loki100
Posts: 10920
Joined: 10/20/2012 From: Utlima Thule Status: offline
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Turn 69: 8 -15 October 1942 The Germans maintained their pressure at Moscow, both sealing off the formations trapped near Kaluga and, again, encircling 54 Army trapped around Borodino. (as usual this is the position when I open the turn) Stavka continued to reward those armoured formations that had won victories and renamed the South-Eastern Front to reflect its position on the Soviet defensive lines. Facing a crisis at Moscow, and desperate to slow the Germans, Stavka ordered two major offensives at opposite ends of the front. Moscow At Moscow, 22 Army again tried to reach the units trapped around Borodino. The opening blow was held, but a renewal of the attack on 12 October forced the German infantry to fall back. Elements of the reconstituted 2nd Shock Army then tried to break into the pocket but the German 208 Infantry division managed to hold off two successive attacks. In frustration, Stavka ordered the commitment of the final mobile reserve at Moscow. Even as the exhausted formations of 2 Shock pulled back, and the Germans perhaps relaxed, the armour of 3 Tank Army hit their defences. This time the 208th buckled and Soviet units were able to link up. To distract the Germans, 24 Army supported these operations by attacking elements of 24 Panzer Corps. However, the German armour was well deployed defensive and the Soviet offensive quickly lost momentum. In an attempt to place the German flanks under pressure, 4 Army counter attacked near Kaluga. Here there was no real hope of reaching the trapped formations but there was a chance to damage some over-extended German motorised divisions. and, to the south of the Oka, Bryansk Front's 28 Army forced 2 Panzer Division to fall back as Soviet units redeployed on the Tula-Ryazan axis. (Cavalry of 4 Army preparing for action) The South In the Crimea, the Soviets again tried to protect Sevastopol from the endless bombing by a series of naval landings. The attempt at Feodosiya failed but again the main rail lines to the Crimea were cut. However, at Rostov, the Soviet armour struck at the exposed German allied formations. Unable to cope with the Soviet tanks, the Hungarians were quickly forced back and then all semblance of an organised retreat ended To the north, the cavalry of 37 Army forced back the Romanians leaving the German infantry divisions exposed and partly encircled by the fast advancing Soviet tanks. In an attempt to disrupt any German response, the VVS launched a series of massive raids in an attempt to destroy the Luftwaffe on the ground and limit its capacity to intervene. (Soviet marines at Mariupol) OOB Losses continued to be high. The Germans lost 27,000 men (7,000 killed), 135 tanks and 100 planes. Soviet losses were 43,000 men (23,000 killed), 315 tanks and 365 planes.
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