SGHunt
Posts: 873
Joined: 1/20/2010 From: Lancaster, England Status: offline
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Another good pocket and the Russians seem to have little left in the locker. I know, I know - dangerous predictions when talking about Russia, but it does seem that there is simply too much going off everywhere, even down South, for the Russians to be in any position to mass their reserves. If they can, and they should, it must be behind Moscow, and they must be committed very soon. Maybe we'll see Hoth's final offensive smash straight into the Russian strategic reserve somewhere East of Moscow, in a kind of icy Prokhorovka? The 'Battle of Orekhovo Zuevo' perhaps, where the rail line crosses the Klyazma due North of Hoth's leading Pz Korps? (My spelling is struggling with German and Russian place names, old and new names etc.) If the weather holds, then Kleist may make the Oka next turn? Along with another large pocket. And freeing up more infantry to support the encirclement. On the other hand, if the Rasputitsa arrives, you have the Russians in that sack to the NW of Ryazan as they presumably will not be able to manoeuvre themselves out. I'm still convinced that the 3rd Pz A's mobile units, supported by an Inf Korps, should be supporting Model's push East, not trying to cut though to 4th Army. Model's thrust is the key to the whole campaign now, surely? I understand the need to maintain pressure - you could still use the remaining two infantry Korps to scrap it out (at a fairly high cost, I accept) for a link up with the 4th? They will at least pin the Russians in place.
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