Drang Nach Osten - Revisited

[IdahoNYer]

Here's the main event - the AGC front....

What's left of the Moscow Pocket remains stubborn, and the blizzard certainly doesn't help in reducing it. I bring down a mountain division, and it reduces one hex. Some massed infantry and panzers from 2nd Pz Armee reduce another, but the third attacked holds against massed infantry.

On the front itself, the Soviets are of coursed massed - but we give ground grudgingly - one hex in most places. Will see what happens. I figure, although he's massed, his forces are just as fatigued and more attritted than mine for now. Hopefully I can reduce the remains of the Moscow Pocket before I have to pull back a bit faster. Tula will likely be abandoned soon, Moscow by the end of the month in all probability.

I am pulling panzers and some high morale infantry west - 19th Pz boards trains, and will be followed by others as soon as I can get them to rails. They'll winter in Deutschland refitting and prepping for the summer offensive.

[IdahoNYer]

AGS's position remains precarious - 6th and 17th Armies remain over extended in the north - with little if any reserves, and infantry regiments still in the front lines. But like AGN, I don't see a major Soviet force arrayed against them, so I'm reluctant to just give ground.

1st Pz Armee does pull back - as fast as I can. Two hexes of encircled Soviets are liquidated in the process - without significant forts, they collapse easily. Once I get 1st Pz Armee back, I can think about pulling back 17th and 11th Armies. And of course getting Rumanians out of the front lines if at all possible.

Soviet pressure here in the south is worrisome - he really can put 1st Pz Armee in a bind if he hits the Rumanians and 17th Army hard - but I'm betting every last reserve he has is up near Moscow, not here in the Ukraine.

[IdahoNYer]

And now for the info charts going into the blizzard....

Destroyed forces - not a great haul, but the Moscow Pocket helped significantly. Still regretting not taking out the Orel Bulge when I had the chance, and I didn't manage the Stalino Pocket at all - still, not a bad month - especially since these destroyed units don't regenerate. He'll have to pay APs if he wants these units back. That's going to be expensive!

[IdahoNYer]

Losses aren't bad either. Again, largely due to the Moscow Pocket. Can expect of course to see German losses increase signficantly for the next few months - hopefully we can make it expensive for the Soviets if nothing else!

[IdahoNYer]

And Forces available -

Here, despite the success of the Moscow Operation, the Soviet Bear still grows! And significantly!

Will be interesting to see what the loss of Moscow's population and industry will do!

[IdahoNYer]

Lastly, the Panzerwaffe at the start of Blizzard.

Nothing really surprising here, panzer strength is about what I would expect - will try and pull the worst off divisions back to the Fatherland for refit. With luck, I can keep most of the panzers (and motorized) divisions in cities and not in the line for the winter months. Will see....

[sillyflower]

you have a severely weakened foe there. With all those inf div losses, I expect the bulk of his forces are poor quality. No need to do a Pelton here[;)]

[randallw]

Potentially the outcome ( minor victory for either side or draw ) will be in doubt.

[IdahoNYer]

Turn 28; Dec 25, 1941......Blizzard

First Christmas on the Eastern Front! Soviet Blizzard Offenisive slowly gains steam, but so far is manageable.

Screen shots before German moves, showing Soviet attacks from last turn

AGN's front is realatively quiet. By pulling back a hex, the Soviet attacks are limited - and only in places where he is stacking rifle divisions, the abiltiy of the Soviets to attack is limited. So far at least...

[IdahoNYer]

AGC faces a bit more pressure than AGN. The primary weight of the Soviet offensive hits 4th and 2nd Army - which is still manned partially by regiments in the line - the economy of force which allowed the massing of combat power to take Moscow.

On a positive note, the Moscow Pocket is reduced to a single remaining hex - the German 4th Mountain Div being the primary assault force.

On the negative side, 2nd Army is under very heavy pressure, and is not equipped to handle it. I've only left a regiment behind in Tula, but he's bypassing it - smart move, and now I'll have a tough time pulling out. We'll have to give some ground here, and I'll bring 2nd Pz Armee south of 4th Army now that the Moscow Pocket is pretty much reduced.

