Deadly Encounter at Petrishcheva - The Matrix Games version of East Front II

Petrishcheva, 35km N of Smolensk: [Best played as Axis] In early July the spearheads of General Heinz Guderian's 2nd Panzer Group had fought their way across Russia and were nearing Smolensk, the gateway to Moscow. Guderian knew that so far the success of the armored formations was due to their rapid and ruthless penetration of the Soviet lines and that the Russians were already concentrating divisions in and around Smolensk for its defense. Plans were made to encircle the city, but to close the bag to the northeast, Guderian needed some assistance. Covering "Fast Heinz's" northern flank, General Hoth's Third Panzer Group had punched through the Soviet defenses at Vitebsk. Now the 7th Panzer Division swung south to cut the Moscow Motor Highway and close the pocket around Smolensk. Early on 15 July a fast moving kampfgruppe, led by the 7th Motorcycle Battalion, was pushing south near Petrishcheva when it encountered the Russian 35th/18th Tank Regiment hurrying to join the growing defense of Smolensk.