Rearguard at Saly Pass - The Matrix Games version of East Front II

Saly Pass, 30km W of Feodosiya: [Best played against Human opponent] Throughout the winter of 1943-44 the remainder of the German Seventeenth Army held its positions in the Crimea. Half of its divisions had been transferred to aid Army Group South's defense of the lower Dnieper and the Ukraine, now it was trapped and waiting the order to evacuate. On April 10th, Odessa fell to the Soviets and with it the supply base for the Seventeenth. Stalin immediately struck at the isolated Axis forces in the Crimea. V Corps, holding the approaches from the Kerch Strait near Feodosiya, was ordered to withdraw to Sevastopol. This began a race through the Yayla Mountains between the mostly horse-drawn German troops and the motorized and cavalry units of the Russian Independent Coastal Army. On 13 April, V Corps moved through Saly Pass west of Feodosiya. In the distance, towards Staryy Kryum, Soviet T-34s could be seen rushing to fall on the retreating Germans. Two combat groups from the 98th Infantry Division, including elements of the 198th AT Battalion, were ordered to hold the pass in a desperate attempt to save the German column.