1. Introduction

This article has been prompted by discussions taking place where it seems that a number of players are concerned with the small number of Soviet units that escape the Vyazma and Bryansk pockets during the opening phase of the game.

2. Historical Situation

On September 6 1941, OKH issued Fuhrer Directive No 35. The aim of the directive was the destruction of the Soviet armies situated to the east of Army Group Center along the Moscow axis by a double envelopment by the Panzer forces, and a subsequent exploitation along the Moscow axis. All available panzer and motorized infantry divisions on the Eastern Front were transferred to the command of Army Group Center. The German force numbered some two million men organized into three armies and three panzer groups totaling 78 divisions.

Three Red Army Fronts, Western, Reserve and Bryansk, consisting of a total of 15 armies, numbering some 1,250,000 men, defended the approaches to Moscow along a front some 500 miles in length. The Soviet forces included 86 Rifle Divisions, nine Cavalry Divisions, one Tank Division and 13 Tank Brigades. [1]

By the end of September 1941, Army Group Center was ready to launch Operation Typhoon, the campaign to destroy the 3 Red Army Fronts defending the approaches to Moscow, and capture Moscow thereafter.

This is the historical situation confronting the players at the start of the game.

3. Historical Outcome

Operation Typhoon inflicted on the Soviet Army what was probably the largest defeat suffered by any army during the Second World War. By October 8, the Western and Reserve Fronts were encircled and facing annihilation. So too was most of the Bryansk Front. Heavy fighting continued in the pockets for about fourteen days after the German Panzer forces completed the encirclement, with little success. The three Fronts lost 64 of 95 divisions, 11 of 15 tank brigades and almost all of the artillery. [2]

The remnants of some 32 divisions, 13 artillery regiments and three headquarters escaped the encirclement and reached the safety of Soviet lines. [3]

During the defense of Moscow, from the opening of Operation Typhoon until December 5 1941 (the end of the Soviet defensive phase), Soviet Army records that the three Fronts suffered 608,916 casualties. [4]

The Germans reported capturing some 763,000 Soviet troops in the Vyazma and Bryansk pockets. [5]

Despite the obvious contradiction in the number of casualties reported by different sources, it is clear that most of the Soviet units occupying forward defensive positions at the commencement of Operation Typhoon were destroyed during the massive encirclement battles west of Moscow during October 1941.

On November 2, Marshal Zhukov wrote "... Konev [commander of the Western Front] and Budenny [commander of the Reserve Front] are missing all of their armed forces. I received from them only a trace -- a headquarters and 98 men from Budenny and a headquarters and 2 reserve regiments from Konev. [6]

4. Soviet Losses during an average game

I have calculated the following average losses incurred by the Soviet player during the first 8 turns of the campaign game, based on the results of the many playtests; played with the later rules (i.e. "Tree Bark Soup" and "Start Dates") - 60 Rifle Divisions, 4 Cavalry Divisions, 11 Headquarters and 10 Tank brigades.

However, in all of the playtests, by the end of October 1941, the German position was also parlous. The effects of continuous fighting had resulted in significant losses to the German mobile formations, and supply was always stretched to the limit.

I must advise that in all of the playtests the Russian player was aggressive, launching counterattacks at the flanks of the advancing Panzer units and attacking in quiet sectors to divert the supply and attention of the German player.

Individual players will have different experiences with GBII, based on the competence and aggressiveness of both sides' play, and the effects of the weather. I can only report on the results of playtests and games after publication that I was involved in.

5. Conclusion

A great deal of playtesting was done on the opening phase of GBII in order to reflect the circumstances and difficulties facing both sides and ensure that the game did not diverge completely from the historical situation. In addition, many special rules were tried, some remaining part of the finished product, many ending on the cutting floor, to obtain the right balance between the two sides.

6. Sources

[1] Col-Gen G.F. Krivosheev, ed - Soviet Casualties and Combat Losses in the 20th Century, Greenhill Books, 1997, 118.
[2] V.A. Zolotarev, ed - Velikaia Otechestvennaia voina 19411945, Kn 1 (The Great Patriotic War 1941-1945, Book 1), Moscow, 1998 (WOV), 225-226.
[3] Ibid. and Earl F. Ziemke - Moscow to Stalingrad, Decision in the East, Centre of Military History United States Army, 1987, 37.
[4] Krivosheev - 118.
[5] VOV - 225-226.
[6] Ibid - 234.