Clash of the Titans Across the Dnepr - After Action Report.
What is Across the Dnepr? It's SSG’s new mega campaign scenario for the Korsun Pocket game.
Who are the Titans? They are Ian Trout and Roger Keating, founders of SSG and veterans of over 20 years of internecine computer warfare.
This is your chance to follow a top of the table clash as Designer meets Programmer in a very public showdown.
AAR Prologue
From: US Military Attaché Berlin
To: The War Department, Washington
Well, one month into Operation BARBAROSSA and the Germans are doing very well. Their radical new doctrine for using Armoured Divisions (though clearly inferior to ours) seems to work well against second rate military powers like the Poles, French and Russians. It probably would have worked against the British as well. Of course, we’ll never know how it would worked against us, as the only possible first rate opponent, as the President has flat out guaranteed that we won’t be joining a European land war.
This report deals with German operations aimed at SMOLENSK and VYAZMA, these major centres lying on the direct route to MOSCOW. As per the War Department’s policy of being extremely well prepared for other people’s wars, we have some quite detailed research findings.
General Keating is commanding Army Group Centre and we estimate that he will have around 35 Divisions available for this operation, most in very good condition and having excellent morale. His troops have already routed numerous Russian formations and taken vast numbers of prisoners. Yet even this overwhelming success has taken longer and cost more than expected. General Keating does not have the luxury of a considered approach, and each casualty costs him dearly.
Very little is known about Comrade General Trout, commanding the Soviet Western Front. His very obscurity may have saved him from the Tukhavchevskiite purges, though rumours of his previous employment in the Commissary Corps must surely be discounted. Comrade General Trout faces numerous problems. Most of his formations are poor quality, and many are remnants from the frontier battles. He is under strict orders from Stalin to counter-attack immediately and everywhere, and he knows that failure to follow Stalin’s orders, no matter how ludicrous, can have only one outcome. In order to maintain what Trout calls the ‘proper offensive spirit’, (and demonstrate his zeal to Stalin) most of his formations are forbidden to entrench, though he knows full well that will lower their already slim chances of survival to virtually zero.
Map 1
We have prepared a map of the portion of the battle that will be most important in the early days (see Map 1). The terrain to the north of this is even more difficult, though both sides will have to be careful that a surprise concentration doesn’t tip the balance of forces. The eastern portion of the battlefield is also not shown, which itself illustrates the vast scope of these Russian Front battles.
General Keating will be wishing at all times to conduct his major offensive operations in Clear terrain, as illustrated on the map. Russian defenders in the Clear can be overrun with almost no attacker casualties, while those in Woods or Forest have to be blasted out at a much higher cost. There are very few bridges across the Dnepr, so seizing these will be critical for the German supply net. Finally, Keating will be under pressure to take the major Urban centres of Vitebsk, Orsha and Mogilev as quickly as possible.
Comrade General Tout has many problems and few options, but he does have a some things in his favour. Despite what he might tell Stalin, he is not expecting to stop the Germans, merely delay and wound them. His casualty levels are almost irrelevant, but each German unit that he destroys will be a massive propaganda victory, and will serve to prolong his career/life. Finally, he can call upon a massive 117 Soviet divisions to give their life for the Motherland.
We will report faithfully on operations as they unfold.
Turn 1 - Clash of the Titans : Across the Dnepre
The task for the Germans on Turn 1 is to start clearing the western side of the Dnepr of defenders, setting up for the real attacks that will follow. General Keating will be seeking wherever possible to minimise casualties, and will not be happy with attacks like the following, where Russian stragglers in bad terrain are exacting a heavy price for their elimination, as shown below:
Keating believes that his southern flank is vulnerable to counter-attack, and so the Luftwaffe is called up to slow Russian reactions in that area.
Comrade General Trout, on the other hand, is delighted by results such as this. His job is to sort the wheat from the chaff. Some units will best serve the cause by stying behind, in good defensive terrain, to slow the German advance. Others get to live a few days longer at least, as they retreat for the Dnepr or other defensive terrain.
Some luck, lucky units get to try their hand at instant promotion to Guards status, by counter-attacking.
