Stalingrad 42 Breakout Group Zhuravlev

[Plain Ian]

Things are not looking great for Group Zhuravlev. I need to play an immaculate turn here with perfect moves in order to preserve as many units as possible. 



My first two moves are air attacks on the the T mode Germans moving behind my lines. Both are INTERCEPTED! Rats. My third move is moving the 3/297th a hex in order to prevent him slipping further units past my defences. It Disrupts! A few hours planning are now in the bucket! I now have to move the 2/40th unit down as a backstop for the 3/297th in order to stop him assaulting it and opening up a gap. This unit was supposed to move west to stop the T mode German unit from exploiting further.

I continue to pull back units everywhere. One success goes down as the Miracle of Manoylin. The 3/753rd moves forward and allows the the cut off 2/297th to escape encirclement. (ZOC to ZOC) I expect to hear the rattle of fire and the dreaded Disruption notice....but all is quiet!!!!

The 2/294th and 1/753rd are not so lucky and there will be no rescue attempt for them! (Actually trying to extract cut off units in PzC tends to be a futile exercise as it just ends up trapping more units)

In the north the 88th Regiment abandons the supply hex and falls back to cover the northern flank. The 1/40th Tank Bn is pulled back. I debate whether to use HQ 192nd as an anti assault unit for the 2/88th group or 3/676th. I pick the 2/88th leaving the 3/676th to its fate.

The 644th Tank Bn is now spare and goes off to do its fire fighting duties further east. It takes up position by the German Pioneers who are still in T mode. I’m used to playing games where the panzers are the emergency units, it feels strange playing a game where the T-34 is my fire brigade putting out the fires. If the Russian did not have any mobile units in this scenario the pocket would be quickly overran by the more nimble German footsloggers.
At Tsymlovskiy I pull back as far as possible. Its time to leave.

The eastern flank at Svechinkovskiy holds looking east for 22nd Tank Corps and 4th Tank Army! They also listen nervously to the artillery rumbling behind them in the north. The Guards of the 4th Gds Mortar Rgt curse silently as they are forced to act as foot fodder for one more turn!

Fatigue for most units in Group Zhravlev is still holding. (most units are Green fatigue) Supply also still holding with only two units reporting low ammo. The 644th Tank Bn and the 298th Art Rgt. However the sound of exploding munitions at Yevstra’skiy may change all that. 

There is a gaping 6km hole in my lines in the west between the 3/427th and the 2/753rd.............mmmmh.