The panzer divisions received replacement men and equipment and attempted to get back up to strength. [191] The heavily mined terrain and fortified positions of the 15th Rifle Division slowed the advance.

The Germans were still holding firm with strong positions in the Ukraine, Central Russia, and the Baltic States, though they were suffering from an overstretched supply system and had been denied the ability to retreat or move flexibly by German High Command. [126] Dug-in tanks and self-propelled guns further strengthened the anti-tank defences. For example, the 5th Guards Tank Army roughly contained 270 T-70s and 500 T-34s.[when?]

[308] The Red Army repaired many of its damaged tanks; many Soviet tanks were rebuilt up to four times to keep them in the fight.

The engagement bought enough time for units of the 23rd Soviet Guards Rifle Corps, lodged in the Soviet second belt, to prepare itself and be reinforced with additional anti-tank guns. The Battle of Kursk was a grueling month-long series of engagements lasting from July to August of 1943. Although intended to be concerted, the counterattack turned out to be a series of piecemeal attacks due to poor coordination. This was Operation Citadel. £25,000 to £35,000 Per Year + plus shift allowance, Will be used in accordance with our privacy policy, BFBS, Chalfont Grove, Narcot Lane, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, SL9 8TN

They were most often used in counter-attacks and flank attacks and had to be committed to combat

Many of which occurred on the Eastern Front, as Hitler’s Wehrmacht clashed with Stalin’s Red Army during Operation Barbarossa. [295] The Western Allied landings in Italy opened up a new front, further diverting German resources and attention. [196] In the first day, the Germans penetrated 5 to 6 mi (8.0 to 9.7 km) into the Red Army lines for the loss of 1,287 men killed and missing and a further 5,921 wounded.

For the remainder of the war the Germans were limited to reacting to Soviet advances, and were never able to regain the initiative or launch a major offensive on the Eastern Front.

Meanwhile, the Soviet Union brought around twice the amount of tanks to that of Germany. What hardware did both sides take into battle?

Throughout the Battle of Kursk, the Soviets had held back a large reserve force to deploy the moment the German offensive came to a halt. The stranded regiment was subjected to a barrage of Soviet anti-tank and artillery fire, which inflicted numerous casualties. On the southern side, the Soviets also launched powerful counterattacks the same day, one of which led to a large armoured clash, the Battle of Prokhorovka.

Russia vs Britain: How Do The Militaries Stack Up? [243] The 10th Tank Corps' attack began on the dawn of 8 July but they ran straight into the antitank fire of the 2nd and 3rd SS Divisions, losing most of its forces.

[44][47] By February 1943 the southern sector of the German front was in strategic crisis.

Tank Regiment and the 503rd Heavy Tank Battalion. [306] The Western Front reported 25,585 irrecoverable casualties and 76,856 medical casualties. By 08:00 safe lanes had been cleared through the minefield. The tank began service in 1942 and saw much use during Kursk, and through until the end of World War Two. [95] By the time the Germans initiated the offensive, their force amounted to around 777,000 men, 2,451 tanks and assault guns (70 percent of the German armour on the Eastern Front) and 7,417 guns and mortars.[77][96][p]. For the first time, you will command historically-outfitted vehicles and compete nation-against-nation on battlefields representing historic locations. It was intolerably hot.

The defensive positions were manned by the 2nd Tank Corps, reinforced by the 9th Guards Airborne Division and 301st Anti-tank Artillery Regiment, both from the 33rd Guards Rifle Corps. [285] Soviet losses were heavy, but were replaced. A new bridge had to be built specifically for the Tigers, causing further delays.

£28,314 to £34,569 Per Year + Generous benefits package. The Germans re-organised and launched a counteroffensive under the command of Field Marshal Erich von Manstein. The pressure of their armies coming in from the east forced the Germans to withdraw troops from their advance, robbing them of their impetus.