OPERATIONS ORDER
World War Theatre (1930-1945), Red Star: Operation Kutuzov

--- OPERATIONS ORDER ---

Situation

Background Information
Comrades of the Red Army! Steel sons of the Motherland! The day has come. The fascist beast has gathered its last strength and hurled its armoured fangs at our land. They dream of breaking our front, of carving their way to Moscow. But it is here, in our iron ranks, that their dream will die. Today the Battle of Kursk begins, and though our guns thunder not on that city’s soil, our task is no less sacred. We are the shield of the Motherland. We are the hammer that will fall when the hour strikes. First, we will endure the fascist assault, every shell absorbed, every tank held, every meter of Soviet earth defended with fire and steel. Then, when the enemy is bled white, we will strike back without mercy. Not one step back! Not one tank abandoned! Our armour is the wall between the German horde and the homes of our mothers and sisters. Our discipline, our courage, our unity, this is what makes us invincible. Remember: hesitation is betrayal. Retreat is treason. The coward will be crushed as surely as the fascist. The Party, the Motherland, and the Soviet people demand victory. The factories of the Urals forge for us, the peasants harvest for us, our families wait for us. We have no right to fail them. Let the German invader learn that Soviet steel does not bend. Let them see that Soviet blood cannot be broken. Today we resist. Tomorrow we advance. And soon the Red Banner will fly not only over Kursk, but over every village, every city, every land defiled by the fascist. Forward, comrades! For the Motherland! For Stalin! Death to the German invaders! Victory is ours!

Five-Star Rating System

Combat Intensity: ☆☆☆☆ Roleplay Emphasis: ☆ Difficulty: ☆☆☆☆

Friendly Forces
Tank Platoon STORM, composing of multiple T-34/76s LIGHTNING and THUNDER with CMT and Logistical OZONE support of the 5th Guards Tank Army.

Supporting Assets
2nd Guards Rifle Corps (67th, 71st, 90th Guards Rifle Divs), 23rd Guards Rifle Corps (51st, 52nd Guards Rifle Divs), the independent 89th Guards Rifle Div. will be present on the battlefield.

Enemy Forces
II SS Panzer Corps 168th, 292nd Infantry Divisions under Army Group South

Mission

Tasking
Hold your assigned sector at all costs: form immovable defensive lines, interlock your fields of fire with adjacent elements, and destroy any hostile armour or infantry that attempts to advance; no unauthorised withdrawal, no abandoned vehicle, no excuse. Conserve ammunition and fuel, report enemy contacts and losses without delay, and prepare crews and vehicles for immediate transition. On signal "COUNTER" or when enemy pressure collapses, execute a rapid, violent counter‑assault - break through, drive hard for the airport, clear and seize it, and establish a defensive lodgement for follow‑on forces. Victory for the Motherland is the only order.

End-state
Desired end‑state (mission success): The airport is in our hands, its runways and perimeter cleared of enemy forces, and Tank Platoon STORM holds a stout defensive lodgement within the airport complex to receive follow‑on forces. Enemy armoured formations in the sector are shattered or driven back, their avenues of advance closed; friendly losses are replaced or stabilised, crews remain combat capable, and the front line is restored to a firm, forward orientation under Red control. The Red Banner flies over the objective - the Motherland’s will is enforced. Desired end‑state (if the enemy momentarily breaks through): There will be no capitulation. If forward positions are breached, withdraw in good order to the designated secondary line, link up with adjacent units, and prepare an immediate counter‑blow to retake the airport; preserve crews and tanks where possible, deny the enemy use of the field, and re‑establish a defensive lodgement forward of the secondary line at first opportunity. Bottom line: Failure is not an option.

Execution

Commander's Intent
Our intent is the Motherland's own: Stand firm against the tide of so-called 'elite panzers', trust in the strength of soviet steel, then obliterate the tattered remains of a demoralised enemy faced with impossible odds. Northstar demands a red flag over the airport, and we will fight to the last to see it done.

Tasks and Sequencing
Phase 1 ->Defend the front line Occupying positions primarily at Defensive Fighting Position/DFP Bear, we will entrench defensible positions to repel enemy assault from South and West. Position markers at each DFP are not intended to be exact- each tank section will find best fighting positions closeby. Secondary fighting position is DFP Hound. Ozone will move to DFP Hound from STARTEX to set the position up. They may then move forward to set up a rear position near DFP Bear if necessary. Phase 2 ->Smash the Airport Two routes are laid before us to the airport: Fang and Claw. Primary is Fang, Claw as backup in case the primary route is too hot. Once at Storm WP2, we will regroup, briefly scout what we can then proceed to destroy Checkpoint/CP Alpha and any enemy foolish enough to still be standing nearby. Moving on to Storm WP3, we can use the height advantage to smash any outlying enemy positions before finally continuing to the airfield structures in sector Morana. Storm platoon will work cohesively as a single unit to wipe the enemy from the airport. We will establish Airbase Morana for the glory of Stalin.

Administration/Logistics

Resupply
In accordance with SOP

Medical
In accordance with SOP

Rules of Engagement
In accordance with SOP

Fire Support Plan
In accordance with SOP

Close Air Support
In accordance with SOP

Command/Signal

Communications Plan

Callsign	Primary Frequency	Superior Frequency	ACTUAL
STORM 9	45mHz	37mHz	MSP Mattjamco MBT Section Commander
LIGHTNING 1	250mHz	40mHz	Cpl Jeb Saur MBT Section Commander
LIGHTNING 2	260mHz	40mHz	SFC Jenkins MBT Crewman (Commander)
THUNDER 1	362mHz	361mHz	MSP Dreolic MBT Section Commander
THUNDER 2	290mHz	361mHz	Cpl Gendalorf MBT Crewman (Commander)
OZONE 4	70mHz	43mHz	SP3 Kat Logistics Support Chief
OZONE 4-3	73mHz	70mHz	Cpl Stormaple CMT Leader

Considerations
In accordance with SOP