SITUATION REPORT
Commander Kharkov:
We have probed the German forces situated in the southern parts of Gyorium. It is heavily defended.
All of my heavy artillary was pre-planned and plotted to hit with maximum effect. The two batteries of 81mm mortors were used for laying smoke screens.
The initial pre-planned bombardment hit the Germans hard. However our artillary was answered with what appeared to be a pre-targeted German 300mm incendiary rocket attack. We lost 4 SU76s and one SU76 with gun damaged. We also lost 2 trucks and one 25mm anti-aircraft gun due to the German rocket attack. No other significant losses were noted.
After our own initial artillary bombardment, we moved our T70 platoon (5 tanks) along with a platoon of T34s (3 tanks) up to the city edge to probe the German defenses. We caught a few German squads in the open and cleared them out of a few out-lying structured. We then encountered several Marder IIIs hidden amongst the buildings. We manuevered T70's at speed to close in and knocked out 3 Marders. At that point we encountered several Ferdinands. These monsters took a toll on the probing force, eventually knocking out the T34 platoon and with help from a lone Marder, dispatching all of the 5 T70's.
Conclusion
Again, and as suspected, the Germans have heavily fortified Gyorium. This may indicate that our other future river crossings would be less contested or at least not as heavily defended.
With respect to Gyorium, the German troop and anti-tank gun assest strenghts are still unknown. However, we have identified at least 4 Ferdinands, and others may be present. None of our tanks would offer much of a challenge to these beasts, unless we could close in and strike them from behind. With no intelligence regarding German AT assests ( and infantry for that matter), such an attack would be suicidal. In addition, the terrain offers excellent fields of fire for the Germans and our forces just do not have the strength at this time to attempt such a major assault. We suggest continuance probing to tie down these German units.
We await further orders.
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