An annotated bibliography for Ponyri Station in the Battle of Kursk.
Cross, R. (1993). Citadel: The Battle of Kursk. London: Michael O’Mara Books Limited.
Covers the whole battle of Kursk, but has relatively little on the action around Ponyri.
Erickson, J. (1996). The Road to Berlin. London: Phoenix.
This is an epic, covering the second half of the Great Patriotic War, however, being an epic it means it covers each aspect in superficial detail. For example, pages 87-136 cover the Battle of Kursk, but there is relatively little on Ponyri.
Glantz, D. M. (1986). Soviet Defensive Tactics at Kursk, July 1943. CSI Report No. 11. Command and General Staff College. On-line http://www-cgsc.army.mil/carl/resources/csi/glantz2/glantz2.asp.
A good on-line resource. Has good maps.
Kursk – Russian OB – Central Front
Handy for knowing the composition of some of the key units. This site also has other handy bits like that on the hours of day light i.e. “on the 10th July 1943, if the weather was good, first light was at 03:34, with objects on the Eastern horizon starting to become visible, dawn was at 04:43, when the troops could begin to find – and use – their weapons, with sunrise at 05:29. The sun set again at 21:51, with dusk at 22:31 and last light at 23:45.”
Lexicon der Wehrmacht [German]
German language site similar to Wendel, M. (2005).
MAPS 1943 (South-Western Direction) http://www.rkkaww2.narod.ru/maps/maps1943SW.htm#Kursk43 (broken link)
Some fascinating maps let down by terribly slow download times.
Marsh, R. (n.d.). Hill 253.5 and Ponyri – 9th July 1943. Rapid Fire Third Supplement: Scenarios for the Russian Front 1941-1945, p. 35-37.
This is a Rapid Fire version of the episode on 9 July 1943 when the German 508th Grenadier Regiment from 78th Sturm Division drove the Soviet 1023rd Rifle Regiment from Hill 253.5.
Remson, A. and Anderson, D. (2000). Mine And Countermine Operations In The Battle Of Kursk, Final Report. U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command.
A great resource. This is the primary source of my historical background. It was available on-line but disappeared with Geocities.
Rutherford, B. and Lewis, J. (n.d.) Battle for Ponyri – 6 July 1943. Hit the Dirt: WWII Scenarios for Crossfire, p. 11-12.
Typical Hit the Dirt 2 page scenario that focuses on the “little” Stalingrad style action of 6 July with the German 507th Infantry Regiment, 292nd Infantry Division grinding away at the Soviet 1019th Rifle Reigiment, 307th Rifle Division in Ponyri itself. I’ve played this scenario a few times – gripping but brutal. In fact it was this scenario that inspired me to try something bigger based on Ponyri.
Wendel, M. (2005). 292. Infanterie-Division. Axis History Factbook. On-line http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=3882.