1st Ukraine Front - Insiders look at a Play Test

[Mr Grumpy]

Thanks for the pic and the link, looks like you had a blast. :)

Well done for returning the fish :bow:, catch a fish and eat it fine, but i hate killing for killing sake.

[Strela]

Hi All,

After Foul's mention of the assistance of the historical map, I have decided to include one additional screenshot that shows the whole front for reference....

Here is the situation at the end of Turn 10.


You will see this in each report from now on.

[Mr Grumpy]

Great stuff, makes more sense already! :bow:

[Strela]

Soviet Turn

Two significant events this 6am turn, visibility clears to 4 hexes and 5th MC has a withdrawal order set for 24 hours from now.

This looks like it maybe the penultimate turn - a lot of action and a lot of pictures - apologies to all on a slow connection.






Firstly lets look at the condition of 5th MC's spearheads. Most units have dropped to morale level F due to isolation and low ammo. This will slow the corp's advance for this turn.






With the lifting of the fog it becomes apparent that there is a weakness in the German lines between Krasnogorodka and Medvin. 167th & 180th Rifle Divisions prepare to storm Krasnogorodka, while 233rd Tank Bde redeploys towards Medvin. Long range fire from STuG Abt 202 knocks out another SU. 2/1129th Rifle Regt pushes further around Baran'ye Pole with the aim of isolating it.






The Russian forces focus on breaking through to their isolated comrades. II/GR107 disrupts due to heavy artillery fire. An immediate assault pushes it back to where it came from - Pavlovka. 46th Tank Regt manges to disrupt the company defending north of the town and 418th Rifle Regts assault isolates 7 companies worth of infantry in the ruins. The first assault on the town extracts a heavy price.






But the Soviets don't have it all their own way....






As in 27th Army sector, the German dispositions opposite 40th Army are apparent once the fog lifts. With 5th MC back in communication and Pavlovka essentially taken, the spearheads push towards Roskoshevka.

5th GTC has all its armor forward and concentrate on the German defences between Motylevka and Repki. Artillery fire disrupts the lone German engineer company and the tanks are through.....

The tracked vehicles manage to push as far as Vinograd and are very close to linking up with 5th MC. The Germans have 3 Regts in danger of envelopment....




German Turn 11

The clear weather heralds the collapse of 34th Infantrys defenses. The sacrifice at Pavlovka delayed the Russians for all of one turn. Losing a full Regt of infantry in the town will be difficult to recover from.

More significantly, 198th Infantry division did not arrive in time to stop 5th GTC breaking out west of Repki. T34's are reported east of Vinograd and could be heading for either the G'niloy Tikich crossings or a link up with 5th MC.







88th Infantry are hardly in a better position than the 34th. GR 248th is trying to pull back to Krasnogorodka but is closely pursued by 167th Rifle Division. One bright spot is that Baran'ye Pole is cleared of Soviet infantry and the line is restored between Medvin and Luka.

The massing of Russian tanks against 1/FE 235 requires another tactical withdrawal. Other than STuG Abt 202 and a few 88's there is nothing to slow the T34's.







Further air is called in from Uman and manages to disrupt some of the exposed motorised infantry.







A tank rider column is caught in the open and subject to very heavy losses. Amazingly it doesn't disrupt...






Pavlovka is gone :(

3 full Infantry Regt's are north west of Vinograd the 107th, 172nd and 253rd. The defenses in the bunker line are finally abandoned and the retreat is looking more like a rout. Most units try to use the road through Vinograd and artillery is belatedly limbered up. The breakthrough by 5th GTC was unexpected and only the 4 Stug's of STuG Abt 239 stand between the Russian advance units. Its looking doubtful if the infantry can escape the closing trap.....

[Strela]

Ran up against the 10 image limit.....




Both the German losses at Pavlovka and the German air attacks accelerate the casualty rate for both sides.






Ugh..... Does anyone doubt the Russian's can't breakthrough now?? looks like the Germans are in big trouble going into turn 12.

[Strela]

Soviet Turn

The weather is nice and clear and air is available for both sides.






In the north, 27th Army is beaten back bloodily at Baran'ye Pole despite heavy artillery support. Krasnogorodka is successfully captured and a number of 198th Infantry units are isolated.

233rd Tank Bde makes headway assaulting towards Dolgaya Greblya. It loks like the Tank Bde may be clear of the German defenses and could go in a number of directions. A push towards Povadovka could cut off the 326th Regt / 198th Infantry north of the Gniloy Tikich. Alternatively a concerted push towards Lisyanka could unhinge the whole German defenses.






5th GTC is followed by the 359th Rifle Division through the breach in the German lines. 21st Gds Tank Bde pushes to the Gniloy Tikich and leaves the 198th Infantry division no choice but to cross at Povadovka or Redkodub.

5th MC moves south of Vinograd and meets the spearheads from 5th GTC. 3 German Infantry Regts are now cut off in the Vinograd area.

Assaults destroy the German remnants at Pavlovka and clear the remaining bunkers near Motylevka. The fight for Pavlovka and Motylevka have been violent, but finally it is over. 58th & 133rd Rifle Divisions move up in readiness to reduce the Vinograd pocket...




