Weather Roll: Clear throughout the Front.

Another SS panzer withdrawn from the north this turn.

Army of Norway: The line shrinks again slightly and the Mtn XX withdraws to Alta and prepares to embark for the main front.

AGN: Germans start this turn with four infantry divisions and a Panzer division together with five REs of supporting units trapped in a line extending as far east as Kaunas. They also face a significant drive by Soviet forces towards Bialystok.  Despite these multiple threats only one attack can be mounted this turn and the decision is taken to drive east from the region of Konigsberg to break through to the surrounded troops in the Kaunas Pocket.  The attack is mounted with whatever panzers can be scoured from front lines together with the Nebelwerfer Corps. The surrounded 14-10 Panzer strikes West to link with the rescuers. The attack is successful annihilating a 15-12-8/3-2-8 combination but this comes at the cost of an SS Panzer Grenadier cadre/AA Regiment.

After the battle panzers dispersed back to the front lines but whole sections sectors are now held by cardres and secondary troops. Against better judgement but as a necessary expediency the Nebelwerfer Corps is split up and some units put in the front line.

AGC. In the north of the sector the 1st SS Mot Inf Brigade reports that they have lost contact with AGN units on the left flank and begin falling back southwest. The attack pattern of AGN is repeated here where Army Group Centre can only mount one significant attack against the Soviet advance from the direction of Kiev. Initially the surrounded pair of Panzer Grenadiers and light infantry division move one hex west and are sufficient to eliminate the NKVD regiment which is patrolling and interfering with supply lines. Next the main attack is launched towards the advance unit of the Soviet penetration, a 16-8 Gds Mech XXX, which is attempting to hook east and south around Kiev. The attack annihilates the enemy. As in the North this victory comes at a cost; with a half exchange resulting in the loss of a 6-8 Panzer cadre and 2-10 AA unit.

AGS: This Army Group also mounts only one attack, a target of opportunity against one of the Soviet tank Corps driving southwards from Cherkassy. In this they are more successful cadreing the 15-12-8 for no loss.

Outside the main battle area troops are desperately fleeing West to escape the impending jaws closing from the north and the bridgehead over the Dnieper in the South. This latter is contained only by an Hungarian division and cadre barring the way of the Soviet advance. The bridgehead is further East than the attempted crossing at Kherson and poses less of a threat to the retreating units but nevertheless a breakout from this position could cause serious problems for the Axis units in the South.

Air Combat: A few large battles occur this turn as the Axis fly GS to support their attacks and are intercepted by Soviet fighters.  In one around Kiev a mixed flight of 3x Ju88A, 1x Me110E, escorted by 3x Me109G and a FW190A is intercepted by a Yak9B, Yak9 and a P-39N.  The Yak 9 is Eliminated, the P39-N Aborted and the Yak9B Returned. No interceptors reach their targets although the Me 110E is Returned by AA fire. Despite this there is enough GS to influence the battle and result in the destruction of the defending 16-8 Mech Corps.

Combat Report

Attacks = 4

Losses: Abandoned Forts = 15, Axis = 15, Air = 1.

Soviets = 45, Air = 2.