Expert Front 1941: Hitler on Ice

 

Winter is here, and my men are in rough shape. The good news is that Soviet reinforcements are slowing down. The bad news is that, not counting passive militia, they have a combined 7,295 muster strength to my 2,728, and most of it is an immediate problem.

 

Northmost cluster:

Axis	Current strength	Current strength	USSR
10 Infantry Corps	24
28 Infantry Corps	38	24	7 Militia Army
41 Panzer Corps	15
2 Infantry Corps	31	40	11 Militia Army
40 Panzer Corps	95	61	42 Infantry Army
56 Panzer Corps	85

 

These militia have got to fall soon, right? I have all but given up on Leningrad - do I really want to waste time and muster recruiting two units that can't even attack? Taking Moscow remains a slim possibility.

Rzhev:

Axis	Current strength	Current strength	USSR
46 Panzer Corps	53
35 Infantry Corps	91
1 Flieger Corps	223
47 Panzer Corps	58
11 Infantry Corps	38
26 Infantry Corps	9
7 Infantry Corps	49

 

Nothing to do here but capture the city and pass through. We will aid the tussle up north and move on together.

 

Smolensk:

Axis	Current strength	Current strength	USSR
24 Panzer Corps	102
2 Flieger Corps	163
4 Flieger Corps	180
1 Infantry Corps	56	208	1 Guards Tank Army
6 Infantry Corps	89
12 Infantry Corps	51
34 Infantry Corps	93

 

I think I can pretty much pass through. Even with this strength deficit, I should be able to trap and destroy the tank guard.

 

Orel:

Axis	Current strength	Current strength	USSR
9 Infantry Corps	70	177	54 Infantry Army
13 Infantry Corps	104
4 Infantry Corps	35	236	2 Guards Cavalry
5 Infantry Corps	39
8 Infantry Corps	101	16	14 Infantry Army
48 Panzer Corps	40	192	61 Infantry Army
5 Flieger Corps	129	129	47 Infantry Army
		128	45 Infantry Army

 

Down here, things begin to look not so terrific. 14 infantry is certainly done for - I will kill it, and try to push and encircle Orel from around the top. But I'm well past the point where I can assume my pushes will be successful.

 

Kharkov:

Axis	Current strength	Current strength	USSR
3 Panzer Corps	62	195	9 Tank Army
17 Infantry Corps	65
3 Flieger Corps	88
54 Infantry Corps	44
1 Hungarian Panzer	21	94	7 Cavalry Army
30 Infantry Corps	85
57 Panzer Corps	52	92	15 Infantry Army
		130	19 Tank Army
		170	2 Guards Infantry
14 Panzer Corps	22	76	66 Infantry Army
		202	28 Tank Army
5 Rumanian Infantry	8	89	33 Infantry Army
		54	95 Infantry Army
49 Infantry Corps	35
2 Rumanian Infantry	33	106	52 Infantry Army
1 Rumanian Infantry	46
4 Italian Infantry	24
29 Infantry Corps	42

Well, this is the main event, and there's no sense in throwing myself against that red wall. Up north, where there's a gap, I'll push gently. Down south, the 52 Infantry is in a fix that I'll exploit and hope I can finish off before we break, and elsewhere, I withdraw or hold.

2 Rumanians, who are my weakest non-engaged unit in terms of muster strength, will sneak around the back and try to capture Dnepropetrovsk for some bonus points.

 

December 7 - December 27

 

Northmost cluster:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
10 Infantry Corps	24	8
28 Infantry Corps	38	26		24	7 Militia Army
41 Panzer Corps	15	46
2 Infantry Corps	31	32		40	11 Militia Army
40 Panzer Corps	95	102		61	42 Infantry Army
56 Panzer Corps	85	36	193		8 Tank Army

All Soviets here were destroyed and we are on our way to Moscow. A tank army rolling over the river to the east is all that threatens us.

 

Rzhev to Moscow:

 

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
46 Panzer Corps	53	70	68		13 Tank Army
35 Infantry Corps	91	84	177		1 Militia Army
1 Flieger Corps	223	154
47 Panzer Corps	58	41
11 Infantry Corps	38	77
26 Infantry Corps	9	46	111		33 Tank Army
7 Infantry Corps	49	98

At last, I'm approaching Moscow's front door. But the militia there has had plenty of time to grow. I've got the numbers to encircle it and the complement of tank armies, and possibly enough strength to knock it down.