German Turn 12

German forces are now separated along the divisional boundaries. 88th Infantry has lost contact with 198th Infantry and its own 246th GR. Russian tanks have been sighted where the friendly grenadiers should have been. 198th Infantry is split in two by the Gniloy Tikich and trying to get as much of its strength out of the 'loop' formed by the river. Its contact with 34th Infantry was severed when Repki fell and Soviet forces can now be seen heading further to the east.







The engineers in Baran'ye pole pull back to the north to avoid encirclement after a heavy assault by Russian infantry. Medvin is now very lightly held and the only forces linking to the 198th is a battered Feld Ersatz company that has withstood two overwhelming attacks by Soviet armor.

198th Infantry is desperately trying to pull back to Povadovka but the pursuing Russians are maintaining contact. Keeping this division intact is critical.






The jaws snap shut. All the forces around Vinograd are isolated. Most of the infantry are at the wrong end of the pocket to help a breakout. Only a few 88's and engineers are available to stop the T34's squeezing the encircled troops.

Air strikes are called in on a Sherman unit to assist with the breakout, but they harmlessly scatter away from their target.

It is dubious whether their is enough strength available to rescue the trapped troops of the 34th Infantry.

South of the 5th MC penetration the remnants of 34th Infantry are trying to form a line as well as reestablish its artillery.







Overall a German disaster is coalescing. The bulk of 34th Infantry could (will?) be lost and 198th Infantry is in danger of being trapped against the Gniloy Tikich...







Turn 13 to follow....

[Strela]

Hi All, apologies for the slightly slower pace in turns this week – I have been on a couple of overseas business trips (Taiwan and Malaysia).

Hopefully someone noticed ;)

Will have turn 13 done in the next day or so....

[The SNAFU]

Hi Strela,

It's starting to look quite bleak for the Germans. Their lines have been torn open and a large force cutoff by the advancing Russians. If the encircled regiments at Vinograd can breakout without destroying themselves in the process they could go a long way in restoring the German line of defence in that area. That however, seems unlikely.

I continue to enjoy your AAR and patiently await the next installment.

[Mr Grumpy]

Still watching.......;)

[Strela]

Soviet Turn

Marshall Konev is pleased to see the change in fortunes this morning. All that is required is for the Russian forces to take advantage of the holes that have been torn in the German lines...






Sturmoviks are again active and find heavy artillery limbered up and moving away from the breakthrough zone. They will go no further...






337th Rifle Division finds itself spread out between Luka and Medvin. The attacks around Baran'ye Pole have ground to a halt due to disruption on both sides. 2/1129 has managed to push too far beyond Russian lines and now finds itself isolated. It will be at least another couple of turns before a serious assault on Medvin can be mounted.

167th & 180th Rifle continue to dog 198th Infantry, but cannot manage to capitalise on the German retreat.

233rd Tank Bde manages to push back the German defenders, but fails to make a deep break in the defensive line. It appears that 3rd Tank Bn may be able to push into clear air next turn. The SU-85's manage to destroy the final Marders that had been helping to rescue forces north of G'niloy Tikich.






40th Army infantry now has two key missions : firstly to follow both 5th GTC & 5th MC through the breaches that have been made and free their battalions for further exploitation. Secondly, they must reduce the units in the Vinograd pocket as quickly as possible.

5th MC is to push on towards Tichnovka as soon as it can disengage and rescue the forces that have been cut off for so long.

5th GTC will form a second line to prevent German forces counterattacking in an attempt to free the Vinograd forces. In addition it must push toward the G'niloy Tikich and take all the crossing points with a particular emphasis on Redkodub. Taking the crossings will prevent the escape of 198th Infantry division and ensure that Lisyanka should fall next.




German Turn 13

Nothing is going particularly well for the Germans. All thoughts are now on preserving as many men and material as possible....






The link between 198th and 88th Infantry is maintained - just.

STuG Abt 202 moved forward to slow 233rd tank Bde and was disrupted after losing 1 vehicle for its trouble.

North of the G'niloy Tikich 198th Infantry continues to fall back towards Dolgaya Greblya as well as protecting the bridge at Povadovka. Without that bridge all the 198th forces south of the river are doomed.

The 198th Infantry division forces in the river bend now find that T34's are blocking access to the Redkodub crossing. Most units are heading back towards the Povadovka bridge.






Little happens in the 34th Infantry sector, though the regiments in the Vinograd pocket slowly give ground redeploying combat units towards the eastern flank with the aim of breaking out towards the south east. Air strikes called in to help 'prepare' the defending units fail dismally, with nearly all the ordinance falling on empty snow.

Reports of Russian tanks cutting the Shubennyy Stav to Bushanka railway are disturbing and may herald a concerted push to reach Tichnovka. VII Korp engineers successfuly push the Russians defending Tichnovka into a smaller two hex perimeter.






The overall (grim) picture at the end of Turn 13.






Who would be a German......? Turn 14 soon.