Return to Smolensk and Beyond, IdahoNY vs Scar

[IdahoNYer]

Opposite 4th Army, the Soviets surprisingly abandon Smolensk and pull back to rearward defensive positions. Once again, I send 2nd PzGrp forward to prevent the Soviets from soundly digging in - and they advance over 40 miles against fairly weak opposition. They are halted more by fuel shortages and fatigue rather than firmly dug in troops. At some point the Soviets are going to have to try and hold firm.

[IdahoNYer]

2nd Army advances toward Gomel and Chernigov against sporadic resistance, but just can not make the link up with 6th Army to isolate the Soviet armor withdrawing towards Chernigov. It does not appear that the Soviets are going to make a stand west of the Desna. XXXXVI Pzkps is being railed from 6th Army to 2nd Army to provide some mobility.

[IdahoNYer]

In AGS area, the Soviets are obviously attempting a firm stand along the Dniepr, and withdrawing rapidly to that position. The level 3 fortifications along the Dniepr have proven difficult to say the least. The Soviets managed to through a division from 6th Army back across the Dniepr during their turn, but 6th Army not only re-took the lost bridgehead, but expanded it by another 10 miles. 1st Pz Grp was unable to widen their bridgehead, and were repulsed in the attempt. However, they did succeed in pushing 10 miles deeper. 17th Army's infantry is almost all up at the line now, and it may be a grinding battle to push him off the river, but it can be accomplished. There is no bypass.

[IdahoNYer]

The German 11th Army, and Rumanian 3rd and 4th Armies continue to advance toward the Dniepr against little opposition. It is apparent the Soviets won't stop until they are behind the river. Even the cities are not being strongly defended.

[Zemke]

I have been watching this game closely, mostly to see if it is possible to get close to historical Soviet casualties.

[ComradeP]

You've made some nice pockets thus far and have made good progress, but like you said your mobile units are probably running out of steam after advances like that. The situation in the AGS area is indeed fairly similar to my game, but you've made much more substantial gains in the north and center. Due to the swamps near Pskov and the relative lack of mobile units in AGC, my progress has been far more limited in those areas.

Interesting how you split up a fairly large number of divisions. That could cost you if you run into concentrated resistance. Some of your HQ's are a bit exposed too, they could be displaced.

If progress is slow in the AGN area for the next few turns and there doesn't seem to be a way of improving the situation, it might be a good idea to move 4th Panzer Group and the assorted mobile forces in AGN elsewhere, they're better used in an area where momentum can be maintained.

[IdahoNYer]

Turn 9, 14 August.

18th Army continues to bludgeon its way towards Leningrad, supported by the northernt two Korps of 16th Army. With heavy fortifications anchored to good terrain, the Soviets are making this a slow and arduous task. Still, the advance continues with Totenkopf able to exploit meager gains.

[IdahoNYer]

16th Army and 4th PzGrp fail to close a pocket as Soviet forts thwart repeated attacks. 4th PzGrp badly needs to reconsititute and resupply - but Soviet resistance appears to be barely holding the line. Tough choices await.

[IdahoNYer]

Between AGN and AGC, the Veliki Luki Pocket is crushed, resulting in about 120,000 Soviet losses. This frees up 9th Army, as well as elements of 3rd and 4th Pz Grps. XIV Pzkps and LVII PzKps rest, hoping to resupply and exploit gains made by XXXIX Pzkps north of Rzhev. With adequate supply, I still feel the Panzers can reach the Finns and isolate Leningrad - the issue remains the supply situation.

[IdahoNYer]

Between Smolensk and Bryansk, AGC does rests. 4th Army is stretched thin just holding the front as 3rd PzGrp and 9th Army moves northward. 2nd PzGrp is out of gas, literally. Heavily fatigued, and low on supplies, it is forced to abandon the drive toward Bryansk. XXXXVI Pzkps, fresh from 6th Army, arrives to 2nd Army to drive ESE from Gomel toward Kursk.

