21-23 Sept. 1941

Game Turn 1 (see Map 1: positions at start)

Soviet Player - situation and planning

The Soviet player had that "deer in the headlights" look for the first tum. He knew the truck was coming but he was frozen in the middle of the road by historical setup.

The Soviet plan was to have 40 Arrny fall back toward Kursk, 13, 3 and 50 Armies defend Bryansk, 24, 33, and 43 Armies defend Spas Demansk and 30 and 16 Armies defend Vyazma. 32 Army HQ was to withdraw into reserve with selected units from the three northemrnost armies and create a second defense line with 49 Army along the first line of fortified hexes. Front reserve, 49 Army and selected units of 40,50,24,43, 16 and 30 Armies were setup in Reserve mode. The Soviet player's first-sum goal was to survive the German rush, keeping the greatest number Soviet units intact.

German Player - situation and planning

GB allows the German player to begin operations one week earlier than the historical campaign and he chose to start early. The German player planned to assault on two axes. Second Panzer Group with 24 (arriving), 47 and 48 Panzer Corps would advance on the axis Konotop Orel. Fourth Panzer Group with 40 and 46 (arriving) Panzer Corps and Fourth Army with 9,20 and 7 Corps would advance from Yel'nya and Roslavl toward Spas Demansk.

Game Operations Narrative - Game Turn 1

The weather was clear and dry on 21 September at the start of the German offensive to take Moscow. In Second Panzer Group fuel shortages forced 48 Panzer Corps to remain on the defensive.

Units of 47 Panzer Corps opened the assault from assembly areas near Glukhov to clear Soviet defenders from the road to Orel. 17 Panzer reinforced by Second Panzer Group units penetrated Soviet defensive positions aided by strong Luftwaffe close support airstrikes.

Initial Soviet resistance was ineffective except for 21 Mountain Cavalry. This unit put up a skillful and stubborn defense, stalling the advance of 17 Panzer and forcing the commitment of a kampfgruppe of 18 Panzer before being driven from its position. What little coordination remained in the Soviet defense was lost when a kampfgruppe of 17 Panzer (27 Recce Bn and 1-39 Pz Bn) overran 13 Army HQ. This kampfgruppe moved on to capture the Soviet airfield near Sevsk after dispersing the Soviet army headquarters.

24 Panzer Corps was committed directly from the approach march and passed through the positions of 47 Panzer Corps. SS Reich drove on the heels of 17 and 18 Panzer, bypassing Soviet positrons and capturingOrel.3 Panzer, 4 Panzer and 16 Motorized Infantry divisions were committed to widen the breach in 13 Army opened by 47 Panzer Corps units.

In a daring raid a small kampfgruppe made up of the motorcycle battalions of 3 Panzer and 16 Motorized Infantry attempted to capture Kursk. Although breakdowns and supply shortages reduced the kampfgruppe, the commander of 3 motorcycle battalion reported the seizure of Kursk and capture of the rail yards.

German 4 Army started the attack toward Spas Demansk at the same time Second Panzer Group was opening the road to Orel. 20 Corps followed by 40 Panzer Corps attacked from Yel'nya and 7 Corps followed by 46 Panzer Corps attacked from Roslavl.

In 7 Corps sector, assault gun battalions from 4 Army (192, 226 and 201 Bns) penetrated the forward Soviet infantry positions and overran Soviet 43 Army HQ. 5 Panzer bypassed Soviet front-line units and captured Spas Demansk. Soviet 33 Army HQ and support units were completely surprised by the appearance of 5 Panzer at Spas Demansk and retreated from the city without offering serious resistance. The motorcycle battalion of 5 Panzer (55 MC) captured the airfield southeast of Spas Demansk.

In 20 Corps sector west of Yel'nya, 10 Panzer successfully passed through German infantry engaging the Soviet frontline positions. Luftwaffe attacks preceded two 10 Panzer kampfgruppen which in succession overran the positions of 6 Militia division and 24 Army HQ.

In both 7 Corps and 20 Corps sectors, initial breakthroughs by mobile units were followed by heavy combat throughout the zone between the initial front-line and Spas Demansk. Soviet reaction to the assault was disorganized by the loss of all three local army HQs. 24, 33 and 43 Army headquarters were all overrun, or destroyed by German units trailing the panzer spearheads. In addition to Soviet HQs, 109 Tank, 103 Motorized Ritle and 6 Militia divisions were eliminated as effechve combat units by heavy German ground attacks coordinated with Luftwaffe airstrikes and artillery bombardment.

In the south Soviet front reserve units attempted to cut the road f rom Konotop to Orel and isolate the advanced units of 24 and 47 Panzer Corps. Sevsk airfield was recaptured by a Soviet tank brigade, and 50 Tank advanced to cut the Orel road. However, German reserves retook the Sevsk airfield and eliminated 50 Tank in defensive fighting northeast of Glukhov.

German air operations for the first three days concentrated on supply transport and close air support of assault units. No operations were conducted against the Soviet air force. Soviet air operations focused on advancing German spearhead units at Spas Demansk and Orel. Soviet attacks which passed German defensive fighters caused no damage.

Historical Operations Commentary

(3 days: 30 Sept 1-2 Oct.)

Historically, on 21 September 1941 German forces were still regrouping following the Battle of Kiev. In game terms the original Gemman offensive did not start until game turn 3. However, for the purpose of this narrative the historical progress of operations will be compared with the game on a tum by tum basis. Thus historical operations for the first three days of the offensive (30 Sept., 1-2 Oct.) will be compared with game turn 1 (21-23 Sept.).

General Guderian received permission to begin the offensive with Second Panzer Group on 30 September, two days before the general start of Army Group Center's autumn offensive. Second Panzer Group consisted of 24, 47 and 48 Panzer Corps plus 34 and 35 Army Corps. 46 Panzer Corps, SS Reich and GrossDeutchland were transferred to Fourth Panzer Group command at Roslavl.

Guderian planned an advance to Orel and operations aimed at clearing a supply line Roslavl - Bryansk - Orel. In the center, 24 Panzer Corps would advance along the axis Sevsk - Orel. 47 Panzer Corps would advance on the left of 24 Panzer Corps with 29 Motorized Infantry farthest on the left and 17 and 18 Panzer attacking toward Sevsk.48 Panzer Corps on the Group right flank was to disengage operations at Putivl and move north to support the right flank of the attack.

Second Panzer Group opened the offensive on 30 September. Guderian records in his memoirs that 24 Panzer Corps captured Sevsk on 1 October and 4 Panzer was in Kromy on 2 October. Second Army's assault on 2 October crossed the Desna river toward Spas Demansk.

More Guderian

Guderian's Blitzrieg (Game): Introduction
Guderian's Blitzrieg (Game): Turn 1
Guderian's Blitzrieg (Game): Turn 2

Guderian's Blitzrieg Part 2: (Game): Turn 3