Into the gap*
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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*
1200 Hours*
Location: South 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: When the Russians started their offensive for Kharkov, they had not anticipated how close some German reserve units were stationed to the breakthrough sectors. You are in command of a battalion of one such unit, the 113. Infanterie-Division. In addition to your organic heavy support weapons, you have elements of the 244. Stug-Abteilung in support. While their vehicles are not equipped with the new long 75mm gun, they have a few HEAT rounds that can defeat Russian tanks. Most of you organic antitank weapons consist of the outdated Pak 36, but some have been issued with the new Stielgranate 41 round. Note that these are only effective over very short distances though. Your force is in the process of arriving on the Kharkov battlefield and will enter combat piecemeal. You will have to decide which part of your line needs reinforcements most. *
Yesterday the 454. Sicherungs-Division routed in the face of a strong enemy attack. Your task is to plug the resulting gap in the German line by creating a new defensive line along the Orel river at Efremovka. To achieve this, you need to seize key terrain on your side of the river before the Russians arrive, hold it and then, if at all possible, launch a counter stroke to push the Soviets back from the river. After the battlefield is under our control, we can start to consolidate our positions and dig in.
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Intelligence is confused, but it appears you are facing elements of the 266th Rifle Division and the 38th tank brigade. The Russians have ample air support as well.
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Historical Scenario, designed to be played as the Germans.
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POSSIBLE SPOILERS
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The 113. Infanterie-Division reached Efremovka in the nick of time and managed to establish a new defensive line. A five battalion counter attack in the evening threw the Soviets back across the river and stabilized the situation. However, Russian cavalry was still streaming through the Grushino corridor in the direction of Krasnograd.