Drang Nach Osten - Revisited

[IdahoNYer]

Although we got some snow, it wasn't enough to fully enable 1st Pz Armee to "fix" its situation. The weather line between the North Soviet and Central Soviet (blue vs green in the screen shot) was just about 3 hexes too far north to allow 1st Pz Armee to complete the encirclement.

It did allow 17th Army (by attaching 9th Pz to spearhead the attack) to gain some 20 miles deeper across the Oskol River in an attempt to make the Soviet position more difficult - and perhaps, if the weather gods really are accomodating, to possibly allow for an encirlcement.

1st Pz Armee even manages two attacks in the mud to gain some position - but with the mud, there is zero chance to complete a pocket.

[IdahoNYer]

Turn 44; Apr 16, 1942......Mud with snow in the South Soviet Zone

Snow in April? Again? Yep!!!! Unexpected, and most welcome!

Remainder of the front stays quiet.

Only 11th Army can really take advantage of this, and while not not anywhere fully prepared for offensive operations, we go with what we have. With the XXX "mobile Korps" and its newly arrived 22nd Pz spearheading the attack (anyone know if there is any disadvatange vs a PzKps if a good armor leader has command of an infantry corps?), 11th Army gains some 40 miles and reaches the Mius. 22nd Pz conducts a spoiling attack on a rifle Bde digging in, but can't quite get across the river. Even so, Taganrog - with some industry in it - is threatened.

Good gains with a lucky weather break. 11th Army is now in good position to threaten the Stalino area from the south.

Nice....

[IdahoNYer]

Turn 45; Apr 23, 1942.............Mud with Snow in the South Soviet Zone...again!

Snow keeps falling in the South Soviet Zone - amazing! Gotta love variable weather!!!

Vast majority of the front remains locked in the mud, just watching the Soviets slowly fortify there positions - even located some of the first Tank Corps just NW of Moscow! That was all the excitement there was...

AGS continues to be active. 1st Pz Armee, supporting by 17th Army, despite the mud, finally managed to nip the Soviet salient off east of Kharkov. What once was an opportunity to cut about 20 divisions off, has finally managed to isolate 2xRifle and 1xTk Bde. Better than nothing of course....

11th Army again takes advantage of the snow - destroying the rifle division it isolated last turn was what I figured would be best outcome for this turn....but with the snow, infantry gets a firm bridgehead across the Mius, and takes Taganrog - with its industry intact. Bonus.

This gets 11th Army in good position to support the summer offensive - as long as the Soviets hold on to the Stalino area, the Soviet position is very vulnerable here.

[janh]

ORIGINAL: IdahoNYer
(anyone know if there is any disadvatange vs a PzKps if a good armor leader has command of an infantry corps?)

Happy New Year!

Indeed very dangerous for the Soviets, certainly Scar must have reasons to leave his first line exposed like this.

AFAIK no disadvantage for the Germans doing so. The +1 armor leader bonus or the Guard boni only apply to Soviet Tank Corps later. Call it German ingenuity. Helio would have another of his point where German C&C excels in flexibility.

[Schmart]

ORIGINAL: janh

ORIGINAL: IdahoNYer
(anyone know if there is any disadvatange vs a PzKps if a good armor leader has command of an infantry corps?)

Happy New Year!

Indeed very dangerous for the Soviets, certainly Scar must have reasons to leave his first line exposed like this.

AFAIK no disadvantage for the Germans doing so. The +1 armor leader bonus or the Guard boni only apply to Soviet Tank Corps later. Call it German ingenuity. Helio would have another of his point where German C&C excels in flexibility.

I thought that PzKorps and Tank Armies had the ability to draw more fuel, as mobile units will need more of it, although with the overloaded logistics system as it is players probably won't see that much difference.

[IdahoNYer]

Turn 47; May 7, 1942.........Mud in North Soviet and European and CLEAR in South and Central Soviet Zones....nice

AGN and AGC still locked in mud continue preparing for the Summer Offensive. All panzers have been pulled off the line, the last two to go, from XXXX PzKps, are now clear. 2nd and 4th Pz Armees are well to the rear building up combat power. Offensive is "planned" to start across the entire front in the beginning of June - but two events have changed that.

The Soviets, which surprised me, have abandoned Orel - and are pulling east. This really reduces the Orel Salient and is a smart move to preserve the force. It does abandoned some good defensive positions as well as a good VP city. Can't do much about this directly as AGC is still locked in mud. However, AGS is another story....

This event signals that the Soviets may do the same in the Stalino region, so while AGS isn't exactly fully set (2xPz Divs are in Kharkov still building combat power), we're going to launch AGS to cut off the Stalino Area now, and not wait until the Soviets pull east. This will of course risk mud hitting in the middle of the offensive, but at this moment, its worth the risk.

[IdahoNYer]

AGS's offensive goes like clockwork - its good to be back with a major offensive.

17th Army's infantry opens up the Soviet front line troops' position - looks like the Sovs were pulling back - to the Donets River and haven't fortified this mid jump position. Was a good time to strike! In any case, 17th Army infantry does a good job, allowing 1st Pz Armee's infantry to push the Soviet gap further and deeper.