The above image shows just how difficult life can be for the Germans. A full strength Infantry Regiment, in Woods terrain, can still suffer attrition if the Russians are willing to mass their men. Note also that the Russians are not retreating around Vitebsk, even though most of the city has already fallen.
Turn 2 - Clash of the Titans : Across the Dnepre
Keating considers that the first day’s combat, which passed without any German units being lost, to be a success. While this is not perhaps the language of a conqueror, it is an understandable reaction. Many of the Russian units have yet to be spotted or indentified, and some caution is required. Keating is also anticipating that it will take some time to drive the Russians out of major Urban areas like ORSHA and MOGILEV.
Trout is triumphant! Pravda reports the destruction of an entire Fascist Panzer Division, which decodes to the actual destruction of the Recon Regiment of the 110th Infantry Division (see above) which was carelessly left exposed. Even the commissars are pleased!
Examining the image below shows Keating’s cautious approach in the South, where German units have actually dug in, and are yet to really close on either ORSHA or MOGILEV. This is giving Trout too much time to prepare a truly solid defence of those Urban areas.
Turn 3 - Clash of the Titans : Across the Dnepre
Keating attributes the loss of the Recon unit in Turn 2 to luck, but more detached observers will point to the unit’s low defence strength, low number of steps and it’s position in Clear terrain adjacent to two large Russian armoured formations as having more to do with its needless sacrifice. Keating is finally getting serious about ORSHA, and his cautious approach near MOGILEV is partly explained by the fact that his best Panzer divisions have all been sent straight to the developing assault on ORSHA.
Like all large organisations, armies are usually divided by intra-mural conflicts. General Keating obviously has a long standing grievance with Recon units, as he posts another one in suicidal position, NE of VITEBSK, for no obvious benefit to him. The benefit accrues to Comrade General Trout, as shown below, as Pravda proclaims the destruction of another fascist legion. Although only 3 Soviet Regiments were killed this turn, Trout is already setting up a defensive plea for more reinforcements, and the commissars have organised the citizens of ORSHA for self defence, before quietly taking the last train out of town.
Turn 4 - Clash of the Titans : Across the Dnepre
Both sides have very little to report. Keating makes a couple of ineffectual attacks, and Trout makes none at all. Worse for Trout, and the notoriously ephemeral approval of the commissars, Trout has elected to retreat from around ORSHA, though the city itself is still held, retreat even further SE of VITEBSK and been forced back across the river at VELIZH on the Dvina River in the north, though again VELIZH itself is still strongly held.
The situation at ORSHA will be Trout’s greatest concern, (as shown above) as a large gap has opened in his lines, and though Russian reserves can doubtless be rushed in, large areas of Clear terrain will make defence difficult.
It might be useful at this juncture to examine the relevant portions of the entire battlefield after four days (see below). It seems clear that Keating’s main effort is at and just above ORSHA and that he is also making serious attempts to turn the extreme northern flank. By contrast, he is currently making no attempt at MOGILEV, or even at forcing a crossing of the Dnepr between ORSHA andMOGILEV.
Here in Berlin, we offer the following appreciation of the situation. General Keating (and the entire German High Command) are making a mistake. They should be forcing crossings of the Dnepr belowORSHA at the bridge at SHKLOV and east of ORSHA at the bridge at DUBROVNO. Attacking at these places will create the potential for a large pocket at ORSHA, forcing the Russians to give up large portions of defensive river line. Attacking at bridges will ensure good supply for the attacking force. Attacking at SHKLOV will also put a large force on the eastern side of the Dnepr in a position likewise to envelop MOGILEV, which Keating’s current attack places under no pressure at all.
Turn 5 - Clash of the Titans : Across the Dnepre
Up till now, the one line executive summary of the campaign would read ‘Small invasion in Central Russia, not many dead’. At last, this is changing as General Keating starts to crank up some offensive action.
Some Russians who had lingered too long on the northern bank of the Dvina were surrounded and slaughtered (see above) and some German units have crossed to the southern bank of the river. Keating also kepts up the pressure in the centre, with further attacks on the northern bank of the Dnepr (see below) though still no attempts to take ORSHA or MOGILEV.
