Storm of Steel

The opening of Operation Citadel came as no surprise since both sides had been building up their forces for weeks. The first task facing the German assault was to break through the heavily defended Soviet lines. The Soviet positions, containing six defensive belts, were strong and deep. In front of …

1943-07-05

AP002

The opening of Operation Citadel came as no surprise since both sides had been building up their forces for weeks. The first task facing the German assault was to break through the heavily defended Soviet lines. The Soviet positions, containing six defensive belts, were strong and deep. In front of each belt of strongpoints were vast minefields averaging 5,000 mines per mile of front. The strongholds themselves contained anti-tank guns and ditches, pillboxes, and entrenchments. At the road junction of Maloarkhangelsk, the experienced Württemburg Regiments of the 216th Division were hurled against the Soviet wall with the objective of cracking these formidable defenses. To aid their breakthrough attempt, the Württemburgers were reinforced with assault guns and the new Ferdinand tanks, as well as with flamethrowing engineers. In the morning hours of the 5th, the Ferdinands began to rumble forward in a storm of steel.

Maloarkhangelsk, Russia

The Battle of Kursk was a Second World War engagement between German and Soviet forces on the Eastern Front near Kursk in the Soviet Union, during July and August 1943. The battle began with the launch of the German offensive Operation Citadel, on 5 July, which had the objective of pinching off the Kursk salient with attacks on the base of the salient from north and south simultaneously. After the German offensive stalled on the northern side of the salient, on 12 July the Soviets commenced their Kursk Strategic Offensive Operation with the launch of Operation Kutuzov against the rear of the German forces in the northern side. On the southern side, the Soviets also launched powerful counterattacks the same day, one of which led to a large armoured clash, the Battle of Prokhorovka. On 3 August, the Soviets began the second phase of the Kursk Strategic Offensive Operation with the launch of Operation Polkovodets Rumyantsev against the German forces in the southern side of the Kursk salient.

German

Russian

Scenario Type = Standard