Pete Atack  - Sep 24, 2006 3:24 pm (#15628 Total: 15633)  

AAR Eric Goldberg's Kursk (Six Angles version)

Finished this up about a month back. 

First Glance Status of Forces 

Germans. 

1. Very powerful panzer forces (especially if optional pz battalions are
used) 

2. Infantry - moderate to weak (some good formations, but not enough to
support the attack); largely tied up along North and South flanks (maybe
25-30% of units). 

3. Deployment is tuff; strong units opposite strong defenses. 

Russians 

1. Lots of the map looks open, but there is little reason to defend said
places. 

2. Nine on map reserve groups hold most mech / tank units. 

3. Lots of AT and artillery units but also lots of unknown quality rifle
divisions 

GT1 (4-5 July) 

As Ger units move up into start positions victory seems at hand. Russian
shelling did little to shake their faith as they look around and see
dozens of panzers - many new - preparing to attack. Ger arty starts the
attack by firing to suppress known AT positions all across the front.
North of Belgorod, the 48th Pzr Corps (GD PzGr Div, 3d & 11th Pzr Divs,
167th Infantry Div) rather easily decimates the first Rus line and is
able to reach the 2d line south of Orlovka where they are held in check
by the 2d and 5th Guards Tank Corps. Losses in panzers are light, but
the infantry is hit hard. On their left, the 2d SS Pzr Corps has similar
results & is able to penetrate into the 3d Rus defense line south of the
Psel River forcing the release of the 1st Tank Army from the Russian
reserves. Farther west around Proletarskii, 3d Panzer and 52d Corps
crack the Rus lines, but have the better part of 2 infantry divisions
badly cut up before the Russians pull back. In 2d Army (German) sector
and the western portion of 9th Army's sector (20th Corps), local attacks
destroy several weak rifle divisions but cause no significant shift in
the lines. The main attack in the north of the Kursk salient gets
underway as 2 corps (46th & 47th Pzr) attack from around Trosna and
quickly push past units of the Russian 65th and 70th Armies. Withdrawing
to cover Fatezh, only weak Rus units are left holding back the 2d and
9th Pzr Divs. To the east , five panzer and panzer grenadier divs attack
towards Hill 272, but take heavy losses pushing thru minefields and AT
traps. The 6th Inf Div, caught in the open, is largely destroyed opening
lanes for the panzers. Another strong attack directed at Ponyri by about
5 divisions is also able to make headway, but at terrible cost. Several
panzer units stall in assault and Rus artillery inflicts 60% losses on
the 36th and 216th Inf Divisions. Looking ahead, the 2d line of defenses
awaits and is reinforced as the Russians shift units from quiet areas
(13th Army shifts 2 rifle corps and AT and arty units into the line in
front of the Ger attack). 

GT 2 (6-7 July) 

Continued attacks towards Oboyan (48th Pzr & 2SS Corps) bring the
panzers into the 3d & 4th defensive belts. Losses continue to wear down
the attackers as the 167th Infantry Div is destroyed supporting a
weakened Gross Deutschland PzGr Div west of Prokhorovka. Just to the
west of Oboyan the 2d SS Corps is stopped short of crossing the Psel
River, but demolishes the 6th Guards Tank Corps in heavy sustained
fighting. Advances by the 6th and 7th Pzr Divs and several infantry divs
on Sudzha are all stalled in the 2d line of Russian trenches where
several Rus units under the 40th Army are able to slide back to and pin
the Germans in place. Around Fatezh, the 2d & 9th Pzr Divs get tied up
in heavy fighting with the newly released 2d Tank Army (2 tank corps)
and a rifle div. After see-saw fighting, the Germans capture the town
but lose 50% of the 9th Pzr to anti-tank fire and a rapid counterattack
(both Rus tank corps leave scores of wrecked tanks on the battlefield).
Finally, bitter fighting around Ponyri further consumes units on both
sides. Hill 272 falls to a corps level attack (4th & 12th Pzr, & 10th
PzGr), but leaves the attackers exhausted. Due north of Ponyri, the
Russians quickly reinforce, leaving the Germans still stuck with trying
to break into the 2d line of defenses with severely reduced attacking
units. 

GT 3 (8-9 July) 

The 48th Pzr Corps, gaining no rest, is again ordered into assaults in
the Oboyan sector. North and northeast of Orlovka, the GD Div and 3d &
11th Pzr divisions exchange heavy losses with the 5th Guards Tank Army
and are able to secure positions across the Psel River southeast of
Orlovka, but the Russians are still able to hold strong defensive
positions in the town and on Hill 275. To the west, the Das Reich,
Totenkopf, and LAH SS Divisions again press to cross the Psel. In
defense, a Rus rifle corps is largely destroyed, but reinforcing units
from the 1st Tank Army are able to hold the SS troops south of the
river. At this point only large numbers of replacements are keeping the
two attacks progressing. 

