ASL Historical Module Slaughter at Ponyri

Following the actions around Kharkov late in the winter of 1942, German High Command began planning the double envelopment that would become Operation ZITADELLE (Citadel) to cut off the Kursk salient and surround five Soviet armies. While Army Group South attacked the southern end of the salient in what would lead to the massive tank battles around Prokhorovka, Army Group Center, led by Generaloberst Walter Model’s 9. Armee, attacked from the north on 5 July.

Lying directly in the path of this assault was the village of Ponyri—a farming transportation hub connecting the numerous villages and farms in the region and incorporated into the second defensive belt built by the Soviets. Controlling it was a necessary requirement due to the high ground, which gave tactical and strategic advantage, and Panzer-Korps XI had struggled to reach it by 7 July. Led by the veteran Infanterie-Division 292 (Pomeranian), Panzer-Division 18, and the formidable Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 244, the Germans prepared to assault the village. In their way stood the equally experienced Soviet 307th Infantry Division, backed up by Guards Airborne Division and 73rd Tank Corps, determined not to give an inch of ground. Scores of German StuG IIIG assault guns and Soviet KV-1 M42 tanks swirled around the massive PzJg Tiger (Ferdinand) tanks that Hitler promised would carry the day, while artillery, fortifications, and mine belts slowed both the German advance. Important strongpoints were attacked and counterattacked in a bloody see-saw battle that lasted over the next several days. Concentrated fighting took place for the Train Station, the Water Tower, and the Schoolhouse decimated both sides as additional forces were fed into the battle that was to become known as the “Stalingrad of Kursk.”

SLAUGHTER AT PONYRI is a Historical Advanced Squad Leader (HASL) module that portrays the fighting around Ponyri during the nine crucial days, 7–9 July, on a beautiful historical map designed by Don Petros from Luftwaffe aerial photographs, supplemented by on the ground review and recent satellite photography. A wide range of 12 individual scenarios, each recreating a portion of the battle from the map and the accompanying Campaign Game that covers the battle in six CG Dates over three days featuring a familiar CG system.

SLAUGHTER AT PONYRI includes special rules and counters for German sappers, elite Russian Airborne troops, mine belts, and fanatic outposts with rules kept simple to allow players of all levels to easily pick up the game, leaving the challenge as how to deploy and maneuver combined-arms forces over the large campaign game map. Three map sheets join to cover the battlefield, with a separate fourth sheet covering a central area where two of the main maps join. Included are enough additional counters to conduct the full Campaign Game with nothing other than BEYOND VALOR.



PONYRI STATION, RUSSIA, 7 July 1943: Two days into Operation CITADEL, Grenadier-Regiment 508 was ordered to break through the Soviet defenses held by their 307th Rifle Regiment and southern portion of Ponyri, then to continue a kilometer further, allowing Panzer Division 18 to break out to the south. Besides the train station, the imposing schoolhouse controlled the western end of the village had to be neutralized. Barring the German advance was the fresh 1019th Rifle Regiment, with the guns of the 13th Anti-Tank Artillery Brigade placed well forward, and ample artillery support.

PONYRI STATION, RUSSIA, 9 July 1943: The 4th Guards Airborne Division advancing in relief of what remained of the encircled 1023rd and 1019th Rifle Regiments still defending the railroad station, now threatened by General Walter von Schlieben’s Panzer-Division 18 to the west. The Guards Airborne Regiment seized the western portion along the highway and into the village against Panzer-Division 18, now devoid of most of its tanks. The Soviet paratroops fought street by street with increased ferocity, their strength replenished in the center. By hour’s end of many armored support, the exhausted Germans pulled back, fighting hard through the rail yards and maintenance sheds. The Soviet offensive would be limited, however, as the Airborne troops would soon be subject to yet another German counterattack.

CONTENTS:
• 2x 23"x34" maps
• 1 Chapter Z
• 1 Countersheet
• ASL Scenarios
• Campaign Game Sheet
• 1 Chapter Divider

TIME SCALE: 2 minutes per Game Turn
MAP SCALE: 40 meters per hex
PLAYERS: 2 (suitable for team or solitaire play)
UNIT SCALE: 1:5 to 10 men with individual leaders, vehicles, and guns
PLAYING TIME: 2 hours (or more depending on scenario)

Requiere: ASL Module Beyond Valor (3rd Edition)