Kharkov AAR Part 1

SSG men Steve Ford and Roger Keating go toe to toe in Kharkov, SSG's latest game. Who will prevail in this titanic Russian Front struggle?

Introduction
As a signatory to the Tripartite Pact, Japan was an Axis power that was not, in 1942, at war with Russia and therefore maintained embassies in both Berlin and Moscow. Military Attaches at both embassies were surprisingly well placed to gather information on pivotal battles and it is through these and other sources that we can reveal what really happened in the second battle for Kharkov.

In early May 1942 both sides were planning major offensives around Kharkov. The Russians aimed to capture Kharkov itself in a pincer movement. The northern arm would attack Kharkov from a shallow bridgehead they had carved out over the Northern Donets at Staraya Saltov. The southern arm of the attack would come from the shoulder of a large salient that extended into the German lines south of Kharkov and would also include a secondary drive westwards towards Krasnograd.

The German plan was to eliminate the Russian salient by simultaneous attacks from both the northern and southern shoulders of the salient. Both sides had assembled powerful forces, though the Germans had been much more successful at concealing their build up. The historical battle provided an explosive start to the campaign of 1942 which ended in Stalingrad and much is expected from the coming battle. Shot 0 shows the battlefield at the start of the battle.

The Protagonists
Very little is known about the opposing generals, von Ford for the Axis and Keatingski for the Russians. It is inferred that Keatingski owes his current position to the dreadful attrition of Stalin’s pre-war purges. Keatingski’s habitual reserve and naturally taciturn nature are thought to have helped to ensure his survival by giving potential rivals nothing to denounce. Nevertheless, Keatingski will have made fairly ambitious promises to Stalin in order to get the resources to mount his offensive and the future is usually very bleak for those who disappoint the Great Architect of Communism.

Von Ford is also something of a new man. He owes his current elevated position to vacancies at the top created by the removal of generals who were convenient scapegoats for the Wehrmacht’s reverses during the previous winter. Like his opponent, von Ford will be expected to achieve a crushing victory to restore the initiative and the glory to the Wehrmacht and Hitler. Failure for von Ford will result in a posting to the Murmansk front, a billet only marginally more appealing than the cell in the Lubyanka which awaits a failed Keatingski.

Russian Turn 1
It’s non stop action for Keatingski as the Russians crank up the steamroller and aim it straight at the German lines. Keatingski has three offensive axes, the northern pincer aimed at KHARKOV, the southern pincer of the same KHARKOV drive and a secondary drive aimed at KRASNOGRAD. Just how far the Russians get on each axis rather depends on the Germans, but on the first four turns, the Russians get Supply and Indirect Fire bonuses and must make the best use of these they can.

Shot 1 shows the rather dire looking situation facing the Germans at KHARKOV. Units from the Soviet 28th and 38th Armies have destroyed both the fort lines facing them and the 513th Infantry Regiment of the 294th Division and seem to have a clear path to KHARKOV. Units from the 21st Army are threatening the positions of the 79th Infantry Division and other 38th Army units have advanced towards CHUGUYEV.

Shot 2 shows the position south of KHARKOV, which is equally discouraging for Von Ford. Russian hordes have eliminated a hapless Hungarian regiment, surrounded other Axis units and Russian cavalry is already making a nuisance of itself well behind the lines.

German Turn 1
Thankfully for von Ford there are two Panzer divisions loitering in Kharkov, waiting for the start of a German counter-offensive. Just how the German player uses these powerful formations will shape the course of the entire battle. There are only three choices, to send both north, both south or to send one to each of the main fronts.

Von Ford opts to send one Panzer division north and one south. However, neither division mounts a major counter-attack, even though this is the moment when the attackers are at their most vulnerable. German artillery extracts a heavy toll, and an overzealous regiment who advanced too far pays the price for listening to the commissars and is picked off. Still, the Russian spearheads suffer no major reverses to their initial advance.

What then of the northern attack? The 3rd Panzer Division is responsible for the Russian KIA and elements of the division are to be found in the front lines, but again there is no major counter-attack. However the Russian can be in no doubt that the seemingly open door to KHARKOV has been well and truly closed.

