Best way to clear the Pripyat Marshes

[CarnageINC]

I have a question on the best way to clear this region. I definitely don't want to use my panzer groups to do it, and I hate using parts of 4th or 6th Army. I usually wait unit 2nd Army becomes available and throw in LI Corps with some new divisions to do the job. This I feel might be a bad choice for any future pbem games. Whats your take on this interesting problem?

[ComradeP]

The most economical situation might be to contain the Soviet formations in them with some infantry formations and wait until you encircle the marshes, which is probably inevitable in most 1941 games. Units in swamps are difficult to remove. Isolated units drop like flies.

[CarnageINC]

I totally agree with isolating them but to actually clear the area where should the troops come from?  I just don't know, I want it the cake and the ice cream too.

[Erik Rutins]

I usually use 2nd Army to really clear it, before then I encircle and push in a bit with infantry corps from the flanking armies.

[karonagames]

I use the cavalry div as it has slightly better mobility and security divs, you have a few turns grace before they are needed on garrison duty.

[Zovs]

I used the infantry from 2nd Pz Grp and parts of the 6th Army as well as some Sec units and I also split the 1st kav  up.

[Reedster]

I didn't bother to clear the Marshes properly, thinking that it was all swamp and effectively 'impassable' to both sides... turns out when winter came, the Red Army sent at least one hundred units of all types including tank brigades and attacked north, west and south of the Marshes.

During the first eight weeks of blizzard, this huge force completely overran my my rail network and effectively cut off Army Group South. I can accept retreats along the front during blizzard no problemo whatsoeverl, but even allowing for my not clearing the Pripet marshes, the Soviets shouldn't be able to send over 100 units through the Pripet and attack from there? Movement and supply/rail network don't seem to be a problem for them at all during blizzard turns through the Marshes either.

Has anyone else experienced this?

[ComradeP]

Movement penalties in swamps are lowered for motorized units at ice level 4 and higher, so in the winter it's quite a good staging area.

[henri51]

In my campaign I found that Panzer units can help to clear the marshes by chewing on the edges, but you don't want them bogged down in there. As some have stated, the Soviets will pull out by themselves when you threaten to encircle the marshes, and you can get a pretty good pocket by cutting their retreat on the rail line when the time comes.

Also you may find that the Russian sometimes allows your Panzer units to grab major objectives from the rear by breaking through the flanks with infantry then making an end run with the Panzers. I captured Smolensk and Kiev this way.When they see for example Smolensk captured, the AI will not try to recapture it, but try to withdraw to a line further East. Against a human, this could be a way to lose a Panzer unit.

Henri

[Peltonx]

I encircle it by turn 4 or 5 then let security units clear it out.