Part 32

In the north I move on unit back to prevent any chance of it being cut off, and I order one good attack, which sends the Russians back and cuts off another potential bridgehead there.







In the Centre, I try and move my Panzers off the line.



The 2nd Army gets three more Divisions and take up some more of the line.



As you can see, I may well lose Tula this week.





Around Voronezh, I patch up the line as best I can. I expect to lose more ground here in the next few days, but in this weather, I cannot move troops around quickly to plug a gap this size.



The 2nd Panzer Army, less the XXXX Corps that now contains all its infantry units, has moved south at maximum speed, burning fuel in a hope to get into position to stop this offensive in its tracks.



I'm forced to fall back from Rostov once more, as I don't like having men hanging out in the air. But here, the 1st Panzer Army is always ready to strike back.







The Russians blow a hole in our lines near Voronezh, as expected.



Here is the mess they leave of the front by the end of the week.



They also blast holes in the area around Tula – the city holds, but they will have to fall back now, there are to many gaps in the line.



There are also a string of attacks in the north, but they don't net the Russians much ground.



I then run the Recon reports people were calling for.



The Russians are thin off the front line in the north, and the only reason I'm holding that point in the north is because I want it for next year.



In the Moscow area, there are some reserves around Tula, but again, most of their troops are on the front lines.



Voroenzh shows the bulk of the Russian forces, they can really expand this sector quickly if I don't plug it soon!



I've decided that the first stage of Fall Blau shall be Operation Kessel, the entrapment of these units, they are strong here, but I shall have most of my panzer units – if all goes to plan.





Similar losses to last week, we're at least making the Russians pay for these gains.



Russian losses still stop their numbers from going over five million. They rose by 20,000 last week and we dropped by 40,000. Panzer numbers remain comparable.



The number of men returning to the front dropped sharply this week as well, over thirty thousand less replacements made it to the units who need them, as well as less ammunition.



We do have a good number of tanks in the pools as well, waiting for good weather to be shipped forwards.



There is little change in supplies for the units - most are down some, but the Fuel has improved a bit.



With the Russian offensive around Tula, and their continued breakthrough at Voronezh, the withdrawal along that section of the line must go ahead, the dent into the enemy lines is now coming under attack on three sides, and the Russians have the men in the south to really hurt me.


Click here for the full 1831x1375 image

Should I start moving the Panzer units from 3rd Panzer army south as well? Should I move 1st Panzer army north?

All good questions.
All reasons why I play these kinds of games.