Ready to answer your Kharkov '43 Questions...

[Strela]

Hi Midge,

Good question. It's usually a compromise when it comes to artillery and AT resources for both sides. Glantz's 'Collossus Reborn' lists that the Dec '42 OB for a Rifle Division has 32 76mm Art & 12 122mm Art, 160 Mortars(!) & 48 AT guns between 37mm & 45mm.

Now that's a truckload of armament. Normally battalion/regimental assets is built into the infantry's overall strength, so a pile of those AT guns and all the mortars are included there. As far as the Artillery regiment & independent AT battalion, we went with the 'standard' that had been built into Stalingrad & Kursk ie, 24 guns & 12 guns respectively. That was done solely to align with prior releases. To offset this reduction, we did up a PDT modifier for Soviet artillery from 50% to 75% to make it more effective.

Another reason to not include all the artillery & AT assets is flexibility. As additional forces are included the options the player has can exceed his historical counterpart. Lets say a second artillery unit is included - that doubles the number of targets a Soviet player can hit - at a time when rigid fire plans were more the order of the day.

You have to also consider the situation you are trying to simulate. Artillery in particular is the biggest weapon the Soviets have against the Germans - if we add to much we run the risk of stopping the German counterattacks dead - something that did not happen. In the 'Stemming the Flow' game mentioned in an earlier post my German opponents are complaining bitterly about the Soviet artillery effectiveness :)

Now that said I am mucking around with a new project and I am revisiting the AT / Artillery for Rifle divisions and will probably include at least an independant mortar unit as there were 18-21 heavy 120mm mortars in the TOE and it is probably warranted.

Ultimately play testing tells you if you have the result you wanted.

Finally, glad you are enjoying the game, we enjoyed making it and are having a ball playing it currently!

David