Feuertaufe, Fusilier Regiment 230*
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Date: November 14, 1943*
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Battle Location: Kopany, Ukraine*
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Battle Type: Germany defend vs USSR assault*
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Description: Fusilier Regiment 230 was part of the German 76. Infanterie Division, which - following the disaster in Stalingrad - had been reformed in Bretange, France and spent some uneventful weeks guarding northern Italy before being hurried off to the eastern front.*
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Still wearing tropical uniforms the men of the 76. Division were used to relieve the much better equipped and armed Totenkopf Division in the Ukraine. They had barely time to move into position before the Soviets unleashed a major offensive directed at their stretch of the front.*
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The men of II Battalion, Fusilier Regiment 230 held the line near Kopany village. Their Baptism of Fire would be violent and painful.*
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Notes: Historically the Soviet attack tore into Fus.Rgt 230 and badly ravaged the unit. The II Battalion was all but overrun. The forward artillery observer detailed to direct fire in front of the II Battalion positions was never able to raise the assigned battery leaving the unit without artillery support. Even worse, the battalion was left without leadership after the battalion commander went missing trying to reach the endangered No 5 Company and the staff became separated from the withdrawing remnants. Play from either side.*
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Source: Loeser, Jochen; Bittere Pflicht*
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Design by:  Ulf Lundstrom.**
