Turn Report
3 pockets formed this turn with a total of 10 divisions and 9 cadres/regiments Isolated.
Weather Roll: No change so Mud in A and Clear elsewhere.
True to Mr Churchills vow the Allies land in Normandy this month which requires the withdrawal of a Panzer xx and cadre and other much needed troops that are pulled from the north.
Army of Norway: The line shrinks back again as the German forces consider if they should abandon their current perimeter entirely and falling back SW to free up troops for the main front so desperate is the situation there.
AGN: Two attacks are mounted again in this sector. Neither have any strategic import but are attacks of opportunity. The first is disappointing simply retreating an infantry stack. The second is more effective cadreing two Guards rifle divisions and a14-6 and 9-6 Artillery division but the unlucky HX cadres a 14-10 panzer division in a costly exchange.
In exploitation the German panzers move 65 miles west to join the infantry line of rebuilt and fresh units rushed to the front; away from Soviet artillery and to better terrain/their fortified line.
AGC: The line steadily retreats though the Pripet giving up the Eastern marshlands and covering main roads and junctions against any Soviet breakthrough. North of Kiev they contain the retracted Soviet advance content that their last turn attack forced the enemy to retrench but in doing so two forts are abandoned.
AGS: There is more need for strategic direction here as panzers, panzer grenadiers and other mobile elements mass to attack the body of the Soviet tank corps snaking towards Kirovograd. A successful attack eliminates a 15-12-8 and 3-2-8 tank unit combo and severs thee more corps from the main body of Soviet forces.
The Axis units trapped in the pocket at U1 attack north and recapture the Soviet crossing and Cherkassy town making reinforcement more difficult for the Soviets and at the same time extending their own supply East but this is a tentative reoccupation and a temporary one.
Axis attacks against the Cherkassy breakout
This success however is too late to stop the shaky, mainly Hungarian, infantry in the easternmost part of the Dnieper bend who, against the standfast order of OKW, flee west.
Trucks move to link the easternmost Axis units to the Odessa Supply net so all Axis will be at full supply at the start of the Soviet turn.
Air Combats. All Luftwaffe and Axis air units go on DAS missions. Now the bulk of the Soviet forward airbases are operational there are numerous encounters across the front. After all air combat is executed and tallied the Axis come out slightly on top with 2 Eliminations each but 3 Aborts on the Soviets and 2 on the Axis.
Combat Report
Combats = 4
Losses:
Soviets = 50, Air = 2
Axis: German = 12, Air = 2
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