Tuesday, April 1, 2025

Eastern Front (1942)

In my "advanced" campaign, the original game's only scenario, Germany completely overran Western Russia by mid-January, sending what remained of the shattered Red Army east over the hills and taking every city on the map by the end of March.

My "expert" campaign aftermath was... strange. I still managed to take almost all of the cities, including Stalingrad, but only through some sneaky shenanigans where I sent some of my weakest, nearly combat-ineffective units around the back to mark them as "taken." Leningrad was ignored for expediency and lack of strategic value, and Dnepropetrovsk was briefly taken and then forfeit. But my own lines were unstable, with the bulk of my remaining muster holding a tenuous grip on Moscow and Smolensk. Russia would realistically have no trouble taking back Stalingrad, Kharkov, and the territory between within a month or two, and their forces already in Ukraine could continue pushing what little remains of my own back to Poland.

End state of the expert campaign

Historically, Operation Barbarossa was a strategic failure that strained Axis resources and morale past a horizon it would never recover from, despite initial summer victories. The northern group swiftly cut through the Baltic and besieged Leningrad, which would go on for years and end 1.5 million lives before it was over. The southern group, supported by Romanian and Italian armies, would advance through Ukraine, occupying Kiev, Kharkov, and the Crimean peninsula. The central group, tasked with the crucial target of Moscow and assigned more men and armor than any other, defeated heavy Soviet resistance in Belarus but failed to conquer Moscow, thwarted by the deadly chill of Russian weather, the determined city defenders under Zhukov's resourceful leadership, and a massive counter-offense by elite Siberian winter soldiers.

Russia suffered terribly, not just in terms of military, territory, and economic losses, but in human life. Millions starved to death under Nazi Germany's scorched earth policy, and widespread crimes against humanity committed against soldier and civilian alike. But Germany's own losses were irrecoverable, and after failures in Britain, Africa, the formal declaration of war against the United States, and the looming threat of a western front, could no longer afford to commit as much to subsequent eastern offenses in the years to come.

The World at War: "Stalingrad," by Thames Television Ltd.
 

By the summer of 1942, Germany's Sixth Army, the former spearhead of Barbarossa's southern group, and the Fourth Panzers of the northern group, were mobilized again. Their target - oil fields in the Caucus region.

Beginning state of the 1942 scenario
 

To be honest I'm not sure how historically accurate Crawford's 1942 scenario is. Another would be designed by one William Ted Farmer and distributed through APX, but I have no plans to play through it. Here, the line is continuous from Leningrad to Rostov, the Soviets aren't especially weak anywhere, and your line isn't especially strong anywhere. Your primary objectives remain the same - Moscow, Leningrad, and Stalingrad, but now you begin with a 131 point deficit and with the line being farther east than it was in 1941, secondary objectives including Smolensk and Kharkov are already taken and cannot contribute to your score further. The manual's scenario description mentions none of the historical context, only that the units are the same - 47 Axis units against 119 Soviets, and that most of your points will be awarded for destruction rather than mileage. Ominously, it warns:

You are surrounded and on the defensive. Only a fool would fight on....


All 47 Axis units are present from the start and will receive no reinforcements. At all. On average they have 80% of their 1941 strength values, though this fluctuates wildly - many are unchanged at all, and my Panzers and Fliegerkorps are particularly weakened. 1 Flieger Corps, for instance, has been reduced from 219 to 102. The Soviets begin with 67 units and are on average 30% stronger, though I have learned since my expert campaign to be mindful of fog of war which can give you completely wrong numbers. Overall, I bring approximately 5,400 muster strength, the Soviets bring nearly 8,000, and more is on its way.

On the plus side, we get four more weeks of summer than we do in the 1941 scenario.

Let's look at the order of battle. The divisions are largely arbitrary.


Leningrad to Rzhev:

Axis Current
strength
Current
strength
USSR
2 Finnish Infantry 112

4 Finnish Infantry 104 ? 8 Militia Army


107 19 Infantry Army


? 2 Militia Army
5 Infantry Corps 90 255 9 Militia Army


91 4 Militia Army
6 Infantry Corps 58 82 1 Cavalry Army
7 Infantry Corps 120 79 18 Infantry Army


? 10 Tank Army
8 Infantry Corps 96 145 27 Infantry Army
9 Infantry Corps 82 117 21 Infantry Army


? 22 Infantry Army
46 Panzer Corps 131 ? 13 Infantry Army


? 34 Infantry Army


? 6 Tank Army
1 Infantry Corps 87 151 8 Infantry Army
2 Infantry Corps 91 ? 11 Infantry Army
10 Infantry Corps 101 141 1 Tank Army


? 7 Tank Army
26 Infantry Corps 104 157 3 Infantry Army


? 4 Infantry Army
28 Infantry Corps 112 90 10 Infantry Army


? 5 Tank Army
 

A maximally strong militia group defends Leningrad. Discounting the inert Finnish units I am outnumbered 2:1 and outpowered tit-for-tat on nearly every matchup, I have no air support here, and many of my units fight in the river at a further disadvantage. Still, Russian armies are pushed around more easily than German ones, but they must be damaged or encircled first. I cannot assume that my own pushes will always be successful any more.


