While the weather turned out to be great, Moscow held anyway. I made several mistakes in diverting resources off the main axis of advance to Gomel, chewing on the Valdai Hills pocket for three turns (I don't know if this could be done any better), and by letting swamp rats slow me down. Next time I would completely ignore them and let the infantry handle them.

Often one feels that if you only can attack swamp rats that turn, they should be attacked. It seems a waste of resources if a single panzer doesn't attack SOMETHING in a turn. However, maneuver sometimes is better than fighting. To counter the swamp rat strategy it may be better to go without attacking for a turn and completely bypass them. If you can get an attack in while using your full movement, then do it.

Otherwise, press full speed ahead and make sure you get the main Soviet line in a ZOC by the end of your mech phase. Use the infantry to pin down the swamp rats and keep your supply lines open. Keep a truck with the spearhead to maintain supply if you get cut off. Fly in supply to captured airfields. You may get counterattacked when you are running "balls to the wall" towards Moscow, but it's worth it during critical July through September turns.

Be aggressive, otherwise you'll be freezing in December outside the gates of Moscow like I was.

In the Center of It All Planning the 1941 Invasion of the USSR

Introduction and Initial Set Up
Surprise and Jun II Turns
Jul, Aug, and Sep Turns
Oct, Nov, Dec Turns
Summary