Graviteam Tactics: Mius-Front

[Jarhead0331]

From wiki:

The SS Panzer Corps, including Totenkopf, was then shifted north to take part in Operation Citadel, the offensive aimed at reducing the Kursk salient. It was during February 1943 that the 3rd SS Panzer Regiment received a company of Tiger I heavy tanks (9th Company/3rd SS Panzer Regiment). This company was near full strength by the time Citadel commenced, having honed their tank-killing skills during the German counterstroke to recapture Kharkov and Belgorod during the spring of 1943.

[sandman2575]

From wiki:

The SS Panzer Corps, including Totenkopf, was then shifted north to take part in Operation Citadel, the offensive aimed at reducing the Kursk salient. It was during February 1943 that the 3rd SS Panzer Regiment received a company of Tiger I heavy tanks (9th Company/3rd SS Panzer Regiment). This company was near full strength by the time Citadel commenced, having honed their tank-killing skills during the German counterstroke to recapture Kharkov and Belgorod during the spring of 1943.

Though that suggests to me that German OOB at Mius-Front would not include Tiger companies, since it was a defensive holding front (for the Germans), and OKH massed most (all?) of their new heavy armor units for the Kursk assault to the north.

...anyway, I guess we will soon find out !

[Pete Dero]

By May 12, 1943, 246 Tiger tanks were supplied to the troops for the battle of Kursk.

Most were stationed at the Orel-Kursk Salient. For operation Citadel the German Command used two heavy tank battalions (503rd with III Panzer Corps and 505th with XXXXVIII Panzer Corps) and two companies which were part of motorized divisions.

503rd :

In February 1943, the 2./ schwere Panzer-Abteilung 502 was consolidated with the battalion and was redesignated as the 3./ schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503. At the time, the company had 9 Tigers and 9 Panzer IIIs (Model N). The 14 tanks delivered in May 1943 brought the battalion to full strength prior to Operation "Citadel."

1 July 1943: Assembly area at Tolokonoje for Operation "Citadel." Despite the repeated objections of the battalion commander, the three tank companies are divided among three armored divisions: the 1./ schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503 supports the 6. Panzer-Division, the 2./ schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503 the 19. Panzer-Division and the 3./ schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503 the 7. Panzer-Division. 5 July 1943: Start of the fighting with 42 Tigers! The 1./ schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503 attacks towards Michailowka-Staryj Gorod. The 2./ schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503 gets stuck in a minefield near Michalowka; all tanks are damaged. The 3./ schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503 tries to ford the Donez 7 kilometers southeast of Bjelgorod near Ssolomino; Tiger 321 gets stuck near the far bank. Not until afternoon is a pontoon bridge finally erected. An enemy counterattack near Rasumnoje is repelled. 34 T-34s are knocked out. 6 July 1943: The 1./ schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503 captures Rasumnoje. The 3./ schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503 keeps advancing along the Rasumnaja Creek towards Generalowka. 7 July 1943: The 1./ schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503 seizes Jastrebowo and Ssewrjutkowo. 8 July 1943: The 1./ schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503 attacks Melechowo and the hills north of it. Only 4 tanks operational. The 3./ schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503 fights its way via Krutoj Log, Batratzkaja Datscha, Mjasoj-Dowo and Scheino. Hauptmann Burmester is the acting commander, having taken over from the wounded commander. 9 July 1943: The 1./ schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503 defends on the hillside north of Melechowo. Attack on Werchno-Olchomez. 10 July 1943: The 22 operational tanks advance with Panzer-Regiment 11 via Swarbi-Donez on Rschawez. Hauptfeldwebel Haase (in Tiger 131) replacing the sick Oberfeldwebel Fendesack, knocks out 16 T-34s on one day. 2 Tigers are total losses. Total tanks: 43. 11 July 1943: Defensive fighting near Rschawez. 12 July 1943: Attack on a tank-ditch position at Korukowka; 1 Tiger is knocked out. Total tanks: 42. 14 July 1943: 1 total loss. Total tanks: 41. 20 July 1943: 15 Tigers operational. 22 July 1943: 2 Tigers are employed with Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 73 (19. Panzer-Division) near the Smelok Trudu Redin farm; 10 tanks destroyed. In the afternoon, 7 more T-34s are knocked out. 6 Tigers take part in a counterattack with Kampfgruppe Bäke (6. Panzer-Division) on Hill 224.3 near Bonki. Several T-34s are destroyed. 23 July 1943: Additional counterattack as with the same success as the previous day. 3 total losses. Total tanks: 38. 24 July 1943: The battalion is relieved from attachment to Kampfgruppe Bäke. 31 July 1943: 9 Tigers operational. 1 August 1943: 6 Tigers operational.

