Guderian’s Blitzkrieg II AAR (includes Enemy at the Gates and Case Blue)
1st to 4th October 1941
Turn 1 (Soviet)
Replacement DR = 5 (-1) so Nil (+1 Pax)
Supply DR = 7 so 22 SP + 1 SP = 23 SP
Many Russian units found themselves without access to supply, but nearly all were able to draw what was needed from local supply dumps. Of those without access to any supply, only one tank unit surrendered, while two infantry divisions were able to breakout.
4 tank brigades became available, as well as 2 motorised infantry brigades. It is thought all were deployed through Moscow, taking advantage of the major rail network. In fact, so many troops were moved by rail that there was no rolling stock available to transport fuel and ammunition in the north.
Star’ya Russka
Large numbers of Russian troops were observed heading east, many of them moving at maximum speed. Those remaining pulled back several miles from the German forces
To the south, Zapadnaya Dvina was evacuated.
Nelidovo
(The "Rising Sun" counters used for air-interdiction are not the ones provided in the game. We found we needed something that stood out and the "Train-busting" counters blended into the background too well. The numbers on the counters don't have any significance.)
Soviet forces withdrew north behind the Mezha River to protect Nelidivo. Other units ranged themselves in prepared fortifications to the west of Rzhev. Not all movement was defensive: at least one tank unit advanced to Pussii, threatening the slender Axis line snaking east through the woods towards Sychevka.
More obvious was the presence of scores of Soviet aircraft harassing roads in the area, slowing the Axis advance. A fighter sweep of Rzhev airbase destroyed a few I.16s but none of the bombers in the area were hit by flak.
The unfortunate 242nd Strelkovaya, half its men dead from the Stuka attack, faded into the woods. It successfully escaped east and the remnants should be reformed by 22nd October.
East of Smolensk-Roslavl
To the south of the railway, a Russian rifle division moved into the swamps, possibly considering an advance towards Smolensk. Further north, a major assault (including a preliminary barrage) broke a divisional line, but the Soviet infantry involved were unable to advance. 143 Tank Brigade was released from reserve and passed through the gap to attack a large group of artillery in the German rear, but this too had mixed results. An artillery group was destroyed, but the rest escaped, and the Russian tanks were forced to withdraw.
With the railway southwest through Yeln’ya cut by German motorcyclists, a large group of infantry divisions slowly started to retreat north, heading for the Moscow-Smolensk highway. Tanks and motorised infantry made swifter progress.
Further south, 145th Tank Brigade, cut off from fuel and ammunition, surrendered. The nearby 211th Strelkovaya, however, split up and vanished in the forest, heading east. It will be nearly a month before they can rejoin the fight.
More long-range bombers hit roads south of Spas Demyansk, concentrating on making German overruns unlikely.
West of Bryansk
Southwest of the city the Soviets were in full retreat. As far as can be determined, the objective is to reach the Desna River and hold the bridges.
Seredivinava Buda to L’Gov
Several Bf109F fighters were lost to defending Soviet aircraft over Vyazma, but some Heinkels were able, nevertheless, to break up infantry massing for an attack on the assault guns guarding the bridge northwest of Seredinava Buda. The Soviets, however, were desperate to re-open a route that not only promised supply but also escape, and launched the attack anyway. Fortified by the Luftwaffe’s assistance, the StuGs caught the attackers by surprise, destroying 141st Tank Brigade.
Further south, 293rd Strelkovaya overran 400th Artillery Bn, using its internal stocks of ammunition to do so. A column of other units then created a safe supply route for the beleaguered defenders of Belepol’ye. What was disastrous for the Germans was that one of these units was a motorcycle unit held in reserve: after reaching the Belopol’ye area it then launched a long-range thrust into the German rear, reaching the newly arrived units of 10th Motorised as they were strung out along the road, defenceless. In the ensuing slaughter, 10th Motorised lost its artillery battalion and an infantry regiment. It was little consolation that the Russians were out of fuel and likely to die of starvation.
There was further bad news for General Guderian. Russian pilots braved the anti-air defences of the airbase at Dimitriev-L’Govskiy, and threw most of 7th PzD into turmoil. They will not be able to move far in the next few days.
West of Poltava to Dnepropetrovsk
The Russians manoeuvred as if to mount an assault on the southern end of the line in front of Poltava. German reserves were sent forward and the Luftwaffe bombed one area with some success. In the end, no attack was launched but there was no joy at 1st Panzer Group Army HQ: General von Kleist was informed that a battalion of assault guns sent forward to bolster the defence was hit by Soviet artillery and destroyed.
Stavka appears to have abandoned Dnepropetrovsk, all units having pulled away from the area of the Axis breakthrough. Cavalry were seen concentrating in the Pavlograd area, however, indicating that fighting may not yet be over.
More disruption to road movement was caused by Soviet aircraft. It is believed that one formation of Pe-8 bombers travelled hundreds of miles from Serpukhov to Dnepropetrovsk to complete its mission.
Melitopol and the Crimea
Despite the threats of immediate action in the south, the Soviets were content to bring up more troops. Long range bombers targeted the wagon track west from Kherson, slowing progress considerably. Flak units from “Liebstandarte Adolf Hitler” did shoot down some TB-3s, the first success against interdicting aircraft.
At the northern end of the Arabatskaya peninsula, 22.ID also congratulated its anti-air gunners after they destroyed half the Il-2s attempting to soften them up for a ground attack, a ground attack that as a result never came.
Supply: Soviet rec’d 23 SP
Soviet used 21.2 SP
Axis used 0.2 SP
Dead Units
Axis: 10th Motorised Division 8(4)3 41st Mot Inf Regt, 20(3)3 Mot Art Regt
7(3)3 Artillery Bn (400)
26(2)2 Artillery Group
Soviet: 5(1)5 Tank Brigade (141) Surrender
3(2)5 Tank Brigade (145)
Aircraft losses
Axis Fighters Bf 109F 1 step
Bombers Nil
Soviet Fighters I.16 1 step
Bombers Il-2 1 step (Flak)
TB-3 1 step (Flak)
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