Return to Smolensk and Beyond, IdahoNY vs Scar

[IdahoNYer]

Along the Dniepr south of Kiev, the Soviets gain additional bridgeheads, and expand existing ones. Slowly, with heavy loss.

6th Army successfully holds off a crossing attempt, while 4th Pz Armee loses its battle north of Cherkassy and the Soviets claw out a bridgehead.

Against 1st Pz Armee, the Soviets gain two additional crossings, but swift counter attacks from XXXXVI and XXXXVIII PzKps push the Soviets back across the river. This allows elements to withdraw from the Dniepr Bend, leaving the Hungarians as a rear guard.

All along the river we can still force the Soviets to slowly expand their bridgeheads - at least for a few more weeks before we have to initiate a massed withdraw - however, 17th Army's position, without the assistance of XXXXVI PzKps, withdrawn back to 1st Pz Armee, is beginning to give way.

So, regardless of local successes, overall, we're going to have to pull back sooner rather than later.

[IdahoNYer]

Turn 187; Jan 11, 1945.....blizzard

1945 begins with the majority of the Landsers on the Eastern Front holding firm against the Soviet Hordes well inside the conquered territories of the Soviet Union!!

In AGN's area, 18th Army completes its pullback to the Luga River Line as the Soviet armor and cavalry maintain contact. With a bit of luck it will take a few weeks for the Rifle Corps to come up in sufficient strength to push through the line - the "Luga Line" pales in comparison to the Volkov Line fortifications. Also of note in this area is that so far, Scar has shown little inclination to assault Leningrad. This kinda surprises me, as I would figure he'd want to regain the personnel centers here and knock Finland out of the war.

Further south, both 16th and 9th Armies await what appears to be a major Soviet armored thrust aimed probably at Pskov. Holding the last line of level 3 fortifications is the best chance of blunting the Soviet onslaught - beyond the current positions, there really isn't much.

I'm taking some risk here in AGN's AO. I really don't have much in the way of panzer reserves - 18th Army has a Pz Bde and both 16th and 9th Armies have thier available panzer divisions in the line, holding the fort line. Should the Soviets break through 18th Army cleanly, they have a straight shot all the way to Riga - OK, perhaps a bit far. Tallinin and Pskov definately.

[IdahoNYer]

AGC begins its pullback to the Berezina River line with 2nd Army pulling back due to heavy pressure. XI SS PzKps' arrival to backstop 2nd Army is helping, but its certainly not enough to stem the Soviet tide. Like the Luga Line to the north, the Berezina Line is slightly better - some level 3 forts - but isn't expected to hold up the Soviets for long.

With Mogilev lost, 4th Army also starts pulling back, although a bit more slowly as a quicker pull out would unhinge the last line of level 3 forts held in the northern portion of the Army lines as well as 3rd Pz Armee's lines - not to mention AGN's.

Still, we're going to have to pull back in short order - I more waiting for the blow to fall on 16th Army to the north more than anything else. A pullback to the Berezina either forces me to abandon 16th Army's current lines, or leave a very exposed salient.

I can maybe, just maybe, hold off pulling out till the end of the month. But that is going to be pushing it with the crisis looming in the south.

[IdahoNYer]

Here, south of Kiev, we have a genuine crisis.

3rd Shock Army opens up the river defensive line of 6th Army and tank corps of 1st Tank Army pour through. This creates a small gap between 6th Army and 4th Pz Armee - only 10m wide, should be easy to shore up, right?

Not so much! One Tank Corps is successfully pushed back, leaving the forward tank corps ripe for the 5SS Pz Div to mop up - only that the Soviets refuse to yield and for the first time (at least that I can remember) the SS is beaten back - in four attacks!

With the failed counter attack - we now have a real problem. I quickly shift XXIV PzKps from assisting the Hungarians to backstop 6th Army and reinforce the PzKps with GD, brought up from 1st Pz Armee. I also shift 4th Pz Armee infantry off the river, and prepare to engage a Soviet drive around the Tickich River - this leaves the Hungarians to pretty much their own, holding good fortifications along the Dniepr.