1st Armee's PzKps are next, starting with XXXXVIII PzKps which was still back toward Kharkov - still had enough MPs to complete the breach in the Soviet lines. Next up, III PzKps gets into the Soviet Rear, scattering numerous airbases and routed units. Few units, a couple of brigades and a scattering of divisions, are easily brushed aside. Last to go in is the XIV PzKps which completes 1st Pz Armee's task - linking up with 11th Army and establishing a corridor.
11th Army does well, its infantry opening the gap, and its "XXX PzKps" pushes through to effect link up. Rum 3rd Army fills in for 11th Army infantry near Stalino, and Rum 4th Army advances slowly as the Soviets pulled back NW of Stalino.

Overall, a nice start to the Summer offensive - early too. I figure the corridor can hold - Soviets have substantial reserves in the Moscow-Tula area, but I don't think they are too robust here in the South. If it holds, it should yield about 25 divisions or so.

Assuming the corridor holds, the focus will be digesting the pocket and preparing for the next step of the offensive in the south - that will have to be thought through a bit as I was going to launch 1st Pz Armee's attack when 4th Pz Armee was striking out from north of Orel, and heading toward Voronezh. That obviously isn't going to be synchronized now. I can live with that....

[IdahoNYer]

And since its the start of the month, here's the data...

Destroyed units aren't much again. This will change significantly in a few turns....

[IdahoNYer]

Losses....again no major surprises or stuff out of the ordinary. The big jump in Axis captured can be attributed to some Rumanians that were pushed back.

[IdahoNYer]

Forces availabe is also pretty consistant - both sides gain. Germans still getting a number of divisions each month, and the Soviets still are getting over 300k monthly.

I'm guessing the lack of growth in Soviet tanks is due to converting the tank brigades into Tank Corps. Its certainly not due to any significant Soviet tank losses.

Last of note is the change of command in AGS. Rundstedt's dismissal and replaced by von Bock. Not worth the APs to change at this point.

[IdahoNYer]

Last is the panzerwaffe snapshot. Still building combat power. The "loss" of manpower is due to the changing TOEs of the panzer divisions rather than any serious losses. Tank strength continues to climb due to production, no new panzer divisions arrived.

[Wuffer]

ouch!
... and the majority of panzers are not even commited yet.

[randallw]

Ugly potential loss for the Soviet side with those mountain divisions being cut off.

[IdahoNYer]

Turn 48; May 14, 1942.......Mud with Clear in North Soviet Zone.

General Mud is sure playing on the German side so far - Clear when I need it to encircle the Stalino Pocket and mud to hold it against Soviet attacks. Plus, we'll take advantage of an early clear turn near Moscow!

AGN's 18th Army supports a limited attack toward Kalinin with the clear weather. AGC's 3rd Pz Group's XXXIX PzKps takes advantage and pushes some 20 miles south of the city. Combined with LVII PzKps attack further south, this might just unhinge the Soviet defenses near the Volga Res. German attacks key on level 2 forts close to being level 3 - those at 75% or better are prime targets to displace prior to completion of lvl 3. German attacks are limited due to the Soviet's effective use of reserves - LVII PzKps attacks are initially repulsed by the commitment of reserves - but multiple attacks carry the day!

9th Army executes the same basic strategy, focusing on lvl 2 forts - and this, despite effective reserves again, manage to key advances. The army's northern attack effectively isolates 5xRifle Divs trapped by the Kiln Res. The southern attack closes to within 20 miles of Moscow!

Last for AGC, a combination of infantry assaults by 2nd Army, and then exploited by 4th Army's XXXX PzKps after the infantry breach the river, effectively clear the Soviet defenses off the Oka and Ula River lines. This will give 2nd Pz Armee a superb jump off point for its sumer offensive - one less river to cross.....

[IdahoNYer]

AGS focuses on ensuring the Stalino Pocket remains secure. The Soviets, during their half of the preceding turn, manage to force some Rumanians back - first commitment of the Soviet Tank Corps in action - and make some progress, but do not reach the pocket.

Now with mud, the German progress to move infantry forward is limited, but so will the Soviet's ability to counter attack. The pocket should hold.

[IdahoNYer]

Turn 49; May 21, 1942......Mud in European and Central Soviet, Clear in South Soviet, Snow in North Soviet

Variable weather continues to provide opportunities. The snow in the north Soviet is a welcome surprise as the Soviets managed to regain a line of communications to the trapped 5 Rifle Divsions NW of Moscow - and thereby isolating the two lead divisions of LVII PzKps. With a mud turn, this would have been problematic.

As it turns out, the snow allows attacks to continue. 18th Army takes Kalinin, and, with XXXIX PzKps in support, establishes two bridgheads across the rivers where the Soviets had established defenses - this is to allow the option of a more northerly approach toward Moscow if the situation warrants it. I was hoping to keep 3rd Pz Armee's attack more direct, in perhaps a shallow envelopment of Moscow, but this may not be practical as Soviet defenses seem rather robust south of Kalinin.

