0623_13: Over the Pronya - PzC 16 Minsk '44

Mogilev, June 23rd 1944: As dawn broke, the sound of heavy artillery from the north could be heard. But, east of Mogilev, a thick fog blanketed the Pronya River valley, causing a two hour delay in the opening artillery barrage. Nevertheless, when visibility improved enough for fire direction, a powerful barrage let lose from the guns of the 2nd Byelorussian Front artillery. Under the cover of this fire, many specially trained assault engineers and sapper battalions, accompanying four rifle divisions, moved forward to swim, ford, ferry or float over the river to form a bridgehead, to enable the follow-up pontoon engineers to begin the task of bridging the river. Additional divisions were fed into the advance in the late afternoon to exploit the successful bridge operation. As the line began to give, the Germans moved fresh forces into the rear areas. But it was too little too late, the Russians were "over the Pronya" and there was no stopping them now. [Size, medium] Designer Note: Players are advised to review the rule for "River and Canal Ferrying" under Help | User => The Basics => Engineers, before proceeding.