Across the face of the salient, the Russians fall back on Sudzha, Lgov &
Dmitriev-Lgovskii. Fighting around Ponyri continues at a rapid pace, but
few opportunities open up for the Germans. Hill 274 falls, but another
infantry division and several panzers are lost in close fighting. East
of Orel (2 Panzer Army sector), the Ger command begins stripping
infantry divisions of KGs to feed into the Ponyri area, but small moves
by the Rus 63d Army keep several stronger units from also moving into
the fight. German intel also notices units of the 5th Guards Army moving
up near Prokhorovka against the exposed flank of the 48th Pzr Corps, but
few reserves are easily available for cover. 

GT 4 (10-11 July) 

A fierce 2 day battle finally overtakes the Russian defenses in Oboyan,
but again, the attacking panzers are worn down. The 2d SS Corps resumes
its pressing attacks on the Psel, attacking into the wooded terrain
north of the river, but once more, fails to breach the line. While
losses continue to build, the men of the SS divisions are easily
responsible for destroying 5 Russian rifle, mechanized, and tank corps.
Attacks by infantry over the 2 days captures Sudzha & Dmitriev-Lgovskii.
Losses in the ranks are high as the better part of 2 infantry divisions
are lost. In reaction several Russian divisions pull back to the last
line in front of Lgov. Fighting in and around Ponyri is limited but 2
more divisions move up to bolster the German push. As for the Russians -
no more immediate reserves are available & local counterattacks by the
Bryansk and West Fronts do little to relive pressure. Most promising :
east of Oboyan the Russians mass 1 mechanized, 1 tank, and 4 rifle corps
from the 5th Gds Army and 47th Army. 

GT 5 (12-13 July) 

With a battered 48th Pzr Corps refitting in Oboyan, the 2d SS Corps is
looked upon to continue the attack in the south. After a heavy
bombardment, the 3 panzer grenadier divisions are finally able to force
the Psel, but only then to watch the remaining defenders slip into yet
another defensive line. German attacks around Sudzha largely eliminate
the last Russians in the area, but heavy losses keep the Germans from
pursuing and exploiting the victory (19th Pzr loses 20% of its strength
and 2 weak infantry divisions are destroyed). Heavy panzer forces also
break the Russian line southeast of Fatezh and take Ponyri. A strong
Russian counterattack northeast of the key village pushed the 78th Sturm
Div back and destroys most of a panzer battalion during the retreat. 

GT 6 (14-15 July) 

Ordered to drive on Kursk at all costs, the Germans make some final
pushes. The GD, & 3d and 11th Panzer divisions attack Hill 275 and
destroy the 18th Tank Corps, but are unable to secure the hill. Large
counterattacks from east of Oboyan catches both the panzer divisions in
the flank inflicting severe losses on the 3d Pzr (the unit is pulled off
the line as a result). The 2d SS is able to get with 30km of Kursk, but
then bogs down and watches as most of the Totenkopf Div is destroyed
trying to open a gap in the line. Around Lgov successive infantry
attacks fail to wrest control of the city from the Russians. One Rus
rile corps and 2 German infantry divisions are lost in the fighting.
Similar conditions prevail near Ponyri as fighting for Hill 253 bleeds
both sides out. 20km to the south, the 8th and 20th Pzr Divs lose
momentum and are stuck in Russian defensive positions. The hardest push
by 4 panzer and 1 panzer grenadier divisions closes to within 30km north
of Kursk but can go no further and stalls under the pressure of a
counterattack from the 2d Tank Army (the 10th PzGr Div is destroyed in
this action). 

GT 7 16-17 July 

With Kursk in their sights, the Germans slowly begin to pull back. The
GD Div is largely pinned into Oboyan with a crumbling flank while the 2d
SS, after a final push, is unable to rout 2 Russian corps standing
between they and Kursk. The weak panzer divisions south of Fatezh break
one more defense line and move to within 20km of Kursk, but can't bring
up the strength to assault the positions of 2 Russian rifle corps to
their front. 

Victory 

Russian Tactical Victory. Overall - there are still some very strong
German mech / panzer formations out there, but the infantry in the
active sectors is pretty much bled white. Russian units are not much
better, but have some large reserve formations still available and still
hold some of the key VP terrain.