Armor at Kursk
INTRO:
Armor at Kursk is a two player operational level simulation game depicting the largest single tank battle in this history of warfare. This battle was fought on July 12, 1943, between the German SS Panzer Korps and the Russian 5th Guards Tank Army, just south of a small Russian town called Prochorovka (occasionally spelled Prokhorovka or Prokchorovka). This battle was the climax of the Kursk campaign.
The SS Panzer Korps began its attack on July 3rd, and spent the next 8 days breaking through the dense Russian defensive positions. During the late afternoon and evening of the 11th, the SS Panzer Korps broke through the defenses. The Russian 32st Tank Corps was thrown in to counter-attack, but was repulsed with heavy losses. The Germans spent the night of the 11/12th reorganizing, and attacked northward before dawn on the 12th. As dawn broke the lead German elements ran head on into the lead elements of the 5th Guards Tank Army and the battle was on. It was to last all day, in confused and savage fighting at close ranges. In the end, the Russians were driven back to the town of Prochorovka, but the Germans were unable to push them any further. Over 1500 tanks had been involved (700 German and 800 Russian). Losses exceeded three hundred tanks on each side.
But for all that, the battle was inconclusive. The Russians were not destroyed,and the Germans ran out of time. Allied operations in the Mediterranean required the immediate transfer of the 1st and 2nd SS Divisions to Italy. Ther Germans had staked the war on one battle, and had achieved at best a draw. From that time onward, the Germans would grow consistently weaker, the Russians progressively stronger. A decisive German victory at Prochorovka would have opened the road to Kursk. Capture of that city, and the destruction of the Russian strategic reserves, might have turned the war around for the Germans. Because they never won at Prochorovka, ther Germans never had that chance.
CREDITS:
GAME SCALE:
Each hex is 400 meters across, each turn is one hour and the units are battalions or battalion-sized units.
MINI-REVIEW:
Armore at Kursk, previously called Prochorovka is a simple game and meant to be played in less than two hours. The combatants start intertwined and are separated into three arenas of battle by the Psel river and the eighteen foot high railroad embankment. There are no zones of control. Armor at Kursk is a re-issue of Prochorovka with additional designer notes and errata which is on the last page and not inserted into the text of the rules. It would be OK for teaching wargames or running a tournament but not for serious gaming.
SEQUENCE OF PLAY:
A special Initiative Turn is played prior to the first Game-Turn A. First Player Phase 1. Movement Phase 2. Combat Phase 3. Inverted Unit Recovery Segment B. Second Player Phase 1. Movement Phase 2. Combat Phase 3. Inverted Unit Recovery Segment
COUNTER LIST: In case you need to replace a counter.