Confession time, I have really struggled to finish the 3 Korsun scenarios I have been working on. You know that already because I have been blogging about them for over two years and only released “ Lang’s Challenge .” The truth is, I’ve been way more interested recently in the complexity and combined arms operations of the Pacific theater and the invasion of Italy. But with everything slowing down, I have been replaying this scenario and making a few tweaks to prepare it for release.

“Konev Attacks,” the second scenario for my Korsun project, is finally available for download. It is larger than “Lang’s Challenge” at 625 units and over 450 square kilometers. I almost scrapped releasing it though, because the third scenario “Konev’s Breakthrough” includes this part of the battle and is much larger in scale.

In my opinion, this scenario is the most interesting as the Axis player. The Allied side is a steamroller that uses brute force and to punch a massive hole through a very weakened division. If you can stop that as the German player then you have accomplished something.

Scenario description:

On January 23, 1944 German commanders began to observe a build-up of enemy forces in the 389 ID sector of the frontline. Artillery barrages were called down upon the massing columns of men and vehicles and messages were sent to XI Corps HQ. Aerial reconnaissance was ordered by XI Corps commander Gen. Wilhelm Stemmerman over the area of the buildup, but the direction of the likely attack was hard to predict. As a precaution 8th Army General Otto Wohler, after receiving Stemmerman's report, ordered the 11th and 14th Panzer divisions into a reserve position behind the frontline.

On January 24, Russian forces began a deliberate reconnaissance of the German lines on the eastern and western sides of the Korsun Salient in anticipation of the next day's attack.

On January 25, at 05:00Hrs the 2nd Ukrainian Front launched a massive attack against the 389 ID, sending 14 infantry divisions and 3 tank corps against the German positions. The division, stretched over a 19km front, broke apart.

Desperately, German commanders scoured the frontline units for reserves, barely getting into position a battlegroup from SS Wiking and the 676 IR from the 57th ID.

As the German commander, can you slow the advancing Russian tank columns and give enough time for the new line to form behind your positions.

As the Russian front commander, can your armies break the Axis line and exit the map towards the linkup objective at Shpola.

Scenario note: This action covers the early morning attack by five Russian corps 3 rifle, two tank, against the 389th Infantyr Division.

Axis Reinforcement Schedules:

-Standard contains the historically present units.

-Standard 14th Pz Div early has the 14th Pz Division arriving in the morning of the 25th instead of in the evening.

This scenario is also available for download in the Command Ops 2 STEAM workshop.