In the far south, von Ford jumps the gun on his planned offensive and inflicts heavy losses on some carelessly positioned Russian regiments. Although he might expect a terse query from HQ about this, an experienced general has many excuses he can deploy, ‘straightening out lines’, ‘reconnaissance in force’ and ‘they started it’ have all worked well in the past.

Russian Turn 2
Keatingski makes very little progress on the major fronts, doubtless he will cite the unseasonal weather and accompanying mud as reasons why his forces have not achieved the phase lines so carefully drawn on the map by Stavka.

There is some progress in the south where a lone regiment of the 70th Cavalry Division, showing great élan, gallops all the way up to KRASNOGRAD. We can assume that the unit showed similar dash in a reciprocal direction when it discovered that 3 regiments of the 23rd Panzer Division had taken up residence before them.

Better news is that the 454th Security Division has suddenly found life profoundly less secure and the regiments surrounded on Turn 1 are duly eliminated on Turn 2. Shot 5 shows the position in the south.

German Turn 2
The direct southern route to Kharkov seems blocked, for the moment, by hedgehogged infantry units backed up by armored elements. However, the Soviets have a large amount of powerful artillery and have yet to commit their two Tanks Corps in the south. Can a single German infantry regiment, no matter how well entrenched, stand up to the deluge of fire that the Russians can unleash? We suspect that von Ford will soon find out.

Von Ford seems to be doing a thorough job of defending KHARKOV itself, although the front at CHUGUYEV is resting on thin air. Is this a wise choice? CHUGUYEV itself is a reasonably important objective and a breakthrough here could be embarrassing. Shot 6 shows the situation in front of KHARKOV. The German line in front of Kharkov is very stretched and a single failure could be catastrophic.

Alas for the brave lads from the 70th Cavalry Division, their reconnaissance in force at KRASNOGRAD was met by a defense in overwhelming force and the brutes from the 23rd Panzer Division brought a quick if untimely end to their frolic behind the lines.

Russian Turn 3
Von Ford is defending a fair way out from KHARKOV and has his line running through open terrain, with infantry regiments hedgehogged in the front line, stacked with anti-tank battalions and backed up by panzer regiments dug in behind them. This configuration is very strong against frontal attack, but is vulnerable to artillery, of which the Russians have plentiful supply. The way to defend against powerful artillery is to stack at least two units with plenty of steps in a hex, preferably one with an Indirect Fire modifier and have a second line of entrenched units so that if the first line are forced to retreat, they do so onto the already entrenched units and are thus less vulnerable to further Indirect Fire.

Von Ford could easily do this by deploying the two extra infantry divisions that he doesn’t have. His expedient, of entrenching single panzer regiments in the second line is risky, because any Russian units that get adjacent will expose the unit for artillery fire, to which its two steps make it vulnerable.

Sadly for von Ford, this is what happens to his KHARKOV defenses. An infantry regiment is barraged and bombed into oblivion, the anti-tank battalion is overrun and a panzer regiment in the second line is also eliminated by artillery. The result is a Russian breakthrough. The same technique is employed northwest of CHUGUYEV and the result is a double breakthrough.

Now would be a good time for von Ford to use his panzer divisions to crush the breakthroughs and restore the line, but this will be difficult. Roughly half of the 3rd Panzer Division is committed to front line defensive duties and most of the 23rd Panzer Division is off spanking cavalry brigades in front of KRASNOGRAD so it remains to be seen if von Ford can restore the line. Shot 7 shows the breakthroughs.

At the same time, a swirling and confused fight has broken out near KRASNOGRAD, where despite the presence of 23rd Panzer, von Ford cannot maintain a continuous defensive line and Russian cavalry and tank units continue to force the issue. Keatingski has taken the courageous decision to release 21st Tank Corps earlier than planned. If anything goes wrong, Keatingski will, by this action, have promoted himself to unenviable job of scapegoat, with the usual dire consequences.

Shot 8 shows the situation in the vicinity of KRASNOGRAD.

