Return to Smolensk and Beyond, IdahoNY vs Scar

[IdahoNYer]

The last screen shot from turn is for those who don't think pocket's can last.....The Lvov Pocket, at the end of its third week! Now, mud did certainly help it hold out, but its going to take another week to fully destroy...Isolated in turn 2, and will (hopefully) will be destroyed at the end of turn 5.

Elsewhere, the Finns attack across the boarder and push a few units back, nothing significant. Likewise, the Rumanians advance across a broad front into Bessarabia as the Soviets pull back. Most of 11th Army's weight is in the north until 17th Army comes up, and I've sent a few German divisions to reinforce 11th Army and assist in the capture of Odessa - I have no confidence that the Rumanians can do it alone.

Now to wait the next turn....

[IdahoNYer]

Turn 5, 17 July....Tough fighting all along the front. The Russians are digging and digging...

In AGN, 18th Army, led by Totenkopf, cuts the Talinin-Leningrad RR, but its infantry is still a long march away.

Supporting 16th Army, XXXXI PzKps penetrates to isolate Pskov, but again, fails to close to the lake by a few miles. If nothing else, the position is turned, and Scar should have his indicator that this is a major thrust to Leningrad.

[IdahoNYer]

4th PzGrp is starting to show signs of fatigue and lack of supply - it can't generate enough MPs to conduct a deliberate attack on Veliki Luki. So, XIV PzKps regroups and waits for infantry to come up. LVI Pzkps sees a potential opening and moves through the swamps to the north - surprisingly not defended. With some luck, the panzers can flank the Soviet position, and infantry brought up can clear the Russians from the swamps.

Note the mud to the east behind Soviet lines!

[IdahoNYer]

I had intended for 3rd PzGrp to cut NE and link up behind Veliki Luki, but it is just too fatigued and low on gas....literally. Eastward progress is shut down by the Soviet fortifcations as well as the mud just behind the Russian lines. 4th and 9th Armies are finally coming up in strength, but RR repair is still well to the west (nearest is in the NW corner of map). Assuming I can rest and resupply, I intend to continue 3rd PzGrp east in support of 4th PzGrp.

[IdahoNYer]

AGC finally gets across the Dniepr as 4th Army infantry clear Mogilev and assist 2nd PzGrp in crossing the river just south of the city. The key in crossing was that the hex SE of Mogilev on the east bank was unoccupied, greatly facilitating the crossing. By turn's end, 4 panzer divisions and LAH were firmly across the river. With some luck, 2nd Pzgrp can now have some running room.

[IdahoNYer]

In AGS area of operations, the Soviets are withdrawing at speed behind the Dniepr. They abandoned Zhitomir with haste, and 6th Army attempts to cut off the withdrawal with the XXXXVI PzKps - but the infantry is lagging, and I expect the Russians to reach the river. 1st PzGrp finds the Dniepr already being fortified, and needs to concentrate and reorganize. 17th Army finally reduces the last of the LvoV pocket, and begins moving east at best speed. Supplies are running low across all units, the nearest RR repair is in the NW corner of the screen. Still, will attempt to cross the Dniepr near Cherkassy.

[IdahoNYer]

Nothing much exciting in as the Rumanians advance on a broad front against negligble resistance. Doesn't appear that the Soviets will attempt a stand west of the Dniepr, Odessa does not appear to be have much defenses established.

[IdahoNYer]

Turn 7, 31 Jul and the Germans manage to gain some forward momentum as infantry begins to arrive in strength along the front. While the Pz Divs are generally fatigued, low on fuel and some showing less than 100 runners, the infantry is pretty fresh and just about full strength.

18th Army secures Talinin and drives north of lake Peipus, meeting little resistance. One Korps, assists 16th Army in isolating a few units agains the lake. Was fairly surpised that Scar hadn't fortified the strip of land north of the lake - the shortest and most direct, as well as very defendable - route to Leningrad.

16th Army, after securing Pskov was going to be changing its main effort to drive east, south of Lake Ilmen to link up with 4th Pz Grp advancing from the south. However, after I pulled XXXXI PzKps out of the line north of Pskov, and moved infantry in their place, a few hasty attacks by the infantry apparently collapsed the entire Soviet line - ultimately resulting in a very surprising gain of 40-50 miles! Was unfortunate that I had already moved the panzers east! They could have possibly isolated of Novgorod.

