Narrative: The Beginning of the End

OKW headquarters is a flurry of frantic activity, the crackle of radio messages, the hurried footsteps of telegraph operators running to and fro and the clatter of Enigma machines issuing their cryptic messages is deafening.  Reports are flowing in thick and fast from the field, each one bringing news of more defeats and disasters.

“Sir, From AGN, General Grasser reports 329th division and the remains of 30th and 602th are isolated in the Kaunas pocket. Strong Soviet forces reported 50 miles East of Insterburg. 20th SS has been heavily engaged by the enemy and is now retreating towards the Konigsberg fortified perimeter.”

Another radio operator bursts into the room. “General I cannot understand this report, not yet verified, but 2nd Police Regiment at Bialystok reports that their patrols have encountered Soviet tanks to their south WEST. “

“Have we news from Army Group Centre?”

35th infantry division who is holding the crossroads North of Sarny advises that they have lost contact with 3rd Panzer Grenadiers who were holding to their north and Army Group Centre units to their south, and there’s this”;

The commander is passed a tickertape.  BEGIN: Kiev lost. STOP. Survivors 262 inf retreating SW. MESSAGE ENDS.

A frazzled radio operator thrusts a transcript to the Commanders still outstretched hand. He throws it back at him and snaps.  “I do not have not the time to read this – give me a summary”.  “Sir, report in from AGS: “14th Panzer isolated at Kirovograd, 2nd Parachute Division reports they are cut off by strong Soviet mobile forces in their rear”, but sir weren’t they in reserve 40 miles behind the Hungarian front lines?

Turn Report

Partisans – No targets so no activity.

Arctic front: (3 attacks). The attack is resumed against Lakelva and this time is successful in taking the city. 30 miles north a second assault eliminates an enemy regiment and the advance isolates a third.  However, an attack at Varo to remove the garrison fails.

Leningrad Front: An Artillery/Infantry assault directly to Konigsberg shatters the 20th SS infantry division. Simultaneously the isolated Guards mechanised Corps is reunited with its comrades driving to the West simultaneously isolating an infantry division and two cadres.

Most Soviet mechanised units are concentrated for a direct drive through towards Bialystok. The duel thrust reduces two infantry divisions to cardres one of which is overrun in exploitation as the Soviet advance reaches the south-western suburbs of the city.

On the northern fringes of the Pripet an SS infantry and cavalry division are both carded by infantry/ artillery assaults. The centre of the marches is quiet as Soviet troops battle as much against the terrain as the opposition in reaching the front line in force.

Moscow Front; The Axis defence is now so porous that a single Guards Infantry Division with a Foreign Contingent Brigade’s assistance penetrates the line north of Kiev and engages a 1-5 security regiment which is eliminated and allows the Guards an additional 16-mile advance West.

The Soviets prepare a massive infantry/artillery assault against Kiev which is now surrounded on five sides. Copious assault engineer brigades lead the charge and the city is taken on the first attempt with a DR result. The remaining defending division is carded as it retreats through the attacker’s ZOCs.

AGC cannot stop the Red Tide

AGC cannot stop the Red Tide

Stalingrad Front: The swirling battles around the Cherkassy bridgehead are finally resolved in the Soviet’s favour as they breakthrough just east of Kirovograd and swing west. Here their forward patrols meet their counterparts from the Mechanized/Tank Army driving north from the bridgehead over the southern Dnieper. This move isolates approximately half the remaining Hungarian army stationed in Soviet territory which occupies a line orientated north-south 30 miles to the East of Kirovograd.

In this move the Soviets have finally accomplished the objectives of the Moscow Front, but the bag of enemy troops is tiny in proportion to those hoped-for in the heady days of March when it appeared that the bulk of Army Group South could be trapped in the Dnieper River bend. That the final result is so pitiful compared to their hopes is a tribute to the fierce and determined counter-attacks by the German armour and the battles for the Cherkassy bridgehead which have raged for three months and have allowed the bulk of the Axis forces to fight in full supply. Indeed, without the southern breach of the river it is possible the vast bulk of the Axis troops could have been withdrawn – except of course those slaughtered on the long, dusty, roads to the West.

The trap is sprung in the south

The trap is sprung in the south

Air Combat: The Soviets decide to learn from their adversaries and add large amounts of DAS over their forward elements rather than using the Assault bombers to destroy infrastructure of /harass the enemy.

The Luftwaffe, however, is still a force to be reckoned with and they concentrate in force against key hexes where they are most keen to minimise the Soviet advance and where they may be able to counterattack. Accordingly, fewer, larger air battles are fought.

The Soviets attempt to increase the odds for their vital breakout attempt from the bridgehead over the southern bend of the Dnieper 65 miles East of Kherson. 7xPe2FTs, A20-G and an Il-2m3 with 5 escorts are engaged by 3 FW190s, a Ju88c and Me109G.

Ignoring the Escorts, the Interceptors target the A20 and 4 of the Pe2FTs achieving 1 Kill and 2 Aborts for the loss of the JU88C. With no AA fire the Soviets deliver 17 points to support the troops on the ground (they needed 8). By contrast the attacker’s AA Returns the Ju88A defender so the final attack is resolved at 6:1 (+3) and smashes the Hungarian defenders.

In another encounter a Pe2B, Pe2FT, and a A20B escorted by a Yak7B and Yak9D are intercepted by 2x ME109Gs, a Ju88C, Me210C and a pair of FW190As. The Fokker Wolfs take on the Escorts allowing the weaker interceptors to engage the bombers.  The Yak9D is Aborted, the 7B Returned as are all the Bombers but lucky defensive fire from one of the bombers Aborts the Ju88C.

Combat Report

Attacks = 27 including 3 Auto eliminations. In addition 7 overruns eliminate 8 units and some Pos AA this turn.

Losses:
Soviets = 23,
Air = 4

Axis:
Forts= 7
German Isolated = 14
Un-isolated = 87
Pos AA=8
Air = 3

Hungarian = 13
Eastern = 6.

Total Axis = 120!

Combat Ratio: Axis/Soviets = 135/68 = 1.98