 Hausser had expected to continue his advance on Prokhorovka, and late on the evening of 11 July issued orders for the attack the next day. The attack would begin north of the Psel River, with the 3rd SS Panzer Division driving northeast until reaching the Karteschewka-Prokhorovka road. Once there, they were to strike southeast to attack the Soviet positions at Prokhorovka from the rear. The 1st and 2nd SS Panzer divisions were to wait until Totenkopf's attack had destabilised the Soviet positions at Prokhorovka. Once the Soviet position at Prokhorovka was under attack from the rear, the Leibstandarte was to move forward, advancing through the main Soviet defences dug in on the west slope before Prokhorovka. To the Leibstandarte's right, the 2nd SS was to advance eastward to the high ground south of Prokhorovka, then turn south to roll up the Soviet line and open a gap. Unknown to Hausser, on the night of 11 – 12 July Rotmistrov had moved his 5th Guards Tank Army to an assembly area just behind Prokhorovka in preparation for a massive attack the following day. At 5: 45 Leibstandarte headquarters started receiving reports of the ominous sound of tank engines as the Soviets moved into their assembly areas. Soviet artillery and Katyusha regiments were redeployed in preparation for the counterattack.
