Mission 5 - Fourth Battle of Kharkhov | Soviet | Campaign Sudden Strike 4 Guide

Mission objectives:

• Secure the bridgehead for your forces
• Seize the city on the other side of the river
• Seize and maintain the railway station

You will start the mission with a strong force with many tanks, a lot of infantry and artillery. The way to the village is via the bridge, but the location is well defended (1). We've got reinforced cannons, infantry at every corner, and tanks on the opposite bank. The game advises you to build a floating bridge on the left (2). You definitely should do that, instead of trying a frontal assault.

On the other hand, a frontal attack isn't impossible, but it will require prolonged shelling of enemy positions. Send one soldier as spotter. Make it an officer or a sniper. Crawl forward until you see hostile troops; when you do - designate targets for the artillery. The crew of vehicles will sometimes disembark and can jeopardize your scout, so be careful. Destroy clusters of enemies one by one using the Katyusha and howitzers. You can also combine both strategies - launch a flanking attack while barraging the main enemy positions.

Now it's time to secure another village, and the bridge to the west (3). Prepare your troops to move out and send a scout. Use artillery to destroy revealed targets. Send some troops through the forest south of the village - this will let you discover more enemies; you will be able to engage some of them. A reinforced tank destroyed, Ferdinand, standing in the center of the village, will be promptly abandoned. It has no fuel and ammo, but if you capture it, rearm and refuel, it will be a valuable addition. Before crossing the bridges, send one soldier. The bridges will be blown up, so you'll avoid big casualties.

The infantry will provide vision from the forest, overlooking the clearing. This information will let your tanks eliminate the threat from a safe distance.

On the road to the next spot, in which you can build a floating bridge, awaits another ambush (4). It consists of a unit of infantry and some tanks without fuel. Just approach them with a scout to provide targets for your armor. Clear the threat and build the floating bridge. The task is to seize the village on the other side (5). Infantry hides in some buildings and there are a few Panzer Ivs behind the village, which will surely come to aid the defenders. In front of a house on the right there's a Wespe cannon. Destroy the buildings with Katyusha and SU-122, and then bring in the ground troops.

Then you will have to defend the village from three waves of panzer attacks. After about a minute, three tanks ought to attack from the left (among them a Tiger) along with groups of infantry. The attack from the right will consist of more tanks (Pazner IV and Panthers); the third wave is a couple of tanks and Wespe cannons.

In time, you'll recieve reinforcements on the east. Watch out for the small team on the right. Near the edge of the map, you can find an abandoned Panther - a useful acquisition.

After a successful defense, you'll receive reinforcements (6) and will be ordered to attack the city on the west (7). Sent infantry first - you will encounter a unit of hostile infantry and four AT cannons. Your armor will neutralize the threat if only they will have vision. In the meantime, you will receive reinforcements and use them to attack from the opposite direction. Before setting out to the city, cautiously proceede towards the right edge. Destroy a medium tank and a group of infantry. You will also see an abandoned Panther that you can take over. Head back towards the city. Send an infantryman to steadily discover new targgets for the artillery. There's only a few infantrymen inside, supported by some Panzer IV, a Panther and a Ferdynand. There are two AT cannons at the bridge, and a Flak 88 in the area between the northern forest and the buildings. All of them have very little ammo, so even a direct confrontation shouldn't be a problem. By carrying out a slow and methodical attack from both sides, you will seize control of the city.

The last stage of the mission requires you to seize the train station (10), where a group of heavy tanks is waiting: Tigers, Panthers and a Ferdinand. Watch out for enemy reinforcements, consisting of 3 tanks, which will come from the north, between the village and the city (8). Regroup all your forces to the west edge of the village. In the meantime, the enemy will send reinforcements from the opposite bank to strengthen the station (9). You can try to stop them on the wooden bridge, attacking from the forest or the field north from that bridge. Now approach the station slowly. You should have access to around a dozen tanks, artillery vehicles, and a good force of infantry. Send scouts and fighter airplanes which you received earlier. After the first shots are fired, the enemy will launch an offensive. Destroying all those heavy tanks won't be easy, but with enough units, you will be able to outflank their tanks with a force of your own and overcome them. Use the artillery to rid of infantry, which will significantly limit their tactical options.