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

[Strela]

End of German Turn 20; January 24 1200 - 1400 Visibility 5 KM (Day)

Not surprisingly losses are heavy in the last two hours. The Soviets lose 250 men to the Germans 150. Another AA gun is removed from the Russian inventory. The score moves significantly to 391 VP's - a German minor victory. 20 points of the 23 point increase is attributable to the taking of two victory locations in the 339th Infanterie sector.


At this critical time all HQ's are in supply but there are an increased number of artillery units unavailable (9 increasing 2 from 7 last turn). There is little indirect fire support for the 208th Infanterie in the south or for the units deployed around Sukhinichi.



The 339th Infanterie Division manages to capture two locations. The clearing of the victory hex on the highway and the village of Bryn in the centre of the map has a large impact on the victory score. Bryn had not been cleared to date due to a lack of available units. More ominously four Soviet Rifle Battalions seem to be massing for another attempt to take the westernmost German position.



The Pionier Battalion of the 208th Infanterie assaults forward and disrupts the opposing Rifle Battalion despite being low on ammo. The rest of the Division continues to press the Soviets south and they are increasingly looking like a rabble. As the German infantry break from the woods it will be easier to pursue and attack. The infantry battalion that was to attack Proloskoye is struggling with supply and may not be in position to attack the village before the end of the scenario. This is typical of the winter scenarios - supply is very difficult away from the road network, particularly in closed terrain like a forest.



Hallelujah!!! The German feint forward seems to have worked!!! The Soviets have pulled back from every attack around Sukhinichi - despite having the Axis forces pretty much on the ropes. The sheer desperation of throwing a couple of light tanks and tired troops to encircle the Cavalry Regiment seems to have had an outsized effect. Probably the biggest challenge for the Soviets was the inability for the 324th Rifle Division to rally up. If the Russians had been able to attack the German's northern outposts simultaneously with the push from the south there was a good chance that the town would have been isolated. Looking at the state of the key defensive hexes there is little that would hold for any sustained operation. Add the fact that there has been little effective German artillery around Sukhinichi and the contest has been closely run.



I'm very surprised to see the Soviets pull back. The only question is it permanent or are they just rallying for one final push....