Productive September
The Backhand Blow - Germany's Last Victory?
In the wake of their disastrous defeat at Stalingrad, German forces in southern Russia were confronted with a huge gash in their lines, through which Soviet armies poured into eastern Ukraine and towards the Black Sea.
To stabilize the situation, German Field Marshal Erich von Manstein launched a stunning series of counterattacks, in many cases using the Soviet’s own mass and momentum against them. In what history calls “the Backhand Blow”, the Germans outmaneuvered, savaged, and shattered the Soviet onslaught, halting their post-Stalingrad advance and stabilizing the Axis positions in southern Russia.
One of the culminating moments in this campaign was the Third Battle of Khar’kov, part of which we will look at in today’s game, reviewing the assault of Kampfgruppe von Strachwitz (Panzergrenadier Division “Grossdeutschland”) against positions on the Soviet 12th Tank Corps (cross-attached to 69th Army).
2PM East US Time, 7PM UK
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The map for today's battle.
German forces under the "Panzer Count" - Graf von Strachwitz - commanding the spearhead of the Grossdeutschland Panzergrenadier Division
Understrength elements of 30th and 86th and 97th Tank Brigades, comprising the bulk of Soviet 12th Tank Corps. Remember the RKKA was not using the tank or armored "division" command structure in this period. Normally part of 3rd Tank Army's OOB, 12th Tank Corps had been attached to neighboring 69th Army for this fight.
Tanks are nothing without infantry support. Again, this formation is well understrength after a month of headlong Soviet advance acorss southern Russia and into eastern Ukraine.
Soviet setup, awaiting von Strachwitz's counterattack out of the southwest. 
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