Eastern Front 1941: Распутица

August 31 - October 4

Leningrad:

Axis	Strength	Strength	USSR
2 Finnish Infantry	112
4 Finnish Infantry	104
40 Panzer Corps	199	112	4 Militia Army

At last, the Finns are in play. They can't actively attack, but once the last of Leningrad's militia are out of my way, they can assist the next battle group with pincer attacks.

 

Rzhev: 

Axis	Strength	Strength	USSR
		95	7 Militia Army
26 Infantry Corps	88	49	9 Militia Army
28 Infantry Corps	108	83	8 Infantry Army
6 Infantry Corps	127	103	10 Tank Army
3 Panzer Corps	202	105	41 Infantry Army
24 Panzer Corps	137
1 Infantry Corps	129
38 Infantry Corps	112	83	35 Infantry Army
7 Infantry Corps	150
		113	24 Infantry Army
		106	34 Infantry Army

 

North of Rzhev I have enough of a power advantage that I feel I can be aggressive, but not so much that I can count on victory in every engagement. I will need to pick my engagements with more care than in past months. I do not count on taking Rzhev itself this month.

Smolensk:

2 Infantry Corps	121	140	30 Infantry Army
		120	32 Infantry Army
47 Panzer Corps	183	75	14 Infantry Army
10 Infantry Corps	97
46 Panzer Corps	186	133	29 Infantry Army
		112	1 Guards Cavalry
56 Panzer Corps	184	120	22 Infantry Army
		114	31 Infantry Army
41 Panzer Corps	154	61	2 Tank Army
		192	8 Militia Army

 

Power advantage is mine, numbers advantage is theirs. I will try to scatter and isolate weak units, but keep a close eye in case the situation worsens.

South of Smolensk:

Axis	Strength	Strength	USSR
8 Infantry Corps	129	87	8 Tank Army
		65	21 Infantry Army
5 Infantry Corps	68	67	15 Infantry Army
		88	3 Cavalry Army

 

This isn't great. The 8th Infantry can fight, but the 5th is weakened with nowhere to run. Better hold and pray that help can arrive soon.

 

Kiev: 

Axis	Strength	Strength	USSR
		69	5 Cavalry Army
17 Infantry Corps	108	137	10 Infantry Army
9 Infantry Corps	125
49 Infantry Corps	138	74	5 Tank Army
1 Hungarian Panzer	96

 

Focus on the weaker cavalry units and push north to support Smolensk.

 

Kharkov:

Axis	Strength	Strength	USSR
		123	19 Infantry Army
		129	2 Guards Cavalry
		135	40 Infantry Army
48 Panzer Corps	183
57 Panzer Corps	101	41	17 Infantry Army

RUN. Split up and run. Move the panzers away from Kharkov, and help engage the Soviets near Dnepropetrovsk. Kharvok can be dealt with later when there is no longer any threat from the south.

 

Dnepropetrovsk:

Axis	Strength	Strength	USSR
29 Infantry Corps	111	124	23 Infantry Army
14 Panzer Corps	185	94	4 Cavalry Army
4 Rumanian Infantry	88	118	25 Infantry Army
11 Infantry Corps	107	119	33 Infantry Army
30 Infantry Corps	125

 

Advantage is mine but victory will not be quick or guaranteed.

 

Odessa:

Axis	Strength	Strength	USSR
1 Rumanian Infantry	88	74	7 Infantry Army
2 Rumanian Infantry	93
5 Rumanian Infantry	47
54 Infantry Corps	100	46	2 Cavalry Army

 

Destroy the cavalry, push back the infantry, and claim Odessa for the fatherland. Move north to Dnepropetrovsk but keep an eye on Crimea's militias.

 

I continue to move aggressively wherever I have a strength advantage - this is the last month where I can count on having one - but I keep a close eye on battle results turn-by-turn to see if it falters.

Surprisingly, for the most part, it doesn't! Multiple cities fall over the month - Smolensk first, then Odessa, next Rzhev, Dnepropetrovsk, and as October starts, Orel and Kharkov. Only Odessa held longer than expected, thanks to the mediocrity of the Romanian companies besieging it.

The final week is especially devastating to the Soviet armies, with many around Moscow in vulnerable positions sandwiched between superior Axis units.

We also get some Italian reinforcements, but their combat strength is poor and they are much too far away to see any action this month. Stalingrad, of course, sends many more.

 

Note the color shift at the start of October. You know what this means.

