19 - 21 November 1941 (Soviet)

Guderian’s Blitzkrieg II (including Enemy at the Gates and Case Blue)

 

19^th to 21st November1941

 

Turn 15 (Soviet)

Replacement DR = 5,4 (-1) so FTR, 4 Pax, Eq

Rebuild Yak 1, 5th Cavalry Division, 132^nd Tank Brigade

Supply DR = 3,1 so 18 (+1) SP

 

Staryy Torpopets

 

Struggling to keep up with the retreating Germans (even in the moderate freeze) the Soviets were reluctant to use their faster units to attack.  Artillery may be the problem.  To slow the withdrawal, Russian bombers have interdicted the tracks relied upon by the Germans.

As predicted, the failure to eliminate 53^rd Kavaleriy has hurt the Axis.  The cavalry have survived being cut off from food and moved to block the vital railway line to Smolensk. 

The abandoned town of Staryy Torpopets and its now empty airbase are recaptured.

 

Rhzev

 

The Soviets were content to move up a few units and to threaten breakthroughs with their forward cavalry divisions.

Sychevka – Vyazma

 

With unerring accuracy Soviet artillery wiped out 184^th Assault Gun Bn.  With no armour support and already weakened by weeks of fighting, 162.ID fell to pieced when hit by a mixed artillery and cavalry force.  The efforts of the Luftwaffe were not only in vain but costly: both fighters and bombers were shot down over the area.

Orel – Kursk

 

Perhaps sensing that the troops freed by the surrender of Kursk would head north, the Soviets started pulling back towards Orel.  It was an orderly withdrawal however, and the Russians did not overlook the opportunity to inflict losses on the Axis armoured divisions as they moved out.  3^rd Panzer lost a motorised infantry regiment, while 17^th Panzer was unable to assist its Aufklärung Bn.  The only Soviet losses were in the air where a group of old I-16 fighters were destroyed.

Khar’kov

All is quiet on the Kha’kov Front

Zaporezh’e

Fresh units move up to the south bank of the Dneipr.  All that can be identified are infantry

Supply           Soviet rec’d              19 SP

                        Soviet used              18.3 SP

 

                        Axis used                   .3 SP

Dead Units

Axis                 5(5)8                          184^th Assault Gun Bn

                        20(4)3                       162.ID

                        7(4)3                          3^rd Motorised Infantry Reg’t, 3.PzD

                        3(5)8                          27^th Aufklärung Bn, 17.PzD

Air Losses

 

Luftwaffe      Fighters                     1 step Messerschmitt Bf 109E

                        Bombers                   1 step He 111

VVS                Fighter                       1 step I-16