 Maslennikov's "Northern Group", in charge of defending Terek Valley and Georgian Military Road soon incorporated the 9th, 37th and 44th armies, however, these armies were severely depleted of manpower and ammunition; when the troops encountered a German offensive in the middle of August, the 417th Rifle Division had only 500 active men.Later they were reinforced with 100 tanks, earmarked for Baku defense, and were the first to receive experimental infrared sights and silenced sniper rifles, however, the manpower shortage persisted into 1943.Consolidation of reserves, supervised personally by Joseph Stalin, enabled Maslennikov to check 1st Panzer Army advance in Terek valley and secure Baku oil.