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Orders to the 2nd Guards Tank Corps:

5th Guards Tank army decision for operations on 12th July:

Army will strike a blow with forces of 18th, 29th and 2nd Guards "Tatsinskaia" Tank Corps in the sector: to the right - Beregovoe,Andreevka and Iasnaia Poliana; to the left - Pravarot, Belenikhino, Marker 232.0

11 July 1943

Orders for 2nd Guards "Tatsinskaia" Tank Corps:

5^th Guards Tank Army situation assessment (part of):

Das Reich is heavily reinforced SS Panzer division with panzer regiment, two panzer grenadier regiments and strong supporting forces.

The II SS Corps has outrun its supporting forces, so its right flank maybe vulnerable for flank attacks.

Orders from the 2nd Guards Tank Corps Commander to the players:

183^rd Rifle Division operative directive

1. For the duration of 2^nd Guards Tank Corps operation, the Division will defend its positions. These positions will cover, but are not necessarily limited to, following points of the line from north to south: STOROZHEVOE, hills nro 401, 402, 404, 403, 405, VINOGRADOVKA, hill nro 501, IVANOVKA, hills nro 801 and 802 and LESKI.
2. The Division may, at commanding officer’s discretion, provide support from its position on/around hills nro 801 and 802 for operations of 4^th Tank Brigade and 4^th Motorized Brigade against enemy positions on/around hills nro 701, 702 and 703. Especially the division is instructed to demonstrate against any enemy formation on/around hill nro 703.
3. The Division may, at commanding officer’s discretion, provide support from its position on/around hill nro 501and 402 and in/around VINOGRADOVKA for operations of 25^th Brigade against any enemy formations on/around hill nro 301.
4. The Division is instructed to use its recon formations with vigour. The purpose of this activity is to find if and where the enemy is amassing formations for an attack against the positions held by the Division.

The Division is instructed to deploy most of its anti-tank assets on/around hills 404, 501 and 403. This reflect the intention of the 2^nd Guards Tank Corps to engage and destroy any enemy formation on axle IVANOVKA-BELENKHINO-HILL 602. This attack is expected to at least disrupt any enemy formations south of IVANOVKA and so secure positions held by the Division south of IVANOVKA.

4^th Guards Motorized Brigade operative directive

1. The Brigade will establish an attack position against hills 701 and 702 in the area between IVANOVKA and hill nro 802. However, the Brigade will allow sufficient room for 26^th Brigade to establish an attack position against BELENKHINO by moving forwards if necessary.
2. The Brigade will attack and take the hills nro 701 and 702 with a co-operative attack made in conjunction with 4^th Tank Brigade. The 4^th Motorized Brigade will initiate this attack. This attack will be made simultaneously with an attack by 25^th Brigade against BELENKHINO. If BELENKHINO becomes secured before 4^th Motorized Brigade is able launch its attack against hills nro 701 and 702, the Brigade will launch its attack as soon as possible.
3. The Brigade will regroup in the vicinity of hill nro 701 and establish an attack position against KALININ. This attack will be made simultaneously with an attack by 26^th Brigade against hill nro 601. 4^th Tank Brigade may be able to support this attack from its positions in and around hills 701 and 702.
4. The Brigade will attack and take KALININ, and then immediately proceed to attack against hill nro 601 in co-operation with 26^th Brigade. The Brigade will, however, sufficiently garrison KALININ in order protect the left flank and rear area of the attack of 26^th Brigade.
5. After the Brigade has secured hill nro 602 in cooperation with 26^th Brigade, the Brigade will garrison hill nro 602.
6. The Brigade will support 26^th Brigade in its operations in/around JASNAJA POLJANA, at the commanding officer’s discretion.

For the duration of Corps operations, the Brigade is charged with defence of its positions in KALININ and on hill nro 602. These positions will provide support and flank/rear security to 26^th Brigade and any reserve formations attached to it, while 26^th Brigade and any reserve formations attached to it engage and decimate any enemy formations in/around JASNAJA POLJANA and hill nro 203.

4^th Guards Tank Brigade operative directive

1. The Brigade will establish an attack position against hills 701 and 702 in the vicinity of LESKI and/or hill 801.
2. The Brigade will attack and take the hills nro 701 and 702 with a co-operative attack made in conjunction with 4^th Motorized Brigade. The 4^th Motorized Brigade will initiate this attack. This attack may have support of local elements of 183^rd Division, primarily in engaging any enemy formation on/around hill 703.
3. The Brigade will regroup in the vicinity of hills nro 701 and 702. The Brigade will assume a defensive position on hills 701 and 702. This position will provide support for an attack made against KALININ by 4^th Motorized Brigade. This position will also protect the southern flank of any further attacks made by 4^th Motorized Brigade and 26^th Brigade, or any reserve formation attached to them.
4. If opportunity to flank and/or decimate enemy formations exist in any time during and after the Brigade executes attack against hills 701 and 702, the Brigade may detach forces to engage any such enemy formation at the commanding officer’s discretion. The Brigade is also instructed to secure hill 703, if expedient.

