Nordlicht 1942 AAR Snefens vs. Telumar

[Telumar]

In the meantime we also face a crisis in infantry replacements. The attrition is far beyond what we received so far. This is the loss report for infantry squads from the current turn, turn 47:

losses Inf turn 47.jpg (574.5 KiB) Viewed 127 times

The marked squad types constitute our main infantry combat elements. These squads constitute the infantry divisions' infantry battalions*. The "Rifle Squad w/ le.MG" is used by the Security Divisions and other rear area troops, the "Rifle Squad w/ 2x MG34" is used by the motorized and mechanized infantry battalions of the Panzer-Divisions.

For our main combat element, the "Rifle Squad w/ MG34", we as of now have an attrition rate of 2596 / 47 = 55,23 squads per turn. With a replacement rate of 28 squads per turn we thus can only replace 50% of losses.

I have identified the Oranienbaum offensive as one of the main causes for this. I had pressed this too hard as I felt I was under time pressure and needed to have some of the participating divisions to be ready for other tasks again as soon as possible. I certainly could have used a more systematic, slow approach. In the first five turns, we had an attrition of 28,4 "Rifle Squads w/ MG34" per turn. While the major battle for the Oranienbaum bridgehead lasted, from turns 6 - 21 we suffered an attrition rate of 61,68 of these squads / turn. In the mopping up phase, which latest from turn 22 to 28, we suffered an attrition of 71,29 squads per turn (!). Of course there were other major combat operations going on during this time, but from turn 29 to the current turn (47), the attrition rate for this type of squad was "only" 53,77 per turn.

As units, or most of them, do reconstitute in the scenario, these units do eat up replacments too, thus adding to the replacements crisis on the map. While it is nice to have a fully equipped infantry battalion back in mid-game, on-map units struggle heavily with getting enough replacements. For most German divisions, the III. battalion of the infantry regiments does not reconstitute and receives only minimal replacements (this simulates the German army transitioning the structure of their infantry divisions down from 3 regiments á 3 battalions to 3 regiments of only 2 battalions). I already disbanded two worn-down ones of these III. battalions into the pool, but for the rest of these units I would rather keep them on map until they are an empty shell.


*The MG-squad w/ MG-34 (tripod) represents the heavy MGs of the German infantry battlions, interestingly Snefens has made them active defender equipment and treats them basically like a squad (consisting of 2 MGs and 6 men) instead of a single equipment piece as the standard equipment base does:

MG Squad.jpg (129.63 KiB) Viewed 127 times

As for tank losses, including SP AT, a similarily bleak picture presents itself. Red rectangle: Up-to-date, main combat tanks. Also note the amount of captured Soviet equipment.

Losses Armor Turn 47.jpg (566.39 KiB) Viewed 127 times

And the air losses so far:

Losses AF 47.jpg (257.24 KiB) Viewed 127 times

[LLv34_Snefens]

Turn 48
October 13th

Despite having lost a Pz-Btl the enemy is still able to encircle Davydovo again, this time reducing the pocket to just the town itself. The town holds this day, but about half a division disintegrates in the fighting.
Reopening a corridor to them would probably be possible, but the encircled 26th RD is reorganizing, so we wouldn't be able to extract them and also our strongest formation in the sector, the 243rd RD is reorganizing as well. Therefore we give the order to just dig in.
There is also smaller attacks in the swamps on the eastern side of the Lovat River, but these seem of less consequence.

(note: this day single unit strengths are shown.)

Turn48Parfino.jpg (638.12 KiB) Viewed 90 times

Again, again the enemy opens a corridor into the encircled forces by Kholm. We are really getting low on manpower, with some of the RD's being just down to a single battalion sized regiment, but with a final push we capture the airstrip. There is still two enemy panzer battalions right next to it, so we are moving up the fresh 145.Rifle Bde for stronger garrison against recapture.

Turn48Kholm.jpg (616.51 KiB) Viewed 90 times

Smaller actions elsewhere includes a limited attack we started yesterday just south of Leningrad. Here 42nd Army pushed the enemy back in a couple of places. We held on to these gains despite some counterattacks, but a half-hearted continuation of the attacks this day doesn't come with any gains.

I'll see if I can give a bit of an overview of situation and plans for the approx last third of the game tomorrow.

[Telumar]

Turn 48 - October 13th

To add to the above - there were only minor combat operations on this day. At Staraya Russa we fail to advance any further except near Lake Ilmen, but this is of no bigger operational importance. Daydovo sill holds although half of its remaining defenders surrendered this day.

Staraya Russa eot 48.jpg (2.62 MiB) Viewed 40 times

At Kholm our counterattack to retake the air strip to re-enable air supply fails. Essentially we can assume this the end of the battle for Kholm. The enemy has achieved all of his objectives. Our units in the sector can no longer normally supply (overextended) and we thus have to pull out the exhausted units to the north where they can and recover and resupply. The enemy knows this too. Therefore we assume all further enemy actions - if they occur at all - will only serve to further secure his positions. We will dug in at the current frontline, except for the tip which is currently formed by the Panzer battalions of 8. Panzer-Div., with units that can sustain themselves and basically retreat everyone else especially the precious artillery (of which we will send back some when they have recovered) and 8. Pz.Div.'s Panzer battalions. They will be a valuable asset elsewhere on the front once recovered.

Kholm eot 48.jpg (1.35 MiB) Viewed 40 times

[LLv34_Snefens]

TUrn 49
October 14th

Minor attacks by the enemy, where he gain a little ground in the swamps north of Staraya Russa and straitens the line again by Leningrad.
Halfhearted attacks against our newly captured objecive by Kholm is repulsed.
We completely refrain from any attacks this turn and are already in the process of regrouping our troops for the next offensives.

The following maps show the front lines, ojective hexes (15VP) shown in green for ours and yellow for enemy.
Minor objectives (5VP) are shown in black no matter the owner.
This gives a good overview of how many of objectives are actually right on the front line and thus the obvious fixation for both sides.
By Leningrad Front the Sinyavino heights have been in our plan since the start of the game. With how our offensives against strong lines have gone earlier in mind, getting to Mga will be difficult, but capturing Sinyavino should be fairly straightforward.

Volkhov Front has more objectives in close vicinity of the front. Two of our objectives are very exposed, so we will be pushing the enemy back from these as far as possible.
52nd Army have been pulling out of the front. It still need time to rest, but then will be used to move between 4th and 54th Army to help reach the objective by Kusino.

Turn49North.jpg (760.91 KiB) Viewed 17 times

By NW Front there also are several objectives right on the front line. The enemy has slowly grinded his way into the lines of 27th Army by Staraya Russa, while we have completed our operations at Cholm. The infantry used here are completely depleted, but we will begin to move the heavy artillery here away for use elsewhere.
Our main targets would be somewhere in the Ramushevo corridor, but the enemy knows this as well and have strong forces here, to the extent that it might be difficult for us to even hold on to the objectives we already have.
In any case it will be a long while until we are strong enough to do any attacking here from either north or south. In the meantime we will put a bit of pressure on elsewhere.
On the junction between our 34th and 53rd Army on the eastern most edge of the pocket both sides have only thinly manned lines. If we can strike quickly here there is a minor objective 10 km behind the front. This could be possible to reach as only limited amounts of enemy reserve is believed to be here, so we start a slow build-up for this operation.
It is hoped this will also be pulling enemy forces away from the corridor for the eventual attack here.

Turn49South.jpg (543.67 KiB) Viewed 17 times