This could prove a disaster - 5SS Pz is pretty fatigued, and could be rolled over. IV SS PzKps isn't very powerful, and a lack of fortifications from area of the failed counterattack to the Hungarians along the river provides the Soviets a large 50 mile gap to exploit - if they can push the infantry out of the way rapidly. 6th Army still has some solid fortifications south of Kiev along the river which will help, but there is a weakness in this area - that will pull and hold panzers that could be needed elsewhere.

[IdahoNYer]

With the loss of GD to 4th Pz Armee, 1st Pz Armee is now really in no position to counterattack the multiple attacks against it. One German, one Rumanian and yes, one Hungarian division are isolated in Dnepropetrovsk and are doomed. The Pz Armee begins its long withdrawal west, towards Krivoi Rog. 1st Pz Armee, with currently only 3xPz Divs, all understrength can offer little determined resistance at the moment. Force preservation is paramount.

17th Army is in slightly better shape, but only has two mobile divisions - one SS PG Div and the Rum Pz Div - not counting mostly worthless Rum Cav. 17th Army pulls off the Melitopol fortified line - which held much better than anticipated. The Army will occupy the fortified line along the lower Dniepr, maintaining contact with 1st Pz Armee to the north.

The Crimea will be left to be cut off. I've left about two Rum Corps and a German division to hold the Crimea and hopefully draw off some Rifle Corps from the main effort. The Crimea has some good fortifications in it - from Kerch in the east (still holding off attacks), to the Perekop in the north, and finally in and around Sevastopol in the SW. If I'm still holding ground in the Crimea in March, I'll call it worthwhile.

[IdahoNYer]

Lastly for the turn's reports, are the current casualties as we move into 1945. The Soviets hit the 10 million mark with the Germans rapidly approaching 4 million. This is a relatively rare turn in which the Soviet losses are less than the Germans - lets hope that remains rare.

Scar tells me he is running short of personnel. Best news I've heard in a while. We keep managing to kill large numbers in hold results - forts are the key, as are major rivers when not frozen.

Not shown, but a cause for concern, the Luftwaffe is starting to lose heavily in level bombers - this is perhaps due to replacing some fighter units with the Me262 jet??? Not sure, but its definately occuring AFTER I replaced some fighters with the jet.

[veji1]

ZOc lock in the "coffin corner" of the Dniepr bend just south west of Dnepropetrovsk is going to cost you another 4 to 6 divs if you don't run fast. If the sacrifice of some divs in fortified position can be worthwhile (although very marginally), in the open it doesn't buy anytime and leads to unnecessary losses. You are in jan 45. Time to run out the clock with continual withdrawals. your strategy is now becoming officiallly very very dangerous and by defending too far forward you are at major risk of a fey Stalingrads.. Just run to the carpathians in the south. It will be late march before he can knock Roumania out if you collapse your front sensibly.

[IdahoNYer]

veji1

- I'm pulling out as fast as I can from the Dniepr Bend - VG Divs and Rumanians just don't run as fast as I'd like!

[IdahoNYer]

Turn 190; Feb 1, 1945......blizzard

Barely a week after 18th Army occupies the "Luga Line", the Soviets, as expected, penetrate it. Without any appreciable reserves, the Germans pull back toward Pskov - leaving one Korps to hold the Narva area. 5th Pz Div is brought up from AGC as reserve - more of a stop gap than anything else.

As 18th Army falls back, 16th Army prepares to move westward - still holding onto the last northern portion of the vaunted "Eastern Rampart". With the Soviets moving west of Lake Ilmen, there is no choice but to withdraw shortly.

AGN will now be out in the open - with no real fortified line to assist it. It will keep falling back until mud slows the Soviets - the goal - stay one step ahead and prevent a catastrophe.

