Thriumph or Tragedy? (D21)

[Jukipo]

Turn 31, 10/5/41 AGS

Railheads are far behind and our supply situation is difficult. AGS will go defensive along Kursk – Kharkov – Mariupol line. Panzer Divisions are resupplying behind the frontline.

[Jukipo]

Turn 31, 10/5/41 AGC

Operation Leberwurst

Railhead has not moved for five turns. There is not enough supply, Operation Leberwurst is over. Our troops take some ground, but the main attack is over. I’m not going to commit reserve Panzer Divisions until the supply situation improves.

10th Motorized Division is refitting near Yukhnov after bloody battle of Kaluga.

8th Panzer Division is near Staritsa guarding the north flank.

[Jukipo]

Turn 32, 10/08/41 AGC

Fall Rasputitza begins. Supply is 13 on rails and 0 on frontlines. We must stop all activity, dig in and conserve our supplies. This means we can’t take Moscow this year. The enemy will have time to regroup. Operation Barbarossa has failed.

[Jukipo]

Situation on 10/19/41 after 35 turns.

The supply situation is catastrophic. No supplies or replacements arrive to the frontlines. The enemy bombards our lines and makes some weak attacks, but nothing serious.

The air war continues as before. We still have 2.5 to 1 air superiority.

Losses in the first 35 turns: (last 5 turns in parenthesis)
25434 (+546) Heavy Rifle Squads
2924 (+168) Rifle Squad – Rum
272 (+106) Rifle Squad – Hun
2019 (+26) Rifle Squad – Fin
169 (+26) Rifle Squad - Ita
3302 (+71) Engineer Squads
806 (+27) Panzers (all types)
908 (+159) Fighters (all types)
189 (+4) Stukas
1018 (+113) Bombers (all types)

[Jukipo]

Situation on 11/05/41 after 40 turns.

Rasputitza continues. Situation remains stabile on all fronts. Railheads are moving closer. In the North and middle we are having some supplies to the front. On the AGS sector railhead are still too far and we are not receiving any supplies.

Losses in the first 40 turns: (last 5 turns in parenthesis)
25602 (+168) Heavy Rifle Squads
2961 (+37) Rifle Squad – Rum
272 (+0) Rifle Squad – Hun
2021 (+2) Rifle Squad – Fin
181 (+12) Rifle Squad - Ita
3333 (+31) Engineer Squads
810 (+4) Panzers (all types)
990 (+82) Fighters (all types)
193 (+4) Stukas
1069 (+51) Bombers (all types)

[Jukipo]

Turn 42, 11/12/41

Rasputitza continues, but the weather is turning colder every day.

There is snow in Finland. 16th Armee is advancing again. The railroad bridge near Bologoye was destroyed last month. The enemy units on the Valday hills have been out of supply since the beginning of rasputitza. Our railheads are close, and we have received some supply. 2nd Infantry Korps is advancing towards Yazhelbitsy. Our objective is to shorten frontline before the onset of winter.

Other fronts remain stationary.

[Jukipo]

Turn 43, 11/16/41 AGN

Frozen ground improves our supply situation considerably. Yazhelbitsy and Selicharovo are captured. 16th Armee is digging in. Green line shows our defense line for the coming winter.

[Jukipo]

Turn 43, 11/16/41 AGS

The ground is dry again and mobile operations can continue. The supply situation is difficult in this area, but we have two fully supplied Panzer Korps. 3rd Panzer Korps drives through weak Soviet line towards Kramatorsk. In the south our objective is Stalino, an important industrial city. SS Wiking Division is in the spearhead of offense.

[Jukipo]

Turn 43, 11/16/41 Krim

Battle of Sevastopol

Railhead has advanced near Sevastopol and our troops are well supplied. It’s time to start the assault. After massive artillery barrages infantry assaults enemy bunker line. Our losses are high, but we take some ground.

Meanwhile second attack begins near Feodosia. Our objective is to capture Kerch and destroy all enemy formations in the peninsula.

[Jukipo]

Turn 44, 11/19/41 Krim

Battle of Sevastopol

Losses are heavy, but we are advancing. The enemy bunkers are taken out one by one. 11th Armee rotates fresh divitions to the frontline.

Railroad artillery is en route from Moscow front. First trains should arrive by the end of week.

