____A WOUNDED TIGER (Easy)**

______Meeting Engagement:*
_______Germany vs. USSR*
November 21st, 1943, 1400 hours*
___________Turns:8*
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Scenario Design: Wild Bill Wilder*
_______bwilder@bellsouth.net*
________"Wild Bill's Raiders"*
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_______Scenario Size: Small*
Estimated Playing Time: 30 Minutes**
Note: This scenario should be played from the German side only or as a two-player game. The healthy Tiger (Wittmann) is to protect the wounded one (Lotszch)and keep it from being destroyed. That will not be an easy task. As Michael Wittmann you have a big job ahead of you. As historically, your tank is low on ammo. Make those shots count! This is the easier version of the battle. you may get a little help. Remember, in this one you'll win it all or lose it all.**

______Historical Background**

With the stalemate (which meant a terrible loss for the German Army) at Kursk, the Wehrmacht was forced to take a defensive stance. It was one that the Germans would continue, with a few isolated exceptions, till the end of the war.**

If the battle of Stalingrad proved that Germany could not win, the battle of Kursk showed that Germany would lose. It was a fact that neither Hitler nor his top commanders wanted to face in 1943.**

After both sides licked their wounds, they prepared for the next round of violent warfare. Though Army Group South appeared formidable on paper, that was all that it was, a "paper" army. Russian forces had at least a 7 to 1 edge in men and equipment and the disparity in forces grew every day...and not in favor of Germany.**

The Germans still had one powerful weapon: a well disciplined army with brilliant leadership (often hampered by the whims of a delusional Fuhrer!). It was the cunning of men like Manstein, von Mellenthin and others that foiled the Russians in their "steam roller" tactics of advance.**

One of the greatest tank commanders in history, a young Untersturmfuhrer Michael Wittmann, leading a platoon of Tigers, had proved himself in battle. From the early triumphs on the Russian borders to the mighty battle of Kursk, Wittmann had commanded his tank and those under his command to glorious triumph, even in the dark shadow of adversity.**

Wittmann would come to the fore again at the battle of Brusilov in November 1943. The Fifth Guards Tank Army attacked again and again in an effort to penetrate German lines and create a breakthrough.**

During the fighting a good friend of Wittmann's, George Lotzsch, had his Tiger penetrated by a Russian round. The tank was immobilized. Wittmann heard the commotion over the intercom and quickly moved into position to draw fire from Lotzsch's Tiger and wounded crew.**

The T-34s attacked in their usual charging fashion. Wittmann's gunner, Bobby Woll, made each round count. When one stricken Russian tank continued to roll until it collided with his tank, Wittmann grabbed his MP-40 and fired on the exiting enemy tank crew.** One of the Russians got off one shot and wounded Wittmann in the face. He was attended by his crew and would survive the battle.**

By the end of the battle Wittmann and his crew had accounted for the violent death of ten more Russian tanks and seven anti-tank guns. They would go on to even greater exploits in the next year.**


Tiger Ace, Simpson*
Scorched Earth, Carell*
Panzertruppen II, Jentz*
The Tiger Tank, Ford*
Tiger 1 Heavy Tank, Jentz*