In his turn, Comrade General Trout can feel quite satisfied with events so far. Keating’s somewhat tentative crossing of the Dvina was beaten back with significant casualties, (see below), and this can be reported as yet another major setback for the Fascist invaders. Trout also continues to hold his major Urban centres. His main worry would be the strong German thrust that has now forced its way some distance past ORSHA and is aimed directly at SMOLENSK. Trout’s good performance so far, and indeed his entire life and career, will count for nothing if he allows SMOLENSK to fall quickly.
Turn 6 - Clash of the Titans : Across the Dnepre
General Keating has at last taken our advice, at least on a strategic level. He has forced crossing of the Dnepr near DUBROVNO and SHKLOV. However, US military doctrine calls for river crossing to be made in force and depth, with local objectives seized quickly and with a minimum of casualties.
This Keating has failed to do, suffering significant casualties near DUBROVNO (see above) and failing to quickly take the town. His crossing near SHKLOV was made with a relative weak infantry only force and has also failed to take the town itself.
Comrade General Trout seems to have been reading our manuals! Though naturally, there’s absolutely no way that the godless commies could have any agents in the USA. Anyway, Keating’s river crossings have been roughly handled. Near VELIZH on the Dvina, an entire Panzer Grenadier Regiment was annihilated, though other German units still retain a bridgehead.
The infantry only assault crossing near SHKLOV was forced back across the Dnepr with significant casualties, eliminating that bridgehead. The German bridgehead near DUBROVNO was also reduced, although the Germans there still retain a small toehold.
To round out a triumphant day for Trout and to complete the embarrassment for Keating, another hapless Recon unit was killed near LIOZNO.
Turn 7 - Clash of the Titans : Across the Dnepre
It seems as though General Keating is being forced to improvise, although he will probably maintain that he is just showing flexibility. Despite having a stack across the river, no attempt was made to expand the small bridgehead at DUBROVNO. Instead Keating’s attacks are focussed further along the river. He may try to cross at KRASNYA GORKA or he may just continue to drive along the northern bank of the river to SMOLENSK as shown below.
In Keating’s favour is the fact that there are very few Russians between him and SMOLENSK. The defenders that are there were just shipped in this turn, always a good sign for the attacker. Have the Russians unwisely neglected to guard the direct route, in order to mount their admittedly robust defences elsewhere on the battlefield?
In the south, Keating seems to have abandoned the attacks at SHKLOV in favour of direct assaults on MOGILEV. A direct assault on a properly defended Urban area is always chancy. US Army staff studies indicate that even the most overwhelming attack has only a 1/3 chance of forcing a retreat.
If the attack works early, then it looks like good generalship, while several failed attempts look bad, but in reality it’s just the luck of the draw that determines the outcome.
Comrade General Trout continues to keep his Pravda profile high with the almost routine destruction of another German unit, this one a Cavalry regiment near MOGILEV. Precariously exposed in a bend of the Dnepr, this unit was assaulted and forced to retreat across the Dnepr where it was trapped in the open and annihilated by further attacks and artillery. So while it is true that several German units have ‘crossed the Dnepr’ and while this may be good enough for Herr Goebbels’ propaganda machine, their subsequent fate is not inspiring.
In the north, near VELIZH, Trout continues to defend very strongly. While most Soviet units are forbidden to entrench, some are allowed this privilege, and some (like the NKVD) cannot be stopped from doing anything that they damn well like. Trout is using these units to stiffen his line (see below). The entrenched units prevent overruns, and are a sure sign that the Russian player is serious about defending that sector.
Turn 8 - Clash of the Titans : Across the Dnepre
General Keating continues his grinding attack in the North.
Keating must be feeling some pressure from above, as he’s willing to attack at low odds (above) in order to force a breakthrough. Another hex is gained, but another Recon unit is left looking exposed. I wonder what will happen to them?
In the south, Keating figures that two failed river crossings will have lulled Trout into a false sense of superiority, and that he’ll never expect another one. Keating must have been bitten by a horse in his childhood because, once again, it’s the Cavalry who are flung across the river and left exposed. I wonder what will happen to them?
