#0708_07 Gresnoye - The Thrust to the West - Kursk Southern Front

Gresnoye, west of Prokhorovka: July 8th, 1943. (Scenario size: Division, Head to Head, Human German vs AI) Normal Daylight Conditions. At the end of the day on July 7, II SS Panzer Korps had penetrated the second defensive belt and was preparing to attack towards Prokhorovka. However, the XLVIII Panzer Korps was not matching their progress and had taken serious losses, especially in armor. During the night of July 7-8, General Hoth elected to send the panzergruppes of both Das Reich and Liebstandarte to the west to both ease pressure on XLVIII Panzer Korps and to try and trap the Russian units between the two Korps. The attack started off at dawn with 1st SS Panzergrenadier Regiment clearing Malyye Mayachki, which had been abandoned by the Russians during the night. At 0800, Hausser ordered the panzergruppes into the opening this created. The Liebstandarte panzergruppe was on the right with Das Reich's slightly stronger group on the left. Their goal was to reach the Ssajotinka River near Kochetovka where it was hoped they would meet up with elements of the 11th Panzer Division. Facing them were elements of the 6th Tank Army, that although battered were still capable of putting up a fight. In addition, an entire antitank gun brigade had moved into the area to bolster the defense.