German Turn 3
The 3rd Panzer have had a busy time, and the southernmost breakthrough near KHARKOV has been punished and contained and the northern breakthrough punished, but not contained. The line north of KHARKOV has a two hex gap, and it’s not clear why von Ford has chosen to do this. Is this gap the result of the counter attacks, with units unable to move back into a continuous line? Is it a deliberate tactic, enticing Keatingski to advance with a view to cutting him off in subsequent days? Either way, it could be asking for trouble, as Keatingski has a large number of units that he could push through the gap.

Shot 9 shows the situation, along with the two hex gap.

Around KRASNOGRAD the fighting continues. More of Keatingski’s cavalry brigades are eliminated but again there is no continuous defensive line and another gap invites Keatingski to drive through.

Shot 10 shows the situation.

Kharkov AAR Part 2

Part two of the AAR as Keating and Ford struggle to accomplish their battle plans. Can Steve Ford prevent the (almost) numberless Russian hordes from inflicting a crushing defeat?

Russian Turn 4
Its breakthrough time again as Keatingski hurls tank and cavalry units in the gap in von Ford’s lines above KHARKOV, another breakthrough is made south of the same city and other Russian units are breaking into the salient south of CHUGUYEV. 

Meanwhile, the defenders of KRASNOGRAD are almost encircled. However, many of the encircling units are low strength two step cavalry regiments, which have already proved quite fragile. The Russian 21st Tank Corps is involved in the battle for KRASNOGRAD but its partner in crime, the 23rd Tank Corps is yet to join the fray.

Shot 13 shows the front from KRASNOGRAD to ZMIEV.

German Turn 4
Von Ford’s airpower and artillery, plus the efforts of the newly arrived 305th Infantry Division remove many of the Russians around KRASNOGRAD and LANNAYA, a nearby town is retaken from the Russians. However, nothing is really done to re-establish the line just north of KRASNOGRAD and there is now a 4 hex gap in the lines.

Shot 14 shows the situation.

On the northern front, von Ford has conceded that the breakthrough cannot be stopped and has withdrawn. CHUGUYEV is abandoned and a somewhat ragged defensive line established running through KHARKOV itself. It won’t be easy for the Russians to blast German defenders out of urban terrain, but its not clear how von Ford will prevent the whole city from being encircled and then besieged.

Shot 15 shows the situation.
 

Russian Turn 5
Keatingski must be feeling reasonably happy with progress so far. He should enjoy this feeling now, as the German southern offensive is due to kick off. Right now, however, Keatingski has KRASNOGRAD surrounded and KHARKOV almost surrounded. A unit from the 226 Rifle Division has actually fought its way into a KHARKOV city hex and is only two hexes away from the center of the city. Surely a promotion to Guards status awaits the formation who can formally claim the city.

Shots 16 and 17 show the remarkable Russian progress.
 

German Turn 5
Von Ford pries open the encirclement of KRASNOGRAD but makes no effort to withdraw. Instead Von Ford reinforces what must surely turn into another pocket. While von Ford’s no retreat policy at KRASNOGRAD will certainly win favor with Hitler, it is to be hoped that he has powerful relief forces somewhere in prospect, otherwise things could turn ugly.

Shot 18 shows the situation.

Around KHARKOV itself, von Ford is offering no real defense west of the city, and seems willing to likewise accept the looming encirclement of KHARKOV itself. Defenders along the river line that previously ran ZMIEV to KRASNOGRAD have fallen back towards BORKI but again a large gap exists between ZMIEV and KHARKOV to the north.

Shot 19 shows the situation.
 

Perhaps von Ford is willing to accept pockets forming because he believes they will be temporary. His own offensive has just kicked off and ineffectual Russian defenses swept aside. In just one day, von Ford’s mechanised forces are on the outskirts of BARVENKOVO with another strong drive heading straight towards IZYUM itself. IZYUM is currently defended only by Colonel-General R.I. Malinovsky and his staff and regardless of their zeal in defending the Motherland, they cannot reasonably expect to long delay multiple German divisions.

Shot 20 shows the situation.
Russian Turn 6
Keatingski’s forces now surround KHARKOV in a sea of red, so Keatingski has fulfilled the first part of Stavka’s plan and this would normally involve a measure of job security. The problem for Keatingski is that dug in Germans are very hard to dislodge. Will he have the combat power to keep reinforcing Germans from breaking through while at the same time eliminating those Germans currently cut off?

