The Italians tenaciously held on to their positions southwest of the Frigian Hat during the Soviet offensive of the 16th. In particular, the town of Kranssnogorowka remained in Axis hands. Defending that sector were elements of the 3rd Battalion of the 79th Regiment along with elements of the 1st and 2nd Battalions that had managed to slip back to friendly lines. More Italian troops were marching from the rear but, as all reserves had already been committed, construction engineers and a railway battalion were by now the only usable assets. Colonel Neumann, CO of the 525th Regiment of the German 298th Infantry Division, commanded the defense of this sector as of the morning of the 17th.

The main attack came once again in the sector held by Italians. The Guards units, under cover of smoke, crossed the Don River and quickly wrestled Kranssnogorowka from its defenders. It appeared as if a rout was imminent but the timely arrival of reinforcements plus an artillery observer of the XXX Artillery Group stabilized the situation. The Soviets took Hill 156 (the hill on Board 5) and approached the Italian artillery deployed along the road, but determined fire drove them back to the outskirts of Kranssnogorowka. The following day the Soviets threw in additional piecemeal attacks that failed to pierce the Italian defensive line. But the threat to the exhausted Pasubio Division would come not from its front, but rather its rear.

Per Ottavio Ricchi the third German 75mm IG in the Axis OOB should be a 150mm IG. Artillery Pasubio division is not eligible for the 75/27 howitzer upgrade of special rule 16.