A Clash of Titans, Xhoel (Axis) vs Bitburger (Soviet)

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Air Losses T2:

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Weekly Report
T3: 3rd of July to 10th of July
General overview of the situation:

The majority of LW air groups are still on R&R and the air groups that remain in the field are supporting the elimination of the remaining pockets. Fighter Groups have been deployed to forward air bases to ensure that we have full control of the skies over our areas of operation. It should be noted that the Soviets have refrained from engaging us in the air even though intelligence reports indicate large numbers of aircraft deployed along their main axis of defense.

The Soviets have formed a more coherent defensive line that focuses on certain strongpoints.

In the AGN sector at least 3 Armies are deployed to defend Pskov. The Soviets are making good use of the difficult terrain in this area, digging behind river lines and leaving small forward units behind (NKVD regiments mostly) to harass our advancing units.

In the sector of AGC the Soviets have reinforced the Orsha landbridge and taken defensive positions behind the Drut river. This is probably only an effort to delay our advance towards Mogilev to allow the evacuation of the industry from the city. The Dnepr is lightly defended.
The Soviets have not managed to break out of the pockets in the AGN and AGC sectors so our infantry will be occupied with finishing off the remaining resistance strongpoints.

In the AGS sector the situation looks different. The Soviets have not managed to break out the Kovel pocket but have managed to open a supply corridor to the Shepetovka pocket through the marshes. The task here is to eliminate the pockets as soon as possible to allow us to move east before the Soviets have time to reinforce their defensive positions. The Southwestern and Souther Fronts have initiated an orderly retreat and are defending west of Kiev and Kirovgrad. The retreating Soviet forces are following a scorched earth policy. Rail lines and bridges have been blown off, telephone lines cut off, farms set on fire, grain confiscated. Our troops march forward into an already destroyed countryside, and our engineers are working hard to create some sort of infrastructure to allow us to keep up with the pace that the Soviets are retreating with.



Additional divisions have been released from the reserve by the OKH and the 2nd Army has become operational this week. Due to the fact that the 2nd Army only has one Corp under its command it will be reinforced by 2 infantry Corps from its sister armies (4th and 6th).
Slovakia has officially joined our crusade against bolshevism contributing 2 Infantry Divisions, 1 Motorized Brigade and 6 air wings to the cause.

There are 3 main tasks for this week:
1) The elimination of the remaining enemy pockets of resistance.
2) The Infantry should catch up with the panzers and secure the gains made by them.
3) Numerous Panzer Corps are to be pulled back for R&R in preparation for the next set of offensive operations.

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Soviet defense at Pskov:

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Soviet defenses at the landbridge:

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Soviet defenses at Kiev:

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Soviet defenses at Kirovograd:

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AGN

The 18th Army marches east in strength after destroying what remains of the 8th Army near Liepaja. The 16th Army follows suit, moving east to relieve the panzers near Velikie Luki and clearing the Polotsk pocket in the process. The XXXXI Panzer Corps is pulled back for R&R while the Mansteins LVI Panzer Corps holds its forward positions waiting for the infantry to arrive.

AGN sector on the morning of July 3rd:

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AGN sector after German moves:

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AGC

The clearing of the Byalistok pocket continues at full speed, despite heavy Soviet resistance. After the fighting this week only 3 Soviet Divisions and 1 Regiment remain in the pocket. The smaller pockets west of Minsk are cleared by the infantry of the 9th Army. The 4th Army marches east but they are slowed down by the remaining pocket of resistance west of Minsk. The 2nd Panzer Group is pulled back for R&R and so is the LVII Panzer Corps. The XXXIX Panzer Corps remains in its forward positions. The 2nd Army deploys forward.

Situation in the AGC sector, morning of the 3rd of July:

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AGC sector after German moves:

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AGS

The 17th Army has been tasked with the clearing of the Lvov pocket and the infantry formations have achieved a lot of success so far. Lvov fell during this week after a commited assault by 2 infantry divisions. Around 12 divisions remain in the pocket and will have to be cleared next week. The 6th Army finished cleaning up the Kovel pocket and deploys forward, providing the screen for the newly resealed Shepetovka pocket. The III Panzer Corps is pulled back for R&R while the remaining armored units cordon the pocket. The XXXXVIII Panzer Corps dashes east unopposed 100 mile run. The 11th Army crosses the Dnestr river in force. The 3rd Rumanian Army assist the 17th Army in cleaning operations of the Lvov pocket while the 4th Rumanian Army prepares to cross the Dnestr river after having taken the city of Kishinev.