505th :

This battalion received 20 Tiger I tanks and 25 Panzer IIIs (Model L) in February and March 1943. In June 1943, several days before Operation "Citadel," it received an additional 11 Tigers (equipped with HL230P45-type engine). The 3./ schwere Panzer-Abteilung 505 was also fully equipped with 14 tanks, but it did not arrive in time before the offensive was launched.

3 July 1943: March into the assembly area for Operation "Citadel" east of Wesselik-Posselok. A platoon of Panzer-Kompanie (Funklenk) 312 is attached. The battalion is attached to the 6. Infanterie-Division. 5 July 1943: The battalion has the order to attack across the infantry positions near the Oka River toward Podolian and the hills southeast of it. The penetrating assault of the battalion, which reaches as far as Butyrki, where 42 T-34s are destroyed, leads to the complete collapse of the Soviet 15th Infantry division and causes a major crisis on the right wing of the 70th Army. The employment of the 2. Panzer-Division at that time— and not waiting to commit it as scheduled on the following day— would have collapsed the entire Soviet front! The company commander of the 1./ schwere Panzer-Abteilung 505, Hauptmann Riedesel, is killed on the very first day of the operation. 6 July 1943: Attachment to the 2. Panzer-Division; Soborwka is taken. Attack on the hills of Olochowatka. 7 July 1943: Continuation of the attack against heavy antitank fire and dug-in tanks; all tanks receive heavy multiple hits. 3 total losses. Total tanks: 42. 5– 8 July 1943: 20 Borgward IV demolition carriers of the Panzer-Kompanie (Funklenk) 312 are employed in preparatory attacks with good result: 1 T 34, 3 antitank-gun emplacements, 3 gun bunkers and several pillboxes are destroyed. 4 carriers are lost. 8 July 1943: The last 3 operational tanks engage Hill 274.5. The 3./ schwere Panzer-Abteilung 505 (Oberleutnant Barkhausen), still in tropical markings, finally arrives. 9 July 1943: The battalion is withdrawn from combat and is able to start urgent repair measures; it is designated as the ready reserve of the XXXXVII. Panzer-Korps. 10 July 1943: 26 Tigers, 5 Panzer IIIs (short barrel), 5 Panzer IIIs (long barrel) and 3 bridge-layer versions of the Panzer III operational. After attachment to the 4. Panzer-Division, the battalion moves into an assembly area south of Soborowka together with the I./ Panzer-Regiment 35. This force is ordered to follow the attack on Teploje into the area between Teploje and Hill 240.0. From there, the attack on Hill 260 fails. 11 July 1943: 5 Tigers secure the hills south and southeast of Teploje (on 12 July as well). 11 Tigers operational; same number the next day. 13 July 1943: Attachment (minus one company) to the XXXXVII. Armee-Korps. 14 Tigers operational. 14 July 1943: 20 Tigers operational. 14– 17 July 1943: 5 Tigers (companies in rotation) are in covering positions south of Sseborowka.

Source : Schneider, Wolfgang (2004-12-01). Tigers in Combat: Vol.1 (Kindle Locations 1855-1883). Stackpole Books. Kindle Edition.

[-budd-]

manual up on steam. About one day until release.

http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/312980/manuals/GTMF_Manual_eng_03.pdf?t=1456941356

[Moreb]

Time to ignore the family for the weekend.

[Asid]

Mius Front

T34 mod 1942

[RyanE]

IIRC, there is no recording feature to play back a battle correct?  I assume that isn't changing in Mius.  I saw nothing mentioned about it.

[Asid]

Mius Front 101: Menu overview: Click Here

[Moreb]

Thanks Asid. Very well done.

[Grim.Reaper]

Kind of an odd release time...not sure if I have seen a game released at 10pm eastern on a Friday night before.....will be looking for feedback to see if I should finally figure how to play this:)

[-budd-]

it's worth the effort just for the cinematic gaming moments, just put it on arcade mode and limited battle radius while you learn. I still remember the first time my troops got bombed by a bi-plane or the time i was defending in a blizzard and the flare went up and the hordes of reds attacked and there was tracers everywhere....your jaw just drops and you say to yourself ...F**k that was cool.

[Asid]

Thanks Asid. Very well done.

Thank you Moreb.

I would like to make more including videos......Time is the enemy though 

Regards

[Moreb]

One hour to go.

Asid, I hope you don't mind but I posted that mod pic  of the t-34 on the matrix forum. I can take it down if you wish for me to do so.

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4036442

[Asid]

One hour to go.

Asid, I hope you don't mind but I posted that mod pic  of the t-34 on the matrix forum. I can take it down if you wish for me to do so.

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4036442

Hi Moreb

It is fine. I am glad you liked it :)

I just applied a filter to it to slightly change the colour. Graviteam do make great looking games.

Regards

[RyanE]

Downloading now.