The Blitz is on!

[loki100]

does seem as if you have managed to generate the close fought game you were trying for. Still seems dynamic, but its interesting to see a fighting retreat rather than a mass run for the final defense lines

[carlkay58]

Axis Game Turn 16:

No BPs awarded but the Axis continues its drives on Leningrad and D & Z Towns. There is at least on more turn before MUD and it looks like it will be close with Leningrad.

Finland: No real change as everyone digs as deep as they can.

[carlkay58]

AGN: They are now adjacent to Leningrad and driving deep. The attacks near Velikie Luki are beginning to threaten the area. I do note that south of Lake Ilmen there are forts being constructed.

[carlkay58]

AGC: They have pushed to the outskirts of Smolensk. It is a slow grind that is causing severe casualties on both sides. A pocket has formed in the last hold outs in the Pripet Marshes. The Gomel offensive has begun to get larger and threaten the rear of the Kiev defenses.

[carlkay58]

AGS: The Panzers have reach a long section of the Dnepr to the south of Chernassy. Krivoi Rog is pocketed and Kirovograd has fallen.

[carlkay58]

Romania: A Panzer Corps is helping the Romanians threaten Nikolaev.

[carlkay58]

Soviet Game Turn 16:

Nine more Guards RDs this turn. Another airbase HQ is forming. Uncle Joe and the Axis do not force leadership changes on the Soviet armed forces this turn.

Leningrad Front: Start to leave just a screening force along the remaining Luga River line and pull back for better Leningrad defenses. Two armies will defend Leningrad while the other two will defend the rest of the front.

[carlkay58]

Northwestern Front: Still peacefully digging in as fast as possible.

[carlkay58]

Reserve Front: Renewing the offense and pushing back the Axis from around Smolensk.

[carlkay58]

Bryansk and Western Front: While the two Western Front reserve armies begin to rebuild, the rest of the Western Front continues to hold the line as well as possible. The Bryansk Front counterattacks south of Smolensk and pushes back the Axis from adjacent to Smolensk. They are also working against the Gomel offense and trying to push back the Axis Panzers.

[carlkay58]

Southwestern Front: The Pripet Marsh pocket is opened and the troops stream as quickly as possible towards the gap and freedom.The Kiev defenses try to recover and continue to defend. At least one more turn until MUD is a possibility. Hopefully it will hold.

[carlkay58]

Southern Front: Falling back in an attempt to keep from being pocketed near Nikolaev. A screen is formed in front of D & Z Towns to tie up the Axis Panzers.

I rail out the ARMs from Rostov. This will complete my planned factory evacuations so from this point forward it will only be if the Axis are threatening new industry.

I am successful in ten of eleven attacks this turn. The Axis lose (8,474/202/139/10) vs the Soviets (6,118/62/46/27). The totals to date for the Axis are (584,460/7,174/2,532/2,324) vs the Soviets (2,383,702/37,182/13,943/8,853). The Axis lost over 40K again this turn so I am trying to get back on track to the 1M mark.

The ten retreats will reduce the BP count now to four.

[carlkay58]

Axis Game Turn 17:

Krivoi Rog is captured this turn and Nikolaev is surrounded. No BPs awarded.

Finland: Quiet digging continues.

[carlkay58]

AGN: The Axis continue to drive. Their attempt to cut off the Leningrad area from land supply fails but they are adjacent to Leningrad now. The Velikie Luki area is getting more precarious.

[carlkay58]

AGC: Continued fighting in the Smolensk area. The Gomel area is expanded to the south and the Pripet Marsh pocket is formed again.

[carlkay58]

AGS: More fighting around Kiev drives to the outskirts of the city itself. Panzer units have reached the Dnepr bend and are adjacent to both D & Z Towns. One PD is across the Dnper.

[carlkay58]

Romania: Nikolaev is pocketed with three RDs in it. The rest of the line is along the Dnper River now.

[carlkay58]

Soviet Game Turn 17:

Ivan Boldin, commanding 19A, is promoted to GENP. Another Guards RD is created.

Leningrad Front: Shifting around units to keep the strongest in the front and good reserves. It is very important to keep Shisselburg and keep the communications into Leningrad going. Hopefully next turn is MUD, but there is always that chance . . .

[carlkay58]

Northwestern Front: Digging in and doing some switching around to try and hold on to Velikie Luki. The Axis has built some forts in this area so I think it will probably be a low impact area for a while.

[carlkay58]

Reserve Front: A quiet turn for the front as RDs are shuffled between the reserves and the front line.