Guderian’s Blitzkrieg II AAR (includes Enemy at the Gates and Case Blue)
5th to 7th October1941
Ground conditions are automatically Dry. Air DR = 5,4 so air conditions are normal
The Axis player elects to go first.
Turn 2 (Axis)
Replacement DR = 3(-1) so lose 1 Truck (taken from Kherson/Crimea area.
Supply DR = 7 so 13 SP + 1 SP = 14 SP.
Fresh troops arriving from Germany for Unternehmen Taifun were spread over the whole front. 296.ID was sent to Velikiye Luki, 95.ID to Smolensk and 45.ID to Konotop.
Two more infantry divisions and 58th Korps HQ arrived from the west for 1st Panzer Army, as well as another security division from Hungary. All headed for Dnepropetrovsk.
In the far south, 170.ID marched east. It had a long way to go, with rail conversion still more than 100 miles from the front.
Stara’ya Russka
(Apologies yet again: Russian move already completed)
Taking advantage of the Soviet withdrawal, “Totenkopf” pushed up the connecting track to the Valda highway. After the Luftwaffe terrorised 202nd Strelkovaya, an SS Kradschutzen Bn overran the Russians, destroying the rifle division but forced to pull back itself. The follow-up saw the crack 26th Strelkovaya severely damaged and driven back by a 253.ID assisted by an Aufklärungs battalion from “Totenkopf” and 600th Assault Gun Bn.
To the south, rail conversion moved east reaching Zapadnaya Dvina, recently abandoned by the Russians. 256.ID was not content to see the Ivans retreat and tried to encourage them further but was fought to a standstill by 174 Strelkovaya, both sides taking casualties.
Nelidovo/Sychevka
An attempt to drive the trapped Russians away from their own lines was unsuccessful, though no losses were sustained. 100th “Lehr” Brigade with 11th (14th Mtr Div) and 4th (6th PzD) Motorised Infantry Regiments retreated after a very poor performance against 50th Cavalry Div, Dovator Group and an unknown support unit (believed to be a HQ). 100th Lehr remained in position on the track to Sychevka.
South of Sychevka, 113th Panzer Grenadier Regt (1st PzD) overran a divisional line, but was not able to occupy the area as supply could not be provided so far east: Russian air interdiction was affecting narrow paths through the forest that were the only route east. An attack by tanks of 1/1 Bn, 1st PzD, broke another divisional line to the west, but it could not take advantage of this as it had to return for repairs. Nevertheless, the losses did weaken the Russian infantry divisions.
East of Smolensk
The north and east of Smolensk, German forces pulled back, unwilling to suffer further artillery bombardment. To the southeast of the city, 177th Assault Gun Bn showed what armour can do against demoralised infantry, overrunning 4 rifle divisions and destroying both 303rd and 139th Divisions. Two other StuG battalions that were ready to assist moved towards Spas Demyansk.
Spas Demysansk
With the road to Spas Demyansk was already congested, the operations of Russian aircraft around the town a real concern. To add to the traffic jams near at the town, large numbers of units were arriving up the track from the Roslavl area. Unable to use its full manoeuvrability, 5th Panzer carried out a standard assault, taking the town and its garrison, 60th Strelkovaya. Unfortunately 11/31 Pz Bn was lost in the fighting. The real cost to the Germans, however, was the delay caused by the combination of air and ground hindrances. There was some good news for the transport crews: a rail engineer battalion reached Yeln’ya, allowing it to be used as a forward supply centre. And Messerschmitts were already landing at the newly captured airbase, ready for the return of harassing bombers.
Bryansk
German units advanced slowly, but were reluctant to give battle, perhaps wary as a result of the lesson handed out to “Das Reich” previously.
Seredinava Buda – L’Gov – Belopol’ye
Having survived the Russian attack, 191st Assault Gun Bn may have expected to be relieved. It was not so lucky. Supply was sent to replace the internal stocks used, but it was asked to hold just a little longer. 1st Cavalry Division, that could have assisted, was instead directed south east.
Guderian’s main concerns were far to the east and to the south. The disruption caused by VVS bombers to the troops packed into Dimitirev-L’Govskiy slowed the drive on Orel, and only an assault gun and a panzerjäger battalion could be spared to travel north from Kromy to block the major road west from Orel. There was better news from Belopol’ye: a rail conversion team pushed European guage to the town allowing supply to be railed in. Then, after a series of bombing raids, 243rd Assault Gun Bn overran 129th Tank Brigade and then 43rd Cavalry Division. Not to be outdone, “Groß Deutschland” made short work of 293rd Strelkovaya to the south of the town. The Russian blockade was shattered.
Poltava – Dnepropetrovsk
To the north of Poltava, a defence line was assembled along the Vorskla River. To the east, the front line troops withdrew behind the nearby river.
16th Pzd was given additional supplies to allow it to drive north. 15th and 230th Strelkovaya disintegrated on impact, but 393rd put up a fight before it too was destroyed. Thousands of Italian troops surged north to link up with the armoured spearhead. A mixed force of Hungarians, Italian cavalry and SS “Wiking” Motorised Division raced south, enveloping the city and garrison of Zaporezh’e.
Melitopol and Crimea
Cautious of the Soviet build up in the Melitopol area and conscious that few reinforcements or supply could be expected as Unternehmen Taifun raged to the north, the Rumanian and German forces withdrew slightly. An infantry regiment was detached and sent to aid 22.ID as it blocked access to and from the Arabatskaya Isthmus.
Rail conversion reached Novaya Mayachka.
Supply: Axis rec’d 14 SPs
Axis used 14.3 SPs
Soviet used 3 SPs
Dead units
Axis: 5th Panzer Division 5(5)8 11/31 Pz Bn
Truck (Recalled)
Soviet 6(2)5 Tank Battalion(129)
2(1)4 Cav Division (43)
10(0)1 Infantry Division
2 x 11(1)1 Infantry Division (303, 393)
5 x 12(2)2 Infantry Division (15, 60, 202, 230, 293)
Air Losses: No air losses either side
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