[IdahoNYer]

With the primary Soviet pressure aimed toward Minsk - 4th Army re-shuffles its panzers formations to the west and falls back to protect Minsk and prevent a Soviet thrust west. This forces 3rd Pz Armee to fall back to Vitebsk as well. 2nd Army establishes on the Berezina which the Soviets quickly penetrate, but a fast reaction counterattack forces the Soviets back. This will of course be temporary....

III SS PzKps remains strong, but it needs to get off the front lines to be effective in a counterattack - but without it in the lines, the lines will easily be overrun. Quite the quandary...

XI PzKps remains in OKH reserve behind 2nd Army. I'm reluctant to commit it here as it may be needed more to bolster AGN or assist south of Kiev where the primary Soviet tank threat looms....

[IdahoNYer]

Here, south of Kiev looks to be the decisive ground. This is where the Soviets appear to have the majority of their tank and artillery formations, expanding their bridgehead across the Dniepr south of Kiev. 4th Pz Armee and 6th Army are reinforced to a total of 5 PzKps to meet this threat, but as long as the Soviets retain the initiative - stretching the line more and more - its just a question of time before the dam bursts. AG South Ukraine is withdrawing rapidly west to the south, but until they can move further west, 4th Pz Armee MUST hold and prevent a breakthrough.

Of all the armies on the front - the two Hungarian Armies have somehow fared the best in recent weeks. Go figure...

[IdahoNYer]

To the Sea of Azov, the Soviets cut off the Crimea where "Gruppe Crimea" is established consisting of 9 Rumanian and one German Div.

1st Pz Armee is down to one Pz Div, the understrength 13th Pz, as the bulk of the Panzers concentrate south of Kiev. Both 17th Army and 1st Pz Armee are pulling back with reasonable haste - again there is little to fall back on where a defender would benefit.

If we can just stay one step ahead of the Soviet Rifle Corps .....

[veji1]

On step ahead is all you need. Time to retreat regularyl all the way to the Carpathians in the south, and in the north AGN can just walk back all the way to Lithuania and Poland, allowing you to free much needed units for AGC. It might not feel climactic but you are now just milking the clock.

[janh]

...bump. Hope you guys have not quite this game yet? Any news from the front?

[IdahoNYer]

We're still slugging it out...work just got in the way during March. Look for added posts come April

[IdahoNYer]

Turn 192; Feb 15, 1945.....blizzard

Back from a hectic month of work and some spring skiing....

Soviet Juggernaut surprises me with additional tank units supporting attacks against AGN - even more so, committing them against the Narva position instead of driving toward Pskov. This catches 3xIN Divs in a pocket near Narva, which can't be saved. 18th and 16th Armies continue to pull back to form a line at Pskov.

With the three divisions encircled, a major gap opens north of Lake Peipus - which I'm going to try and turn into an opportunity.

I've been debating where to commit the flood of panzer reinforcements released from the now defunct "Wacht am Rhein" offensive in the West. I've decided to "activate" Army Goup E, consisting of 2nd and 6th SS Pz Armies (which should amount to about 10xPz, 6xPG and 6xIN divs, barring other problems). AG E will remain attached to OKH and be used a massed Fire Bde in a counter attack role across the front. That's the theory anyway.

Its first assignment will be to counterattack and crush the Soviet breakthrough looming north of Lake Peipus. Using the lake to shore its right flank, the two Panzer Armies will thrust north, cutting off and destroying what I hope to be about a half dozen Soviet tank or mech corps. The intent is to assemble and counter-attack before spring, allowing me to withdraw the force to the center in preparation of the next Soviet thrust.

In the screen shot, you'll notice elements of the newly formed AG arriving west of Pskov - rail capacity limiting the overall concentration.

[IdahoNYer]

The "bill payer" for committing such a sizeable force such as AG E in a counterattack role is Army Group Center. However, committing a massed panzer force near Minsk would be putting them in a defensive role as the Soviets have stacks of massed Rifle Corps here which will limit any major counterattack.

