Part 14
The Recon reports show that the enemy are beginning to form something like a solid line to oppose us.
The actual attack on Leningrad will have to wait until I have cut off the city, So I plan on using the infantry to move the Panzer units off the line and into more open country.
I use the 8th SS Cavalry Brigade to send five Russian units fleeing to the rear.
We clear a large section of the south using the 16th Army, they also begin to clear the large enemy pockets, and once more we are seeing thousands of enemy surrendering.
I resupply the 1st SS Motorized Division, but even with this fresh fuel, they cannot move north that quickly due to terrain. They end the week with 55% of their fuel reserves, so the chance of advances next week remains strong.
The rest of our forces rearrange themselves, I am able to expand the bridgehead and move the Totenkoph and 8th Panzer Divisions to an area where they may be able to exploit it. I cannot move more units out as they are engaged on many sides.
The 8th's command unit, the LVI Corps, gets HQ build-up, reading them for a major push.
The enemy continue to form a strong line in front of us, I need to get mobile again. This is not how I should be fighting this!
4th Army brushes aside the enemy before them, and continue to push forwards, they open up a nice weak spot in the flank, but I have no Panzers to exploit it!
9th Army pushes forwards hard and makes come ground, they isolate two divisions in the south and one in the north – there are three units in the centre that will break through unless I can get units in behind them.
Now 2nd Army push several units back, but do not have the manpower to move into the gap.
Only the Panzer units remain to move, and the 3rd Panzer group makes a flanking move towards Kalinin. If I can get around the Volga Reservoir, then I can turn south towards Moscow.
The bulk of 2nd Panzer group is engaged as well, but I am able to pull two Panzer and one Moterized Division off the line and to the south, this will give them much more mobility options next week.
I also reinforce them with a fresh Panzer Corps.
Even in the south, the Russians seem to be firming up the front. I still want to take Stalino, but like may other of my goals, it may well be beyond my grasp.
6th Army continues forwards, and cuts off the enemy forces in Kharkov.
For those asking, yes, the T34 plant it still in the city. I will send word to our men taking the city to destroy the factory as quickly as possibly – although with 42 defensive CV, that may take some time.
Hmm, tanks. They would have been useful, wouldn't they.
17th Army opens up the northern part of the Stalino line, which should allow the Panzers to sweep around the city.
The Romanians, 11th Army and The Italians move up. 11th Army pushes a little more into the Crimea, but cannot break into open terrain.
1st Panzer group surrounds Stalino in what is hopefully a iron grip – five divisions, a brigade and a couple of routing units are our prize so far.
The north sees the Russians break through to a couple of those cut off units. This is not a problem, I'll just try and bag the rescuing units as well.
In the centre, we're still threatening south of Moscow, while the enemy are deploying (or upgrading to) guards units to stop our advance.
The south sees the same old Story, Kharkov and Stalino are now mine. I have decided to draw my winter lines here in the south, as going any further will see my front expand to much. I may push forwards to Rostov and wreck any industry there, but I may just winter the tanks in Stalino. This is a little early, but I can use them to encircle some enemy units for a few more weeks while the infantry dig in.
Our losses are mounting rapidly, we have lost nearly half a million men since the war began.
The Russians have lost 2.72 million men, and but is the kill/loss ratio good enough?
They have increased by 30,000 men in the last week, but lost a thousand guns and five hundred Tanks.
Men continue to replace our losses.
The factories churn out more supplies and equipment.
Resources continue to go up, and supplies go up and the amount at the front lines increases slightly as the HQ build up takes effect.
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Look at those historical Germans, lagging behind.