▁on ▁Moscow . ▁However ▁the ▁attack ▁failed ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁cold ▁weather , ▁d eter ior ating ▁supply ▁situation ▁and ▁stub born ▁Soviet ▁resistance . ▁The ▁Germ ans ▁suffered ▁severe ▁losses ▁in ▁men ▁and ▁large ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁ 9 th ▁Army ' s ▁troops ▁were ▁real located ▁to ▁the ▁other ▁de ple ted ▁German ▁Arm ies . ▁▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁The ▁ 9 th ▁Army ▁remained ▁in ▁def ensive ▁positions ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁d ug ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 ▁miles ▁outside ▁of ▁Moscow ▁as ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁concentr ated ▁their ▁off ensive ▁in ▁Southern ▁Russia . ▁As ▁the ▁t ide ▁of ▁the ▁battle ▁turned ▁in ▁Southern ▁Russia , ▁the ▁S ovi ets ▁launched ▁Operation ▁Mars , ▁a ▁major ▁off ensive ▁against ▁Army ▁Group ▁Center . ▁The ▁well ▁d ug ▁in ▁positions ▁of ▁Army ▁Group ▁Center ▁defeated ▁the ▁Soviet ▁off ensive ▁with ▁heavy ▁cas ual ties . ▁▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁The ▁Germ ans ▁tried ▁again ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁to ▁reg ain ▁the ▁momentum ▁in ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Front ▁by ▁launch ing ▁a ▁massive ▁pin cer ▁movement ▁at ▁the ▁Kur sk ▁sal ient ▁where ▁ 1 / 6 th ▁of ▁all ▁Soviet ▁forces ▁were ▁deployed . ▁The ▁spe ar head s ▁would ▁be ▁the ▁German ▁ 9 th ▁Army ▁and ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁Pan zer ▁Army ▁from ▁the ▁north ▁and ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁Pan zer ▁Army ▁along ▁with ▁Army ▁Det achment ▁K emp f ▁from ▁the ▁south . ▁The ▁S ovi