Overall, I'll try and hold Moscow as long as possible, but I know I can hold it and won't sacrifice the army trying to. Still, I'm going to want to make him fight for it - if I don't, he'll just hit me somewhere else that I'm more vulnerable.

[IdahoNYer]

AGS remains a whole lot quieter than I thought it would. 6th and 17th Army remain very over stretched, but really haven't been pressed hard - again, the withdrawing a hex has helped.

6th Army begins getting some pressure from the attacks on 2nd Army Army, but I've got the 1st Mountain Div deployed in regiments asssiting the front near Orel. I can delay there without worrying too much about a significant breakthrough.

Now that 1st Pz Armee has pulled back out of the salient north of Stalino, I feel a whole lot better about being able to delay effectively here in the Ukraine.

11th Army has for the most part, replaced most of the Rum 4th Army in the line - as well as holding well with one Korps in the Crimea. So far, so good...

[IdahoNYer]

Turn 29; Jan 1, 1942.......blizzard

Screens after the German moves, showing Soviet attacks from the previous turn.

AGN avoids heavy combat by continuing a slow withdrawal of about a hex a turn. 4th Pz Armee will try and hold Kalinin for another turn, which may bring on some attacks.

[IdahoNYer]

AGC delays withdrawing to hold Moscow a bit longer. 3xSov Tk Bdes are routed south of Moscow, and the 4th Mtn Div is broken down to regiments to hold the line south of Moscow.

The Tula garrison is rescued by a swift counterattack by XXXX PzKps - brushing aside a single tank brigade. Still, this forces 4th Army to maintain contact along most of the front.

2nd Army, with the 1st Mtn Div's help, maintains it's frontage south of Tula. 2nd Pz Armee's LVI PzKps is moved into reserve positions to bolster positions in the Tula area just in case.

Moscow will have to be abandoned before the month is out - perhaps within 1-2 weeks, dependent on Soviet pressure.

[IdahoNYer]

AGS trades space for time - largely pulling back a hex across its front. Stalino is abandoned.

While I'm reluctant to abandon Orel, Kursk and probably even Kharkov, they will likely fall as I pull back.

[IdahoNYer]

And with the 1st turn of the month, here are the admin charts.

Not much accomplished in destroyed units in the month of December, no surprise here. Those destroyed came from the Moscow Pocket.

[IdahoNYer]

Losses.

German losses more than double from other months, nearly triple from last, but are largley in the form of disabled. Soviet losses are moderate, although a large number are killed.

To be expected in the blizzard. As long as I can stay ahead of the Soviet attacks - prevent routs and encirclements - the German army should be in good shape by summer.

[IdahoNYer]

For the forces available, the German strength takes a nose dive. Again, to be expected.

On the bright side, German panzer strength is on the upswing.

On the negative side of course is the Soviet Bear - growing to just under the 5 million mark.

[IdahoNYer]

Lastly, the panzerwaffe.

This is a good news story. All the OKH HQ panzer divisions have been pulled from the front and are refitting in Germany, Poland and Hungary. The majority of the other German panzer divisions are in reserve positions as are the motorized divisions. The infantry is taking the brunt of the fighting - and even there, we've been able to pull some dozen infantry divisions refitting. And so far, I've resisted the temptation to bring reinforcements to the front.

I'll continue to try and bring some infantry west - those units with morale above or close to 80. Perhaps even a couple more panzer or motorized divisions as well.

[juret]

intresting AAR. I think u will do better this time with axis then the last one. Looks like TULA,kharkov,kursk will be just taken by SU and will be close the front in spring 42. perfect for panzer corp targets

[IdahoNYer]

Turn 31; Jan 15, 1942......blizzard

Not much of a change in the scheme of things - German forces gradually give up ground, trading space for time and preventing a decisive engagement and Soviet breakthrough. Not much of a choice here - all efforts were into offensive operations up to the blizzard itself - that included placing regiments in the line and not spending APs on fortifications.

AGN continues to pull back - only four Soviet attacks. I can live with this. Even managed to pull out an infantry division to refit in Germany.