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

[Strela]

End of German Turn 23 January 24; 1800 - 2400 Visibility 1KM (Night)

As we enter the penultimate turn, the score continues to favour the Germans with an increase of 15 points to 419. The renewed push by the Russians comes at heavy cost with the loss of 330 men to the Germans 100. The Soviets also lose two vehicles and a gun, the Germans; 1 vehicle.



Three HQ's are out of supply. Unfortunately the 339th Infanterie and 18th Panzer are currently heavily engaged and now bereft of artillery support.



The 339th Infanterie sector has exploded into action. The push up the highway to Verk' Syaglova has been successful and the hamlet falls. The Landsers are out of ammo and out on a limb. The expectation would be to abandon this outpost once the German forces further east pull back. Its capture adds 10 VP's to the score. West of the highway, the full employment of an infantry regiment manages to isolate the two attacking Rifle battalions while pushing back the other disrupted pair. This should end the Soviet foray forward here. A crisis opens up a little further south, where masking its movement using the terrain another Rifle battalion breaks into the village astride the highway. This is critical for two reasons, firstly there are 10 VP's here defended only by light infantry howitzers and anti-tank guns. Secondly, a key supply route is cut and responsible for the large number of units out of command currently.



The 208th Infanterie sector has fallen silent and there will be no further action with the retreat of the opposing Rifle division.



The cutting of the highway in the 339th Infanterie sector has really compromised the Sukhinichi defence. The red highlighted units below are out of command, unavailable or low in supply or ammo.



The following graphic shows the increasing pressure on the German forces (red highlighted units are disrupted). The Soviets have definitely advanced and whittled down the German forces at the same time. Compare the strength of some of the defending Axis forces from this turn to the last. Most companies are twenty or less men. Another turn or two of this pressure and many of the Germans units would be hors de combat. The push by the Soviet cavalry is particularly dangerous and coupled with the rallying of a number of the Rifle battalions potentially catastrophic.



With only one turn left the end result is becoming clearer. If the game went a little longer the score could change pretty dramatically. The Soviets still have two turns in hand - what can they do?