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The Battle of Kursk - Frame 2

 The Battle of Kursk Frame 2

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Artist Credit to Nicholas Trudgian World Renowned Military Aviation Artist.

History

The Battle of Kursk (or 'Kursk Campaign' , July 4, 1943 – August 23, 1943), was called Operation Zitadelle by the German Army, or Operation Citadel in English, was a significant (deliberate) defensive battle strategy on the Soviets' part on the Eastern Front Theater during World War II. Having good intelligence on Hitler's intentions, the Soviets established and managed to conceal elaborate layered defense works, mine fields, and stage and disguise large reserve forces poised for a tactical and strategic counter-attack end game typical of defensive battle plans. Overall, the campaign, which included the famous the sub-battle at and for Prokhorovka, remains the largest armored engagement of all time, and included the most costly single day of aerial warfare in history.

Though the Germans planned and initiated an offensive strike, the well planned Soviet defense not only managed to frustrate their ambitions but also launched a successful counter-offensiveand exhausted the German abilities in the theatre thereby seizing the initiative for the remainder of the war. In that sense it may be seen as phase II of the turning point in the front that began with the German defeat at the Battle of Stalingrad, which aftermath set the table by establishing the 'Kursk Salient’, the reduction of which was the objective of the German armies entering July. The subsequent counter attacks retook Oryol (August 5), Belgorod (August 5) and Kharkov (August 23), pushing back the Germans across a broad front, the first successful major Soviet Summer offensive of the War.

Kursk further demonstrated that the conflict in the East contained the largest scale of warfare in history, in terms of manpower involved. So well designed was the Soviet defensive planning, that when entering the archetypical counterattack phase, the Soviets were able to attack along four separate axes of advance, and execute a planned stop at a phase line, thus avoiding the
pitfalls of over-extending during the counter attack and earning this battle's deserved place as a model campaign in war college curricula.

Battle Elements and Event Schedule

• Operation Zitadelle
• Prokhorovka
• Kursk Salient

Each frame starts at 8pm in the UK, 9pm in France/Germany, 10pm in Finland/Estonia and 3pm EST. The planned length of a single frame is 2 hours.

This is an UNLIMITED life event in Aircraft and Armored vehicles.

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The Battle of Kursk on Youtube

Greatest Tank Battles - Battle of Kursk 1/5
http://youtu.be/tIeDY2H1eXk

Greatest Tank Battles - Battle of Kursk 2/5
http://youtu.be/c_TNJKtniTw

Greatest Tank Battles - Battle of Kursk 3/5
http://youtu.be/T7OQ6mdcyGQ

Greatest Tank Battles - Battle of Kursk 4/5
http://youtu.be/s_MpxM-ZrG0

Greatest Tank Battles - Battle of Kursk 5/5
http://youtu.be/HMkqJVY0vyw

Frame II

Prokhorovka

The vilage of Prokhorovka was the target of General Hermann Hoth's 4th Panzer Army on July 12 as they tried to extend their frontage. Defendingthe area was the 5th Guards Tank Army who launched a counter-attack in an attempt to catch the Germans off guard and prevent a dangerous breakout that looked imenent.

The tanks collided just west of Prokhorovka in open fields punctuated by farms, rolling hills and gullies. The Germans found themselves outnumbered by a fresh Soviet force but the Luftwaffe played a vital roll in evening the odds, enjoying complete air superiority over Prokhorovka. Losses to the 69th Army and 5th Guards Army were so heavy, the Russian attack was halted and the units switched to the defensive.

Despite heavy losses, the Soviet 31 Guard Tank Corps and the 33rd Guards Rifle Corps fought the II SS Totenkopf to a standstill. After an eight hour battle, neither side had acomplished their goal but the Russians could better afford the costly battle.

The stage is set, the battle lines are drawn, and you are in command. The rest is history.

The Frame Objective:

The objectives are to capture each others active airfields.


Battle Orders

Allies: The Allies will launch from V154 and A5 to capture and hold A6 ...

AXIS: The Axis will launch from V76 and A5 to capture and hold A5 ...

Order of Battle

The Battle of Kursk will be a capture the flag event, pitting the best base capture teams and best base defense teams against one another. Thisevent will involve targeted release of field assets during the forward progress of the two hour event.

Restrictions

Combatants may only capture the assigned bases mentioned in the battle orders. No other bases are allowed to be captured!

Air Assets:
Aircraft may be used to;

•Bomb GVs
•Attack all structures
•Fly CAP
•Dogfight


Armored Assets:

Armored asset will have a staggered start. Only the Tiger I and Panther G will be turned off at its appointed time until the end of frame. In otherwords not all vehicles will roll at Go Go Go time. See the chart of launches below to see which vehicles lauch and when. Side COs will be able to derive their mission orders from these two sources of information regarding the event. If a vehicle hanger is destroyed it will remain downfor 20 minutes.


•Attack other GVs
•Attack aircraft
•Destroy buildings
•Resupply other GVs
•Camp Spawn points
•Capture fields
  

Battle Schedule (Enabled or Disabled Aircraft and Vehicle)

3:00pm – 3:30pm EST
Allies:
M3
M16
T-34/76

AXIS:
sd.kfz 251
Ostwind
Panzer IV F
Panzer IV H

3:30pm – 4:00pm EST
Allies:
All Aircraft (P-39Q, Yak-9T, LA-5FN, IL2, B-25C, Boston III, C-47)
T-34/85

AXIS:
All Aircraft (BF109G-2, BF109G-6, FW190A-5, JU87G, JU88A-4, C-47)
Tiger I and Panther Ausf. G

4:00pm – 5:00pm EST
Allies:

AXIS:
Tiger I and Panther Ausf. G (***Will be turned off at this time***)

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Victory Conditions:

*Which ever side has hold the opposing airbase by the end of the frame "Wins".

Frame 1 - Arena Setting:
1. Terrain – Blacksea
2. Icon Range - short
3. Wind – 10 kts W
4. Time – Start time 1400
5. Fighter and Bomber Warning Range - 36,960 about 7 miles
6. Enemy Collisions - On
7. External view for bombers (F3) - On
8. Visibility - 12
9. Friendly Collisions - Off
10. Fuel – 2.0
11. Ack - .3
12. Kill Shooter - off
13. Tower Range – 36,960 for display to match the above setting.
14. Radar – On

Designer Notes:

SEC Event Designer and Host

Redtail7

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