Falling Back*
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Series: 2nd Battle of Kharkov
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_Soviet Union*
_____vs.*
__Germany*

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Date: 12th of May, 1942*
1220 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: You are in command of Gruppe Reck, a task force of the 294. Infanterie-Division. You were originally tasked with holding the strongpoint in the village of Peschanoye, but the disorderly retreat of Gruppe Winkler from Hill 199 has made this task impossible. Soviet units have infiltrated the terrain in your flanks and are preparing to envelop your unit. Because of the serious situation, you have prepared an orderly retreat into fallback positions to your south-west.*
Gruppe Winkler consists of two infantry companies and your regimental staff, as well as heavy support weapons. These weapons have already fallen back towards the new positions and are set up to provide covering fire. Your unit is one of the first to have received the new MG42, which should prove useful in this scenario. Pull back your battered forces from Peschanoye immediately and set up a series of delaying positions in front of your new front line. Note that the victory hexes in Peschanoye are of low value, since you have decided to give up your position. However, your infantry units and especially your staff will give the enemy additional points when defeated, so pull them out of the village to preserve them for future battles.
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The enemy consists of the 124th Rifle Division, supported by the 13th tank brigade. They have all but enveloped your initial position and will attack you from three sides, if given the chance. Assume that you are heavily outnumbered.
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Historical Scenario, designed to be played as the Germans. In fact, the German ai will not cope with this scenario well.
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POSSIBLE SPOILERS
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Historical outcome: In contrast to the rout of Gruppe Winkler, Gruppe Reck managed to stage an orderly retreat out of their untenable positions in Peschanoye, inflicting serious casualties on the pursuing Soviets by utilising their new machine guns.