Russia! Why not? (Morvael welcome)

[morvael]

Belaya Tserkov captured, Soviet forces threaten to encircle Kiev from the south:

[morvael]

Slog in the swamps continues:

[morvael]

Huge tank battles near Minsk, heavy IS-2s enter combat for the first time and the effect is noticeable, as hundreds of tanks on both sides burn. Enemy has at least 10 panzer divisions in the region used to plug the gaps and counterattack, but still the German 31st Infantry Division is surrounded. Near Molodechno the leading tank elements of the Red Army trample the HQ of German XIIth Corps under their tracks:

[morvael]

German strip of land on the eastern river bank is gone, Daugavpils belongs to the 1st Baltic Front. Soon, Soviet troops will enter Lithuania(n SSR):

[morvael]

8th Army commander, Pyotr Pshennikov, improved his morale skills (5). One breakthrough artillery division, one rocket launcher division and five light SU brigades were formed.

Strength:
men: 10 300 812 vs 4 684 152
guns: 160 043 vs 45 679
AFVs: 16 951 vs 7 274
aircraft: 21 472 vs 2 653

Trucks:
in units: 287 102 / 287 373 (99.91%)
in the pool: 203 766 / 180 824 (112.69%)
in repair: 86 314

Losses:
killed: 60 896 vs 34 047
captured: 829 vs 857
disabled: 20 681 vs 19 299
guns: 1 298 vs 1 718
AFVs: 1 182 vs 307
aircraft: 133 vs 52

Including:
in combat: 84 vs 42
from AA: 10 vs 5
on the ground: 0 vs 0
operational: 39 vs 5

[loki100]

that solid line of Soviet attacks is so impressive.

to steal a phrase from professional cycling, you really are putting the hammer down on the good Cpt. Be interesting to see if you can push him to actual breaking point or if he can carry on just absorbing your offensive and falling back in some order

[morvael]

You will see for yourself. But next week - a setback.

[STEF78]

Minsk sector looks weak. I wuld be hitting hard there

[morvael]

Turn 153 (May 18th, 1944)

Good progress in the "Rumanian" sector. Sometimes even hasty attacks are enough to force German units to withdraw. Smaller mountain and airborne divisions man the Dnestr line, where the river is wide, to allow mighty rifle corps formations move west to cross the river, where it's no longer a serious obstacle:

[morvael]

Fatal turn of events in the center... With Red Army fully commited to the attack in the Minsk region and it's hand revealed - mud strikes back! STAVKA's meteorological officers are immediately stripped of rank and sent to Siberia to count the trees. Even the capture of Kiev, that the Axis had evacuated without offering resistance, is not celebrated in Moscow:

[morvael]

Armies in Polesie regroup and wait for better weather. Luftwaffe is actively interdicting movement of Soviet forces, so in revenge the VVS attacks enemy airbases - destroying nearly 60 aircraft:

[morvael]

German 31st Infantry Division surrenders after bravely resisting several attacks of 2nd Tank Army, whose commander made a mistake of commiting tanks in bad ground conditions. With the offensive plans thwarted by weather, it's better to regroup quickly and hit the Wehrmacht where it doesn't expect it. Surely, the Minsk region is now being heavily reinforced and fighting here will be reduced to a brutal slog, and so three tank armies begin their travel south:

[morvael]

Leningrad Front advances slowly, while the 2nd Baltic Front stops on the Dvina river and expands it's frontage, to allow 1st Baltic Front move south. This will strengthen the right flank of the attack on Minsk, where the terrain is difficult - full of lakes, rivers, swamps and forests:

[morvael]

16th Army is renamed to 2nd Guards Army. 30th Army commander, Ivan Fedyuninsky, is promoted to the rank of General-Polkovnik. 41st Army commander, Filipp Gorelenko, improves his mech skills (4). Five light SU brigades, fourteen heavy tank regiments, a flame tank regiment, a mortar regiment, a light rocket regiment and a flamethrower battalion are formed. Fifteen separate tank regiments and one mortar battalion are disbanded.

Strength:
men: 10 316 781 vs 4 644 285
guns: 160 353 vs 45 033
AFVs: 16 747 vs 7 004
aircraft: 21 420 vs 2 555

Trucks:
in units: 281 118 / 281 387 (99.90%)
in the pool: 203 007 / 194 946 (104.13%)
in repair: 96 092

Losses:
killed: 14 983 vs 9 339
captured: 598 vs 9 683
disabled: 17 702 vs 1 818
guns: 498 vs 480
AFVs: 465 vs 80
aircraft: 413 vs 261

Including:
in combat: 263 vs 122
from AA: 100 vs 19
on the ground: 0 vs 59
operational: 50 vs 61

[morvael]

Turn 154 (May 25th, 1944)

First battalions of the Red Army cross the Dnestr river. Enemy defends the line of rough terrain east of the river in it's central part:

[morvael]

German-Hungarian defensive line near Zhitomir is really weak now. Three tank armies arrive and prepare to strike. To the west of Kiev, heavy fighting to cross the Irpen river:

[morvael]

A mixed force of Poles and Russians captures Kalinkovichi:

[morvael]

Three tank armies reach the outskirts of Minsk. To the north and south of the city, the Red Army moves through the last miles of difficult Belorussian terrain, open lands of Poland are so close:

[morvael]

2nd Baltic Front crosses the Dvina en masse, Riga will be soon on the frontlines:

[morvael]

29th Army commander, Ivan Maslennikov, was promoted to the rank of General-Armii. 13th Air Army commander, Vasily Ermachenko, improved his initiative skills (6). 22nd Army commander, Dmitry Ryabyshev, improved his political standing (7). One breakthrough artillery division and one rocket artillery division were formed. Two separate tank regiments were disbanded. Production of LaGG-3 '66 series' (18/week) and lend-lease shipments of Hurricane IIC (12/week) were ended. Lend-lease shipments of P-63A (35/week) started.

Strength:
men: 10 350 961 vs 4 627 304
guns: 161 048 vs 44 856
AFVs: 16 910 vs 6 858
aircraft: 21 338 vs 2 352

Trucks:
in units: 284 178 / 284 395 (99.92%)
in the pool: 207 970 / 184 540 (112.70%)
in repair: 93 615

Losses:
killed: 47 417 vs 23 845
captured: 186 vs 246
disabled: 6 148 vs 10 596
guns: 916 vs 1 130
AFVs: 1 326 vs 252
aircraft: 345 vs 263

Including:
in combat: 195 vs 116
from AA: 78 vs 8
on the ground: 0 vs 68
operational: 72 vs 71