Rzhev to Smolensk:

Axis Current
strength
Current
strength
USSR


105 8 Tank Army


? 3 Cavalry Army
49 Infantry Corps 140 144 6 Cavalry Army
38 Infantry Corps 120 105 5 Infantry Army
4 Infantry Corps 124 134 6 Infantry Army
47 Panzer Corps 108

1 Flieger Corps 102

 

This elbow of the line seems like it might snap with enough pressure, though the Soviets do have the benefit of defensive forest terrain.

 

Smolensk to Kharkov:

Axis Current
strength
Current
strength
USSR


? 12 Infantry Army
17 Infantry Corps 119 138 26 Infantry Army


113 14 Infantry Army


? 15 Infantry Army
27 Infantry Corps 110 146 20 Infantry Army
29 Infantry Corps 111 ? 24 Infantry Army
23 Infantry Corps 95 128 40 Infantry Army


? 29 Infantry Army
57 Panzer Corps 146 86 30 Infantry Army
24 Panzer Corps 150 147 31 Infantry Army
2 Flieger Corps 138

41 Panzer Corps 142 112 32 Infantry Army
1 Hungarian Panzer 98 125 2 Infantry Army
12 Infantry Corps 97 125 3 Tank Army
56 Panzer Corps 169 81 4 Tank Army
 

The Soviets are stronger closer to Smolensk, I am stronger closer to Kharkov, though once again, some of my own units are in the river.

 

Kharkov to Rostov:

Axis Current
strength
Current
strength
USSR
1 Rumanian Infantry 97 82 11 Tank Army
5 Flieger Corps 115

40 Panzer Corps 201 ? 12 Tank Army
5 Rumanian Infantry 52 ? 4 Cavalry Army


? 2 Cavalry Army


? 7 Infantry Army
2 Rumanian Infantry 96 ? 41 Infantry Army
11 Infantry Corps 125 114 42 Infantry Army
3 Panzer Corps 182

4 Rumanian Infantry 92

14 Panzer Corps 130 101 43 Infantry Army
30 Infantry Corps 131 108 16 Infantry Army
3 Flieger Corps 142

48 Panzer Corps 142 133 56 Infantry Army
54 Infantry Corps 106 147 33 Infantry Army


? 10 Militia


? 1 Guards Cavalry
 

A difficult situation to read! Near Kharkov, units stare at each other across the Donets river, and fog of war obscures the Soviets' true strength. Near Rostov, I seem to hold the power advantage. Both ends have air support.

 

Crimea:

Axis Current
strength
Current
strength
USSR
35 Infantry Corps 96 ? 5 Militia
4 Italian Infantry 55

4 Flieger Corps 124

13 Infantry Corps 106

34 Infantry Corps 101 42 7 Militia

7 Militia seems like a weak target of opportunity, or possibly just a distraction. 5 Militia blocks my way east to Krasnodar, and the manual warns me that engaging will cost me dearly.

 

May 24 - June 20



 

Leningrad to Rzhev:


 

Axis Old
strength
Current
strength
Current
strength
Old
strength
USSR
2 Finnish Infantry 112 111


4 Finnish Infantry 104 86 110 ? 8 Militia Army



89 107 19 Infantry Army



? ? 2 Militia Army
5 Infantry Corps 90 24 235 255 9 Militia Army



109 91 4 Militia Army
6 Infantry Corps 58 28 76 82 1 Cavalry Army
7 Infantry Corps 120 119 78 79 18 Infantry Army



? ? 10 Tank Army
8 Infantry Corps 96 35 85 145 27 Infantry Army
9 Infantry Corps 82 22 31 117 21 Infantry Army



? ? 22 Infantry Army
46 Panzer Corps 131 95 58 ? 13 Infantry Army



86 ? 34 Infantry Army



? ? 6 Tank Army
1 Infantry Corps 87 65
151 8 Infantry Army
2 Infantry Corps 91
? ? 11 Infantry Army
10 Infantry Corps 101

141 1 Tank Army



? ? 7 Tank Army
26 Infantry Corps 104 29 59 157 3 Infantry Army



47 ? 4 Infantry Army
28 Infantry Corps 112 65
90 10 Infantry Army




? 5 Tank Army

The militia around Leningrad do not budge, and two of my infantry remain trapped and seem impossible to rescue. In the parallel to Rzhev, the 10th infantry pushes itself right into a pincer it can't escape from and dies, and I have no idea what happened to 2 Infantry; on June 14th it is there on the southwest cluster, trying to push northward and by the end of the week it's gone.

