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T-22 MID NOVEMBER1941

As the world turns blizzard the Germans continue their slow but relentless push to take Leningrad. The 6th Panzer Division takes control of Osinovets port cutting of the large city from the rest of the Soviet Union.

The multi-layered heavy fortified approaches to Moscow hold for now; the 2nd and 3rd Panzer Group push east across the Ryazan plains.

West of Voronezh, the Soviet 5th Army under General Galitsky attack key positions and manage to encircle three german divisions, including the German 1st Cavalry. Further south the Soviets exploit a weakly defended part of the front and manage to push the Germans back some 30 kilometers.

On Crimea 200,000 men clash, but despite being well supplied and manned, the last Soviet stronghold on the penninsula cannot hold; Sevastopol falls to the invaders.


Right-click and 'Open link in new tab' the MAP and GRAPH images below for full size

MAP




GRAPHS




NUMBERS

A smaller AAR this turn as the theater is relatively quiet.


T-23 - Mid-Late November 1941

There is blizzard in the north and in the Moscow sector, lighter snowfall towards the south. The noose tightens around Leningrad, and across the front there are only sporadic Axis attacks. In the south near Rostov the Soviets conduct a series of successful counterattacks.


LENINGRAD




ROSTOV

T-24 - Late November, 1941

STAVKA releases half a million Soviet reserves, and for the first time during this conflict the Soviet mancount exceeds the Axis. The northern part of the theatre is engulfed in a blizzard; Leningrad still stands as the German forces regroup and move into position to assault the city. The front is mostly quiet, but there are attacks from both sides in the south, the Soviets go on the offensive and manage to take back some ground east of Kharkov.

Click the map image for larger version

SOUTH

Darojax wrote: Fri Apr 01, 2022 10:02 am Leningrad still stands

No longer.

For now the Axis team, led by our fearless leader Zebtucker, have things in hand. We have all the major cities from which our reserves can foray from and front line units can recover in during the winter stretch. Soviet losses in excess of 3.1 million may not be ideal, but is more than respectable.

T-26 - MID DECEMBER 1941

The last bastion of the Leningrad sector falls as Oranienbaum and 30,0000 men surrender. The blizzard rages and the germans launch attacks across the frontline in the center and south, inflicting tremendous losses. South of Moscow Zhukov's 1st Shock Army and tanks numbering in the thousands attack west forcing the germans to retreat. In the south the Rumanian 9th Infantry Division takes the brunt and is forced to retreat as Bobkin's 12th Army counterattacks, there are many casualties.

MAP - right click image and open in new tab for full size map


GRAPHS - right click image and open in new tab for full size


NUMBERS

Images of a map are too small. Zoom on imgur is not doing anything.

Try right clicking on the map and open in a new tab instead.

this is what i did
and this is how it looks in new tab:

after right clinking on a new tab and opening it another new tab it looks a bit better
but still pretty small

Opening on new tab you should be able to zoom, click one more time on the image itself. The resolution of the image is 3171 x 2683 pixels, larger than the one you posted.

Since Matrix changed the forum platform recently I don't really know of a better way to do this. Maybe I'll change the picture format completely for the next AAR post.

T-27 21 DECEMBER 1941

In the north, all is quiet following the fall of Leningrad and Oranienbaum. The 18th Army has set up its headquarters in the Winter Palace. The Peter and Paul Fortress has been converted into a supply depot.

With fighting in the Karelian Isthmus over, Field Marshal Mannerheim promises to provide three Finnish Divisions. They will be directly under the command of OKH.



Near Tula, Rokossovsky's 60th Army launches an all-out assault with massed tanks, artillery and mech/motorised units. The 19th Panzer Division supported by Panzerjaeger’s and StuGs is defending. Overwhelmed, Model orders a withdrawal but the many Panzer’s flounder and are destroyed in the deep snows and blizzard

On Models left flank, von Vietinghoff’s 10th Motorised Division suffers a similar indignity. This time its Zhukov’s 1st Shock Army smashing through the lines. Overwhelmed and with their right flank exposed, a retreat is ordered.

East of Kursk, the 292nd Infantry Division is pushed back by overwhelming guns and manpower of Khozin’s 40th Army. Khozin also hits the 18th Rumanian Infantry Division and they suffer an embarrassing defeat, routing from the field of battle. Angered Axis forces hit back hard, bludgeoning a mish-mash of Soviet forces in the same area in two separate battles.



Further south the blizzard conditions give way to snow. Here Soviet forces take advantage of the conditions and brutilise two Rumanian Infantry Divisions, southeast of Borovaya. One of these divisions was personally under the command of Field Marshal von Rundstedt. The Field Marshal subsequently orders his forces to go on a rampage. Even in the snowy conditions, Kueblers’ Mountain Corps manages to push 20 miles into Soviet lines. Further to the south, Hollidts XVII Corps also pushes 20 miles into the Soviet lines to threaten the Soviet industrial centre of Voroshiloygrad.

