HPS Kursk '43: Prokhorovka: The Historical Battle

[Crossroads]

Here's the scenario Design Note by Alan, also available in the download zip:

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DESIGN NOTES FOR KURSK: PROKHOROVKA
By Alan R. Arvold

Kursk: Prokhorovka is a one-day scenario depicting the actual critical battle of Prokhorovka. The
scenario is based on Prokhorovka: The Historical Scenario, a scenario in the John Tillers Campaign
Series Module; East Front. While the Campaign Series depicts battles on the tactical level, the Panzer
Campaigns depict them on the organizational level. While there are already Prokhorovka scenarios in
Kursk '43, these last about three or four days and almost never end in the classical armored
engagement. At least with this scenario, one will have a reasonable facsimile of the classical battle.

Mapboard

The mapboard was easy to do. I just cordoned off an area that corresponded to the area of the
Campaign Series scenario. I then deleted the eastern six kilometers of the mapsheet as this area is never
used in the scenario in either game. This made the map more compact.

Orders of Battle

The orders of battle were patterned after the ones in the Campaign Series scenario. I had to create
some additional support units for the German units. These were Infantry Guns (both 75mm and
150mm), 50mm Anti-Tank Guns, and SS Grenadier Motorcycle units. I only used the support weapons
that were at regimental level. Those support weapons that were organic to the battalions are presumed
to be divided up among the line companies and thus are not shown. One SS German grenadier battalion
in the Totenkopf Division (3 rd Battalion, 6 th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment) was still mounted on
motorcycles, so I made them into motorcycle battalions. On the Russian side I changed the anti-aircraft
companies in the mechanized and motorized brigades. The game uses 37mm anti-aircraft guns for these
units but this is not accurate. In truth, these were heavy machine gun units, usually 12.7mm. So I
changed those units to those. Also the artillery battalions in those battalions were actually 76.2mm
Infantry Guns, not the regular 76.2mm field guns. I changed those too. Naturally there were no unit
pictures for any of those units in the game, so I had to borrow some pictures from other games in the
Panzer Campaigns Series. I included those unit pictures in files in the Zip-file.

Scenario

The scenario set-up is based on that of the Campaign Series version. While most units are in the same
locations in both scenarios, there are a few units in the HPS version that were one hex away from their
true location, usually due to the size of the hexes and the stacking limitations. I have the same units
fixed in place in both scenarios. The release times for the units in the HPS version, because of the two-
hour turns, may get released a little earlier or later than they do in the Campaign Series version. These
unit fixes are to keep the units in place until their historical time of release. But the HPS version has a
problem in that fixed units can be released if they are spotted by an enemy unit. This means that units
may be released much sooner as visibility increases during the day. On Turn 1 this is not a problem as it
is the Dawn turn and the visibility is one hex. But on Turn 2 the visibility goes up to two hexes and
units in the front line see each other, which at the very least results in massive artillery exchanges
between the units and attacks by companies who would not normally attack because of their weak
strength. Of course, I am talking about AI controlled units here. A human player can keep his units
from doing stupid things. (But then, the Russians had this fetish about constantly attacking and
counterattacking so these attacks by weak units are not so out of character with them.)

There are few units that are at 100% strength in this scenario, even on the German side. While both
sides had taken considerable casualties up to this point, the Germans kept their units close to full
strength by tapping their support units for excess personnel. However, by the 12 th of July, this source of
replacements was running out and few of their previously wounded had returned to duty. The Russians
of course have several major units that have been in battle for several days and are at much reduced
strength. One would think that the units of the 5 th Guards and 5 th Guards Tank Armies would be at full
strength. However, both armies suffered from stragglers and vehicle breakdowns during the long road
march to Prokhorovka and these would not catch up until after the battle.

I have played this scenario several times against the AI and can say that while it gives me a
Prokhorovka-like battle, each battle is never the same. Against a human opponent the battle is more like
history with some minor differences.

Conclusion

I hope this scenario gives the players a unique look at the historical battle of Prokhorovka. Anyway, I
hope that players will enjoy it.