At commanding officer’s discretion, the Brigade may conduct spoiling attacks against any enemy formations on/around hill nro 602 at any time after 4^th Motorized Brigade has secured KALININ.

25^th Guards Tank Brigade operative directive

1. The Brigade will establish an attack position against BELENKHINO. The Brigade will then immediately attack and take BELENKHINO, if necessary. BELENKHINO will then be defended and garrisoned by the Brigade. At the same time, the Brigade is instructed to demonstrate against the hill 301. The Brigade will demonstrate with sufficient force to keep the possible enemy formations in and around the hill nro 301 from interfering in deployment of 26^th, 4^th Tank and 4^th Mechanised Brigades.
2. At any time, if necessary, the Brigade will support the defence mounted by 183^rd Division in the vicinity of VINOGADOVKA and hills nro 501, 402, 401 by engaging the flank of any enemy formations attacking 183^rd Division. However, the Brigade is instructed to consider the defence of BELENKHINO and protection of the flank of 26^th Brigade its foremost responsibility.
3. The Brigade will continue to defend BELENKHINO and to support 183^rd Division for duration of the Corps operation.

The Brigade will, at commanding officer’s discretion, assist elements of 26^th Brigade in eliminating any enemy formations in the vicinity of JASJANA POLJANA and hill nro 203 by engaging any such enemy formations frontally. This directive will only be applicable if 26^th Brigade is in position to engage said enemy elements in flank or is able to engage their rear.

26^th Guards Tank Brigade operative directive

1. The Brigade will establish an attack position against BELENKHINO by marching through IVANOVKA (if necessary, extend march route southwards of IVANOVKA).
2. If necessary, the Brigade will support the attack of elements of 25^th Brigade against BELENKHINO. After BELENKHINO is taken, the Brigade will establish an attack position against hill nro 601 in the vicinity of BELENKHINO.
3. The Brigade will attack and take the hill nro 601. This attack will be launched simultaneously with the attack of 4^th Motorized Brigade against KALININ. After taking KALININ, 4^th Motorized Brigade will immediately join the attack of the Brigade against hill nro 601, thus flanking the enemy position.
4. The Brigade will regroup in the vicinity of hill nro 601 and establish an attack position against JASJANA POLJANA and/or any elements of Das Reich SS formation or its support troops in near vicinity of JASJANA POLJANA. The Brigade will attack JASJANA POLJANA and/or any enemy formations in near vicinity of JASJANA POLJANA with the support of available elements of 4^th Motorized Brigade. This attack will be our main thrust and it will be executed at commanding officer’s discretion. The Brigade is instructed to request reserve formations for this phase of the operation.

If opportunity to flank and/or decimate enemy formations exist in any time during and after the Brigade executes attack against JASJANA POLJANA, the Brigade will engage and destroy any such formations at commanding officer’s discretion. If no such enemy formations are exposed, the Brigade is instructed to assume attack position against hill nro 203 at the vicinity of JASJANA POLJANA. The Brigade will then attack the hill nro 203 at commanding officer’s discretion. The brigade will, however, also secure and garrison JASJANA POLJANA.

Order of Battle:

2nd Guards Tank Corps "Tatsinskaia"					
	25th Guards Tank Brigade				
	26th Guards Tank Brigade				
	4th Guards Tank Brigade				
	4th Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade				
	Assets				
		Aviation Liason Section (F.A.C.)			
		1500th SU-regiment			
		1695th AA-regiment			
		273rd Mortar regiment			
		755th Antitank battalion			
		47th Guards tank regiment			
		 51st Sapper Battalion			
Other troops					
	26th Tank Brigade/ 2nd Tank Corps				
	227th Rifle Regiment/ 183th Rifle Division				
	285th Rifle Regiment/ 183th Rifle Division				
	136th Guards Rifle Regiment/ 89th Guards Rifle Division				
Soviet options					
	5th Guards Tank Army Assets				
		1st Guards Motorcycle regiment			
		53rd Guards Tank regiment			
		689th Antitank regiment			
		678th Howitzer regiment			
		1549th SU-regiment			
		16th Guards mortar regiment			
		80th Guards mortar regiment			
	Voronezh Front Assets				
		26th Anti-Aircraft division			
		10th Antitank brigade			
		27th Gun (Artillery) brigade			
			93rd Artillery regiment		
			142nd Artillery regiment		
		522nd Howitzer regiment			
		1148 Howitzer regiment			
	Stavka Assets				
		 999th NKVD evaluation unit	

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