Kursk: Burning Tigers
Scenario Preview, Part Seven
By Mike Bennighof, Ph.D.
June 2023

Kursk: Burning Tigers, one of the centerpieces of our Panzer Grenadier series, is concerned with the July 1943 Battle of Kursk (that’s why “Kursk” is in the title). We split our Kursk games (the other one is Kursk: South Flank) based on the German forces doing the fighting. The Armed SS militia is in South Flank; Burning Tigers is all about the German Regular Army’s fight on both the northern and southern wings of the Kursk offensive.

The Regular Army put a lot of force into its own drive toward Kursk: two panzer divisions, the bloated Panzer Grenadier Division Grossdeutschland, and 200 Panther tanks in a special two-battalion brigade, all under the command of XLVIII Panzer Corps. They would, in theory, advance side-by-side with the oversized and well-equipped SS panzer divisions.

All of that makes for some pretty intense tank battles, as the Soviets used their own armor on the defensive and also conducted counter-attacks to restore their lines. Let’s have a look at how Kursk: Burning Tigers handles that fighting.

Chapter Seven
West of Prokhorovka
On the left flank of the II SS Panzer Corps, the Regular Army’s XLVIII Panzer Corps would advance with a pair of panzer divisions sandwiching the favored Grossdeutschland division. The SS militia would force its way up the railroad toward Kursk, where it would meet the German Ninth Army advancing down the rail line from Ponyri Station. The Army divisions would protect their flank and broaden the advance.

On the Soviet side, the two first-echelon divisions of 22nd Guards Rifle Corps had sown 64,145 mines, or roughly 1.7 mines for every meter of their front. The troops would shelter in trenches, deep bunkers and anti-tank strong points while each division had the support of an additional howitzer regiment. Fresh divisions stood ready to take over should the front line be overrun.

Scenario Thirty
Unexpected Success
5 July 1943
On the first day of Operation Citadel, 3rd Panzer Division expected to push through the Soviet Guards in front of them and exploit northward to the second defensive belt. The German division had held low priority for replacements; those had gone to the favored divisions. Only 21 long-barreled Panzer IV’s showed in inventory, although their panzer grenadier and artillery establishments appeared to be up to strength.

Conclusion
While poorly equipped compared to Grossdeutschland or the SS militia, 3rd Panzer Division had seen action in Poland and the Western Campaign, and had fought on the Eastern Front since June 1941. Despite suffering heavy casualties in the previous winter, it had a veteran cadre and that made all the difference. The division captured both of its objectives, inflicting an unexpected defeat on the tough Soviet Guards holding the line in this sector.

Notes
This is a big scenario, with a German mixed force of tanks and infantry backed by ample air and artillery support assaulting a thoroughly entrenched Soviet position just bristling with powerful anti-tank guns and defended by high-morale troops. This is going to be a very bloody affair.

Scenario Thirty-One
The Ghost Division
5 July 1943
Squeezed between the Grossdeutschland Division and the 167th Infantry Division, 11th Panzer Division had just a few more tanks than 3rd Panzer Division. The “Ghost Division” likewise sported an experienced core that had suffered heavy losses during the winter battles, but the Ghost Division had crushed an entire Soviet tank army. The lavishly-equipped Grossdeutschland Division was expected to capture the corps’ objectives, while the Ghost Division provided flank support.

Conclusion
According to a Grossdeutschland artillery lieutenant: “11th Panzer Division has made better progress than we. Quite contrary to expectations!” The shavetail’s division commander, Hermann Balck, had commanded the Ghost Division during its wintertime victories and knew exactly what to expect. After breaking though the first defensive belt the 11th Panzer Division wheeled around to take Cherkasskoye – Grossdeutschland’s objective - from the east.

Notes
The Germans are trying to advance on a narrow front with a powerful, high-morale balanced force of tanks and infantry. The Soviets are thick on the ground, with plenty of entrenchments and anti-tank guns. The mud is even thicker, and the Germans have to achieve a lot in order to win – this is not going to be easy for either side.

Scenario Thirty-Two
South of the River
6 July 1943
Third Panzer Division’s advance slowed in the early hours of the offensive’s second day, as the 332nd Infantry Division to its left could not keep up with the panzers. Late in the morning, XLVIII Panzer Corps ordered the division to find a crossing over the Pena River near Rakovo. Engineers had arrived, who would build a bridge during the coming night, allowing the advance to continue on the 7th. And so the Germans pressed forward, soon coming under fire from multiple directions.

Conclusion
While the Germans managed to push aside the defending Soviets, they failed to locate a suitable place for the engineers to lay their bridge. Though shallow, the river had steep banks and tanks could not cross without a bridge. The existing bridge had fallen into the Pena, leaving the 3rd Panzer Division unable to advance, all while taking heavy fire from the river’s north bank.

Notes
This time it’s a lightly-armored German tank-infantry force, with a lot of recon vehicles and every foot unit riding in an armored personnel carrier. The Soviets are on foot but well dug-in; they’re not going to keep up with the Germans but it doesn’t matter, since the Germans have to come to them.

Scenario Thirty-Three
Advance from Cherkasskoye
6 July 1943
Well before dawn, 11th Panzer Division resumed operations in Cherkasskoye, deploying flamethrower tanks to clear the final pockets of resistance. That fighting, and problems of clearing mines from the roads leading up from the rear areas, delayed the advance. Meanwhile, German air support had been given to the politically-favored SS militia fighting to the east of 11th Panzer Division, allowing long-range Soviet artillery batteries to rain shells down on the division’s rear-area services. When the Germans finally attacked, they found the shaken 67th Guards Division had used gifted extra hours to regroup and prepare.

Conclusion
With the SS militia making better progress than expected, both corps and army command pressed 11th Panzer and Grossdeutschland to keep up to guard the left flank of the SS – but issued different directives as to what objectives would accomplish this. Eleventh Panzer Division reached the Lukhanino River, but failed to secure Dubrova marked the end of active operations for the day.

Notes
The Soviets are no longer so well-dug-in, as the Germans have fought their way through the first lines of fortifications. But the Germans have paid a price for that success, and they no longer are quite as awesome as when they started out. Even so, they have to keep advancing if they want to win the game.

And that’s all for Chapter Seven. Next time, we finish up with Chapter Eight.

You can order Burning Tigers (Playbook edition) right here.
Please allow an extra two weeks for delivery.

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Mike Bennighof is president of Avalanche Press and holds a doctorate in history from Emory University. A Fulbright Scholar and NASA Journalist in Space finalist, he has published a great many books, games and articles on historical subjects; people are saying that some of them are actually good. He lives in Birmingham, Alabama with his wife, three children, and new puppy. He misses his lizard-hunting Iron Dog, Leopold.

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