0705_01AB: Battle of Kursk; Citadel/Operation Edelweiss - PzC 07 Kursk '43

Operation Citadel and Edelweiss, Kursk Salient, July 4th 1943:----This Campaign scenario is Operation Citadel with the following Hypothetical operation added to it.....By Mid June it became obvious to the German High Command that the Russian defenses in the Kursk Salient might be too difficult to overcome. At that time the Luftwaffe stepped in and preposed a daring plan. They would drop three Fallschirmjager Divisions into the Salient capture the towns of Kursk and Oboyan and the bridges leading into them. Once done, they would dig in and wait for the arrival of the Ninth Army from the North and the 4th Panzer Army from the South. This plan would be code named "Edelweiss" The Luftwaffe argued that the shock effect of the Paratroopers and the weakening of the Soviet outer defenses to get at the paratroopers made the plan worth doing. Hitler liked the idea and ordered it to be added to Operation Citadel. However, there was a problem. The Luftwaffe was desparately short of transport planes and gliders. Despite preparing for a major drop for almost two years, they still were short of plans and gliders. This meant that it would take three drops over three days to get all the men and equipment into the Salient. Also, in order to minimize the need for massive air cover, the drop needed to be made at night. This would be difficult, as the German pilots were inexperienced in making such a large scale night operation. The paratroopers will be scattered and disorganized. Not to mention the fact that they will be droping on top of several Russian Tank divisions. This scenario has several German Airborne strategy options and fewer Soviet fixed units. This scenario is a modification of the main campaign scenario put together by Graves and Avanzini [Size, very large, Explicit Supply avail.]