Prokhorovka 12 July 1943 10:10 Hrs roughly 7 Kilometers South west .
This was the Game done at Little Wars 14 april 2007,Chicago.
Situation. the German 2nd SS panzer Corps is advancing towards the communication center of Prokhorovka. The !st SS PGD division is the main assault towards the objective. The 3rd SS PGD is on the left flank guarding the same. The 2d SS PGD is guarding the right flank of the attack. We will be dealing with what happened with the 2d SS
The Russian players huddled together and made their plan. Each one commanded a Tank brigade of almost 40 AFVs. These were a mixture of T-34 and T-70s. Their plan; form each TB into a wedge,each TB abreast of one another and break through to the west edge to cut off the advance of the 1st SS. They decided to move fast and engage the Hitlerites at close quarters,to make up for their shorter ranged weapons.
The Germans on the other hand just each took a Panzer Comapny and basically had no plan. Just set up and go from there. Their force consisted of No 5 company Pzkw IIINs,No 6 Co Pzkw IVHs, No 7 Co PzkwIIIJ, and the No 1 Co Pzgrd Armored. No 2 and 3 Companies in defense to the west. 1 platoon of Tiger Is were also attached.
10:00 Hrs Alarm! Russian armor is attacking the 1st SS with several armored thrusts. Simultaneously elements of the 2nd Guards tank Corps are spotted advacing towrds the 2d SS positions. the 2d SS is positioned along the Prokhorovka RR line that runs north to south.
10:10 Hrs all German Companies advance to counter attack this Bolshevick threat!
10:15 Hrs 14 PzIVs (No 6 Co) run headlong into the 4th GDs in the vicinity of Ivanovsk Vyesyelo. The german gunnery appears off mark as the Russians advance and get to close with the Germans at 500 meters or less. At this range the Bolshevick 76.2s are ripping the MkIVs to pieces. This whirling swirling tank battle amonst the village and surrounding woods lasts for a half hour or so. The results in heavy German losses and the Soviets with a good amount of tanks still advancin towards the west.
Around the vicinity of Byelenikhino and Ivanovka the No 7 company is advancing upon the 26th GD TB. A tank duel ensues at 600 meters between 2 platoons of MkIIIs and T-70s and T-34s of the GDs. Both sides thrust and parry with thier tanks amonst the openings of the wooded terrain. Things are going better for the Soviets at this range,and even better when a Katyusha barrage lands amonst the Hitlerites and breaks their position. This of course force them to lose ground with the 26th hot on thier heals.
In the center position the Tiger platoon is set up on hill243.6 giving support fire to the No 5 company, who is foolishly advancing upon the Soviet 25th Guards Tank Brigade. The tiger platoon starts to fire upon the T-70s and T-34s at a range of 2500 meters with good success. Unfortunately for the Germans this just isn't enough. The 25th Gds gets into Reaction combat with the Germans and with a tooth and nail tank battle come out victorious. All during this time the Tigers are pumping 88 rounds into any Soviet tank that ventures out of the tank melee. It was literally a smoking mess that you couldn't tell friend from foe or see who was alive or dead due to the smoke.
10:53 Hrs Tiger platoon is falling back to the west to avoid being out flanked ,on both flanks by the Soviet 4th and 26th Guards Tank brigades. This was the end of the flank guard for the 1st SS advance towards Prokhorovka. A Smashing Soviet success in this sector.
This concluded our game. It took just under 3 hours to resolve. 8 players were involved.12 turns were played which would have related to 30 - 60 minutes of real time.
Rules were my own Micro Panzertruppen,1 to 1 scale.
I believe that the Soviets prevailed due to them looking at their weapons capabilities and making the best use of it. i.e. 600m or less suited them the best results. They maneuvered fast to get to this range.
The German players helped them along by thrusting thier long range killing guns (MKIVs) into a short range comabt. This definitely put the Soviets on top. The MKIIIs as everyone knows were really an impotent MBT at this time. With the German force made of 2/3s of MKIIIs,throwing away the MKIVs killed them outright. The tigers,well, they did what they should have. Sit in the middle at take out targets at looong range,this they did indeed. As everyone also knows,there were never enough of them.
Following are pictures. They may not be in chronilogical order,but, please nejoy. Isure did...
Looking North from Ivanovka and Byelyenikhino
Tigers Hill 243.6
No 5 company
25th Guards Tank Brigade advancing
Tank Melee! the end for the Hitlerites!