Smolensk '41 Camapign Game AAR

[larsonney]

First off, thanks for redrawing the map...it looks great and is definitely an improvement!!

Here are the answers to your questions:

You are not sending anything north of the W. Dvina? Edit by this I mean running a Division further east than what you have plotted for 20th Panzer.
I only sent some screening forces to make sure the 214th RD, which starts the campaign on the northern map edge at Klimovo, moved south to Vitebsk or east instead of digging in at Gorodok.

You’ve plotted a strange route for the 29th Motorised?
I gave them the task of capturing Orsha if the Russians defended it, then to slide northeast and  advance due east north of the Dnepr to keep the Russian forces north of the Dnepr engaged and not able to retreat east while the panzer divisions raced east south of the Dnepr.

I also can’t see any mention of the 4th Panzer and 1st cavalry Division of XXIV Mot Korps?
In this campaign, the 4th Panzer and 1st Cavalry are not present.

Vitebsk and Orsha are left to be captured by follow on infantry?
Vitebsk will be captured by 18th Motorized and Orsha by 29th Motorized.


The quote is first attributed to Field Marshal Helmuth Karl Bernhard Graf von Moltke, Chief of Staff of the Prussian General Staff, and yes…the plan has not survived the first day of battle! I hope to post the Day 1 recap soon!