Thriumph or Tragedy? (D21)

[Jukipo]

Turn 13, 8/3/41 AGN

New Orders

The enemy fortifications around Leningrad are stronger than anticipated. It’s not possible to breakthrough before we get more supplies and heavy artillery. 4th Panzer Armee will advance around Leningrad to the Northeast. Objectives are Volkhov River bridges. The goal is to meet Finnish forces at Lodeynoye Pole and seal the Leningrad pocket. 18th Armee takes positions around Leningrad outer fortifications and waits for supplies. 16th Armee guards the AGN right flank.

Luftwaffe made several bombing runs against Volkhov and Kirishi bridges and by the end of turn the bridges were destroyed. There was a stuka attack against enemy ships in Gulf of Viipuri. Battleship October Revolution was sunk but the losses were high, 16 planes shot down and over 50 damaged.

8th Panzer Division is resting near Staraya Russa.

Railhead is north of Pskov.

[Jukipo]

Turn 13, 8/3/41 AGC

57th Panzer Korps advanced from Vladimirskoye to Vyazma-Rzhev railroad. 2nd Panzer Armee was moving SE towards Bryansk.

[Jukipo]

Turn 13, 8/3/41 AGS

Across Dneper

48th Panzer Korps crossed Desna River unopposed near Chernobyl. At the same time another crossing was successful near Kaniv. Das Reich Division stormed enemy positions after a massive artillery barrage. Now two bridgeheads must meet and seal the Kiev pocket.

6th Army was resting. Kiev is so heavily defended it would cost too much to attack head on.

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: Jukipo
48th Panzer Korps crossed Desna River unopposed near Chernobyl. At the same time another
crossing was successful near Kaniv. Das Reich Division stormed enemy positions after a
massive artillery barrage. Now two bridgeheads must meet and seal the Kiev pocket.

Great move. I really like how you're doing this. I'm going to watch your AAR with
great interest. Thanks for doing it.

ORIGINAL: Jukipo
6th Army was resting. Kiev is so heavily defended it would cost too much to attack head on.

I once played a game where the Soviet player had vacated Kiev entirely. I just walked in
and turned the lights on. Never happened since.

[Jukipo]

ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson

Great move. I really like how you're doing this. I'm going to watch your AAR with
great interest. Thanks for doing it.

Thanks for following my AAR.

[Jukipo]

Turn 14, 8/6/41 AGN

Novgorod

8th Panzer Division moves to Novgorod.

Meanwhile 4th Panzer Armee surrounds several scattered enemy units. SS Polizei Division reach Neva River near Shlisselburg.

[Jukipo]

Turn 14, 8/6/41 AGC

Bryansk

24th Panzer Korps is on the gates of Bryansk. The city is weakly defended and will fall soon. 10th Motorized Division moved to Zhukovka and will participate battle of Bryansk next turn.

Meanwhile near Vyazma 4th Armee and 3rd Panzer Armee managed to surround six enemy divisions including three tank divisions.

[Jukipo]

Turn 14, 8/6/41 AGS

48th Panzer Korps enlarged the bridgehead and is moving south towards Borispol. Supply is very low on the east bank of Dnepr. The southern bridgehead can’t expand.

Railhead is near Berdychiv.

[Jukipo]

Turn 15, 8/10/41 AGS

Kiev is surrounded! 48th Panzer Korps moved south and sealed the Kiev pocket. Now 6th Armee will begin its assault to the city. Infantry divisions are fully supplied.

[Jukipo]

Turn 15, 8/10/41 AGC

Bryansk is surrounded! The supply situation around Bryansk is very difficult (single digits) but once we’ll capture the city the situation will improve. Fresh divisions wait near Kirchev, they’ll move towards Orel once Bryansk is captured.

[Jukipo]

Turns 15 and 16, 8/10/41 – 8/17/41 AGN

Volkhov

8th Panzer Division advances on the east bank of Volkhov River towards town of Volkhov.

By August 13th Shlisselburg is captured and Leningrad is surrounded. Now it’s time to take Novaya Ladoga and Volkhov, then the pocket is sealed. Finnish forces are waiting in Lodeynoye Pole.

The outer Leningrad fortification ring is not fully occupied. 18th Armee divisions move to the gaps.

