment:

28 PzII
60+ Pz38t
12 PzIIIj
11 PzIVf
11 (new) PzIVg

-Soviet forces research, rostov defense july 1942

9th NKVD Mot Div Rostov formed 01 Jan-42

56th Army: (AA,Art,AT ) (south front, forming South east of Rostov - keep in mind most of these units were not committed in the city but pulled back across the Don early)
---317th Rifle Div 30July-41 Baku
---343rd Rifle Div 23Aug-41 Stavropol N Cauca MD
---347th Rifle Div 16Sep-41 Krasnodar N Cauca MD
---11th Stud Rifle Brigade 01nov-41
---13th Stud Rifle Brigade 20nov-41
---16th Stud Rifle Brigade 01Oct-at Rostov
---62nd Cav Div 01Sep-41 N Cauca MD
---64th Cav Div 11Aug-41 Lobinskaya N Cauca MD
---70th Cav Div 31Aug-41 Voroshilovsk N Cauca MD
---55th Guards Rifle Div 18 Dec-42
---68th Cav Div 15 Sep-41 Rostov

-63rd Tank Brig. (56th Army) July 01 42 tank strength (rkkaww2 site)
--------
KV-1 9
T34 2
T26 14
OT26 6
T60 19
T37 5
--------
Total 55

-62nd Seperate Tank Battalion of South Front had following dug-in tanks: 18 BT, 12 T26

You probably may dig more to get more info.