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:
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"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:
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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!