Turn Report

Weather: The warming from the south continues as the majority of the Front dissolves into thick mud. (Mud in Zone C & D)

Army of Norway: The defence falls back a hex further north along the Swedish border.

AGN: At 6 a.m. on Tuesday the 21st March the silence of the early morning is shattered by the screech of a massed Nebelwerfer barrage softening up the Soviet defenders funnelling supplies and artillery support to the Mech Corps leading the breakout towards Siauliai.   German ground forces with close air support then attack the shocked defenders as two SS panzer divisions and an SS panzer grenadier division lead a ground assault smashing a 9-6 artillery division and a Guards infantry division who retreat in disarray at great loss of numbers and leave a tank brigade to suffer total elimination. The head of the Soviet thrust (A Guards 12-8 Mech xxx and 11-8-18 Tk xxx) is cut off by strong German forces advancing to isolate them from their supply lines ready for future destruction.

Axis counterattack Soviet thrust to Siaulilai

Axis counterattack Soviet thrust to Siaulilai

AGC: More minor retreats and line straightening. No attacks.

AGS: A dangerous salient has formed east of Poltava where an advancing Soviet Mech Corps cuts SE behind an infantry corps barring its escape SW to the Dnieper.  A 10-10 mech and 14-10 panzer hold ground to try and offer the infantry an escape route but the masses of advancing Soviets threaten to infiltrate through the lines despite the mud which slows movement to a crawl.

The two pockets along the Azov Sea coast between Taganrog and Mariupol, with no chance of rescue, form a defensive perimeter. With their backs against the coast they brace for the inevitable attack.

In the Crimea a 2-6 Marine brigade is eliminated but due to limited supplies and the defenders air and Naval support it takes the combined might of an 18-10 panzer, 5-7-6 infantry xx and 1-2-6 ET to accomplish the sailor’s destruction.

Air combat: In a supreme effort by the Luftwaffe ground support crews all 5 Aborted aircraft are restored to full operational effectiveness in the initial phase. Again the main focus of the Luftwaffe is DAS in which a Ju87R and Ju88A are lost to enemy action.

Combat Report:

Attacks = 2
Losses; Soviet = 12, Air = 4;  Axis; Air = 2.