Comrade General Trout continues to enjoy Red Banner days. I do hope he is assiduous in assigning all the credit to his Commissar, his commanding officers and the personal example and direction of Comrade Stalin. Too much success can look so much like presumption.
The exposed recon unit near VELIZH is duly eliminated (see above) and not one but two German regiments (including one full strength infantry regiment) eliminated south of SHKLOV (see below).
SHKLOV shouldn’t be too hard a nut to crack. It’s Town rather than Urban terrain, so at 10:1 odds there’s a 50% chance of forcing a retreat and the fact that it’s on the ‘German’ side of the river should make achieving those odds much easier. The terrain south of SHKLOV on the ‘Russian’ side of the river is Clear. Keating needs to take time to set things up, massing his assault forces on one turn and attacking the next, ensuring that a large force of attackers can get across the river, not just one or two units. If care is taken to leave retreat paths for the bridgehead units, then even a successful Russian counter-attack will only cause minimal damage, and the counter-attacking units will invite their own destruction by hanging around.
However, for all Trout’s defensive coups, he must still be worried about Keating’s direct drive on SMOLENSK. Trout will soon run out of good defensive terrain and while he undoubtedly has the local Babushkas digging anti-tank ditches, these won’t slow Keating’s panzers for very long.
Turn 9 - Clash of the Titans : Across the Dnepre
At last some good news for General Keating. VELIZH finally falls, (see below) and Keating catches some of its defenders in Clear terrain and punishes them. Trout is now compelled to retreat, not just from the immediate vicinity of VELIZH, but all along the Dvina to the NE of the town.
Further South, Keating’s push on SMOLENSK gathers pace. Russian defenders are now being caught in the clear and overrun, just the way that the Germans want to fight this campaign.
The usual push across the river at SHKLOV is repulsed, though this time Keating didn’t lose a unit, which is an improvement. For a hint as to why the bridgehead was collapsed....
Trout has concentrated large amounts of artillery to assist the defence, and gained a very handy six shifts for his counterattack.
Comrade General Trout will probably prefer to leaf through some back issues of Pravda, rather than looking closely at today’s edition. The fall of VELIZH, though inevitable, will be a black mark, one that won’t be completely erased by the destruction of yet another German unit.
If there any Party members left in Smolensk they will undoubtedly be complaining long and loud about the uncomfortable proximity of the Fascist invaders. (Your smarter apparatchiks will already have left on their study tours of manufacturing facilities newly relocated to the Urals).
For an update on the overall situation see below:
Turn 10 - Clash of the Titans : Across the Dnepre
Americans have never believed in spying. It’s unmanly and undignified. However that doesn’t mean that you don’t pick up a thing or two as Military Attaché. I see a lot of one particular officer, though somebody else told me that he was part of the Abwehr, whatever that is! I really must pick up a decent American/German dictionary while I’m here. Anyway, he asks me an awful lot of questions about our armed forces, which I have no problems answering. It’s only polite, and it’s not as if we’re going to fight the Germans. He also tells me lots of stuff from the Russian Front, which helps a great deal in putting together these reports.
Apparently, things are now going much better for General Keating, and rumours of his imminent posting to Narvik have receded somewhat. He is certainly forging ahead on the approaches to SMOLENSK (see below), getting some satisfactory results and concentrating most of his efforts there.
I also bumped into another German who must have been a musician, since he said he played in a Red Orchestra. Anyway, he passed on what he swears is an actual communication from the Russian Front! It seems authentic. The language has coarse but vigorous imagery, along with the slight spelling and grammatical mistakes that you would expect from someone with Comrade General Trout’s education. After all, the Russians probably think that the Ivy League is a collection of suspicious horticulturalists. Anyway, here it is.
"Heroic Soviet forces triumph once again just south of Demidov where an assault gun bn and a combat engineer regiment eat dirt! Note that they were dead to rights... no adverse dice rolls could have stopped the result. Is it germain to point out that VPs for dead German units are more than twice the number for dead Soviet units.
