A Panzer Campaigns title focusing on the battles around Kharkov during the mid to late winter of 1943.
From the Designer's Notes file included with the game files:
THE CAMPAIGN
Kharkov ’43 was the final successful operation for the Axis forces in Russia. It marked the end of the Stalingrad tragedy and the prelude to Kursk. It was a sweeping campaign, with large distances and low unit densities making it more akin to a desert campaign than the Eastern front.
This operation was actually the Third battle of Kharkov following on the German capture of the city in September 1941 and the Soviet attempt to recapture the city in May 1942 (as simulated in Kharkov ’42). There was a Fourth battle of Kharkov in August 1943 where the Soviets liberated the city for a final time in the Polkovodets Rumyantsev offensive post Kursk.
When looking at this operation it became apparent that there were three distinct phases in the battle.
• The Soviet Offensive
– The Star & Gallop operations, Feb 2nd to Feb 19th.
• Manstein’s Backhand blow against South Western Front, Feb 20th to Mar 5th
• The German recapture of Kharkov and the shattering of Voronezh Front, Mar 6th to Mar 18th