3rd Pz Armee itself, re-establishes a corridor to it's isolated divisions, and agains traps the Soviets - but this time, only 2xRifle Divs - the other three routed out. 9th Army also continues pressure due west of Moscow - gaining a little more ground, and getting closer to the city.

These spring attacks have taken the initial objectives of the summer offensive - ahead of schedule. And have pushed the Soviets dangerously close to their Capital - with little room for error. Still, as time marches forward, I can expect to see Soviet Rifle Corps shortly. This will make progress towards Moscow very challenging - We'll need a mobile offensive to flank and encircle strong Soviet defenses, and attack into weaker defended hexes. As the Soviets will know Moscow is the prime objective, I expect them to throw in everything to hold the city.

[IdahoNYer]

No major changes to AGS's position. The clear weather in the South Soviet allows the two Rumanian Armies and 11th Army to begin the slow process of reducing the Stalino Pocket. Good progress is made by 11th Army, and all told some 8 Soviet divisions surrender. A good start.

1st Pz Armee shifts some forces into their "corridor", but don't attack - they have the mud. Goal here until the mud clears is push infantry into the corridor and pull the panzers out of the line where possible.

[IdahoNYer]

Turn 50; May 28, 1942........Mud with clear in North Soviet Zone

Continued mud keeps the majority of AGS from making any progress in reducing the Stalino Pocket, but the snow near Moscow lets AGN's 18th Army, AGC and AGS's 6th Army make some prelimary attacks to set conditions for the Summer Offensive.

18th Army continues to battle in tough terrain near Kalinin, attempting to "turn the shoulder" of the Soviet defenses here. Tough going. Soviets are dug in with level 2 forts, combined with rivers and swamp terrain - and yes, the Soviets are making good use of reserves. Still, 18th Army has good infantry and force three hexes from the Soviets at reasonable cost. This allows 3rd Pz Armee's XXIX PzKps to push past the Volga Res. This Soviet position, with major rivers, swamps and the reservoir itself is a very tough nut to crack. Therefore, its essential the Germans can penetrate it prior to the Soviets locking it down with level 3 forts. XXXIX PzKps does well, attacking level 1 forts in swamp that aren't ready to defend, and gains 20 miles north of the reservoir.

3rd Pz Armee infantry reduces the two trapped Soviet Rifle Divs, which allows LVII PzKps to make a narrow penetration of 20 miles behind the Soviet main line - not enough to link up with XXXIX Pzkps - but perhaps enough to collapse the Soviet level 3 forts south of the reservoir. If he trys to hold, he's likely to get cut off. If he pulls out, this greatly simplifies the area in which 3rd Pz Armee will attack next month as the northern axis to take Moscow.

9th Army doesn't do much, supporting the LVII PzKps with some infantry and taking a well defended level 3 fort, straightining out its front just SW of Moscow.

Lastly, 4th Army finally managed to pull its XXXX PzKps out of the line near Tula, where it was supporting 2nd Army's attacks. It will now rest and refit for a week or so before attacking north of Kaluga.

Overall, the area west of Moscow is, as expected, well defended. Numerous level 3 forts, backed by reserves which do commit and in places, really bad terrain to attack through. There is no question the Soviets know the Germans are coming through this area, and have prepared well. The best we can hope for is avoiding a grinding attack by attacking with the panzers to form narrow corridors, forcing the Soviets to abandon good positions - with the intent being that subsequent positions aren't as ready to defend. I don't see a major breakthrough likely initially - perhaps, just perhaps, if I can push far enough north of Moscow, across the Moscow-Volga Canal, I'll get some running room.

[IdahoNYer]

In the Tula area, the clear weather allows mainly some reorganization, but also some limited attacks. The major attacking forces that will assault this area in the Summer offensive, the 2nd and 4th Pz Armees, are still locked in mud, but 2nd Pz uses rail to move its infantry foward to assembly area positions west of Tula.

4th Army, as mentioned, pulled its XXXX PzKps north of Kaluga, which forced 2nd Army to extend its front. This prevented 2nd Army from launching any major attacks - just one to clear a level 2 fort postion that was about to turn to a level 3 fort. In doing these operations, 2nd Army is taking risk by having two divisions break down to regiments defending 50 miles of frontage near Orel.

6th Army commits its XXXXVI PzKps to a spoiling attack - take 3 hexes where the level 2 forts were at about 80%. Hesitant to do this as it does telegraph that 6th Army is oriented more towards Tula than Voronezh, but waiting for those positions to become level 3 forts is not a good idea.

Also taking some risk by stretching the Hun 2nd Army out to 6th Army's south. Unless the Soviets decide to really mass a major force in a serious offensive - and I don't think they can afford the formations for that right now - the minor Allies will be able to defend long stretches of frontage. This releases a number of German formations to mass for the attack....yeah, I know, this was done historically with disasterous results near Stalingrad. But with the summer weather, and keeping the initiative, I figure the risk is minimal. Should the offensive bog down this summer, and the Soviets have a chance to regain the initiative, this will be a very dangerous position - as will the frontages defended by the Rumanians and eventually the Italians.

[juret]

U are strong in TULA/OREL AREA, whuts the target with 2nd and 4th panzer armies ? moscow south pincer?