Les Phalanges de l'Ordre Noir ETO (id:#59923)

Vae Victis (Vae Victis # 75 ID: VV47)   [next]   [previous]

Kalinin, Russia 1943-07-08 (51 others)

Overview:

"The Phalanx of the Black Order" -- At the beginning of Operation Citadel, the German attempt to reduce the Kursk Salient and regain the strategic initiative on the Eastern Front, the strongest units belonged to the II SS Panzer Corps. This comprised three divisions, components of which were amongst the very first Waffen SS units, the “Black Order” of the Nazi regime and spine of the Thousand Year Reich. The Red Army suffered accordingly in its first brush with this unit at Kharkov in February and March. On the 5th July, The 52nd Guards Rifle Division was overrun by the initial assault of the SS, and during the following days, the SS continued their advance, despite determined opposition. Seeing that his defense line was struggling to hold, Russian general Vatutin decided to commit his armor reserves. On the 7th, their attacks were hardly successful; the Soviets decided to resume their attacks the next day…

Defender: German (SS) (Elements 3rd SS Panzergrenadier Regiment “Deutschland” and Panzer-Jager Abteilung 2, 2nd SS Panzer Division “Das Reich”)  

Errata (source)