Shot 21 shows the scene.

KRASNOGRAD is likewise surrounded but again Keatingski faces a similar problem. The areas north and south of KRASNOGRAD are totally devoid of Russian forces. If he can’t take KRASNOGRAD very quickly then the tables could quickly be turned by any fresh German formations.

Shot 22 shows the scene.

It is hard to know how much Keatingski knew of the German build up in the south, but the awful results are there for all to see. BARVENKOVO is abandoned to its fate and a thin defensive line assembled from those units of 9th Army not (yet) selected for slaughter by the Germans. Even though the nearest German unit is only 36 km away, Colonel-General R.I. Malinovsky remains as the only defender of IZYUM. It’s impossible to be too cynical about the political environment in the Red Army, so if Malinovsky dies in a hopeless defense of IZYUM he posthumously becomes top candidate for the unenviable but inevitable position of scapegoat.

Meanwhile, communications from Stavka are sure to be flooding in to Keatingski, probably demanding the impossible while denying him any resources to achieve it. The job security that Keatingski seemingly secured in the north may well be evaporating in the south. Shot 23 shows the situation in the south.

An overall shot of the battlefield will show just how far the Russians have advanced. Experience shows that they will be hard pressed to hang on to what they have. See Shot 24.
 

Axis Turn 6
Except in the south, von Ford’s forces do very little except hunker down and await relief. Von Ford’s forces have been splintered into several groups, isolated from each other but still holding out, faithful to the Fuhrer’s orders. Gruppe Kharkov clings to urban hexes in KHARKOV, including the all important city center, and extends south of the city, incorporating of ex-defenders of CHUGUYEV. Gruppe Borki is formed by the remnants of the original ZMIEV – KRASNOGRAD defensive line. Gruppe Krasnograd is also completely surrounded, but continues to hold KRASNOGRAD itself and some adjoining hexes. Help is surely coming from the south, but can it arrive in time?

The south is all action, as 14th and 16th Panzer divisions along with several Infantry divisions carve their way towards IZYUM. Advance forces are also close to taking PETROVSKOYE and only 32 km at the narrowest point separates von Ford’s southern spearhead from the remnant of the CHUGEYEV salient. Keatingski might be regretting his failure so far to clear this salient completely, which would only have taken one division with sapper support. This would make the task of supplying his western forces much easier as von Ford inevitably pushed north. Shot 25 shows the scene.

Russian Turn 7
Keatingski splits Gruppe Kharkov, further fragmenting von Ford’s forces. However, there are no major movements in the main areas. By now the Soviet forces have been in continuous combat for six days, and this must be taking its toll on them. Russian logistical services will definitely struggle with the challenge of replenishing forces that have advanced so far, especially with large groups of as yet undefeated enemy in the way.

In the south, alarm bells are also ringing and Keatingski has finally heard them. The various survivors of 57th and 9th Armies form a thin and not very convincing defensive line south of IZYUM. This doesn’t look like it will hold the Germans for long. Shot 26 shows the rapidly changing situation in the south.

German Turn 7
Von Ford’s cavalry starts to arrive. The 389th Infantry Division, having swept through PERESHCHEPINO is advancing on KRASNOGRAD from the south. The only Russians between the 389th and the beleaguered defenders are those in the thin line of encircling units. Unless they can they can take KRASNOGRAD itself very quickly, the besiegers are likely to be caught and swallowed up. Shot 27 shows the situation.
 

In the south, only a thinly defended river line now stands between von Ford’s panzers and IZYUM itself, all defenders south of the river having fled or been destroyed.

Russian Turn 8
Keatingski takes another few blocks of KHARKOV, but progress there is agonisingly slow. Keatingski has managed to detach the southern defenders from this in the city, essentially creating Gruppe Kharkov North and Gruppe Kharkov South. Unfortunately for him, Stavka will have expected Keatingski to have crushed the nest of German-Fascist invaders and retaken the entire city by now. Keatingski is also making heavy work of reducing Gruppe Borki, a fact that will also be the subject of adverse comment in the committee rooms of Stavka.

