Schmidt-Ott attacks*
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Series: 2nd Battle of Kharkov
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_Soviet Union*
_____vs.*
__Germany*

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Date: 13th of May, 1942*
1300 Hours*
Location: North-East of Kharkov*
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Designed By: Ts4EVER*
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Background 2nd Battle of Kharkov: Following the successful winter offensives in 1941, Stalin was keen to keep the pressure on the enemy, hoping to preempt another assault on Moscow with his own offensive. He was especially in favor of going on the offensive in the Kharkov sector, the city having fallen to the enemy in the summer of 1941. The attack was to be undertaken by the South-West-Front in a pincer movement, from the Barvenkovo salient and the Stariy Saltov bridgehead. Once massed artillery had broken through the German line, mobile group would be fed into the breaches to encircle AOK6 and reconquer Kharkov. However, due to supply issues, especially with artillery ammunition, as well as the undetected presence of German mobile reserves, the plan soon proved ill-advised...
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Briefing: By the middle of the second day, things were looking grim in the north-eastern sector of the offensive. The front of the 294. Infanterie-Division had been shattered, with Russian troops from the 226th Rifle Division a mere 18 km away from Kharkov. It was now that the Germans launched the first of their counter offensives, much quicker than the Russian high command had anticipated.*
You are playing as Oberstltn. Schmidt-Ott, commander of the Kampfgruppe named after him. It consists of the 3rd Battalion, Panzer-Regiment 6 and 1st Battalion, Schuetzen-Regiment 3, both part of the 3rd Panzer-Division. In this battle you will directly command the spearhead of this Kampfgruppe, consisting of one company from each of the regiments. A towed artillery battery will also arrive on the battlefield shortly. Having finished their mission over the Crimea, the Stukas of STG77 have been assigned to this sector and stand by to give your force close air support.  You have just started your assault against the 124th Rifle Division, aiming in the direction of Nepokrytaya, which was lost to the enemy yesterday evening. You have already broken through sever Russian regiments, which were unsupported and routed by the suddenly appearing Panzers.
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The Russian division has been shattered and is completely disorganized. Push them out of your way and seize the approach to Nepokrytaya.
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Historical Scenario, designed to be played as the Germans.
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POSSIBLE SPOILERS
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Historical outcome: In a reverse of the situation of the previous day, the Russians were forced to turn their divisional artillery against the marauding Panzers, however, they only managed to knock out 3 of them before they were forced to retreat towards Nepokrytaya. Their flank in danger, the 226th Rifle Division was also forced to pull back from their spearhead positions near Kharkov. In a puzzling move, the Soviets had combined the 13th, 36th and 133rd into the ad hoc 22nd tank corps and pulled them from the line, exposing their infantry. Faced with the sudden German attack, parts of the corps were committed to stabilize the situation, but accomplished little for the cost of ten tanks.