There is much chaos and destruction to the Soviets, but whatever I can't destroy in the next few weeks will likely recover, and every assault comes at the risk of permanent muster loss. 8th and 9th Infantries, who are on the west edge of the middle cluster near Leningrad's swampland, illustrate this well; despite fighting from a terrain advantage, they've suffered major muster damage from engaging superior Soviets entrenched in the river, though they've dealt out much of their own.

 

Rzhev:


 

Axis Old
strength
Current
strength
Current
strength
Old
strength
USSR



107 105 8 Tank Army



47 ? 3 Cavalry Army
49 Infantry Corps 140 6 102
2 Tank Army
38 Infantry Corps 120 41 34 144 6 Cavalry Army
4 Infantry Corps 124 16 99 105 5 Infantry Army
47 Panzer Corps 108 15 104 134 6 Infantry Army
1 Flieger Corps 102 102



Seems like I'm the one who snapped trying to pressure this elbow. The Soviet line gave, but 49 Infantry, 4 Infantry, and 47 Panzers are all trapped, and everyone but the Fliegerkorps are cut off by the mayhem to the west.

 

Smolensk to Kharkov: 


Axis Old
strength
Current
strength
Current
strength
Old
strength
USSR



137 ? 12 Infantry Army
17 Infantry Corps 119 60
138 26 Infantry Army




113 14 Infantry Army



119 ? 15 Infantry Army
27 Infantry Corps 110 16
146 20 Infantry Army
29 Infantry Corps 111 65 176 ? 24 Infantry Army
23 Infantry Corps 95 37
128 40 Infantry Army



124 ? 29 Infantry Army
57 Panzer Corps 146
26 86 30 Infantry Army



?
35 Infantry Army



105
28 Infantry Army



?
23 Infantry Army
24 Panzer Corps 150 22 94 147 31 Infantry Army
2 Flieger Corps 138 138 ?
5 Cavalry Army
41 Panzer Corps 142 31
112 32 Infantry Army
1 Hungarian Panzer 98 49 72 125 2 Infantry Army
12 Infantry Corps 97 84
125 3 Tank Army
56 Panzer Corps 169 122
81 4 Tank Army

It's a bloodbath as I break the Soviet line. But as you can see, nobody except the Fliegerkorps is unscathed, and two of my Panzers are trapped in the middle.

 

Kharkov to Rostov:

  
Axis Old
strength
Current
strength
Current
strength
Old
strength
USSR
1 Rumanian Infantry 97 74
82 11 Tank Army
5 Flieger Corps 115 115


40 Panzer Corps 201 156
? 12 Tank Army
5 Rumanian Infantry 52 14
? 4 Cavalry Army



3 ? 2 Cavalry Army




? 7 Infantry Army
2 Rumanian Infantry 96 91
? 41 Infantry Army
11 Infantry Corps 125 65
114 42 Infantry Army
3 Panzer Corps 182 94


4 Rumanian Infantry 92 56


14 Panzer Corps 130 68 72 101 43 Infantry Army
30 Infantry Corps 131 76 88 108 16 Infantry Army
3 Flieger Corps 142 142


48 Panzer Corps 142 56 99 133 56 Infantry Army
54 Infantry Corps 106 96
147 33 Infantry Army



? ? 10 Militia Army



? ? 1 Guards Cavalry


There's that good old summertime Kampffähigkeit that I remember. Even the Romanian armies are exceeding expectations!


Crimea: 

Axis Old
strength
Current
strength
Current
strength
Old
strength
USSR
35 Infantry Corps 96 93 190 ? 5 Militia
4 Italian Infantry 55 55


4 Flieger Corps 124 122


13 Infantry Corps 106 78


34 Infantry Corps 101 78
42 7 Militia

We've mostly abandoned the peninsula to join the fight up north. Only the Italians remain behind to keep the Sevastopol guard company.