 

Smolensk east: 

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
24 Panzer Corps	102	32	213		34 Tank Army
2 Flieger Corps	163	60
4 Flieger Corps	180	70	121		3 Guards Infantry
1 Infantry Corps	56	13	157	208	1 Guards Tank Army
6 Infantry Corps	89	83	151		4 Guards Infantry
12 Infantry Corps	51	13	135		55 Infantry Army
34 Infantry Corps	93	93	79		31 Tank Army

Well, I tried to encircle and cut off the tanks, but I wound up getting two of my units stuck in the zones-of-control of all those reinforcements instead. 31 Tank Army might be defeatable, though, and that would improve things.

 

Orel:

 

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
9 Infantry Corps	70	27	131	177	54 Infantry Army
13 Infantry Corps	104	13
4 Infantry Corps	35		81	236	2 Guards Cavalry
5 Infantry Corps	39	32
8 Infantry Corps	101	83		16	14 Infantry Army
48 Panzer Corps	40		125	192	61 Infantry Army
5 Flieger Corps	129	80	120	129	47 Infantry Army
			145	128	45 Infantry Army
			254		5 Guards Infantry
			89		46 Infantry Army

And now we start to enter the lost cause zone. We might be able to finish off 2 Guards Cavalry, but this assault just isn't sustainable.

 

Kharkov: 

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
3 Panzer Corps	62	19	180	195	9 Tank Army
17 Infantry Corps	65	33
3 Flieger Corps	88	133
54 Infantry Corps	44	43	165		37 Infantry Army
1 Hungarian Panzer	21		114	94	7 Cavalry Army
30 Infantry Corps	85	58	128		49 Infantry Army
57 Panzer Corps	52	43		92	15 Infantry Army
			150	130	19 Tank Army
			173	170	2 Guards Infantry
			151		48 Infantry Army
14 Panzer Corps	22	69	102	76	66 Infantry Army
			205	202	28 Tank Army
			210		59 Infantry Army
5 Rumanian Infantry	8		90	89	33 Infantry Army
			86	54	95 Infantry Army
49 Infantry Corps	35	49
2 Rumanian Infantry	33	16		106	52 Infantry Army
1 Rumanian Infantry	46	46
4 Italian Infantry	24	52
29 Infantry Corps	42

This attack really isn't sustainable! New strategy - delay. A gradual withdraw can last longer than entrenchment, especially if we use the terrain and ZOC rules to our advantage. Make them attack from the slippery frozen river.

 

2 Rumanians have captured Dnepropetrovsk. Why stop there? I have them moving east to Rostov and Krasnodar, which are similarly unguarded. Up north, I send 10 Infantry Corp up and around the river toward Gorky.

December 28 - January 17

Northmost cluster:

 

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
41 Panzer Corps	46	46
10 Infantry Corps	8	16
28 Infantry Corps	26	26	157		8 Guards Infantry
56 Panzer Corps	36	34
2 Infantry Corps	32	49
40 Panzer Corps	102	70	109	193	8 Tank Army

 

We've pretty much merged with the Moscow group. Strength is poor, but nonetheless we can take out the tank army here, which is already encircled and cut off.

10 Infantry is well on its way to Gorky.

 

Rzhev to Moscow:

 

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
47 Panzer Corps	41	28	131		10 Guards Infantry
11 Infantry Corps	77	23
6 Infantry Corps	83	64	208		12 Tank Army
35 Infantry Corps	84	42		177	1 Militia Army
46 Panzer Corps	70	29		68	13 Tank Army
1 Flieger Corps	154	57
26 Infantry Corps	46	33	242	111	33 Tank Army
2 Flieger Corps	60	46

Moscow is mine, a good chunk of victory points come with it, and I am certain we can hold it.

 

Smolensk to Moscow: 

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
24 Panzer Corps	32	82	247	213	34 Tank Army
7 Infantry Corps	98	49
34 Infantry Corps	93	15	115	79	31 Tank Army
1 Infantry Corps	13		112	121	3 Guards Infantry
4 Flieger Corps	70	53	75		36 Infantry Army

Supply problems and few openings or weaknesses in the Soviet line make combat difficult. My Fliegerkorps are threatened by a tank unit, which I may yet be able to isolate and destroy.