Demidov itself still holds out and may do so for another 2 turns, if I'm lucky. The line of the Dnepr south of Orsha is intact although this can't last much longer. The Germans abandoned their lodgement near Dubrovno, why I can't fathom, as it has freed up 3 of my best divisions to race to the threatened approaches to Smolensk. In addition, four reasonable divisions just got off the train near Smolensk, and will be thrown headlong into the battle."
This tallies exactly with my information. Note that the position of the Soviet attackers stops the German defenders from retreating onto their own men. Instead they are forced into Clear terrain, where even the Soviets will be able to surround and kill them (as they do). Trout seems reasonably relaxed about the German drive on Smolensk, so maybe he has some more tricks up his sleeve.
Turn 11 - Clash of the Titans : Across the Dnepre
My pal from the Abwehr has passed along this from General Keating.
"Reinforcements arrive to strengthen the forces and pushing continues against several major centres. The idea is to give the Soviets a lot of things to think about. There are many counter-attack possibilities but my hope is that any of them will place the Soviet forces in a dangerous position."
Strong forces have closed in on DEMIDOV and its fall seems imminent (see above) . Keating has also pushed across the river near ORSHA (see below) and perhaps the fall of ORSHA can now also be predicted. Comrade General Trout would seem to agree. If you examine the map, you will see two Soviet Anti-Tank units near the town of SARA, which is SE of ORSHA. Until very recently they were stoutly defending ORSHA itself, but Trout probably wants to get them out of there while the getting is good.
Commanding the Russians in a situation like this is very challenging, and requires a great deal of skill and finesse. The killing of a single German unit affords a great deal of pleasure to the Russians. How much more satisfying then to be able to go over to the offensive, even if its only in a secondary area of operations (see below). General Keating has only eliminated an inadequate 64 Russian units so far, allowing Trout to play the numbers game at KINO. Most of the Russian units there are pretty wretched, but there’s still enough of them, in terrain where movement and supply is difficult, to give Keating some real headaches.
Further communication from Trout indicate his satisfaction with the situation in front of SMOLENSK, though he has more or less conceded both DEMIDOV and ORSHA. The ritual slaughter of Germans south of ORSHA continues, as yet another shallow bridgehead is returned whence it came, with further losses (see below). The Germans have made much use of captured French materiel since 1940. Perhaps they have mistakenly issued some of their tactical manuals as well.
Turn 12 - Clash of the Titans : Across the Dnepre
General Keating reports as follows:
"Attacks all along the line but still the objectives refuse to fall. The Soviet defence is getting desperate and the river line seems to be finally cracked with a lot of Axis losses. Hopefully the Axis forces will be across the river on turns 13/14 and heading East after a lot of messing around. The Soviet incursion in the North is not going to cause a lot of trouble but I have moved further forces into that vicinity to stop any foolish losses."
I sympathize with Keating’s sense of frustration. DEMIDOV held out this turn, despite a maximum odds assault. However, Keating finally seems to be across the river in sufficient strength that he can’t be repelled, (see above) and most of Trout’s men will probably have to retreat. Keating can also be pleased that he’s already crunching through the outer ring of strongpoints at SMOLENSK (see below)
Comrade General Trout is in almost full retreat from the Dnepr (see below).
Some comrades have doubtless volunteered to stay behind in ORSHA and MOGILEV in order to defy the fascist beasts for one more day. SMOLENSK looks almost undefended (see bottom) but this can’t really be the case. North of SMOLENSK, Trout killed another two German units, who were just too keen to get to their jackboots into the Kremlin. This triumph will somewhat pacify Trout’s superiors, who won’t be too pleased with his retreat orders, no matter how sensible they were.
Turn 13 - Clash of the Titans : Across the Dnepre
General Keating is satisfied with turn of events, as ORSHA ( see above) and DEMIDOV (see below) fall. However, Keating is well behind the timetable set by his superiors, but all might be redeemed if he can take SMOLENSK quickly.
This is not quite as simple as it might seem. Here is the situation at SMOLENSK as ORSHA and DEMIDOV fall...
...and here is the situation after the Russian reaction..
..Trout’s just in time defence might be hard to crack.
