Breakout to Lisyanka

In January 1944 a large pocket of 6 German divisions with over 56,000 troops had been cut-off by the Soviet Army's 1st and 2nd Ukrainian Front troops. For days the Russians continued the attack in an attempt to split up …

1944-02-17

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In January 1944 a large pocket of 6 German divisions with over 56,000 troops had been cut-off by the Soviet Army's 1st and 2nd Ukrainian Front troops. For days the Russians continued the attack in an attempt to split up the pocket and destroy the German forces. Just prior to midnight February 16, in a desperate attempt to escape what the German's called the 'kessel' (or cauldron), the 72d Division and 5th Panzer Division attacked from the Khilki-Komarovka pocket. Infantry regiments fixed bayonets and moved out. The Soviet defenders were caught by surprise and the German force broke through the first line and continued the attack up into the hills. The Russians counter-attacked from Dzhurzhentsy with tanks and artillery. Many Germans panicked and began a mad dash for freedom. The Soviet guns caused horrific casualties, but relief soon came in the form of Panzers from 3rd Panzerkorps. The breakout force had lost most of its artillery, tanks and supplies but many of the German units made it to the Gniloy Tikich River and crossed to safety.

Komarovka, Russia

The Battle of the Korsun–Cherkasy Pocket was a World War II battle fought from 24 January to 16 February 1944 in the course of the Soviet Dnieper–Carpathian Offensive in Ukraine following the Korsun-Shevchenkovsky Offensive. In the battle, theist and 2nd Ukrainian Fronts, commanded, respectively, by Nikolai Vatutin and Ivan Konev, encircled German forces of Army Group South in a pocket near the Dnieper River. During weeks of fighting, the two Red Army Fronts tried to eradicate the pocket. The encircled German units attempted a breakout in coordination with a relief attempt by other German forces, resulting in heavy casualties, estimates of which vary.

Wikipedia: Battle of the Korsun–Cherkassy Pocket

German

Russian

Game Type: Standard

Board Type: Winter

Website Access: Available