 

Orel: 

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
9 Infantry Corps	27	34	114	157	1 Guards Tank Army
			198	151	4 Guards Infantry
12 Infantry Corps	13		178	135	55 Infantry Army
			101		16 Tank Army
			238		32 Tank Army
5 Infantry Corps	32	69		81	2 Guards Cavalry
13 Infantry Corps	13
8 Infantry Corps	83	55		131	54 Infantry Army
			127	145	45 Infantry Army
17 Infantry Corps	33	53	192	125	61 Infantry Army
5 Flieger Corps	80	102
3 Panzer Corps	19	14		120	47 Infantry Army
			255	254	5 Guards Infantry
			149	89	46 Infantry Army
			94		15 Tank Army
			101		11 Tank Army

 

We were able to trap and destroy three units, but nothing is free any more. None of what they've got left is weak or exposed, except for a 255-strength Guards Infantry pressing its luck. None of what I've got left is strong, and my 17 Infantry is caught between zones of control and can't withdraw.

 

Kharkov: 

 

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
			174		14 Tank Army
3 Flieger Corps	133	205	172		6 Guards Infantry
54 Infantry Corps	43	42	181	180	9 Tank Army
			123	128	49 Infantry Army
30 Infantry Corps	58	26	123	150	19 Tank Army
			160	165	37 Infantry Army
			207	210	59 Infantry Army
57 Panzer Corps	43	81	117	114	7 Cavalry Army
			103	102	66 Infantry Army
49 Infantry Corps	49	24	200	205	28 Tank Army
14 Panzer Corps	69	58	96	90	33 Infantry Army
			146	151	48 Infantry Army
4 Italian Infantry	52	26	109	86	95 Infantry Army
1 Rumanian Infantry	46	23	144	173	2 Guards Infantry

 

I have just realized that when Soviet numbers go down or up, it isn't always because of battle or reinforcement; a "fog of war" sometimes gives inaccurate numbers on Soviet units that haven't been engaged in battle yet. It would have been nice to see these numbers indicated with a question mark or something.

My severely depleted units are scattering, trying to avoid damage while also trying to slow the Soviets down. It may be us who get pushed into the swamp this time.

2 Rumanians have conquered Rostov and Krasnodar in the southeast, and are heading up north to Stalingrad, which is amazingly completely undefended.

 

January 18 - February 7

Moscow:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
2 Infantry Corps	49	32
56 Panzer Corps	34	12	191		7 Tank Army
6 Infantry Corps	64	32
47 Panzer Corps	28	27	41	109	8 Tank Army
40 Panzer Corps	70	15	255	131	10 Guards Infantry
11 Infantry Corps	23	18
28 Infantry Corps	26	12	195	157	8 Guards Infantry
41 Panzer Corps	46		232	208	12 Tank Army
35 Infantry Corps	42	53
1 Flieger Corps	57	92
26 Infantry Corps	33	16	84	242	33 Tank Army
2 Flieger Corps	46	165
24 Panzer Corps	82	24	111	247	34 Tank Army
7 Infantry Corps	49	29

Moscow holds, but supply problems prevent us from fighting the rest of the Soviets around it with full effectiveness. But despite one lost unit, and poor overall combat strength, I am more or less in control here.

10 Infantry took Gorky completely undefended and is nearly at Kazan.

 

Smolensk:

 

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
34 Infantry Corps	15			198	4 Guards Infantry
46 Panzer Corps	29		187	115	31 Tank Army
			189		38 Infantry Army
4 Flieger Corps	53	50		114	1 Guards Tank Army
			221	75	36 Infantry Army

The last ground units got stuck in a trap and I couldn't pull them out with my feeble air support. But they took down a tank and infantry unit with them.

 

Orel: 

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
5 Infantry Corps	69	43	93	112	3 Guards Infantry
9 Infantry Corps	34	13	165	178	55 Infantry Army
			180	101	16 Tank Army
			239	238	32 Tank Army
8 Infantry Corps	55	60	150	127	45 Infantry Army
17 Infantry Corps	53		183	192	61 Infantry Army
5 Flieger Corps	102	106	188	149	46 Infantry Army
			73	94	15 Tank Army
				101	11 Tank Army
3 Panzer Corps	14	28	204	255	5 Guards Infantry
			208	174	14 Tank Army

I think I had my last chance to pick off anything here, and paid for it with one of my own. Air support can't help much when I spend each week moving away from the incoming Soviets.

I quite frankly do not know which Soviet units here have depleted combat strength because of combat and which are simply lifted from the fog of war. At this stage I'm not sure it matters.

