#0715_01 Tolstoye Woods_4 - Kursk Southern Front

Tolstoye Woods, west of Verkhoenye, 15 July, 1943 (Scenario Size: Corps, Human German vs Russian AI or Head to Head) During the previous night a terrible storm dumped several inches of rain on the already soften ground, turning it into mud by the early morning hours. Seeing that their 10th Tank Corps was in danger of being encircled and destroyed, the Russians used the storm as cover as they withdrew it, as well as the 727th Rifle Regiment, back towards Noven'koe during the night, leaving behind small units of troops in the woods to keep the Germans occupied. The Germans did manage to get a few footholds in Tolstoye Woods the day before and now determined to capture it in total. The German attack started shortly after dawn and succeeded in sweeping completely through the woods before lunch. But upon seeing the Russian forces in and around Noven'koe, the Germans decided to halt the attack. Having suffered serious casualties in the previous three days of fighting it was felt that now is the time to conserve their strength. Now that possession of Tolstoye Woods had made their left flank secure, there are no more need for further attacking. The Russians briefly considered attacking as well, but the mud affected them as much as it did the Germans, so they too deferred and just held their positions, being satisfied with bombarding observed German troop concentrations with their artillery.