Now it is the Germans turn to defend Protasova from a Soviet counterattack but the Soviet infantry with armor support attack stalled out in front of the town as the Germans poured heavy OP fire on the advancing Soviet infantry, those German leaders with combat modifiers coupled with the 7-3 DF of the Storm platoons was a deadly combination. The T34s come up to support their infantry but were driven back by the German 75mm ATG fire, which the Soviet artillery struggled to silence.