Guderian Drives South - The Matrix Games version of East Front II

Semtsy, near Pochep, 130km SW of Bryansk: [Best played as Axis] By August 1941, Hitler had decided to strike his main blow, not at Moscow, but at the Ukraine. Abandoning for the time being the advance on Moscow by Army Group Center. It was a decision he would regret. Armored and mechanized divisions of Panzer Group Guderian were ordered south to link up with Kleist’s 1st Panzer Group. It was a move totally unexpected by Stalin and his Red Army commanders, not to mention many German commanders. Guderian’s panzers slashed their way south through the disorganized Russians and by the 25th of August had captured Pochep on the Sudost River. Early on the 26th, following intensive dive-bomber attacks, the 17th Panzer Division attacked elements of the Soviet 269th and 282nd Rifle Divisions defending the bridges and crossings of the Rozhok River. Once across, the way south would be open and it would be just a matter of time before the linkup between the two Panzer Groups.