Lvov, Kovel and Shepetovka pockets, morning of the 3rd of July:

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Southern portion of the Lvov pocket:

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11th Army sector morning of the 3rd of July:

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AGS after German moves:

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Casualties ground T3:

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Casualties Air T3:

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Weekly Report
T4: 10th of July to 17th of July

General overview of the situation:

The Soviets have reinforced their positions in the North and Center while in the sector of AGS they are on a full strategic retreat. The pockets of Bialystok and Shepetovka are fully liquidated and the Lvov pocket has been cleaned almost completely (only 1 division remains in the pocket). This concludes the first phase of the campaign which has cost the Soviets dearly.

Soviet losses are as follows:
-1.036.600 men lost (787.100 men captured)
-13.786 guns lost
-8.118 AFVs and 2.466 SP & AC lost for a total of 10.584.
-5.357 planes lost
In addition to those losses we have captured 12.600 trucks from the enemy.

Our infantry pushes hard this week to reach the forward positions where our panzers are. Due to delays in the arrival of the infantry formations the OKH has taken the decision to postpone the beginning of the second phase of the campaign by a week. In the second phase we are to encircle the Soviet formations in and around Pskov and the Soviet formations at the Orsha landbridge. In the south the objective is to take the port city of Odessa and reach the Dnepr to prepare for a crossing.

More reserves are released from the OKH. The LI Corps is to be filled to full strength and join the 18th Army fighting in the north (after the I Corps is transferred to Panzer Group 4). The newly arrived 60th Motorized division is to be transferred under the command of Panzer Group 4. The XXXXVI Panzer Corps is to be pulled back from the AGS sector and come under Guderians Panzer Group 2.

Meanwhile good news arrives from the international stage. Hungary and Finland have joined the war against the Soviet Union. The Hungarians contribute two corps, both of which take part in the cleaning operations of the Lvov pocket. The Finns on the other hand are contributing 2 field armies composed of well trained and well experienced formations which the OKH values highly.
In the rear areas security units are completing their overtake of major cities and restoring law and order in the newly liberated areas. The Luftwaffe is moving to forward airbases in preparation for the offensive next week.

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AGN

The 18th Army has entered Latvia in force. Its task will be to screen Pskov on the west side and bind Soviet troops to the river line. Only the XXVI Corps (3 divisions) is to be diverted north into Estonia to secure the northern flank of AGN and exert pressure on the Soviets near Narva. The 16th Army has taken positions south of the Pskov defenses and will be responsible for opening a hole in Soviet defenses next week. The 4th Panzer Group is stockpiling its ammo and fuel reserves and preparing for offensive operations to isolate Soviet forces at Pskov. The XXXXI Panzer Corps is still on R&R for the second week while Mansteins LVI Panzer Corps is pulled back and given the highest supply priority (HQ Build Up) in order for it to be ready for the offensive next week.

Soviet defenses at the beginning of the week:



Troop positioning after German moves:

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AGC

The Bialystok pocket is eliminated completely. The 9th, 4th and 2nd Field Armies march east at full speed. The 2nd and 3rd Panzer Groups have taken positions and are preparing for the offensive that is soon to follow. Of the 4 Panzer Corps that AGC has at its disposal, only 3 will be ready for offensive action next week. The XXXIX Panzer Corps (3rd Panzer Group) has been pulled back this week and is on R&R. It will miss the first week of Phase two but it is expected to join the rest of Panzer Group 3 in the following weeks.

Positions at the beginning of the week:



Positions after German moves:

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AGS

The Lvov pocket has been eliminated save for a lone Soviet mountain division that is holed up in the city of Stanislav. This monumental task was completed brilliantly by the 17th Army and the 3rd Rumanian Army. The 17th Army is now free to march east and does so in strength. The 6th Army is held in place by the cleaning operation of the Shepetovka pocket (which is concluded successfully) and only manages to deploy one Corps forward (the XXIX Corps at Zhitomir). The 1st Panzer Group is moving behind the retreating Soviet forces at full speed, but even the panzers are finding it difficult to keep up with the Soviet retreat rate. Nevertheless forward elements make contact with enemy units at Kirovograd and south west of Kiev. The 11th Army spearheads the advance towards Odessa, with its forward units cutting off the last rail line leading out of the city. The XXX Corps has been earmarked for taking the city in cooperation with the 4th Rumanian Army. The rest of the 11th Army moves behind the panzers.

The situation at the beginning of the week:



Troop positioning after German moves: