OAF 18.2/30.8 (SEP 208)"Death Knell of the Panzers"

updated 051114

This scenario was originally published in ON ALL FRONTS number 30. Extensive clarifications and modification have been made to the original scenario and modified by Bill Thomson. The original author is unknown but were of the Scenario Exchange Program (SEP) participants.
Outside a small town called Prochorovka; July 12, 1943: The Kursk offensive was slowing. Only one spearhead from the South was making substantial progress. The Russians committed their reserve and following was the most famous and decisive tank battle of the war.

VICTORY CONDITIONS: The player controlling the most boards at game's end wins. A 2 to 1 superiority in unbroken squads necessary for control. Functioning AFV's count as 2 squads (an AFV is functioning if it possesses any functioning armament at the end of the scenario); Guns, Trucks and unarmed half tracks count as 1 squad; crews count as 1/2 squad.

BOARD LAYOUT: All board ID# are as shown. Some ids would be more correctly shown as upside down but I can not show this in a text file.

  
                              NORTH
   +---------------------------+---------------------------+    
   |            |              |            |            2 |   
   | 3          |              |            |              |   
   +---------------------------+---------------------------+    
   |            |              |            |            10|   
   | 4          |              |            |              |   
   +---------------------------+---------------------------+   
   |            |              |            |              |   
   | 5          |              | 11         |              |   
   +---------------------------+---------------------------+
             
SCENARIO SEQUENCE:  Twelve full game turns; roll die to determine who moves first.


SPECIAL SCENARIO RULES:
SSR 208.1: Units may exit from their respective North/south board edge; units exited in this manner does not result in any victory credit for either side (exception: Prisoners still are credited at 2xVP value)
SSR 208.2: Use extra PzVG counters to represent PzVD.
SSR 208.3: No optional armament is possible to either side.
SSR 208.4: The German 658; 248; 9-2; 10-3; Russian 628;9-2, 10-2 are all qualified to use the FT and DC at full effect. Other units used as captured weapons.
SSR 208.5: Ignore the Rowhouse building status on board 10 (i.e. 10X8; treat as as normal stone building.
SSR 208.6: Ignore the footpath on board 10 (i.e.10I2); treat as woods hex.
SSR 208.7: Ignore the Orchards on all boards (i.e. 10L4); treat as woods hexes.

SSR 208.8: ROADS (i.e. 11I8); The movement cost of hills and roads in the same hex are cumulative. Infantry moving up a hill road would still expend on MF per hex if the evalation does not increase and two MFs per hex if it does. Infantry would still receive one extra MF if it spends its entire MPh on the road. Vehicles would pay only 2 MP's + COT for moving onto higher terrain while moving along a road.
SSR 208.9: The -3 To Kill DRM vs open topped AFVs with height advantage does not apply in the scenario; the -1 height advantage remains in effect (Both are eliminated in ASL; -1 applies to plane attacks only. Use of the -3 drm makes MMG/HMG halftrack killers as are immune to both To Hit and visibility concerns; killing on a 6 or less vs Germans SPWs in the front; 7 or less vs American halftracks in the front).


NOTE 1: If four players are available, each should control on of the four forces. If more players are available, forces should be further subdivided by that side.
NOTE 2: Multiplayer Optional Rule - Limited Team Communications: Each player may send only one radio message each turn Shared by other members of the team via index card. Such messages must consist of 10 words or less. This is the only communication involving Strategy Tactics, Priorities, and/or Directives within the team. No private or side discussions are allowed once the Turn 1 has started.

AFTERMATH: As their forces became confusingly intermingled, the Generals lost all ability to direct the battle. Tank fired on tank at point blank range, negating the armament edge of the new German Panzers. Gradually, the numerically superior Russians force the Germans back.