It is good to see you here, general. The enemy has been acting increasingly restless lately, as if afraid of your arrival. Choose your battle, but do it wisely.
Kursk: Operation Citadel
Average playing time: 29 minutes
Player scores: medals
First released: 31st May 2008
Latest update: 24th June 2008
For basic historical background, see Wikipedia
Description:
On the 5th of July 1943, German and Soviet forces engaged in what is remembered today as the largest tank battle in history.
In the game, the player takes control of the attacking Germans. The game lasts for 12 turns, ending on the morning of the 17th of July.
Hitler's plan with Operation Citadel was to use Field Marshal von Manstein's Army Group South and Field Marshal von Kluge's Army Group Center to launch a two-front attack against Soviet armies that were stationed between the two around the town of Kursk. By destroying the Red Army's presence there, the Germans would severely hinder any Russian plans for fall offensives, as well as establish a geographically more favourable front line.
Originally planned for spring 1943, numerous factors led to the postponement of the attack, giving the Soviets ample time to prepare for the attack. The Red Army was also much helped in their preparations by information received from the Lucy Spy Ring, a Switzerland-based anti-German espionage operation.
In order to secure a victory, the Germans gathered together around a dozen of their best panzer and SS divisions for the attack. In the previous year, practically all of these divisions had pushed forward victoriously for thousands of kilometres. Now they, together, would only need to cover a distance of roughly a hundred and fifty.
The Soviets, however, weren't there simply to serve as practice targets for the German war machine. Due to their extensive preparation, they were ready to receive the two Army Groups, and the German attack was consequently halted only four days into the operation. While von Manstein's Army Group South had been able to make some progress, the forces north of Kursk had hardly moved.
Following an Allied landing in Sicily on the 10th of July, Hitler decided to call off the poorly progressing Operation Citadel. Although von Manstein was given a few more days to carry out his plans, the operation finally wrapped on July 17.
It remains an intriguing question what would have happened had Operation Citadel been able to run to its more natural conclusion. For a long time it was assumed that the German troops had no realistic chance for victory after the failure of their initial push, but in recent years opposing views have gathered support, pointing out that the Russians were slowly running out of forces which to deploy against the momentum of Army Group South.