Keatingski will be needing to line up a few scapegoats of his own, especially as the approach of a single fresh German infantry division, the 389th, has compelled him to give up the siege of KRASNOGRAD and go over to the defensive throughout the Krasnograd sector. Shot 28 shows the situation. Red Aviation would be a good candidate for blame allocation, the Luftwaffe having cancelled its Crimean vacation and descended on Kharkov in strength.
South of IZYUM, the defensive line is somewhat strengthened, but after the slightest of pauses, a fresh onslaught can be expected from von Ford’s panzers.

German Turn 8
The 14th and 16th Panzer divisions blast through Keatingski’s flimsy defenses and elements of 14th Panzer end up adjacent to IZYUM itself. Further to the west, infantry from 1st Mountain and 101st Light divisions make a second breakthrough. Shot 30 shows von Ford’s progress in the south.
 

Released from encirclement, elements of Gruppe Krasnograd promptly retake LANNAYA. This illustrates the difference in abilities between the two armies. A single German infantry regiment, when hedgehogged, is a very tough nut for the Russians to crack, unless they have overwhelming artillery support. However, the Germans were able to eject two Russian regiments, even though they were dug in, from the town of LANNAYA with a single attack. It is pointless for Keatingski to try and emulate von Ford’s defensive tactic of toughing things out. He will have to form a proper defensive line, preferably in depth, and rely on attrition and counter attacks to wear down any German offensive effort.

Kharkov AAR Final

It's the business end of the battle as Keating and Ford slog it out to the bitter end.

Russian Turn 9
Having given up the siege of KRASNOGRAD, Keatingski seems inclined to hang around and contest the issue, killing a regiment of the 62nd Infantry in the process. This may not be a wise choice. Hacking away at trapped German units is one thing, but once released, those units will be getting replacements, attack supply and HQ bonuses and will be an altogether more dangerous proposition.

In better news for Keatingski, BORKI finally falls. Russian still swarm all round the area, but they still can’t kill the Germans quick enough for the Stavka’s liking. Still, the capture of another objective will be a boost for Keatingski. Perhaps it will induce Stalin to release more units for the desperate defense of IZYUM and the south. 

On that front, a resolute counter attack takes the Germans by surprise and eliminates two full infantry regiments plus two ancillary units. Still, these are von Ford’s first serious casualties in the south, and on its own will not be enough to slow the momentum of the attack. Keatingski has scraped up some units from somewhere, and the brave Colonel-General R.I. Malinovsky has at least been joined in IZYUM by three infantry regiments.

German Turn 9
All Russians east of IZYUM are clinically removed from the map by von Ford. Colonel-General R.I. Malinovsky wisely takes the last truck out of town, and lives to fight another day, but the same cannot be said for many of his comrades. The gap between the bottom of the still uncleared Chuguyev salient and the forward positions of 14th Panzer is down to 20 km. Depending on actions in other sectors, the closing of this gap could present some real supply problems for Keatingski.

Elements of 23rd Panzer, newly restored, continue to pick off Russian units in the vicinity of KRASNOGRAD. It is not clear what Keatingski hopes to achieve by remaining there, although there is every chance that Stavka is insisting that ground, once won, be not given up.

Russian Turn 10
Another few blocks of KHARKOV are taken, at an appalling cost in casualties but about half the city still remains in German hands. Keatingski finally abandons all pretensions to KRASNOGRAD and the surviving Russian units withdraw to the east. Of course Russian units never withdraw, they merely take up new defensive positions.

Keatingski is also forced to relax his grip slightly on Gruppe Borki, as units are belatedly detached to clear the Chuguyev salient.

More Russians, including an entire Tank Corps arrive in the south, and another thin defensive line is assembled. It remains to be seen if these will fare any better than the unfortunate occupiers of previous positions.

Shot 34 shows an overview of the entire front.

German Turn 10
The more mobile elements of Gruppe Borki make good their escape and other forces begin a drive east from KRASNOGRAD. Surely help is at hand for the rest of Gruppe Borki, who have been trapped behind enemy lines for some time.

In the south, von Ford’s panzers kill some more Russians, and make further advances, but the pace seems to be slowing. Is von Ford’s great offensive running out of steam, just like Keatingski’s earlier efforts? Colonel-General R.I. ‘Last Truck’ Malinovsky’s HQ is overrun in the latest fighting, but have we really seen the end of him? We have to suspect that he will be back. 