 

Kharkov: 

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
3 Flieger Corps	205		155	172	6 Guards Infantry
54 Infantry Corps	42	29	152	181	9 Tank Army
			138	123	49 Infantry Army
30 Infantry Corps	26	47	115	123	19 Tank Army
			99	160	37 Infantry Army
			191	207	59 Infantry Army
57 Panzer Corps	81	109	117	117	7 Cavalry Army
			108	103	66 Infantry Army
49 Infantry Corps	24		195	200	28 Tank Army
14 Panzer Corps	58	71	96	96	33 Infantry Army
			118	146	48 Infantry Army
4 Italian Infantry	26	52	112	109	95 Infantry Army
1 Rumanian Infantry	23	18	135	144	2 Guards Infantry
			97		9 Guards Infantry
			124		7 Guards Infantry

We are on the retreat and desperately holding onto Kiev (by the swamp) which may hold, and Dnepropetrovsk (by the southeast Dnieper crossing) which almost certainly won't. One Fliegerkorps is lost at the start of February, attacked on the ground by a quickly-mobilizing Siberian reserves.

2 Rumanians is near Stalingrad, which is still not defended.

 

February 8 -  February 28

Moscow:

 

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
			220	255	10 Guards Infantry
28 Infantry Corps	12		204	195	8 Guards Infantry
47 Panzer Corps	27	55	226	232	12 Tank Army
6 Infantry Corps	32
56 Panzer Corps	12	45
40 Panzer Corps	15	27		41	8 Tank Army
2 Infantry Corps	32	14	212	191	7 Tank Army
35 Infantry Corps	53	56
11 Infantry Corps	18
1 Flieger Corps	92	136
26 Infantry Corps	16	8		84	33 Tank Army
2 Flieger Corps	165	182
24 Panzer Corps	24	34	56	111	34 Tank Army

It's a chaotic month around Moscow as poor supply lines continue to hinder my war effort. Two of my units are dead, two are getting pushed around the map by far superior Soviet units, but nevertheless I've killed two of theirs and entrapped another. I think Moscow will hold.

10 Infantry took Kazan and is within close range of Kuibishev, the eastmost city on the map, which is completely undefended.

 

Smolensk:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
7 Infantry Corps	29	24
5 Infantry Corps	43	21	125	187	31 Tank Army
4 Flieger Corps	50		236	189	38 Infantry Army

 

My grip on Smolensk seems very uncertain, as one Fliegerkorps falls and two weakened infantries are cut off.

 

Orel:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
			90	93	3 Guards Infantry
9 Infantry Corps	13	27	165	165	55 Infantry Army
			133	180	16 Tank Army
			186	221	36 Infantry Army
8 Infantry Corps	60	18	227	239	32 Tank Army
			155	150	45 Infantry Army
			191	188	46 Infantry Army
5 Flieger Corps	106	43	141	138	49 Infantry Army
			242	183	61 Infantry Army
			104	73	15 Tank Army
3 Panzer Corps	28	28	242	204	5 Guards Infantry
			211	208	14 Tank Army
			162		11 Tank Army

 

Yup, we are getting pushed into the frozen swamp by a massively superior army. I've more or less avoided further casualties, but capturing Orel will be absolutely impossible.

Or will it?

Kharkov & Dnepropetrovsk to Kiev:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
54 Infantry Corps	29	10	170	152	9 Tank Army
			102	99	37 Infantry Army
			195	155	6 Guards Infantry
57 Panzer Corps	109	26	110	115	19 Tank Army
30 Infantry Corps	47	68	217	191	59 Infantry Army
			214	124	7 Guards Infantry
			162	97	9 Guards Infantry
			117	117	7 Cavalry Army
			49	108	66 Infantry Army
14 Panzer Corps	71	68	96	96	33 Infantry Army
			143	195	28 Tank Army
			159	118	48 Infantry Army
4 Italian Infantry	52	52	112	112	95 Infantry Army
1 Rumanian Infantry	18	33	130	135	2 Guards Infantry

 

Kiev hangs on by a thread. Dnepropetrovsk is lost. Odessa is threatened.

But. Kharkov itself is now undefended, and 1 Rumanians, who abandoned Dnepropetrovsk and crossed the (now thawed) Dnieper to the east of it, have a clear shot at capturing it! And Orel is about a two week's march to the north of that.

2 Rumanians have indeed taken Stalingrad, and are on their way west to Voronezh, also undefended.

 

March, the final month of the game, is mostly just a lot of entrenching and retreating.

 

But every city holds, and my sneaky units snag all of their targets - Kuibishev, Orel, Kharkov, and Voronezh. Every city on the map except Leningrad and Dnepropetrovsk are mine!