[Nicholas Bell]

Enjoying your reports, Jukipo. You're showing us what it takes to achieve historical/near historical rates of advance. It's good to see the rail repair advancing at what looks to be historical rates, as opposed to Larry's AAR where it seems to be lagging. Zoomed out screens are appreciated. Thanks.

[DanNeely]

ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson

ORIGINAL: Jukipo
48th Panzer Korps crossed Desna River unopposed near Chernobyl. At the same time another
crossing was successful near Kaniv. Das Reich Division stormed enemy positions after a
massive artillery barrage. Now two bridgeheads must meet and seal the Kiev pocket.

Great move. I really like how you're doing this. I'm going to watch your AAR with
great interest. Thanks for doing it.

ORIGINAL: Jukipo
6th Army was resting. Kiev is so heavily defended it would cost too much to attack head on.

I once played a game where the Soviet player had vacated Kiev entirely. I just walked in
and turned the lights on. Never happened since.

Did your opponent explain his reasoning or was it just an act of madness?

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: DanNeely

ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson

ORIGINAL: Jukipo
48th Panzer Korps crossed Desna River unopposed near Chernobyl. At the same time another
crossing was successful near Kaniv. Das Reich Division stormed enemy positions after a
massive artillery barrage. Now two bridgeheads must meet and seal the Kiev pocket.

Great move. I really like how you're doing this. I'm going to watch your AAR with
great interest. Thanks for doing it.

ORIGINAL: Jukipo
6th Army was resting. Kiev is so heavily defended it would cost too much to attack head on.

I once played a game where the Soviet player had vacated Kiev entirely. I just walked in
and turned the lights on. Never happened since.

Did your opponent explain his reasoning or was it just an act of madness?

If I recall correctly it was General Paton and yes he did explain that and I remember
agreeing at the time that it made sense but I can't remember what he said. Maybe it
had something to do with micromanagement by Stalin.

[Jukipo]

Situation on 8/13/41 after 15 turns.

AGN: Leningrad is surrounded, only life road remains open. Supply situation is improving as railhead is moving closer.

AGC: Our troops are at the gates of Vyazma and Bryansk. Supply situation is good in the center near Vyazma. On both flanks the supply situation is worse.

AGS: Kiev is surrounded. In south our troops have reached Aleksandriya – Kherson line. Lack of supply is limiting our speed.

Losses in the first 15 turns: (last 5 turns in parenthesis)
14195 (+4562) Heavy Rifle Squads
1205 Rifle Squad – Rum
55 Rifle Squad – Hun
1317 Rifle Squad – Fin
24 Rifle Squad - Ita
1910 (+665) Engineer Squads
444 (+149) Panzers (all types)
335 (+171) Fighters (all types)
136 (+66) Stukas
543 (+175) Bombers (all types)

Railheads are on the map in cyan.

[Jukipo]

Turn 16, 8/13/41 AGS

Troops are slowly reducing Kiev pocket. Losses are heavy on both sides.

[larryfulkerson]

Troops are slowly reducing Kiev pocket. Losses are heavy on both sides.

Lots of arty support will help with that.

[Jukipo]

Turn 16, 8/13/41 AGC

Vyazma is captured. 9th Armee and 3rd Panzer Armee are moving slowly forward. The enemy resistance is strong. There have been several local counterattacks. Several Enemy units have been evaporating when attacking.

Meanwhile situation around Bryansk remains unchanged.

[Jukipo]

Turn 17, 8/17/41 AGN

Pocket

4th Panzer Armee captures Volkhov River line. Leningrad is out of supply! Now it’s time to meet Finnish forces at Lodeynoye Pole and mop up scattered enemy units. 8th Panzer Division moves to Volkhov.

Meanwhile 18th Armee surrounds several enemy divisions near Gatchina. There is nothing that can save Leningrad now!

[Jukipo]

Turn 18, 8/20/41 AGN

Volkhov

The supply situation is so bad around Volkhov it’s not possible to continue advance towards Lodeynoye Pole.

18th Armee assaults enemy pocket. The situation of the enemy is hopeless, but they offer stiff resistance. There is no hurry, so units can minimize losses. Finnish forces have reached the old border in the Karelian Isthmus. They are not going to attack Leningrad.