Russian Turn 11
Keatingski slams the door on Gruppe Borki, cutting them off again just when it looked they might get out. It’s clear that if von Ford wants to release Gruppe Borki he will have to fight his way through. Obviously, Keatingski is in a hope extinguishing mood, as the southern lobe of Gruppe Kharkov is reduced to a single lump with a fairly short life expectancy.

In the south, Keatingski continues to form new defensive lines. Perhaps this one will hold out!

German Turn 11
More Russians are crunched as von Ford pushes north. It would really help his cause if there was a similar push south from the salient but von Ford’s northern panzers are still occupied, either holed up in KHARKOV or pushing east from KRASNOGRAD. At least 23rd Panzer is close to rescuing Gruppe Borki, who must be feeling just a little bit hurt that even the hint of rescue has taken so long. 

Russian Turn 12
It seems as though Keatingski has finally given up on Gruppe Borki, withdrawing all units west of the formerly encircled units. Although there have been inevitable casualties, Gruppe Borki has held fast and stoutly resisted annihilation. It may well be in a position, once resupplied, to retake BORSKI which is suddenly looking vulnerable. Keatingski does get around to taking ZMIEV, which had been sitting unmolested behind the lines for some time. He also makes a greater effort to reduce the remnants of the Chuguyev salient. 

No attacks are mounted on the defenders of KHARKOV though whether this is due to increasing German pressure to the west and north of the city or a lack of artillery support is unclear.

In the south, Keatingski can still form a defense line and seems to be slowing von Ford’s progress. Keatingski seems unconcerned with von Ford’s drive, because he is still maintaining large numbers of troops far to the west of von Ford’s breakthrough. It is not clear what he hopes to achieve by this, the reinvigorated Germans have already begun to exert serious pressure and cause serious losses.

German Turn 12
How quickly things can change. Only a short time ago, von Ford had three groups entirely encircled by Russians. While Gruppe Kharkov is still trapped, the units from Gruppe Borki and Gruppe Krasnograd are not only free but are strongly counter attacking. BORKI has already been retaken and forces are pressing hard near KHARKOV, near BORKI and south of KRASNOGRAD. Keatingski has occupied a huge amount of territory but this looks like shrinking very quickly. 

In the south, more Russians are killed but there is no critical breakthrough yet. However, large slabs of the old Chuguyev salient still remain German controlled and if von Ford can link up with that territory then a significant number of Russians could still be put out of supply.

Russian Turn 13
It would appear that Keatingski’s offensives have completely run out of puff. There are still no attacks on KHARKOV and only a minor clearing of some more of the Chuguyev salient. Given that fact, perhaps Keatingski should quietly defy the Stavka and reorganise his defensive lines.

As has been seen, given time to prepare and an absence of overwhelming Russian artillery, the Germans can accept encirclement and still survive. The Russians cannot and if they are surrounded they die quickly. To survive, the Russians need a defense in depth plus mobile forces to counter attack any breakthrough. Keatingski is occupying far too much territory to be able to do this, and so is quite vulnerable to resurgent German attacks.

An ugly situation is developing south of KHARKOV where there is no cohesive defensive line and ZMIEV and perhaps even CHUGUYEV itself are under threat. 

German Turn 13
As forecast, von Ford has broken through and his forces are now adjacent to ZMIEV. The II/6 Panzer Regiment of the 3rd Panzer Division has been cut off for almost a week but as with Gruppe Krasnograd and Gruppe Borki, help seems to be at hand. If other elements of 3rd Panzer can be liberated from KRASNOGRAD itself then 3rd Panzer will again be a powerful fighting force. 

Elsewhere, liberal applications of airpower continue to soften up Russian forces in the south, perhaps in preparation for another major push.

Russian Turn 14
Again Keatingski is unable to undertake any serious offensive action. The southern front has been reinforced and the defense looks more substantial. On the other hand, there seems to be nothing available to prevent von Ford from walking into CHUGUYEV and re-occupying the salient. If he can link up his northern and southern forces then the pocket so formed will contain a large number of Russians who will probably not have the strength to break out. 