Final score: -29 points, a failure, but a net gain of 99 points from the -128 you start with.

 

I have to say, Expert mode was more enjoyable than Advanced, but you definitely don't want to start off playing this way. Expert mode will utterly destroy you if you aren't already well acquainted with Eastern Front 1941's advanced-level ruleset. I do wish I better understood how air support works, and also how assault mode works; it was never obvious how to best utilize either of these things, and still isn't in retrospect. However, both of these things are ultimately just tools to give you an edge against Expert mode's most significant difference; long-term attrition is downright lethal. This gives the game more tactical complexity, which is actually a major triumph; without Crawford's finely tuned balance, no doubt attained through untold hours of playtesting, it could have easily given it less complexity by making aggressive strategies unviably costly. As it stands, I feel I could have played with a myriad of different strategies, some more aggressive, some more cautious, and none would be obviously better or obviously worse than the one I wound up using without I trying them and carefully documenting the results. And that is a good thing!

I will say that if the winter supply lines had been kinder to my Moscow assault group, I think I could have eked out a win. Perhaps I could have won if I let them hang back a bit and let Stalin wear himself out taking the fight to me, closer to Warsaw. But then again, perhaps taking the pressure off for that long would have just bought them time to regroup and reorganize the reinforcements to better overwhelm me. Who knows?

I won't retry this scenario, but I'm not quite done with Eastern Front 1941. One scenario on the original cartridge remains, one that Crawford meant to be impossible to defeat. It may yet give me a chance to test that theory.

Expert Front 1941: Mud and snow

 

It is August 31st, and one month of summer remains before the muddy rasputitsa and biting Russian winter. One month to make German superiority count. Let's do this.

 

Riga to Rzhev:

Axis	Current strength	Current strength	USSR
10 Infantry Corps	55	74	41 Infantry Army
41 Panzer Corps	148
46 Panzer Corps	79	88	32 Infantry Army
		80	30 Infantry Army
38 Infantry Corps	47	100	34 Infantry Army
40 Panzer Corps	188	42	4 Guards Infantry Army
1 Infantry Corps	74	60	1 Guards Cavalry Army
56 Panzer Corps	119	56	56 Infantry Army
28 Infantry Corps	85
2 Infantry Corps	107

 

The strength advantage here is decisively mine, but after my inevitable victory I will have a difficult choice to make - do I go after Leningrad, or not? Leningrad would be worth a few victory points and two Finnish infantry, but Smolensk needs help.

Minsk to Smolensk:

Axis	Current strength	Current strength	USSR
7 Infantry Corps	145
26 Infantry Corps	93
4 Flieger Corps	231	108	31 Infantry Army
47 Panzer Corps	45	95	22 Infantry Army
6 Infantry Corps	102	11	29 Infantry Army
1 Flieger Corps	218
		112	28 Infantry Army
24 Panzer Corps	65	52	2 Tank Army
8 Infantry Corps	59	137	40 Infantry Army
2 Flieger Corps	182
		50	3 Cavalry Army
		56	14 Infantry Army
		57	21 Infantry Army

 

This looks bad. Three units near Smolensk are cut off from supplies and can do little but entrench while waiting for help, and only the 6th infantry is close enough to provide any immediate relief. I will have the 7th and 26th infantries detach from the northern group to help here.

 

Kiev:

Axis	Current strength	Current strength	USSR
5 Infantry Corps	99	43	5 Tank Army
		72	10 Infantry Army
		59	18 Infantry Army
		80	19 Infantry Army
3 Panzer Corps	141	77	23 Infantry Army
49 Infantry Corps	91
9 Infantry Corps	118
11 Infantry Corps	96
27 Infantry Corps	75
12 Infantry Corps	79
23 Infantry Corps	83
57 Panzer Corps	145
5 Flieger Corps	190
14 Panzer Corps	156	134	18 Tank Army
4 Infantry Corps	96
48 Panzer Corps	121	50	1 Cavalry Army
29 Infantry Corps	39
3 Flieger Corps	179

The 5th infantry is deep in the swamp, bravely holding off three Soviet units. There's little to impede the rest of my army here.

 

Odessa:

Axis	Current strength	Current strength	USSR
17 Infantry Corps	45
30 Infantry Corps	95	8	4 Cavalry Army
1 Hungarian Panzer	29	24	5 Cavalry Army
54 Infantry Corps	53	70	2 Infantry Army
1 Rumanian Infantry	74
5 Rumanian Infantry	48	36	7 Infantry Army
2 Rumanian Infantry	62
4 Rumanian Infantry	28

My army here isn't in the best shape, but nonetheless I expect Odessa to fall soon, after which I can send them to other fronts.

