SS Panthers, The Ukraine and Knight's Crosses

[Mad Russian]

This scenario has SS Panthers, takes place on the open steppes of the Ukraine and is another of my Knight's Cross series.

You think you are tough? That you have what it takes to win the Knight's Cross? This scenario is brutal on the open steppes near Khar'kov. We'll see if you can earn the Knight's Cross and live to tell about it.

What more is there? :confused:

9 August 1943, Operation Polkovodets Rumyantsev is well under way. The bid to liberate Khar'kov, once and for all, is threatening to do just that. The Soviet High Command were learning the lessons of armored warfare at high cost. But they were learning them. This time the Soviets moved their forces around Khar'kov. They would bypass the city and not take it with a frontal assault this time.

To accomplish this the 1st Tank Army under the leadership of the famous Lt. General M.E. Katukov had driven a wedge past Khar'kov to the north. The 1st Tank Army passed between Belgorod and Khar'kov and intended to meet up to the east of the city with the southern attack pincer. There was severe fighting around the Bogodukhov area as Katukov tried repeatedly to drive the 6th Tank Corps through the SS lines.

FM Manstein moved to stop the Soviet intention by placing the 2nd SS Panzer Division "Das Reich" and 3rd SS Panzer Division "Totenkopf" into blocking positions along the Poltava-Khar'kov rail line and main road. Then he unleashed them in a savage counterattack.

Here, on the steppes of the Ukraine, just 12km west of Khar'kov, Untersturmfuhrer Karl Muehleck, of 2nd SS Panzer Division "Das Reich", would earn the Knight's Cross on 23 August 1943.

This scenario is currently at The Proving Grounds for playtesting.

http://the-proving-grounds.com