Photo collected by Imperial War Museum, original source unknown

 

All of my armies are now unsupplied, cutting their combat strength in half. The Russians are not affected.

September battle reports - to better highlight battle losses, these numbers do not reflect the 50% combat strength loss across the board.

This is difficult to summarize. There was a lot of movement this month!

Leningrad to Moscow:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength x2	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
2 Finnish Infantry	112	112
4 Finnish Infantry	104	104
40 Panzer Corps	199	199		112	4 Militia Army

 

The Finns are free and moving toward Moscow. The panzers have moved south of Leningrad to try to pick off a straggler from Rzhev.

Rzhev to Moscow:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength x2	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
				95	7 Militia Army
			99		43 Infantry Army
26 Infantry Corps	88	84	47	49	9 Militia Army
			111		42 Infantry Army
28 Infantry Corps	108	108	131	83	8 Infantry Army
			106		44 Infantry Army
35 Infantry Corps		96	27	105	41 Infantry Army
6 Infantry Corps	127	118		103	10 Tank Army
3 Panzer Corps	202	174
24 Panzer Corps	137	191
34 Infantry Corps		98
1 Infantry Corps	129	122
38 Infantry Corps	112	107		83	35 Infantry Army
7 Infantry Corps	150	143
				113	24 Infantry Army
				106	34 Infantry Army

 

Rzhev is conquered and several of its conquerors are in a line approaching Moscow, but not all of them. 

• The 26th and 28th Infantries chased their prey all the way to the map's north edge and are now standing off against four Soviet armies.
• The 35th Infantry is catching up, and has cut off the 41st Infantry's escape, who is sandwiched between it and the 40 Panzers.
• 6th Infantry had also been pursuing the 9th Militia all the way to Leningrad, pushed them into the mud, and is walking away.
• The rest are either close to Moscow or on their way.

Smolensk to Moscow:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength x2	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
2 Infantry Corps	121	121	134		43 Infantry Army
				140	30 Infantry Army
			119	120	32 Infantry Army
			121		50 Infantry Army
47 Panzer Corps	183	160		75	14 Infantry Army
10 Infantry Corps	97	83
46 Panzer Corps	186	132		133	29 Infantry Army
			133	112	1 Guards Cavalry
56 Panzer Corps	184	163	116	120	22 Infantry Army
			124		47 Infantry Army
				114	31 Infantry Army
41 Panzer Corps	154	157		61	2 Tank Army
			195	192	8 Militia Army

 

It's devastation for the Soviets defending Smolensk, but at some cost to my Panzers. Everyone is now part of a line spanning from Moscow, which is defended by a militia megastack, to Orel, which is mine.

 

South of Smolensk:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength x2	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
8 Infantry Corps	129	126		87	8 Tank Army
				65	21 Infantry Army
5 Infantry Corps	68	135		67	15 Infantry Army
				88	3 Cavalry Army

These isolated infantry got relief from the Smolensk group and are rejoined with the line, near Orel.

Kiev to Kharkov:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength x2	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
				69	5 Cavalry Army
17 Infantry Corps	108	110		137	10 Infantry Army
9 Infantry Corps	125	122	116		54 Infantry Army
49 Infantry Corps	138	134	74	74	5 Tank Army
1 Hungarian Panzer	96	96
23 Infantry Corps		95	106		7 Cavalry Army
4 Infantry Corps		136

 

Smolensk didn't really need help from the Kiev group, so they attacked Kharkov instead.

 

Kharkov:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength x2	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
				123	19 Infantry Army
			121	129	2 Guards Cavalry
			120		45 Infantry Army
			114		6 Infantry Army
			145	135	40 Infantry Army
48 Panzer Corps	183	180
57 Panzer Corps	101	168		41	17 Infantry Army

The Panzers did split up and run, but were put to use once out of danger. The 48th helped capture a fleeing infantry unit, the 57th helped fight at Dnepropetrovsk before returning to take Kharkov.

Dnepropetrovsk:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength x2	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
29 Infantry Corps	111	99		124	23 Infantry Army
14 Panzer Corps	185	183	72	94	4 Cavalry Army
4 Rumanian Infantry	88	80		118	25 Infantry Army
11 Infantry Corps	107	110	112	119	33 Infantry Army
30 Infantry Corps	125	100

I was wrong - victory was pretty fast, and Dnepropetrovsk is already far behind its conquerors.