Remaining units: 44
Remaining muster: 3926
Combat efficiency: 77%

June 21 - July 11



Leningrad to Rzhev:



Axis Old
strength
Current
strength
Current
strength
Old
strength
USSR
2 Finnish Infantry 111 111


4 Finnish Infantry 86 103 108 110 8 Militia Army



72 89 19 Infantry Army



? ? 2 Militia Army
5 Infantry Corps 24 14 110 109 4 Militia Army



236 235 9 Militia Army
6 Infantry Corps 28 52 65 76 1 Cavalry Army
7 Infantry Corps 119 34
78 18 Infantry Army
8 Infantry Corps 35 27 110 85 27 Infantry Army



116 ? 10 Tank Army
9 Infantry Corps 22 18 42 31 21 Infantry Army



146 ? 22 Infantry Army
46 Panzer Corps 95 74 128 86 34 Infantry Army



? ? 6 Tank Army
1 Infantry Corps 65
37 58 13 Infantry Army
 

The militia around Leningrad budge a little bit, and it frees 6 Infantry, but it's not nearly enough for a shot at freeing 5 Infantry from the semicircle trap or releasing the Finns. I think Leningrad is a lost cause.

6 and 7 Infantries, joined by 26 Infantry who got separated from the Rzhev group, have gained a bit of ground, but are still cut off from supplies and can't really move away from the situation until either of the Soviet tank units does thanks to the way ZOC works.

8 and 9 Infantry just aren't able to do very much at all. I'm really not sure why they took so much damage so quickly.

1 Infantry took a chance trying to crush a target of opportunity against 8/9, but the Soviets crushed them against said target instead. Whoopsie.

 

Rzhev to Smolensk:

 

Axis Old
strength
Current
strength
Current
strength
Old
strength
USSR
26 Infantry Corps 29 31 114 107 8 Tank Army



57 ? 11 Infantry Army




? 7 Tank Army
28 Infantry Corps 65 76
47 4 Infantry Army
49 Infantry Corps 6
? 102 2 Tank Army
47 Panzer Corps 15 52
59 3 Infantry Army



88 34 6 Cavalry Army



79 47 3 Cavalry Army
4 Infantry Corps 16 14 ? 99 5 Infantry Army
38 Infantry Corps 41 24 229 229 1 Militia Army
1 Flieger Corps 102 102 ? 104 6 Infantry Army
17 Infantry Corps 60
124 137 12 Infantry Army



116 119 15 Infantry Army
23 Infantry Corps 37
148 176 24 Infantry Army
27 Infantry Corps 16 31


29 Infantry Corps 65 25



Well, this sucks. Three units down, two more in immediate danger. I may be able to rub out a few more vulnerable Soviets west of Rzhev, but this battle is lost. Rzhev itself is recaptured, but that doesn't worry me too much.

 

Orel to Kharkov: 


 
Axis Old
strength
Current
strength
Current
strength
Old
strength
USSR



? ? 35 Infantry Army




105 28 Infantry Army



48 ? 23 Infantry Army
24 Panzer Corps 22
130 124 29 Infantry Army
2 Flieger Corps 138 138 20 ? 5 Cavalry Army
41 Panzer Corps 31 72
94 31 Infantry Army
1 Hungarian Panzer 49 32
26 30 Infantry Army
12 Infantry Corps 84 8
72 2 Infantry Army
56 Panzer Corps 122 47


1 Rumanian Infantry 74 32


5 Flieger Corps 115 115



It's nice to be in control of the situation for once. I can finish off the Soviets here and let my supply-depleted units regain their strength. But after that, do I move north to provide relief to Rzhev and possibly go for Moscow, or do I first engage the incoming Soviet reinforcements to the east while the flat terrain and summer conditions still favor me?


Rostov: 




Axis Old
strength
Current
strength
Current
strength
Old
strength
USSR
3 Panzer Corps 94 79
3 2 Cavalry Army
40 Panzer Corps 156 163 60
44 Infantry Army
4 Rumanian Infantry 56 70 52
46 Infantry Army
5 Rumanian Infantry 14 27


11 Infantry Corps 65 68


14 Panzer Corps 68 30
72 43 Infantry Army
2 Rumanian Infantry 91 86


34 Infantry Corps 78 93


30 Infantry Corps 76 94
88 16 Infantry Army
35 Infantry Corps 93 93


13 Infantry Corps 78 48


3 Flieger Corps 142 142


54 Infantry Corps 96 41
99 56 Infantry Army
4 Flieger Corps 122 123 59
47 Infantry Army
48 Panzer Corps 56 48 176 ? 10 Militia Army
 

Rostov is all but finished and the region nearly mine. I've already begun to send five of the units here up north where they will be put to better use. One of the Soviet units here slipped out from a four-way pincer trap, but it won't get far. Rostov itself may cost me muster strength, being defended by a pretty strong militia group.