Perhaps Scar has pulled some troops away from Leningrad to bolster Moscow where I am fighting for every mile gained? This lack of dug in Russian infantry between Pskov and Novgorod has really surprised me.

18th Army will continue to drive directly to the Leningrad defenses while 16th Army will have two objectives - isolate and secure Novogorod and drive east to link up with 4th PzGrp, ultimately cutting off Leningrad.

[IdahoNYer]

In front of 4th PzGrp, the Soviets appeared to be attempting to pull back after Veliki Luki fell. This was perfect timing as fresh German infanty in the form of 9th Army began arriving in force, and 4th PzGrp was not overly fatigued - low of fuel, yes, but strength and fatigue weren't too bad. The arriving infantry bulled open a penetration anchored in swamps, and the panzers poured through. LVI Pzkps was first through the breach, scattering retreating units and finding little evidence of a fallback line. XIV Pzkps exploited the penetration, attempting to link up with 3rd PzGrp pushing north. And that was the problem, while 4th PzGrp was fairly fresh, 3rd PzGrp was very exhausted. 9th Army infantry replaced 3rd PzGrp formations as well as attacked into the "pocket" to widen the "corridor". This freed up about 2 worn out Pz Divs and 2 Mot Divs which managed to stumble forward perhaps 20 miles - fortunately, the Soviet defensive belt expected 3rd PzGrp to continue to drive east, not north. With a bit of luck, the "pocket" can be contained and then reduced. Regardless, 4th PzGrp will attempt to continue to drive NE, east of the Valday Hills in order to isolate Leningrad. 3rd PzGrp is going to have to halt and rest - at least for a week, maybe more. With time running out, I just find it extremely hard to "halt" panzers, regardless of how much they need it.

[IdahoNYer]

After getting a bridgehead across the Dniepr near Mogilev on 17 Jul, 2nd PzGrp and 4th Army expected a brutal fight to expand the bridgehead. Surprisingly Scar immediately fell back 30 and 50 miles to a prepared defensive line. In many ways, this faciltated AGC's attack. Instead of having to expand the bridgehead against prepared positions, both infantry and panzers advanced unhindered to the second defensive line. After a week of moving forward and preparing, the blow fell on 31 July. 4th Army infantry attacked, with Korps strength each, two key level 2 fortified positions at the point of penetration. One was pushed back, one routed. The door was open for XXXXVII Pzkps which used infantry to push the retreating Russians further back. Then the panzers advanced - low on fuel, but reasonable in fatigue and runners. XXXXVII Pzkps brushed all aside, enabling XXIV Pzkps to exploit the gap, advancing until out of fuel. And like 3rd PzGrp, that is the major issue, the panzers need a rest. My intent is to continue 2nd PzGrp due east to seize Bryansk - forcing Scar either to abandon ground north and south of the penetration, or risk encirclement. But with rest needed, I'm running out of time.

[IdahoNYer]

South of 2nd PzGrp's attack, 2nd Army's mission was simply to protect AGC's southern flank from the Pripet Marshes. Well, that was the plan. With only two Korps allocated, I didn't expect much from 2nd Army - but I also expected the marshes to be contested. They weren't, not even a delay was attempted. Even so, I expected the Dniepr to be fortified, as it was north of Gomel. It wasn't. As lead elements of 2nd Army approached the end of the marshes and the Dniepr, led by the First Cavalry Div, they moved unhindered and eventually the cav crossed the Dniepr unapposed.

To the south of the marshes, 6th Army attempted, and failed, to cut off retreating Soviet tank divisions northwest of Kiev. What they did succeed in doing was forcing the armor to withdraw into the marshes where they are of little use, and may still be encircled by the unhindered 2nd Army.

The area east of the Pripet Marshes was not expected to be a viable avenue of approach to cut behind Kiev - I never expected a quick march through the Pripet. Now there may be an opportunity. With 6th Army up against the Soviets on the Dniepr, I've pulled XXXXVI PzKps from 6th Army. They will refit enroute back to AGC, being railed around the Pripet. If the 2nd Army still finds its front fluid, they will get XXXXVI Pzkps. If the front stabilizes, the PzKps will likely go to 2nd or 3rd PzKps.

[IdahoNYer]

South of Kiev, along the Dniepr, the Soviets were heavily dug in. Scar was pulling back as quick as he could through the Ukraine, and I had pretty much given up the possibility of either beating him to the Dniepr, or encircling his troops before they fell behind the river. The panzers were fairly well off on fuel, but were low on runners from the countless engagements since crossing the border - two divisions under 100 panzers.