Comrade General Trout is upbeat, and why wouldn’t he be? Another three (3!!!) German units are obliterated, two of them the long suffering Recon men. General Keating will be reduced to personally scouting ahead in his staff car if this Recon attrition goes on much longer.
Trout seems to have enough units to defend not just SMOLENSK but the front lines either side in great strength, and in the Urban areas, in depth as well. It will be interesting to see how Keating tackles these latest challenges.
Turn 14 - Clash of the Titans : Across the Dnepre
Even German generals must have their off days, and this was a strangely passive effort by General Keating. He states flatly that a direct assault on SMOLENSK is out of the question, as there are simply too may defenders. I’m not sure that this will go down well in the fuehrer bunker. Keating is still pushing ahead NE ofSMOLENSK (see below). I predict that the lone Panzer Grenadier regiment circled on the map is big trouble. It is almost surrounded by Russian units already, and while they are probably in a wretched state, there are surely enough of them, plus the ubiquitous Russian artillery, to make life very difficult for the lone German unit.
Keating is also avoiding a direct assault on MOGILEV, (see below). He is across the river to the north, but it will still take several days to surround the city at this rate, especially as there are no armoured divisions in the right place. However, the local supply dump runs out this turn, so the Russians might elect to take their men and run, especially as they have held out for much longer than could reasonably have been expected.
In another dangerously frank communication Comrade General Trout accuses himself of making a mistake, without the formality of a visit to the Lubyanka Prison first. Perhaps this is just another cunning plan to confuse the NKVD, who surely are ill equipped to deal with admission freely given with the requisite application of ‘special methods’. Whatever the reason, the Panzer grenadier regiment marked for destruction escaped its fate (see below). Elsewhere, Trout abandoned MOGILEVand is now in full retreat in the south. Somewhat in passing, he also accuses the German commander of cowardice for failing to assault the valiant defenders of SMOLENSK.
Turn 15 - Clash of the Titans : Across the Dnepre
General Keating remains convinced that SMOLENSK is impregnable, so again he doesn’t try an assault. Keating prefers to concentrate on making progress north and south of the city. To this end he makes another lunge across the Dnepr just westof SMOLENSK, (see below), but the Russians are likely to be able to retreat quick enough to avoid any real problems there.
Comrade General Trout duly punishes this latest incursion, killing yet another German regiment. Trout is so pleased with the stout resistance put up by the defenders of SMOLENSK that he plans to reward them by leaving them there, while the rest up the army continues to retreat. Perhaps he plans to fudge the situation maps a little to disguise this retreat from Stalin. It will be intetresting to see just how hard Trout fights for YARTSEVO, the next major objective north of the Dnepr.
See below for an overview of how the battle has developed so far:
Turn 16 - Clash of the Titans : Across the Dnepre
General Keating is now complaining that the Russians are retreating too fast for him to fight them. This is true in many parts of the battlefield, but not atSMOLENSK where the Russian defenders are ready and waiting, but still unmolested. The ugly word ‘Sitzkrieg’ floats in the air.
SW of SOLENSK, Keating is apply lots of pressure, and defenders in the clear are paying a high price for their defiance.
Comrade General Trout is definitely feeling the German pressure, complaining that this was his hardest day in the field yet. Despite that, he still found the time to return to his favourite pastime, destroying German Recon units.
Trout has also selected those men who will die for the Motherland in SMOLENSK, by the simple expedient of retreating the rest of his army away from them. Trout has conceded the German encirclement, and elected not to lose any more men disputing it.
Turn 17 - Clash of the Titans : Across the Dnepre
General Keating is looking forward to finally taking SMOLENSK. The city is almost surrounded, and it’s defenders are definite doomed. The Germans are adjacent to YARTSEVO but further north are still slugging through some atrocious terrain, without much prospect of a breakthrough.
South of the Dnepr, German prospects look brighter. The Russians have been in continuous retreat since abandoning MOGILEV and ORSHA, their casualties are starting to mount and supply difficulties are starting to show up (see above). This sector might be Keating’s last chance for an impressive showing.