[IdahoNYer]

6th Army reinforces its bridgehead across the Dniepr south of Kiev, but does not have the ability to expand its bridgehead. South of Cherkassy, 1st PzGrp, reinforced by elements of 17th Army, slowly expand its bridgehead with XXXXVIII Pzkps eliminating a level 3 fortified position. Additional infantry divisions are also brough across. III Pzkps and LII Korps also establish bridgeheads. Slowly, but surely, the Soviets are being forced from the river. The question is when, not if, the Germans will breakout from the bridgehead. The problem remains two fold - first, will the Soviets attempt to hold the river line too long? And two, has this delay in the advance disrupted the German timetable sufficiently. I think the next two turns or so will answer both questions.

[IdahoNYer]

The remainder of AGS continues to push on a broad front to the Dniepr Bend. Odessa falls to the Rum 4th Army, and its lead elements reach the Dniepr SSE of Nikalaev. 11th Army and the Rum 3rd Army meet little resistance west of the Dniepr and continue to push east. Obviously the Soviets will make their stand on the river.

[krupp_88mm]

any updates are appreciated did you decide to go for moscow or Leningrad?

[IdahoNYer]

Turn 10, 21 Aug 1941......

18th and 16th Armies continue to bludgeon their way toward Leningrad against heavily fortified positions. Soviets counterattacked successfully during their turn with 3xtank divisions and infantry against two regiments of Totenkopf which routed! Out of over 500 tanks committed, 150 were destroyed! I was able to re-take the lost ground, but seeing a large scale counterattack was sobering. He's got alot of combat power deployed against these two armies. The progress is slow, but steady. Probably not enough to isolate Leningrad from this avenue, but that's not the intent. Just keep the pressure on for him to commit forces and "think" this is the main attack. With the armor thrown at Totenkopf, I may have succeeded.

[IdahoNYer]

16th Army's XXXXI PzKps punches forward across the Pola R against fairly light opposition. But supplies are low, and progress is moderate. Still, this should convince the Russians that the main weight of AGN rests with 16th and 18th Army in a direct approach to Leningrad, and this is the most "flanking" the Germans intend to do.

Further south, with the collapse of the Veliki Luki Pocket, 4th Pz Grp moves it's two Pzkps into attack positions for next week's attack. HQ Buildup function is used for the first time on these two Pzkps which badly need the supply boost. It will be interesting to see whether the positive outweighs the negative with that supply boost.

To facilitate the attack, part of 9th Army's XX Korps attacks across the Volga securing a bridgehead, but fails to exploit the attack as an attack fails. Still, this should provide a springboard for next weeks main attack by 4th PzGrp.

[IdahoNYer]

Lastly, in the north, perhaps the most crucial turn of events - the Soviets did not garrison the Finnish "no attack line" and two Finnish Corps pour south, hindered by one security regiment. The port of Sviritsa falls and the Finns meet no resistance as they continue south. Perhaps they can even cut the northern most East-West rail line to Leningrad???

[IdahoNYer]

The northern portion of AGC prepares to support 4th Pz Grp's attack. 3rd Pz Grp's XXXIX Pzkps rests and receives the HQ supply buildup, while the LVII PzKps has to make due with additional supplies via airdrop. 9th Army infantry expands the bridgehead across the Volga north of Rzhev to facilitate 3rd Pz Grp's attack next week. Also by attacking near Rzhev, I still hope to convince Scar this is a limited attack aimed at encircling Rzhev instead of a prelude to a much larger attack.

[IdahoNYer]

4th Army and 2nd Pz Grp areas remain very quiet. With 9th Army well to the north, 4th Army is streched thin just to cover the front, and has little ability to mass except for a very localized attack. 2nd Pz Grp rests, albiet without HQ supply buildup, and awaits to jump off next week to fix Russians southwest of Moscow.

[IdahoNYer]

2nd Army launches the newly arrived XXXXVI PzKps as the Soviets begin to pull back on the Gomel front. The PzKps makes good progress against mixed opposition, and manages to establish a bridgehead across the Desna R. However, like 4th Army to it's north, 2nd Army is also stretched thin on infantry to cover the front. My objective was to be Kursk, but with the hordes of Russians ecountered, and the lack of adequate German infantry, this could be a bit too far of a reach.

[IdahoNYer]

Kiev falls as the Soviets pull back. 6th Army slowly expands its bridgehead south of the city. 1st Pz Grp's III and XXXXVIII Pzkps linkup on the east bank of the Dniepr, isolating a number of Soviet units. Progress is slow, and no breakout of the bridgehead can occur with mass of Soviets running about. So much for a quick thrust to link up with 2nd Army!