As 1st PzGrp raced along the Dniepr, they found it, as expected, heavily fortified. However, just SE of Cherkassy, 16th Pz was able to get across unapposed - a vacant hex along the river. With 17th Army infantry arriving at the Dniepr, there may be opportunity here to force a crossing - its just far enough SE of Kiev to threaten his river line with envelopment if successful, and close enough for a drive at the prize of Kharkov.

While the Cherkassy crossing will be the main effort of AGS, 6th Army managed to find another vacant area to cross, about 30m south of Kiev. I don't expect much from this crossing, although each unit across the Dniepr is a success of sorts, and may put pressure on Scar to withdraw from the river. Frankly I hope he holds off withdrawing for a few weeks - I need to rest 1st PzGrp before they can exploit any penetration, and it will give 17th Army an opportunity to bring more infantry up, and expand the bridgehead.

[IdahoNYer]

Further south, the German 11th Army, as well as the Rum 4th and 3rd Armies, advance on a broad front against little or no opposition. Even Odessa is barely defended. Again, looks as though Scar is running to the Dniepr and may even give up the Dniepr bend without a fight.

The Rum 3rd Army will take Odessa, then continue east to seize Nikolaev and then threaten the Crimea. The German 11th and Rum 4th Army will continue to advance to the Dniepr, clearing out the Dniepr bend, then if feasible, attempt a crossing to cut off the Crimea.

As APs permit, I am attempting to assign a German division to each Rum Corps as a "corset" to give those corps at least some effective combat power.

[IdahoNYer]

Lastly, the casualties. While I'm happy to get some forward momentum again, I'm concerned about the "lack" of Soviet casualties - only 1.2 million men. I think Scar has been very successful in his withdrawal - and preventing major encirclements. Hopefully, this past turn has managed to envelope a large force east of Veliki Luki, that will help.

So, any observations on the chances of a success at this point are more than welcome!

thanks.

[krupp_88mm]

you've made extremely fast progress, is he even slowing you down at all? your already where the German army was on the 7th of September on the Moscow front a month+ ahead of schedule along with that huge bulge id say if you want to you could probably take moscow , Leningrad also looks ripe for a cut off, and most players are just reaching the dienper at this turn not crossing it, so my guess is your opponent is going to be doomed here, good work, trading space for time is good, but i don't think he got enough time in this bargain

[IdahoNYer]

I hope you're right Krupp. It certainly doesn't feel like it though. One difference is I guess is that I haven't given any army the opportunity to pause and recoup some strength - every time I think I'll be able too, Scar pulls back to his next fortified line. And his level 2 forts are tough!! Will be an interesting last few weeks of summer campaigning!

[krupp_88mm]

if i had to guess hes probably been building forts in the rear and preping defenses back thier, try to get as much recon deep behind his lines and figure out where his making a stand, if hes going to make a stand far back you wont have enough force to break through all three fronts, id concentrate your force late in the summer at one maybe two fronts, if i were you id double up on the moscow front, or the Leningrad front or maybe both, but then again it is possible he just screwed up, it looks like he was thinking seriously about defending the dnieper

[IdahoNYer]

On 7 Aug, 18th Army, supported by the left wing of the 16th Army, crosses the Luga R, and begins to batter down dug-in Soviet positions near Leningrad. Going is slow, although Totenkopf advances an additional 10 miles.

[IdahoNYer]

16th Army's main effort was to be a rapid advance south lake Ilmen with XXXXI Pzkps supported by II Korps. However, Soviet defenses, dug in anchored by swamps held the attack to less than 10 miles gained. This completely offset the gains made by 4th PzGrp's LVI Pzkps driving up from the south. The 10 or so Soviet formations will likely be able to break out as only the Lehr motorized Bde was able to complete the encirclement.

[IdahoNYer]

The Veliki Luki Pocket managed to regain contact with Soviet lines during the Soviet turn, but a swift attack by 3rd PzGrp and 4th PzGrp quickly re-established the line and isolated the pocket. Also, but establishing a small corridor, the Soviet line was apparently weakened near Rzhev, and XXXIX PzKps was able to break through, to threaten the city.

This easterly attack should also convince Scar that the main effort here is toward Moscow, not Leningrad. In either case, the panzers badly need rest and resupply while 9th Army reduces the pocket in the coming weeks.