Von Rundstedt’s slicing offensive brings Soviet casualties to over $3.4m.







The Crimea is quiet. No action in or around the Straits of Kerch.

T-28 - Late December 1941

For a few weeks the Soviets have fielded newly organized Cavalry Corps reinforced by tanks. In cover of blizzard the Soviet Winter Offensive continues in the center and south, Soviet tank losses amount to 500 per week. In the south Axis Minor units take a beating. In the north, after the Fall of Leningrad, things continue to be quiet.

CENTER


SOUTH


GRAPHS

T-29 - Early January 1942

The Soviet Winter offensive in the center and south appears to grind to a halt as the Axis counter-attack despite harsh weather conditions. The Soviets continue to lose tanks at an alarming rate, over 1,000 tanks in one week. All quiet on the northern front.

T-30 - Mid January 1942

The center quietens down as there is a lull in Soviet attacks, meanwhile fighting continues in the south. The blizzard conditions are proving challening for the germans, who show signs of weakness here and there.

The north continues to be quiet, as it has been since Leningrad fell.

Click image for full size

A blizzard settles in, mainly in the AGC and AGS zones.

[These battles were partly covered above as they occurred in the Soviet turn 30]

East of Orel, a lone infantry regiment in AGC’s VIII Corps under Rendulic heroically fended off an attack from almost 60,000 Soviets (including elite Airborne forces) but were forced to retreat.

Further south, three Soviets Armies attack Hungarian and Wehrmacht forces on the Mistki-Kharkov Highway. AGS forces were not dug in and were also forced back.

Northeast of Stalino, the Soviets mass artillery of three Armies and launch a huge attack lead by two Soviet Cavalry Corps supported by Ski troops and four Rifle Divisions. Launched at the juncture of two Corps, General Hube took command. Initially, the mass attack was repelled but the mobility of the Soviet Cavalry proved too much and a retreat was ordered.



Losses from Soviet attacks:


In the AGN sector all was quiet except for the coarse singing of the many Soviet civilians and servicemen that had chosen to cross the lines and join the enemy. These Hiwi’s, started joining our formations in vast numbers. It is reported that they number over at least 6000 and grow every week. They sing of past victories and scary beings that live deep in the woods.

Over the last few weeks High Command has put together a risky venture, an attack towards Rzhev called Operation Shevardino (a Napoleonic battle that occurred nearby). Soviet forces along the front in this area have appeared weak for some time. German Arctic weather stations had reporting on the movement of the Polar Fronts. This coupled with information gathered through the Luftwaffe’s Westra 5 unit in Norway allowed High command to put together an accurate picture of the oncoming weather. Forces were put in position the previous week.

Blizzard line and attack direction:


Recon flights were conducted by the Luftwaffe to discover the extent of Soviet forces in the Rzhev area. An army Group, code named Baba Yaga, consisting of Panzers, SS motorised units and infantry broke through the Soviet lines on a 30 mile frontage. The initial breakthroughs were supported by Stuka’s and 110s from the Luftwaffe. Forces of the Soviet 55th Army under General Lopatin (no Kutuzov) were arrayed against Group Baba Yaga. Attacking along the face of the blizzard, bicycle recon troops attached to 36th Motorised Division even reached as far as the outskirts of Rzhev travelling 40 miles deep into the enemy lines along the snowy Rzhev Vyazma road in pursuit of the remains of the 119th Rifle Division.



The butchers bill:



Not to be outdone, AGC’s 2nd and 20th Panzer Divisions lashed out in the blizzard against 12th Cavalry Corps routing it and gutting its attached tanks forces.

It climbs:


And again as AGS/AGA pile on the heat:




It is reported that all Armies are strong, well supplied and in good spirits.


More blizzards next week.

really like the amount of planning that has clearly gone into these operations ... and to see innovative axis tactics for the winter other than defend (well or badly depending)

loki100 wrote: Sat Jun 18, 2022 10:23 am really like the amount of planning that has clearly gone into these operations ... and to see innovative axis tactics for the winter other than defend (well or badly depending)

Oh don't worry. They'll be defending soon enough.

Beethoven1 wrote: Sat Jun 18, 2022 7:36 pm Oh don't worry. They'll be defending soon enough.

And so will you. Maybe sooner than you think.

so original Soviet squad

SOVIET
Chief of Staff - Darojax
Air - Darojax
North - Darojax
Center - Belgavox
South - Niedowidek

has been changed?
can we see current players?