 

September is a long, bloody month, and apart from Odessa, no additional cities are conquered. I even lose Kiev, though just for one turn, to the mud units behind me!

 

August 31 - October 4

Riga to Rzhev:

"Inevitable victory"

Axis	Old strength	Current strength x2	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
10 Infantry Corps	55	30		74	41 Infantry Army
41 Panzer Corps	148	74	71		9 Militia Army
			86		42 Infantry Army
46 Panzer Corps	79	104		88	32 Infantry Army
			136	80	30 Infantry Army
38 Infantry Corps	47	22		100	34 Infantry Army
40 Panzer Corps	188	74		42	4 Guards Infantry Army
			94		11 Militia Army
1 Infantry Corps	74	62		60	1 Guards Cavalry Army
56 Panzer Corps	119	104	66	56	56 Infantry Army
28 Infantry Corps	85	84	96		7 Militia Army
2 Infantry Corps	107	106	43		43 Infantry Army
35 Infantry Corps		94	104		43 Infantry Army

We destroyed the September squad pretty thoroughly, but this took longer and cost more muster than expected, and by October's mud, whatever we destroyed are more than replaced with reinforcements and militia. Leningrad must wait. Yes, there are two different 43 infantries; Russian numbering systems are very complicated.

 

Minsk to Smolensk:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength x2	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
7 Infantry Corps	145	58
26 Infantry Corps	93	82
13 Infantry Corps		108
4 Flieger Corps	231	118		108	31 Infantry Army
47 Panzer Corps	45	102	69	95	22 Infantry Army
6 Infantry Corps	102	107		11	29 Infantry Army
34 Infantry Corps		96
1 Flieger Corps	218	218
				112	28 Infantry Army
24 Panzer Corps	65	78	41	52	2 Tank Army
8 Infantry Corps	59	109	89	137	40 Infantry Army
2 Flieger Corps	182	183
				50	3 Cavalry Army
			21	56	14 Infantry Army
			79	57	21 Infantry Army

The initial goal was to rescue the panzers and 8th infantry from the north Dnieper river, and very soon the goal also became to rescue an eager 7th infantry who pushed themselves into a kitty corner at the month's start. Overall the goal was a success, and the 8th infantry managed to escape their muddy deathtrap with a bit of air support, but nobody in this group is in great shape except the Fliegerkorps and the reinforcements.

 

Kiev to Kharkov:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength x2	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
5 Infantry Corps	99	92	13	43	5 Tank Army
				72	10 Infantry Army
			42	59	18 Infantry Army
				80	19 Infantry Army
3 Panzer Corps	141	52		77	23 Infantry Army
			56		15 Infantry Army
49 Infantry Corps	91	80
9 Infantry Corps	118	108
11 Infantry Corps	96	91
27 Infantry Corps	75	77	94		60 Infantry Army
12 Infantry Corps	79	97
23 Infantry Corps	83	80	103		33 Infantry Army
57 Panzer Corps	145	145
5 Flieger Corps	190	132	114		66 Infantry Army
14 Panzer Corps	156	62		134	18 Tank Army
4 Infantry Corps	96	20	113		19 Tank Army
48 Panzer Corps	121	148	41	50	1 Cavalry Army
29 Infantry Corps	39	42
3 Flieger Corps	179	142

Impediment happened, as we're met by reinforcements near Kharkov. 5th infantry couldn't hold off three units alone for long, so I joined it with the 49th while the airplanes moved forward - now they've all moved east some and are holding onto Kiev.

The 14th Panzers tried to encircle a Russia tank army mid-September, but wound up walking right into a pincer trap, where it must remain all October now. This wouldn't have happened if we could play out the action day-by-day instead of week-by-week!

 

Odessa:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength x2	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
17 Infantry Corps	45	88
30 Infantry Corps	95	98		8	4 Cavalry Army
1 Hungarian Panzer	29	36		24	5 Cavalry Army
54 Infantry Corps	53	45		70	2 Infantry Army
1 Rumanian Infantry	74	47
5 Rumanian Infantry	48	17		36	7 Infantry Army
2 Rumanian Infantry	62	35
4 Rumanian Infantry	28
4 Italian Infantry		54

It took all month, but the Romanian Suicide Squad took Odessa, killed everyone around it, and what's left of them are slowly walking away.

