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

[Strela]

End of German Turn 22; January 24 1600 - 1800 Visibility 2KM (Dusk)

Losses are more slanted towards the Soviets reflecting their more aggressive stance. The Russians lose 320 men to the Germans 100. These heavier casualties impact the victory points increasing the score to 404 an improvement of 11.



As the sun sets, supply continues to be an issue. The Korp HQ as well as much of it's heavy artillery s unavailable.



339th Infanterie's defending Landser's are very strong. With the onus on the Soviets to attack the highway, it was just a matter of waiting for the Russians to trudge through the snow and mow them down. Most of the attacking Rifle battalions are disrupted. Pushing up the highway towards Verk' Syaglova is slowed by the presence of good order infantry but the flanking Soviet AA gun is ambushed and shot up.



Where's he gone??? 322nd Rifle Division exits the board. Though some may consider this a gamey tactic, Brian and I discussed this and agreed it represented the breaking off of the German pursuit. With night coming nothing more would be achieved by either side.



The situation in the north though under control is still under severe pressure. 324th Rifle Division somehow disrupts the defender in the north east corner of the town and breaks into Sukhinichi. This is all the remarkable as the defender had over 450 men and very little fatigue. Egged on by their success the Russians along the northern flank advance forward and are almost disrupted to a man. That's not before they inflict casualties on the defenders though. In front of the cavalry, the 18th Panzer units pull back another hex, trying to stay out of assault range. The challenge going forward is that they are probably at the limit of their pullback. The corridor to Sukhinichi is now perilously thin.



With this being the end of the German dusk turn, the Soviets will have to continue to push forward if they want to have a chance of winning. If the Russians are not adjacent to an enemy unit for the remaining two night turns they will have little chance of advancing while staying undisrupted due to night move disruption - which is almost guaranteed for D class morale troops. It's starting to feel like the Germans have done just enough to win...