**Peiper`s first step to knight`s cross - The Matrix Games version of East Front II

Russia, Charkow Area [H2H]: [HISB]: [GD] On the 9th January 1943 the LAH returned to Russia to a rather desperate situation. Stalingrad was surrounded and through the gap in the German lines the Russians were aiming at the important Junction City of Kharkov. The 1st Panzer corps (LAH & Reich) held the 8th Guards army who were probing for a weak spot. They found it to the east of the LAH’s position where the 320th Green Heart Infantry Division were holding out. General Postel ordered his division to retreat to the Donetz. They had 1500 wounded and were moving so slowly that they risked being destroyed. Sepp Dietrich ordered Peiper to proceed with his troops and a column of ambulances to save what was left of them, in a fighting retreat. Peiper commanded The III battalion of SS Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 2 of the Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler. Now this scenario begins: He met Postel’s men and told them to proceed to a wooden bridge over the Udy River at Krasnya Polyana (which he had just cleared of Russians) while he spread out to provide cover. He waited all the afternoon until the first regular and irregular enemy`s were appearing. On returning to the bridge he discovered that the bodies of the wounded had been mutilated and that the survivors were involved in a fierce fight with a Russian snowshoe battalion and not enough-the russion forces destroy the small bridge. Peiper & his men attacked at once firing from the hip as they ran through the snow.The battle raged for several hours until the snowshoe battalion was wiped out. Now he and the battlegroup had to build a new bridge to save the rest of Postel`s men and at the same time peiper`s men had to built a little bridgehead to save the rescue of Postel`s men against incoming russian forces. After the rescue General Postel was not impressed and did not mention Peiper in his report but Dietrich awarded Peiper the Knight’s Cross for his exploit. Important: As axis player you are allowed to use the halftracks for any activities.