 

Fighting over the next month is futile - every Axis unit is working at half strength during the muddy season! As before, I keep some distance as I try to reform my lines on favorable terrain, but this is trickier than it was.

As winter starts, all of my Fliegerkorps are down a massive amount of combat strength, though none have suffered any permanent muster damage.

October 5 - November 8

Northmost cluster:

Axis	Old strength x2	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
10 Infantry Corps	30	31	80	71	9 Militia Army
28 Infantry Corps	84	20	36	96	7 Militia Army
			82	86	42 Infantry Army
40 Panzer Corps	74	95	123	94	11 Militia Army
2 Infantry Corps	106	95	50	43	43 Infantry Army
41 Panzer Corps	74	83

 

These guys have mostly held it together throughout the mud season, and skirmished a bit with the Soviets nearby during the first week of winter, but aren't fully recovered yet. Strength advantage is overall mine, especially as the militia cannot attack.

 

Rzhev:

Axis	Old strength x2	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
46 Panzer Corps	104	103
38 Infantry Corps	22	35	177	136	30 Infantry Army
1 Flieger Corps	218	60
56 Panzer Corps	104	92	135	66	56 Infantry Army
35 Infantry Corps	94	88	134	104	43 Infantry Army

Also not much of a line change, but the strength difference is serious. I'm going to need to push my numbers advantage here to encircle and cut them off from supplies.

 

Smolensk:

Axis	Old strength x2	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
7 Infantry Corps	58	33
1 Infantry Corps	62	29
26 Infantry Corps	82	62
13 Infantry Corps	108	91
4 Flieger Corps	118	88
47 Panzer Corps	102	118	34	69	22 Infantry Army
6 Infantry Corps	107	36
34 Infantry Corps	96	80

We took an unguarded Smolensk during the start of October, cutting off the lone infantry there from supplies. The Russians are trying to take it back, and the severely weakened infantry they sent are joined by a severely weakened tank unit from the south and a strong infantry from the north. But it won't be enough.

 

Minsk:

Axis	Old strength x2	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
24 Panzer Corps	78	111	20	41	2 Tank Army
8 Infantry Corps	109	46	41	89	40 Infantry Army
2 Flieger Corps	183	106	45	79	21 Infantry Army
			22	21	14 Infantry Army

 

Pathetic. Minsk will hold, but going after the Soviets in the river will be annoying.

Orel:

Axis	Old strength x2	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
9 Infantry Corps	108	45
11 Infantry Corps	91	30	138		54 Infantry Army
27 Infantry Corps	77	11	186	94	60 Infantry Army
12 Infantry Corps	97	30	47		50 Infantry Army
			202		61 Infantry Army

My guys mostly marched here in the mud and snow unimpeded from northern Ukraine but are too exhausted to fight despite being positioned for multiple pincer attacks. I can only hope supplies reach them before the Soviets break out.

 

Kiev:

 

Axis	Old strength x2	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
5 Infantry Corps	92	46	35	42	18 Infantry Army
5 Flieger Corps	132	41
49 Infantry Corps	80	35		13	5 Tank Army
3 Flieger Corps	142	116

Most of these units have left Kiev by now and are moving up to Orel. Two of the units currently there came from Odessa, moving north. The Soviet 5th tank army perished trying to take Kiev back, and the 18th infantry army is about to.

 

Kharkov:

Axis	Old strength x2	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
			209		39 Infantry Army
3 Panzer Corps	52	44	96	56	15 Infantry Army
4 Infantry Corps	20	21	126	113	19 Tank Army
48 Panzer Corps	148	42
14 Panzer Corps	62	58	107	114	66 Infantry Army
57 Panzer Corps	145	74
23 Infantry Corps	80	40	149	103	33 Infantry Army
29 Infantry Corps	42	21	1	41	1 Cavalry Army
			174		2 Guards Infantry

Oh. Oh no.

My units here are in no fighting condition, and a battering ram of Soviets are coming in, and more are right behind them. Try not to let anyone get encircled as we withdraw west for more reliable supplies. Try not to let anyone get bashed in.

 

 Odessa:

Axis	Old strength x2	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
30 Infantry Corps	98	46
17 Infantry Corps	88	86
1 Hungarian Panzer	36	37
54 Infantry Corps	45	44
1 Rumanian Infantry	47	46
5 Rumanian Infantry	17	16
2 Rumanian Infantry	35	33
4 Italian Infantry	54	54

Odessa is now far behind all of these companies, who have regrouped and formed up with others. Russia doesn't seem all that interested in taking it back.

