70 years ago, the Battle of Prokhorovka took place. It was one of the largest tank battles in history.

 The German offensive was code-named Operation Citadel and led to one of the largest armoured clashes ever seen, it took place near the village of Prokhorovka which is about 140 kms from the city of Kursk. The German offensive provoked two Soviet counter-offensives code-named Operation Polkovodets Rumyantsev and Operation Kutuzov. The battle saw the final strategic offensive the Germans were able to mount in the east, and this decisive Soviet victory gave the Red Army the strategic initiative for the rest of the war.

German command had thoroughly planned the whole operation: German forces were supposed to move from Belgorod to the area to the North, the plan was to break two Soviet army lines then destroy the 6th Guard Army and the 1st Tank Army, then it was to turn to the East to meet the soviet tank corps from the most strategically convenient position - towards the direction of Prokhorovka.

The Soviet engagement was more improvised. According to Russian plans, on 12th of July 1943 the counter-attack near Prokhorovka should have become a turning point in the defence of the Battle of Kursk. However, the counter-attack of Soviet forces was poorly planned and Russians failed to accomplish their needed goals. As both sides initiated their attacks on the ground and threw everything they had into the fray, hundreds of aircraft engaged in an immense aerial battle. Soviet air power was overwhelming, and for the first time they had flown more sorties than the Luftwaffe in the southern sector. There were constant air attacks carried out by dive bombers, and the carnage became so wild, there were even reports of German aircraft bombing indiscriminately. Air control proved to be critical in the ensuing battle, when at 9:15, over 400 Soviet tanks were caught out in the open by Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers. The armored formations were obliterated by German ground attack. The main reason for the failure of the Soviet plans was the decision to make a frontal attack instead of from the flanks.  German forces had good defensive positions which were underestimated and the Red Army suffered heavy losses,  but with the Western and Bryansk Fronts counter-attacking,  German forces were not able to attack towards the Northern edge - from that moment on,  the Germans had to devote all their energy in escaping the entrapment near Oryol.

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See some new  in-game screenshots of the tanks that took part in the battle here

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From 4pm GMT (9am PDT) 12th of July to 6am GMT  15th of July (11pm PDT 14th of July) War Thunder presents weekend special!

 

 

• x5 experience bonus for the first victory

 

• Special 20% discount for purchase price and repair costs and 30% more experience on the following planes:  HS-129B-2 , JU-87G-1, JU-87G-2, IL-2, IL-2M     

War Thunder Team

 

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