Turn 116; Sep 2, 1943.....clear
Soviets continue to push steadily against 16th and 8th Army positions, but fail to really exploit their success, or fully pocket the 7 German divisions.
With the crisis heightening, Guderian assumes command of 16th Army! The reinforcing panzer divisions begin to arrive: 22Pz and GD arrive as part of XXXXVII PzKps, 8Pz goes to XXXIX PzKps and 10PG moves to 8th Army to hold the line toward Novgorod.
With no time to allow these incoming forces to deploy to counterattack, 8th Army's XXXXI PzKps and 16th Army's XXXIX PzKps attempt to maintain and widen the corridor to the infantry forces - XXXXI PzKps pushes back 2xTK Corps and XXXIX PzKps pushes back a Rifle Corps and a Tank Corps, but that's as far as they can go. Not enough for the infantry to pull out. XXXXI PzKps also remains vulnerable to being cut off.
To the western side of this action, 8th Army attempts to hold the Msta River line with whatever forces it can muster - these include a LW Field Div and 2xSec Divs - so things ARE getting desparate. Only 10PG and the fresh 321IN out of the 9 or so divisions holding positions to the west of XXXXI PzKps are considered capable for offensive operations, and barely able for defensive operations.
To the southeast of the relief attack, incoming panzer reinforcements take up positions to hold the line - instead of being able to participate in the attack, due to time constraints - and the need to bolster the line. II Corps pulls out of two fortified positions to shortent the line, and XXXXXVII PzKps begins arriving with its two lead divisions - Totenkopf being a few days being, still enroute via rail.
16th Army also begins constructing positions in the Valdai Hills, which is probably too little, too late.
18th Army's "Volkov Line" remains quiet, but with all reserves being moved toward the crisis further east, a heavy Soviet push to break the Volkov Line, would likely be successful. Althought the Volkov position is strong, it contains 3xLW Field Divs - not a good sign....
