T48:
Hmm, why am I having clear weather again in the Soviet zones? I thought now should be a mud turns after having been clear last turn...
Oh well, I will not complain here
I continue to press along most of the front, with the number of units already lost or pocketed the Red Army should be on the brink of collapse. The large number of units bound in the salient to the SE of Leningrad does nothing to improve this situation - about 60 units in there, I cant understand why the AI is not trying to break into my salient slowly nibbeling away at them...
The salient is further expanded with the Red Army to the east of it essentially crumbling away, opening very large gaps in the line. A combined attack by 6 divisions got rid of a lvl 3 fort being held by 3 Soviet divisions, allowing to progress another hex to the north. In the meantime the Fins manage to dislodge the defenders from a lvl3 fort across the Chagodoscha and 1 divisions crosses the river. This leaves only an entrance into the salient of 2 hexes.
My own front to the north of Moscow is pretty much in shambles, too, due to the attacks, but I should be able to restablish order during the next turn and I doubt that there are enough combat worthy units left in the Red Army (that are not otherwise occupied) to give me much trouble.
4. Panzerarmee moves back towards the supply network, taking away hexes to reatreat into inside the pocket and doing most of the fighting (working on getting their morale back up), this frees up infantry to head east to establish a new defensive perimeter.
3. Panzerarmee does the same moving while moving to the SW.
In the end only the 3 divisions in Tambov are still holding out (CV of 27 + a lvl3 fort are a bit to high, so I will let them stew for another turn). Most of my mobile forces got their morale up in the 80-90 range now. And the Red Army is short of 8 tank corps, 3 cav corps, 14 infantry divisions, 2 cav divisions, 21 infantry brigades, 4 airborne brigades and 1 sec regiment - in total 274k men, 3.5k guns and 620 AFVs.
In the south the supply situation for the Red Army units trapped by the mountains is fairly bleak as well, but since I have no way to get into their back they are pushed back hex after hex (which is again helpfull for morale - the German MTN units are at 85/99/99).
My armored spearheads reach Grozny and the rail leading along at Caspian Sea is cut to the east of it, as is the rail leading from Baku to the west. The only remaining line of supply in the south is the Baku-Tiblisi-Batumi/Sukhumi railway and due to the mountains this will be largely no help further to the north.
But on the other hand I dont even want to think what this large push will do to my panzer, about 350km in 2 weeks, losses to damage will be high.
XIV Panzer stays around Voroshilovsk to get some rest while staying relatively close to the railhead. The rail to the south of Voroshilovsk is secured to allow faster repairs on the next turn.
Due to the current situation I begin to doubt that I will need 2. Panzerarmee at all. I will use them as a mobile rescue force for now. They stay at their positions and rest up. If a large danger faces 1. Panzerarmee they can be there in 1-2 turns and if there are no problems they will be well rested for their drive on Stalingrad.
In hindsight I should have moved more transport planes to the south, I dont really need them at the moment in the north. On the other hand this can change fairly soon once I start my drive towards the Urals.
The first leg of the rail to the east of Rostov is secured, but actually this is mostly the part I dont need, since I will repair the line coming directly from Rostov.
A bad turn for the Soviets, but with the manpower and equipment they gain each turn it will not be long before those losses are made up. But with the morale and XP of my troops on the rise again those fresh troops should be no match for the Wehrmachts veterans. But the Panzer losses due to driving them hard are starting to mount, around 300 lost this turn. The Red Army lost about 273k men, 3.4k guns and 700 AFVs despite their replacements.
I think I can hear a little song in my head made by the Doors
But maybe the AI is able to still surprise me, but with less than 4 million troops left to the Red Army this is highly doubtfull.
Despite using a smaller scale I still had to cut the map around Ryazan.