[Jukipo]

Turn 44, 11/19/41 AGS

The enemy counterattacks near Slovianohirsk with fresh divisions. 3rd Panzer Korps goes defensive.

In the south SS Winking division manages to capture Stalino by all out assault.

The supply situation in this area is very poor. Now we have captured the important industrial area there is nothing to gain by continuing the attack. Troops in this area are going to form a solid defensive line and wait until railheads move closer.

[Jukipo]

Turn 44, 11/19/41 AGC

After the end of rasputitza the enemy activity has increased significantly. They are attacking in several places against our lines. Railheads have moved closer and the supply situation is good.

We could attack and gain some ground. However, we couldn’t take Moscow. By attacking we would use our reserves and endanger our troops.

Intelligence believes the enemy is about to launch a major offensive in the coming weeks.

AGC is going to hold the line against the enemy offensive. When the enemy offensive goes out of steam, we’ll strike with fresh panzer divisions.

[Jukipo]

Situation on 11/23/41 after 45 turns.

The supply situation has improved. On AGN and AGC sectors railheads are close to the frontline. Supply situation is difficult on the AGS sector south of Kharkov.

All sectors are now defensive except Krim area.

Losses in the first 45 turns: (last 5 turns in parenthesis)

27090 (+1488) Heavy Rifle Squads
3273 (+312) Rifle Squad – Rum
272 (+0) Rifle Squad – Hun
2081 (+60) Rifle Squad – Fin
181 (+0) Rifle Squad - Ita
3511 (+178) Engineer Squads
858 (+48) Panzers (all types)
1102 (+112) Fighters (all types)
200 (+7) Stukas
1185 (+116) Bombers (all types)

Railroads are on the map in cyan. Planned rail lines are in dotted lines.

[Jukipo]

Turn 46, 11/26/41 Krim

Kerch is captured and all enemy formations in the peninsula are destroyed.

Meanwhile the battle of Sevastopol continues. Heavy railroad artillery has arrived with 400 mm and 520 mm guns. Only few more days and the fortress will fall.

[Jukipo]

Turn 47, 11/30/41 Krim

Sevastopol is captured! The Krim is ours. Now 11th Armee and Rumanian armies can move to the north.

There has been some naval activity on the Kerch Straits. Rumanians are defending Kerch in case of enemy landing.

[Jukipo]

Turn 47, 11/30/41 AGN

The enemy is attacking along the whole front. They are taking massive casualties every day. Hundreds of squads perish in each attack. Our losses are light and the line stands firm.

Cold weather hinders our operations and the efficiency of our troops decreases.

[Jukipo]

Turn 47, 11/30/41 AGC

Heavy attacks along the whole front. The enemy is suffering massive casualties. Our line stands firm. We have several divisions in reserve.

In some sectors we are using too much artillery shells. Stockpiles are depleting rapidly.

[DanNeely]

Are the 3rd shock army's flanks as exposed as the screen shots suggest?

A general desire to stay on the defensive not withstanding, the size of the gap on their eastern flank looks like an invitation to pocket and destroy them all.

[Jukipo]

Are the 3rd shock army's flanks as exposed as the screen shots suggest?

A general desire to stay on the defensive not withstanding, the size of the gap on their eastern flank looks like an invitation to pocket and destroy them all.

You are right, there is a gap in the enemy line. It might be possible to take Torzhok and surround several enemy formations. However, the enemy pressure is very hard against our lines and new units arrive every turn. The main offensive has not even begun. If we would attack, our troops would be on open ground without the protection of fortified line.

I’m comfortable with current situation. The enemy is attacking and suffering horrible losses (10:1 or worse). We’ll strike when the time is right.

[Jukipo]

Turn 48, 12/3/41, AGN

URAAA!!!

12 Soviet rifle divisions and two tank brigades attacked against 30th Infantry division near Tikhvin. In the first assault the enemy lost 531 squads and 36 tanks, our losses were 8 squads. On the next day they came again. Losses were 476 squads and 39 tanks, our losses were 19 squads. Loss ratio is about 40:1.

Thanks to the artillery men from 251th ID, 30th ID, 21st ID and 28th Korps.

This is an (extreme) example of Soviet attacks in the beginning of december.