Moscow '42 AAR: Sukhinichi II : We Will Rescue You

[Strela]

End of German Turn 13; January 23 1400 - 1600 Visibility 4 KM

Again the casualty ratio is not improving with 220 Soviets lost to 115 Germans. A couple of extra Soviet vehicle losses improve the VP total by 2 measly points and still one below a draw.



Of more concern is the overall supply & command state. At probably the worst possible time both XXIV Panzer Korp & 18th Panzer Division are out of command. This has a very significant impact in the 18th Panzer sector where many units are either low ammo, unavailable or low fuel (red highlighted units have supply issues). Ironically, for the first time all game, 18th Panzer's Artillerie Regiment is completely available. Artillery unavailability seems to have ended up in the 208 Infanterie Division sector.



All continues quietly up in the 339th Infanterie area. A small push along the railway line just moves the Soviets a bit further away. Unfortunately not much more can be done as all the objectives have to be covered. I have resisted the temptation to break down the Infanterie battalions to company equivalents as that is just inviting the Soviets to get into a 'fair' fight.



For 208 Infanterie things are getting a little tougher. The grand plan for an encirclement of the fleeing Soviets is coming unstuck. The speed of advance through the forest and snow is preventing the Germans from cutting any retreating enemy. Unfortunately the Cav who have great mobility in the woods are miles away and not available. More of an issue is two battalions undisrupting and a further appearing suddenly in the open and heading to either Duminich or around our lengthening flank. The Infanterie Battalions follow the retreating Russians, but rarely have the movement points or ammunition to fire upon them.




18th Panzer and Sukhinichi are in trouble. Night can't come quickly enough to stop the Russians moving around. A significant number of units are low on ammo and that is making it hard to both attack and defend. The Soviet break-in to the towns defensive perimeter and subsequent pressure has resulted in moving the northernmost Infanterie battalion back into its original bunkers. All three Soviet battalions that advanced from the northwest are disrupted but there is just no Axis units close enough to assault and push them back out. I can only hope that the disrupted Infanterie battalion directly to the south rallies up. All along the hill, 18th Panzer's units are pulling back. There is significant pressure on the left flank and the only decent unit left is the Krad (motorcyclists) from the recon battalion. The Soviets are also pushing hard southeast of the town and the German counterattack to take the 10 VP hex is looking dicey. The Soviets still have one undisrupted battalion facing a few out of fuel tanks. If they survive this turn, the adjacent Infanterie battalion will have to join them. Fortunately, the Russian Cavalry are still disrupted and the artillery fire on them trying prevent them recovering fatigue.



As the German player at the halfway point of play, the game feels like it's starting to slip away. The decision to muscle up against the flanking Soviet divisions has left 18th Panzer very exposed with only weak Panzer Grenadiers available to hold ground. 216 Infanterie is pressed just to hold Sukhinichi and with the poor supply and failing defenses that is now at risk. Losing any more VP hexes will really compromise the next day as there is little that is strong enough to hold ground, let alone counterattack.