 

Odessa:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength x2	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
1 Rumanian Infantry	88	88	78	74	7 Infantry Army
2 Rumanian Infantry	93	87	123		5 Militia Army
5 Rumanian Infantry	47	46	110		3 Militia Army
54 Infantry Corps	100	99		46	2 Cavalry Army
			119		6 Militia Army

 

The Romanians faltered a bit here, but eventually pushed through. With no clear objective for them next, I've split them up and sent them in various directions to provide other war groups with their dubious service. The 1st Infantry is currently harassing some Crimean militia groups, and the 2nd has a Soviet infantry division cornered by the sea.

 

October 5 - November 8

 

The Soviet infantry northwest of Smolensk, sandwiched between a panzer and infantry unit, makes a good test run to see how well we fight in the mud.

The results? Not very well at all - it ends the first week healthier than it had been at the start of it. We don't move too well either; any given unit is lucky if it moves a single space in a week. At least the Soviets are also slowed down.

I try to avoid further fighting and spend the month regrouping and reforming lines, moving units away from the rivers as much as possible. Where there is no resistance, I advance, and try to encircle where I can.

At least this month goes by pretty quickly.

 

The striking color shift means that winter is here. And it brings little relief to my supply-starved men - although the supply lines have reopened, every company has a random chance of missing theirs, cutting their combat effectiveness in half yet again. We'll see these companies marked in orange.

The Russians, of course, never miss a delivery, and are stronger than ever.

Leningrad:

Axis	Old strength x2	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
6 Infantry Corps	118	40	73	47	9 Militia Army

 

Leningrad's militia remains stuck in the frozen mud as the 6th infantry march eastward.

Dvina River:

Axis	Old strength x2	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
35 Infantry Corps	96	93	5	27	41 Infantry Army
40 Panzer Corps	199	48

 

If the Germans can't win here despite the winter handicap, then we might as well retreat now.

 

North river:

Axis	Old strength x2	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
			107	99	43 Infantry Army
28 Infantry Corps	108	78	139	131	8 Infantry Army
			114	106	44 Infantry Army
26 Infantry Corps	84	72	118	111	42 Infantry Army

 

Going here was a mistake. Retreating now.

Moscow:

Axis	Old strength x2	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
4 Finnish Infantry	104	103	120		1 Tank Army
2 Finnish Infantry	112	38
2 Infantry Corps	121	111		134	43 Infantry Army
3 Panzer Corps	174	135
1 Infantry Corps	122	79
24 Panzer Corps	191	136
34 Infantry Corps	98	75
7 Infantry Corps	143	63
38 Infantry Corps	107	75	105	195	8 Militia Army
56 Panzer Corps	163	45	141	71	1 Guards Cavalry
47 Panzer Corps	160	66
10 Infantry Corps	83	69

Moscow's winter was brutal. Despite that, Moscow itself is looking pretty vulnerable. During the first week of winter, I was able to surround it and its formidable militia stack, and rub out the 43rd Infantry with my northern divisions.

 

Orel:

Axis	Old strength x2	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
			131	121	50 Infantry Army
			133	119	32 Infantry Army
46 Panzer Corps	132	129	126	116	22 Infantry Army
5 Infantry Corps	135		137	124	47 Infantry Army
41 Panzer Corps	157
9 Infantry Corps	122	39	136		9 Tank Army
8 Infantry Corps	126	73	137	114	6 Infantry Army
17 Infantry Corps	110	111	131		2 Guards Infantry
23 Infantry Corps	95	94

 

Üff, what a disaster. Overrun by mid-October, Orel was a total loss for two companies, including the better of two panzer corps. We may need to abandon this conquest.

 

Kharkov:

Axis	Old strength x2	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
1 Hungarian Panzer	96	37	113		49 Infantry Army
49 Infantry Corps	134	120	155	145	40 Infantry Army
			114	106	7 Cavalry Army
57 Panzer Corps	168	66	85	74	5 Tank Army
4 Infantry Corps	136	39	155		37 Infantry Army
14 Panzer Corps	183	96	115		55 Infantry Army
48 Panzer Corps	180	67	107		48 Infantry Army
5 Rumanian Infantry	46	47
54 Infantry Corps	99	71

 

Kharkov is lost - holding it seemed hopeless as winter started. But we may yet have the chance to take it back, when/if the companies here regain their strength.

 

Dnepropetrovsk:

Axis	Old strength x2	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
11 Infantry Corps	110	96
4 Rumanian Infantry	80	81
29 Infantry Corps	99		90	72	4 Cavalry Army
30 Infantry Corps	100	37	119	112	33 Infantry Army
4 Italian Infantry		54

 

Aggression in late October cost me an infantry corps to a Soviet pincer attack. I may yet be able to regroup and destroy them.