Unfortunately, Comrade General Trout is absolutely determined to spoil Keating’s day, if not his entire war. Trout kills four German units, surely a Soviet record for a single Front in a single day. Firstly, a Soviet units, including a Supply Truck, are sprung from encirclement by a counterattack, which also succeeds in killing the Panzer regiment from the 4th Panzer Division (see below).
Next, the almost encircled Rats of Smolensk reach out and kill another impetuous Recon unit (see below). For the next two successes we can actually quote again from General Trout’s own words.
An infantry regiment from the 26 XX is rubbed out south of Smolensk while another recon bn, this one from the 102 XX, dies hard near Yartsevo. Local Soviet commanders showed great presence of mind in the last attack. The overrun odds were reduced to the highest non-overrun column, giving a 2/3 chance of casualty without a retreat. These troops then retired, allowing fresh attackers to take their place who duly sent the invaders to the big hex in the sky.
With combat sneakiness of the highest order, it’s no wonder that Trout is hard to beat.
Turn 18 - Clash of the Titans : Across the Dnepre
The enormity of the task facing General Keating has finally been borne in upon him, and the confident tone of earlier despatches has quite disappeared. He considers the timetable set by OKH to be completely unrealistic, and unachievable by any commander. Keating does not believe that he has made many mistakes, though he does admit one regarding the attacks on the southern Dnepr.
Notwithstanding this pessimism, the Wehrmacht still remains overwhelmingly powerful on the battlefield, and can still punish any Russians it catches up to (see above). SMOLENSK is now irretrievably surrounded, and must surely fall soon. The Russians have used up a lot of men defending SMOLENSK and its approaches, perhaps Keating can punch through elsewhere to important objectives like VYAZMA and ROSLAVL, though first he must take MSTISLAVL andYARTSEVO.
Comrade General Trout reports the destruction of yet another Recon unit (see above), this time in the far north of the battlefield. There is a nasty dogfight going on up there, where German superiority is much less marked than at the critical battlefield sectors. The terrain favours the defenders, and Trout can play the numbers game any time he feels safe enough to divert men from other areas.
Token defenders have been left in MSTISLAVL and YARTSEVO. Perhaps Trout is making good a promise that they will be defended to the last man, though if Stalin finds out that there was only one man to start with, he won’t be happy. Trout is promising an all out effort to defend VYAZMA.
Turn 19 - Clash of the Titans : Across the Dnepre
General Keating claims to be only one day away from taking SMOLENSK. That might be so, but that will be a full five days after the OKH deadline. Keating’s current opinion of OKH can’t be printed, but he aims to console himself by killing as many Russians as possible.
One sector looking more promising is the area south of SMOLENSK. Keating has finally secured the full cooperation of the Luftwaffe, at least for one day, and has skilfully used it to place large numbers of Russian units out of supply. Most Russian units have no supply reserves at all, so any disruption is disastrous (see below).
The situation in the north is a little less straightforward. It’s hard to say just who is surrounding who (see below) but Keating’s line does look a little thin at the extreme northern end.
Comrade General Trout’s response to the problems in the south is twofold. A general withdrawal is ordered, and a couple of Colonels from Frontal Aviation are carefully selected as scapegoats and scheduled for a trial and subsequent shooting. Fortunately, the trial stage could be skipped as the miscreants immediately confessed to being German agents, and begged the Soviet state to end their miserable lives before they could do any more damage. General Trout was happy to oblige, after all what were two more deaths on a day in which he picked off another three German units.
Concerns about the northern front have proved justified, as it was there that Trout killed a second regiment from the hapless 12th Panzer, and look set to create havoc behind the lines.
Turn 20 - Clash of the Titans : Across the Dnepre
As promised by General Keating, SMOLENSK fell today (see above), its defenders forced across the river and then slaughtered in the Open. In the north, Keating continues bold offensive actions, undeterred by the loss of half a Panzer Division plus sundry other units. The big question is whether his courageous decision (see below) will cause Trout to pull his horns in, or whether there will be even more additions to the already high German casualty list.
Communications from Comrade General Trout have taken a decidedly sombre tone. Trout accuses himself of being ‘out of his depth’ and flatly states that his army is ‘disintegrating’. Candour on this scale is simply unprecedented. One suspects a cunning plan by Trout to get himself declared medically insane and sent off to Black Sea sanatorium before the NKVD arrive to send him to a decidedly less salubrious address.