 
Remaining units: 39
Remaining muster: 3132
Combat efficiency: 80%

 

July 12 - August 1


 

 

Leningrad to Rzhev:


 



Axis Old
strength
Current
strength
Current
strength
Old
strength
USSR
2 Finnish Infantry 111 111


4 Finnish Infantry 103 103 108 108 8 Militia Army



62 72 19 Infantry Army



? ? 2 Militia Army
5 Infantry Corps 14 16 110 110 4 Militia Army



118 236 9 Militia Army
6 Infantry Corps 52 45 45 65 1 Cavalry Army
7 Infantry Corps 34 87 55 116 10 Tank Army
26 Infantry Corps 31 35


8 Infantry Corps 27 27


9 Infantry Corps 18 19 25 110 27 Infantry Army



152 57 11 Infantry Army
38 Infantry Corps 24 45
42 21 Infantry Army
46 Panzer Corps 74

146 22 Infantry Army




128 34 Infantry Army
47 Panzer Corps 52 16 ? 37 13 Infantry Army
28 Infantry Corps 76 78


1 Flieger Corps 102




Up north, it's getting very difficult to do damage to the Soviets, partly because their cavalry and tanks keep rolling out of my attempts to pincer attack with the infantry I've got available.

Down south, west of Rzhev, a desperate mid-July gambit takes out three infantry with the aid of some air support and moves the fight further up north, but the Soviets take out the airbase, one Panzer Corps, and severely damage another. Still, I may be in a position to take back control here.

 

Rzhev to Smolensk:


 

Axis Old
strength
Current
strength
Current
strength
Old
strength
USSR



? ? 2 Tank Army



? ? 6 Tank Army



? 114 8 Tank Army
4 Infantry Corps 14
? 88 6 Cavalry Army



? 229 1 Militia Army



? 79 3 Cavalry Army



? ? 5 Infantry Army



? ? 6 Infantry Army
29 Infantry Corps 25 34 ? 116 15 Infantry Army
27 Infantry Corps 31
124 124 12 Infantry Army



87 ? 35 Infantry Army



158 148 24 Infantry Army

This fight is abandoned. I pulled out one of the three infantry corps that remained, but lost the others.

 

Orel: 




Axis Old
strength
Current
strength
Current
strength
Old
strength
USSR
56 Panzer Corps 47 50
130 29 Infantry Army
1 Hungarian Panzer 32 25 40 48 23 Infantry Army
2 Flieger Corps 138 137


12 Infantry Corps 8 30
20 5 Cavalry Army
1 Rumanian Infantry 32 32 89
25 Infantry Army
41 Panzer Corps 72 48 120
15 Tank Army
34 Infantry Corps 93 65


13 Infantry Corps 48 26 38
45 Infantry Army
4 Rumanian Infantry 70 34 ?
13 Tank Army
11 Infantry Corps 68 33 112
48 Infantry Army
3 Panzer Corps 79 67 ?
14 Tank Army
5 Flieger Corps 115 114 ?
9 Tank Army

Well, I was in control of the situation here, but the Soviets just aren't dropping as easily as I'd like them to, and reinforcements from the east, and from the northwest at Rzhev, are coming in faster than I'd like them to. I estimate things are going to get a lot worse here, real soon.

 

Rostov: 



Axis Old
strength
Current
strength
Current
strength
Old
strength
USSR
5 Rumanian Infantry 27 14


14 Panzer Corps 30 27
60 44 Infantry Army
40 Panzer Corps 163 85 35 52 46 Infantry Army
48 Panzer Corps 48 30 132 59 47 Infantry Army
2 Rumanian Infantry 86 48


3 Flieger Corps 142 142


54 Infantry Corps 41 74


4 Flieger Corps 123 99


35 Infantry Corps 93 76
176 10 Militia Army
30 Infantry Corps 94 74



It's a similar story here as destroying anything with my depleted units just seems to take forever, and can  come at major loss to my own muster strength for seemingly no reason.

Rostov itself is mine, though, and I am sending 35 Infantry southward to fight the mighty Sevastopol militia, who have been playing football with the Italians all summer.


Remaining units: 35
Remaining muster: 2474
Combat efficiency: 81% 
 
To be continued...

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