German Turn 14
Another series of crunching assaults carries von Ford closer to regaining the territory he previously lost. Relief columns reach the center of KHARKOV, liberating yet another unit from the long suffering 3rd Panzer. So while von Ford never lost KHARKOV, he can now say that he has raised the siege of the city.

In the south, strongly supported by the Luftwaffe, von Ford pushes closer to BALAKLEYA, a town that he has always held but which was itself cut off for long periods of time. The town is now reconnected, and there is nothing to stop von Ford from finally establishing the second arm of his pincer. Unless some truly heroic defenses are established very quickly, a pocket will be formed. 

Russian Turn 15
Keatingski mounts a few minor counter attacks and assaults a few outposts in the Chugeyev salient but otherwise makes no major defensive effort. This is a dangerous path to follow, with units of 23rd Panzer clearly on the road to BALAKLEYA and von Ford’s southern offensive only a few kilometers from the town. Keatingski should be packing this narrowing gap with as many defenders as possible. 

German Turn 15
In the end, only the men of the 1049 Rifle Regiment of the 300 Rifle Division stand between the might of 1st Panzer Army and the awful, if somewhat familiar, fate of encirclement for many Russian units. They are not enough, and von Ford’s men break through and form the pocket. Given the disparity in forces, it is hard to see how Keatingski can produce the offensive muscle to break free, especially as many of Keatingski’s units are still holding useless ground up 70 km away from the critical point.

At the same time, von Fords northern forces have walked back into an undefended CHUGUYEV taking back the last of his lost objectives. 

Russian Turn 16
Keatingski’s last throw of dice blasts the defenders of CHUGUYEV but is unable to retake it. The men in the pocket begin retreating east, but its far too late and their fate has been sealed. They will now be ‘fighting from encirclement’ which is Russian code for being annihilated. Keatingski’s Stavka report card will be looking pretty grim with KHARKOV and KRASNOGRAD untaken, units pocketed and other heavy losses. Clearly, Keatingski’s party-political work has not been of a sufficiently high standard and mistakes have been made. A benevolent Stalin understands that everybody else makes mistakes and a spot of gardening leave has been arranged. Of course, it can be hard to grow things north of the Arctic Circle but Keatingski will have plenty of time to try, and to gain a better understanding of Marxist-Leninist thinking, as it applies to military sphere.

Axis Turn 16
A few more Russian units are crushed and CHUGUYEV is decisively occupied. A bunch of Russians are stubbornly hanging on in the vicinity of KHARKOV but again they are encircled and can be removed at leisure. Von Ford is now in a position to push further east, as directed by the Fuhrer. Shot 48 shows the final situation.

Summary
These proceedings have demonstrated the stark differences between the two armies. With the benefit of a set piece start, the Russians can exert overwhelming force in their breakthrough sectors, and Keatingski did just that. But after the first few days, their shortcomings become obvious, as they simply cannot sustain their initial operational tempo. At the same time, the amazing resilience of the German army is illustrated. A single hedgehogged German infantry regiment can stand off all but the most concerted Russian attacks. Von Ford showed this when rather than retreat and give up critical objectives he accepted encirclement and waited for rescue.

When the time comes for a counter attack, that same German tactical excellence proves lethal in attack, as von Ford showed. The Russian player must recognise this and play to his strengths, achieving as much as possible when he has the advantage but preserving his mobile units for the inevitable defensive phase. The Russian Tank Brigades can really punish any Axis units when they advance, as can the Russian artillery. Keatingski seemed slow to realise when the tide had turned, and lost too many of his units defending territory he couldn’t possible hold.

Of course, there is not much that the Russian player can do about the dire situation in the south. No real defense is possible before IZYUM so forces must be conserved, as far as possible for this. The Russians should consider making a serious effort to capture CHUGUYEV and to eliminate the salient. This makes the task of creating a pocket much harder for the Germans by giving them much further to travel and by providing some excellent defensive terrain if things do go horribly wrong. Keatingski probably didn’t give this mission a high enough priority.

Having said all that, Keatingski did do very well to break through at KHARKOV and the whole battle could have turned out very differently if he could just have managed to take the entire city. He will be able to reflect on this, as he undertakes his corrective labor in the Gulag.