 

November 9 -  December 6

Northmost cluster:

Yep, the Finnish armies are still stuck there.

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
10 Infantry Corps	31	24	48	80	9 Militia Army
28 Infantry Corps	20	38	24	36	7 Militia Army
41 Panzer Corps	83	15	40	123	11 Militia Army
40 Panzer Corps	95	95	61	82	42 Infantry Army
				50	43 Infantry Army

Despite a strength advantage and a little help from the south, these minor tussles are slow. Weak, poorly supplied units can still encircle, but fighting is hard.

 

Rzhev:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
46 Panzer Corps	103	53
2 Infantry Corps	95	31
38 Infantry Corps	35			177	30 Infantry Army
1 Flieger Corps	60	223
56 Panzer Corps	92	85		135	56 Infantry Army
35 Infantry Corps	88	91
7 Infantry Corps	33	49

Total Soviet destruction, but not without losses on my end. Rzhev will be taken by Monday.

 

Smolensk:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
11 Infantry Corps	30	38		134	43 Infantry Army
26 Infantry Corps	62	9
4 Flieger Corps	88	180
1 Infantry Corps	29	56		34	22 Infantry Army
13 Infantry Corps	91	104	208		1 Guards Tank Army
47 Panzer Corps	118	58
6 Infantry Corps	36	89		20	2 Tank Army

The feeble and isolated Russian attempts to liberate Smolensk were all encircled and crushed by December. A single powerful tank army is closing in, but I've learned not to fear single armies.

 

Minsk to Orel:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
34 Infantry Corps	80	93
2 Flieger Corps	106	163
24 Panzer Corps	111	102		41	40 Infantry Army
8 Infantry Corps	46	101	16	22	14 Infantry Army

Minsk held, one Soviet was destroyed as we chased it across the frozen river, another is caught in a pincer on the other side of the river.

 

Orel:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
27 Infantry Corps	11		177	138	54 Infantry Army
12 Infantry Corps	30	51		47	50 Infantry Army
5 Infantry Corps	46	39		45	21 Infantry Army
4 Infantry Corps	21	35	236		2 Guards Cavalry
9 Infantry Corps	45	70
5 Flieger Corps	41	129	192	202	61 Infantry Army
			128		45 Infantry Army

The sawtooth formation did not hold. I got two of theirs, they got one of mine. Unfortunately, they get two powerful reinforcements. At least I can count on a bit of help coming from Minsk.

 

Kiev to Kharkov:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
49 Infantry Corps	35	35
4 Italian Infantry	54	24
2 Rumanian Infantry	33	33
54 Infantry Corps	44	44		35	18 Infantry Army

As expected, these ragtag survivors from all over the front destroyed the sole enemy here and are marching to Kharkov.

 

Kharkov:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
			129		47 Infantry Army
48 Panzer Corps	42	40		186	60 Infantry Army
3 Flieger Corps	116	88
17 Infantry Corps	86	65	195		9 Tank Army
3 Panzer Corps	44	62		209	39 Infantry Army
57 Panzer Corps	74	52
30 Infantry Corps	46	85
1 Hungarian Panzer	37	21	94		7 Cavalry Army
23 Infantry Corps	40		92	96	15 Infantry Army
29 Infantry Corps	21	42	130	126	19 Tank Army
5 Rumanian Infantry	16	8
1 Rumanian Infantry	46	46
14 Panzer Corps	58	22	76	107	66 Infantry Army
			202		28 Tank Army
			89	149	33 Infantry Army
			54		95 Infantry Army
			170	174	2 Guards Infantry
			106		52 Infantry Army
				1	1 Cavalry Army

Never forget that well-supplied Germans can punch above their weight. By withdrawing in a measured manner, I allowed multiple Soviets to spearhead and isolate themselves, letting me cut them off and destroy them piecemeal.

This still costs significant muster strength, though, which can never be recovered. And with these quickly-dwindling combat strength numbers, I'm doubting that I can outlast Soviet reinforcements!

I do, however, have an opportunity to snatch Dnepropetrovsk to the south, which is completely unguarded.

 

Overall combat strength, not counting the Finns or Fliegerkorps, comes to 1,905 now, out of 2,728 points of muster strength. Winter supply problems account for most of the difference.

Don't know if I'm going to be able to win this time!