Continuing from HERE
 

 

Turn 10 saw limited activity, as we had to consolidate our rail lines, and supply. I have feinted the Soviets South and caught the Germans a little flat footed. But I intend to hard right North and attempt a quick attack on Zaporozh’ye. The situation at the end of the turn.

Limited Arty will be available this turn, as the supply trucks must be pressed into service to quickly cross the river if we can!

This will ease pressure in the North – hopefully and allow us to consolidate some forces.

Turn 11

Soviets pull a scratch force together and attack Zaporosh’ye. The feint seems to have worked.

This forces back the entrained unit there and the supporting Hetzers!

But supply is sparse and the ability to quickly exploit is not readily apparent.

Other Soviet attacks close in on the River line and the resulting unit positions. We have a tiny beachhead over the river with good locking ZOCs.

Can we weather any counter attacks and can we get supply then forces to bear to exploit.

End of Soviet Turn 11.

The Start of Turn 12:

Using 2 Divisions, the Germans counter attacked in the SW of Poltava, and elect to remain in place after forcing a retreat. They are starting to apply their Fire Brigades to the line!

They draw their line back from the new Soviet HQ in the North and reinforce the line. They have the Soviets boxed in but across the Dnepr.

The minor bridge head across the river is still tenuous at best, and has a blocking ZOC on the bridge hex for at least another turn.

It is probably time for the paras. The question is where? Should we explore the North around Chernigov. OR perhaps the river crossing near Kiev? Better still the crossing at Cherkassy, would likely force a quick retreat!

In the center and South free VP’s are a lure for the paratroopers, but do not offer any easy way of being quickly supported. The other option is to capture supply hexes? The ones on the Western border.

The attacks constructed in turn 12 go right. Everyone of them! We smash thru and capture Poltava, we force back to the Dnepr the German divisions North of Zaporozh’ye. And our break out attacks West of there are highly successful. We can now isolate the city of Dnepropetrovsk, and it cannot be reinforced! We can also head West towards Sofievka!

In the German turn a handful of counter attacks put some hurt on the Soviets. The Step losses out weigh the replacements. So now… it gets gritty. Missing 3:1 at 2.7 to one hurts….

On the positive side these isolated units start to burn away!

End Turn 12.