To start off my Kursk play, I picked one that is somewhat bigger and had a lot of tanks from the German side and AT's from the Soviet side. This scenario definitely had that, 5 platoons of Tigers for the Germans and 9 AT guns for the Soviets. High morale on both sides but the Germans have an edge here. Leaders were not impressive for both sides with several plus one's but a lot more zeros. The Soviets get some BM-13's and Grants while along with the Tigers the Germans get quite a bit of OBA and aircraft. Setup favors the Soviets, with command of the field to start as well as the victory conditions as the Germans have tall orders to win.

The Soviets stack up on board 37 to apply as much pressure on the advance as possible. Mines and entrenchments are placed over key positions and the towns are stacked with infantry to force German assaults. Board 38 is also overloaded with AT's and infantry to wear down the German attack. From the German perspective, the will need to advance up the road and assault the entrenchments and town. This will be accomplished by the Tigers and the infantry. But a smaller force will try to move around the heavily fortified town and begin to recon the second line of defense. This will be mounted infantry and the Stugs.

The assault starts with SCH and Tiger units advancing down the road to encounter the first minefield. OP fire is on target and disrupt advancing infantry, but German ENG advance into the minefield in the road in the middle of heavy fire to start the defusing process. Infantry advance along the side of the road to assault the entrenchment right behind it. Heavy fire from HMG's knock out a platoon OF SCH before they even get close. Support fire from the Tigers help but Soviet OBA also find their targets on the advancing Germans. But the ENG's do their job and get the road cleared for the Tigers. They now form with the SCH's to assault the entrenchment on the road. AT fire comes in with no effect on the Tigers. Soviet OBA does disrupt some more advancing infantry.

The assaults happen quickly with the German strike teams getting the better of the Soviets. They are able to generate step losses and eventually capture the entrenchment, even with fire from the town. Other infantry look to flank the town while the slow moving 81mm finally setup in the woods. But the problem for the Germans is heavy fire from the town and adjacent entrenchments pin down the advancing units. The Tigers move forward to assault the town but there supporting infantry is disrupted by OP fire and OBA slowing the advance.

Meanwhile on the western edge the German flanking force has slowly worked it way on the board. Waiting for the AT guns to be identified, they position themselves behind the small woods and then advance once the Soviet guns have been engaged. Several flank security units bar there way, but the Stugs are able to drive them away with a few shots.

In the town assault, the German assault forces regroup for the attack. Initially striking the southern town hex with 2xTigers and a SCH they continue to inflict casualties and demoralizations on the defenders. AT fire continues at the Tigers but no effect. The Soviets look to counter assaults to stem the attack, but those don't materialize, but do strengthen there defense. Eventually other German assault teams make it into other town hexes and the Soviet defense is reduced, but with many causalities to the attacking Germans.

Leaving the remnants of the Soviets in their foxholes the Tiger assault force move forward to join the flanking force that has been scouting the second line of defense. This is a bit stronger as the flank force found out with a long range shot that ripped into the advancing Stugs. Deploying their infantry, the Germans probe the defenses with OBA, but this does little. The Stugs advance toward the town to the south west of board 38 but AT fire kills another Stug and they pull back. The attack will be left to the Tigers.

Deploying in the open the Tigers become the target for the AT's, but the thick armor keeps them alive. The infantry push forward under the cover of the German OBA to go after the large town on board 38. Heavy OP fire from dug in infantry slow the advance but under the cover of the Tigers the Germans advance. Lend lease American Grant tanks try to position for some crossfire shots but become engaged with the Stugs, both sides taking heavy casualties.

The assault units reposition of the attack on the town and heavy fighting occurs in the initial hit. Both sides taking step losses and the Germans start to get concerned about too many losses. The Soviets throw more troops into the town to defend while the Germans continue to assault more hexes and it becomes a general melee.

But now time is against the Germans, they are barely holding two victory conditions (board 37 town and the less than 25 steps lost). They must make a decision, fight it out for the town and the also assault the hill or dash for the board edge. The dash gets the nod, but they will need to clear more of the town to make it happen. Grinding through the assaults they open the town and road, but now dangerously close to losing more than 25 steps, they now begin to move to get units off the board.

At this point, the Soviets have reconstituted enough troops to threaten the town on board 37 and the Germans must divert units to hold the town. This will make the moving off the board tougher. But the Germans are able to fend off the attacks to the south, but cannot muster enough units to get off the board by the end. This gives the Soviets a minor victory.

A very good scenario that can be a bit long with the number of unit and turns. I played this over the course of 3 days in the evening while on vacation. What was more interesting was I was able to have sound track to play this by, thanks to the legalization for fireworks in the State of Maine. Quite interesting to play with bangs and booms going on right outside your window.