So without a sizeable reinforcement, AGC will slowly give ground, and launch small counterattacks as opportunities are offered.

3rd Pz Armee pulls west, abandoning the garrison of Vitebsk to hold and die. Its HG PzKps effectively routs an exploiting Soviet Tank Corps, maintaining contact with 4th Army troops.

4th Army attempts to hold whats left of the Berezina River line as Soviet Rifle Corps arrive after hard marches.

2nd Army's position is a bit precarious as it faces the Soviet tank corps - XI SS PzKps, OKH reserve, is committed to hold the line in lieu of AG E forces. Obviously, this is a short term fix. With some luck, I can prevent a Soviet breakthrough west here, and "allow" the Soviets to advance into the Pripet to the SW.

In any case, I'll try and hold Minsk as long as possible, but not at the expense of losing an army. I think the Soviets are heavy in Rifle Corps, and rather light in tank corps here - the majority of those are south of Kiev. I've also been able to keep a fairly powerful panzer reserve here - able to counterattack a breakthrough. What I'll also try and prevent is committing the panzers to the front for extended periods against the rifle corps in a battle of attrition - I can no longer afford the panzer losses....

[IdahoNYer]

South of Kiev is the real crisis point. The Soviet bridgehead south of Kiev contains the majority of soviet armor in thier entire OOB. Its currently arrayed primarily against 4th Pz Armee, which has been reinforced by a PzKps from 1st Pz Armee to stem the tide. I can't pull 4th Pz west, they have to hold as 17th and 1st Pz Armee are pulling west as fast as the Rumanians and VG divs will allow.

Surprisingly, the Hun 2nd Army, holding the "pivot" as AG South Ukraine pulls back, has done remarkably well holding off Soviet attacks - with minimal German help.

Unfortunately, this has become a battle of attrition for the the German Panzers in the line - and they are being worn down holding off the Soviet Horde. True, they are holding the line, but for how long?? I've been able to pull a few off the line, such as Totenkopf in Zhitomir to refit, but I've got to disengage here sooner rather than later.

[IdahoNYer]

Lastly, the fight for the Crimea begins in earnest. While finally getting across the Kerch Strait, the Soviets fail to breach the Perekop Isthmus defenses.

While this defense is going to end badly....it is achieving its role in pulling off Rifle formations from the main effort in the Ukraine - and its only Rumanians (w/one Ger Div) holding the Crimea.

With ports in Level 5 forts, this will be a tough nut to crack before mud at any rate. As long as tank corps don't exploit penetrations, we might be able to conduct an orderly withdrawal to Sevastopol when the Perekop is penetrated.

But, so far, so good...

[IdahoNYer]

Turn 194; Mar 1, 1945.........snow and mud in Europe zone

Of course the MTOE change gutting the Panzerwaffe happens JUST as I'm preparing a counteroffense!! Murphy's Law!!

With Army Group E still assembling, but mud already appearing in the Europe Zone, I have little choice but to launch the counter-attack. The screen shot is prior to the German moves. 1st SS PzKps which is still fairly robust will force a gap in the Soviet penetration, followed by the now greatly reduced XXXIX PzKps (about 50% less panzers on hand with the MTOE change AFTER wasting a HQ buildup no less) to follow in support cutting to the coast. 2nd Pz Armee still assembling will contain the Soviet breakthrough and destroy any isolated elements next turn. With some luck, we might cut off and destroy the leading tank corps and a mech corp.

18th and 16th Army will hold positions until the Soviets mass some attack formations.

Although I'd like to give the Soviets another turn to move into the Baltic States before I counterattack, between the weather warming and the pressure on AGC mounting, I must launch with what I have. With the reduced panzer forces across the front, my counterattack capability however has been greatly reduced. The panzers are shells of what they were with the TOEs halved in tank allotments.