#0707_05 Dubrova - Panthers to the Fore! - Kursk Southern Front

Dubrovo, North West of Tomarovka: July 7th, 1943. (Scenario Size: Division. Head to Head or German Human vs Soviet AI) Panzergrenadier Division Großdeutschland had lost over 200 tanks in just two days. 150 Panthers had fallen out due to breakdown and battle damage while the Großdeutschland Panzer Regiment was halved from 130 tanks to 65. The repair companies were overwhelmed with vehicles still to be collected across the battlefield. Oberst Graf von Strachwitz was determined to push through the Soviet second line of defences as he had the first - using his panzers as a battering ram to overwhelm the defenders. He ignored the heavy cost of these tactics over the previous two days and with the 39th Panzer Brigade now under his command, he was confident that he could utilise the Panthers more appropriately. With Großdeutschland tasked to both take Syrtsevo and clear the Oboyan highway it would be critical to break into clear beyond the defences as quickly as possible. Vatutin had moved both the 3rd Mechanized and 112th Tank Brigade to backstop Major Terenty Nikolaevich Sorokin's 201st Guards Rifle Regiment.