Crimea:

Axis	Old strength x2	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
2 Rumanian Infantry	87	43		78	7 Infantry Army
1 Rumanian Infantry	88	44	131	123	5 Militia Army
			118	110	3 Militia Army
			127	119	6 Militia Army

It took all month but I finally caught up with and drove the trapped 7th Infantry into the sea. The militia behind will leave me alone if I leave them alone.

 

November 9 - November 29

 

In the first week of winter, I learned that Panzers can move a maximum of 5 spaces per turn, and infantry a maximum of 3, and as the rivers start to freeze over, they become less of a hindrance. But that goes both ways.

Combat strength increases and decreases pretty randomly, as the winter supply lines are unreliable. But they dictate how bold my attacks are - an unsupplied unit is worthless in a direct assault, but can still be useful in a pincer attack as long as the biting jaw is strong.

Moscow is taken by Thanksgiving, but Orel is lost.

 

Dvina River:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
40 Panzer Corps	48	58		5	41 Infantry Army
35 Infantry Corps	93	93

As expected, the 41st Infantry was wiped out and we are heading eastward toward Moscow.

 

North River:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
28 Infantry Corps	78	108
			137	139	8 Infantry Army
			122	114	44 Infantry Army
26 Infantry Corps	72	77	126	118	42 Infantry Army
			115	107	43 Infantry Army
			101		13 Tank Army

I go back and forth between retreating and standing off. Now, retreating seems smarter.

Moscow:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
6 Infantry Corps	40	119
4 Finnish Infantry	103	51
2 Finnish Infantry	38	45	126	120	1 Tank Army
2 Infantry Corps	111	116
24 Panzer Corps	136	182
34 Infantry Corps	75	48
7 Infantry Corps	63	126
3 Panzer Corps	135	52	121		4 Guards Infantry
1 Infantry Corps	79	61		141	1 Guards Cavalry
38 Infantry Corps	75	89		105	8 Militia Army
56 Panzer Corps	45	40	132	132	54 Infantry Army
47 Panzer Corps	66	108

 

Moscow's guard is surrounded and crushed and a big cache of victory points mine. But this combat strength is needed elsewhere.

 

Orel:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
10 Infantry Corps	69	82	137	131	50 Infantry Army
			108	137	47 Infantry Army
46 Panzer Corps	129	158	113	126	22 Infantry Army
9 Infantry Corps	39	94	69	133	32 Infantry Army
			143	137	6 Infantry Army
8 Infantry Corps	73	121	142	136	9 Tank Army
17 Infantry Corps	111	90	137	131	2 Guards Infantry
23 Infantry Corps	94	94	136		45 Infantry Army

We've abandoned Orel but regained some strength while retreating. Still, this is not nearly enough to beat back the Russians, but we might be able to rout a few isolated divisions - one of them is already entrapped.

 

Kharkov:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
			118	113	49 Infantry Army
1 Hungarian Panzer	37	80	74	155	40 Infantry Army
			121	115	55 Infantry Army
49 Infantry Corps	120	57	91	111	7 Cavalry Army
			76	155	37 Infantry Army
4 Infantry Corps	39	41		85	5 Tank Army
57 Panzer Corps	66	84	92	107	48 Infantry Army
48 Panzer Corps	67	63	142		52 Infantry Army
5 Rumanian Infantry	47	47	128		46 Infantry Army
14 Panzer Corps	96	76	32		59 Infantry Army
54 Infantry Corps	71	98

Kharkov is retaken but our hold is tenuous as the winter saps our strength and Soviet reinforcements concentrate here.

 

Dnepropetrovsk:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
4 Rumanian Infantry	81	40
11 Infantry Corps	96	102	96	90	4 Cavalry Army
30 Infantry Corps	37	51		119	33 Infantry Army
4 Italian Infantry	54	54

Our task to regroup and push back was successful.

 

Crimea:

Axis	Old strength	Current strength	Current strength	Old strength	USSR
2 Rumanian Infantry	43	43
1 Rumanian Infantry	44	39

The Romanian infantry ignore the peninsula and march north to join up with the others at Dnepropetrovsk.

With 252 victory points out of a maximum of 255, I'm pretty sure I couldn't lose if I tried. I don't know if I can get Stalingrad. I don't even know if I'll be able to hold onto the front as it stands now. But even if we get pushed back some, I will be very surprised if I end with a lower score than 175, which is what I had at the end of August.