WWII: BtB, Turn 3, Fall 41

 

Orders: Both players should take a look out of Russia as they got orders for mandatory offensives (OKW MO and Allied MO).

Initial German moves in the Fall have seen Army Group South, leaded by 1st Pz Army maneuvered to outflank Soviet Units and to reach Rostov. Romanian troops gave Germans infantry support. In the Center, 2Pz and 4Pz Armies attacked Soviet units defending Smolensk. But Russian units performed a stiff resistance and held the city. Losses however have been significant (5 steps) and Soviet commander decided to reinforce this key location by bringing fresh units from Moscow. Also reacting to the new menace at the South, Kiev has been abandoned to the Germans and a new front line is beginning to form from Gomel to Kharkov.

In the second Action round, German takes a pause in his offensive to let the delayed infantry armies to reach the front lines by occupying Kiev. Russian used this calm to reinforce with new Front units at Moscow, Kharkov and Stalingrad.

Germans launched an all-out offensive by Army Group Center in his third round. With the support of Stukas (+1 DRM in all combats) attacked at Smolensk (15-10), Gomel (14-8) and Chernigov (8-3) trying to break the front. At Smolensk Panzer push achieved to take the city and Soviet units retreated to the forests at Vyazma (LCUs) and Roslav Yenya to avoid further advance of Germans. At Gomel, Germans got another victory but Russian sacrificed one step to hold the position. At Chernigov, soviets also retreated facing superior German units.

Total losses of offensive: 15 Russian- 9 German

Seeing that Gomel was impossible to be defended, Soviet decide to gave up some terrain and established at forests in Bryansk and in the plains of Kursk.

In Africa Tobruk garrison attacked Italian troops at Gazala causing a step loss and fulfilling MO.

In the fourth round, German drove his attention to the Army Group South taking positions at Rostov and Stalino and menacing Kharkov. In a questionable decision, Soviet have not tried to defend Kharkov and moved his Front units back again.  Probably this has been a overcautious move in view of the weak Romanian units but Russian was afraid of the mobile mechanized German units.

Of course German did not miss the gift and he took Kharkov without any fight.  Following the momentum 1st and 2nd Pz Armies attacked at Kursk from Konotop. Another German victory (6-5) that forced Russian to retreat towards Orel and Elets and, in the following round, to Tula and Ryazan.

This ended the hostilities during Fall as both players expended the last card to get replacements.

This is the situation (after placing replacements) after Fall 41.

In this turn, Russian has tried to get a front line at three different locations but German was successfully pushing forward. Nevertheless, at least this time I am still alive when winter comes.

Losses this turn: Soviet: 28 steps, German: 15 steps, Italian: 1 step.