Sujewo Heights - Tigers on the Balcony

South of SUJEWO, SOVIET UNION, 23 June 1944: Facing an overwhelming enemy attack, the Germans on ‘The Balcony’ were forced to give way at all points. German HQ made all small unit commanders well aware of orders to do the most damage to the enemy as possible, then hold on for upcoming counter-attacks. Sometimes this amounted to throwing pebbles in the stream—hopeless efforts to stem the enemy tide. The survivors of the initial bombardment and the passing of the first enemy assault-guns simply tried to survive long enough to be rescued. On the southeast corner of the battlefield a Soviet tank column, with infantry mounted on tank decks, advanced along the Sujewo-Judino ridge. Heading for the Ostrov rail line, a breakthrough here was the best hope for the 1st Shock Army’s attempts to break the ‘Panther’ positions. And the worst fear of the German High Command. Backed by only the thinnest of armor screens, the landsers peered through the dust of battle and shot the Russians off their mounts, hoping that their Sturms or Panzerfausts would be able to take down the tanks themselves. In the end, both weapons systems were needed to stop the enemy thrust. The next morning, the 502nd Heavy Tank Battalion arrived with 14 Tigers and orders to re-take the hill. The Panther Line would hold—for now.

Events on the Eastern Front had turned against Germany. During February 1944 Hitler ordered the retreat of Army Group North to positions known as the ‘Panther Line’, a series of fortified strong-points. By the time the 1944 Soviet summer offensive was unleashed, heavy Panzer battalions were used as fire brigades to plug the inevitable gaps. At the Sujewo Heights, the sector of the German 121st Infantry Division, a gaping two kilometer hole was created, and the Soviet advance rolled on toward the Pleskau -Ostroff road. A catastrophic breakthrough loomed, one that could result in complete collapse. The Schwere Panzer Abteilung 502, equipped with 21 PzKfw VI “Tiger tanks, was rushed to the area to close the breach. The fate of Army Group North hung in the balance.

THIS IS NOT A COMPLETE GAME! Ownership of the ASLRB, and any modules providing the Germans and Russians, plus standard system marker counters is required to play this historical module.

Includes:

• 1 Color Wraparound Cover Sheet
  
• Four 18” x 12” Color Cardstock Maps
  
• One Countersheet of 140 Counters
  
• 2 ASL Chapter Page
  
• 12 Scenarios

Scenarios included:

• Right Hook – North of Sujewo, Soviet Union, June 25th 1944
  
• Ripping the Line – North of Sujewo, Soviet Union, June 23rh 1944
  
• Pebbles in the Stream – South of Sujewo, Soviet Union, June 23rd 1944
  
• Tigers on “The Balcony” - Sujewo, Soviet Union, June 24th 1944
  
• Cat Scratching - Sujewo, Soviet Union, June 24th 1944
  
• A Nasty Surprise – Ivankovo, Soviet Union, June 25th 1944
  
• Tigers to the Rescue - Sujewo, Soviet Union, June 25th 1944
  
• Read Guard – West of Sujewo, Soviet Union, June 28th 1944
  
• Pioneer Spirit – Voshchinino, Soviet Union, June 26th 1944
  
• Cats and Birds - Sujewo, Soviet Union, June 26th 1944
  
• All in a Night’s Work - Sujewo, Soviet Union, June 27th 1944
  
• Hammer and Anvil - Sujewo, Soviet Union, June 26th 1944