For the first time since the battle started, Trout has failed to commit a single counterattack. Most of the German who were besieging SMOLENSK headed south, straight for ROSLAVL. The terrain there is not particularly favourable for defence, and it will be interesting to see if Trout can hold out there. One thing is certain, Trout’s loud and constant call for Siberian reinforcements is a sure sign of a Soviet general in trouble.
In the north, Trout has flat out run away, there’s just no other way to describe it (see below). Keating, for one, will certainly be relieved.
Turn 22 - Clash of the Titans : Across the Dnepre
General Keating continues to make slow progress and is not confident of reaching any further major objectives. In the south, near ROSLAVL, it looks at though he might be on the verge of a breakthrough (see below). He has concentrated a large armoured force, and the terrain between it and ROSLAVL is now all Open.
Comrade General Trout kills another German regiment near SMOLENSK. This unit dies because the hexes behind it, which it could retreat to, are all fully occupied (see below). With nowhere to go it is squeezed like a tube of toothpaste and flushed away.
Further north, Trout has been obliged to give up a continuous front. One group has been forced north to defend RZHEV, and another has lined up to defendVYAZMA from the north (see below). Unfortunately, (for him), it is likely that Keating will have neither the time or the units to fully exploit this.
Turn 23 - Clash of the Titans : Across the Dnepre
A somewhat despondent General Keating characterises this turn as ‘more of the same’. That might be selling things a little short, as there are breakthroughs in two areas. Near ROSLAVL, Keating has killed large numbers of defenders, and his panzer spearhead is getting close to its objective.
In the north, Keating has definitely split the Soviet defenders. Unfortunately, his forces are probably just too far away from either RZHEV or VYAZMA for them too fall in the time remaining.
Comrade General Trout seems a touch lethargic today. The defences of ROSLAVL could hardly be called robust, but Trout seems to be focussing elsewhere, shoring up the lines defending RZHEV and VYAZMA. Perhaps Trout is anticipating the rewards of a successful campaign. The trouble with service in the Red Army is that success is always rewarded, but often not in a manner that the recipients would desire.
Turn 24 - Clash of the Titans : Across the Dnepre
General Keating comes agonisingly close to ROSLAVL, but falls just short (see bottom). He has come close to RZHEV and is in the general area of VYAZMA, though not really close enough to make anybody nervous. So from a geographical point of view, Keating has done quite well. However, he has fallen well behind the OKH time table for taking vital objectives. Time spent here is time that the Germans won’t have for their attack on MOSCOW.
OKH, and certainly Hitler himself will be very unhappy with the casualties that Keating has taken. A total of twenty nine Axis units have been eliminated, which amounts to several divisions worth of men. Perhaps his future career in the Wehrmacht will be conducted somewhat further from centre stage than has been the case up till now.
Comrade General Trout, one suspects, is already off stage, conducting events for the last two days from the comfort of his special train en route to a Black Sea dacha. He can take some comfort from the fact that he has done everything in the defence of his country that could reasonably be expected of him. His joy will be mitigated by the certain knowledge that nobody, (apart from victims of show trials), has ever called Comrade Stalin reasonable.
Epilogue
Trout’s margin of victory was 2181 points, which is overwhelming in anyone’s language. Trout scored 1690 points for eliminating 29 Axis units, many of which did not have to die. Keating also failed to get across the Dnepr in good order and in a timely fashion. This cost him many unit casualties and delayed the fall of both Rosh and Mobile, which then gave even more points to Trout.
Trout obviously counterattacked brilliantly, but also conducted a good all-round defence. He used the Soviet units that can entrench and large stacks to clog up the easy avenues of German advance, and preserved most of his men from destruction. More importantly, most of those Soviets who did die, died in supply and often in good defensive terrain, extracting the highest possible price for their demise.
Both sides had a continuous variety of challenges to solve, and large range of possible solutions available at any one time. No one decision was critical, but victory, in this instance, was the result of steady accumulation of tactical victories, which is as it should be.