ASL J102 - The Yelna Bridge - Advance of the Reich

Original Design by Xavier Vitry, published in ASL Journal 7 YELNA, RUSSIA, 13 OCTOBER 1941: After the collapse of the Soviet forces facing Army Group Center, a handful of Russian units were sent to defend the main communication routes to Moscow - the most critical of which was the Minsk highway which ran south of Borodino. Meanwhile, the 10th Panzer Division regrouped and followed up its main thrust towards Moscow, following the SS 'Das Reich' Motorized Division. On 13 October, German forward elements encountered the first Soviet defensive poistions near the town of Yelnya where a small stream had to be crossed in order to keep up the pace of the advance. Aftermath: The first attack was launched but broke against a curtain of fire laid down by the Russian troops led by Captain Romanov. The SS troops regrouped and launched a second attack which nearly succeeded until Romanov comitted his reserve company in a counter attack. By nightfall the original positions were still in Soviet hands.