Don to Danube AAR - Decision in the Ukraine - Soviet Side

[Speedysteve]

Moderator note: This is the Soviet side AAR of an ongoing test game between Speedy (Soviet player) and ComradeP (Axis player). The scenario is from the upcoming Don to the Danube release. An Axis side AAR thread for this game will appear within the next few days. The players opted to use random weather and fog of war.


Hi all,

This is the Soviet side AAR for the 'Decision in the Ukraine' scenario. To give you a synopsis of this scenario - this runs from 24th September 1943 to 4th May 1944. The Eastern Front from the Fall of 1943 to the Spring of 1944 was being decided in the Ukraine where over 80% of German Armor was concentrated, It is one of the bloodiest campaigns ever fought in human history with casualties estimated between 1.7 and 2.7 million men on both sides. The Germans mustt try to hold the natural defences along the Dnepr River, or be forced to defend the open, flat Ukrainian Steppes.

Here's a snapshot of the front at the start of the scenario. This area of the front is pretty tough to strike against what with the Pripyat Marshes in the very north and 2 major river obstacles around Kiev.

The first target area for me at the start of this Operation will be to expand the bridgehead created by 9th Mechanized Corps NW of Cherkassy. 3rd Guards Tank Army is on hand with 6th and 7th Guards Tank Corps rrady to move across the Dnepr.

[Speedysteve]

South East of Cherkassy strong Axis forces are present (Wiking/G.D/Totenkopf etc). Little direct action will be taken against these unless a situation presents itself.

A second push will be made further to the SE by 7th Guards Army facing a strung out 23rd Panzer Division.

[Speedysteve]

South Western and Southern Fronts have a very important role to play in my plans. Firstly, there is a lot of Mechanized, Cavalry and Tank Corps (10 in total) ready to be deployed. Secondly, I would be very happy to cut-off Axis forces in the Crimea and Kuban Peninsula. This would shatter the entire Axis position in the south if these forces were annihilated. Of course, the chance of this is slim as they'll probably be able to rail or sea lift many units out but I will try.

The 3 arrows below indicate major assault points. I will be flexible here in that which achieves the greatest success will be reinforced the most.

[Speedysteve]

The Crimean and Kuban Peninsula and the forces I would dearly like to annihilate. There is no point in trying to advance through the Kuban directly. Axis positions are too strong here.

[Speedysteve]

An overview of the front along with the main attack axes and the VP locations needed to win this scenario.

Pressure will also be maintained along the whole front to detrite the Axis as much as possible. The major obstacles to success will be the Dnepr and the strong Axis Armoured divisions which will presumably be used for counter attacks and 'backhand blows'.

A decent flow of reinforcements will be sent by STAVKA. 8 Mech/Tank Corps alone over the next 2 months for examople. These will be thrown into the mill wherever is best suited.

I don't have much longer term plans than the attacks stated as so much will depend on which (if any) of these will be successful!

[Speedysteve]

Turn 1 -

First things first. I ordered my air units to relocate much nearer to the front to provide an all round CAP and the necessary ground support. Recon was conducted across the front and in the rear areas to detect Axis reserves and airfields. A few AF attacks went in and claimed about 40 enemy planes for a similar number of losses.

The Kanev bridgehead was expanded by elements of 40th, 47th and 3rd Guards Tank Army. Weak German divisions were comfortably pushed back and a tentative salient is held.

Further to the east attacks by 23rd and 73rd Rifle Corps smashed back 3rd and 11th Panzer Divisions over the Dnepr claiming 90 Axis tanks (mainly on the retreat).

[Speedysteve]

NW of Dnepropetrovsk 7th Guards Army pushed back 2 Rgt's of 23rd Panzer Division across the Dnepr. Later in the week they attempted to cross the Dnepr but the 23rd Panzer held firm and prevented any successful crossing.

Successful spoiling attacks were conducted by 37th, 6th and 1st Guards Army north, east and SE of Dnepropetrovsk.

[Speedysteve]

2 substantial reverses were sustained SE of Zaporozhe and against 2 LW Field Divisions in Fedorovka. 3rd and 8th Guards Armies were stopped SE of Zaporozhe by the timely arrival of 17th Panzer Division in reserve.

The major success was achieved on the coast of the Azov Sea. A massed artillery barrage prreceeded the crossing and storming of positions of the Southern Cavalry Bde by 37th Rifle Corps. The bridgehead was secured and all Armoured reserves crossed, struck deep into the rear of Axis lines and importantly cut both rail lines out of the Crimea.

I expect a serious reaction by ComradeP and the Axis reserves down here.

[Speedysteve]

Losses for the week. A lot of these Axis losses were on the retreat.

About 140 planes lost by both sides.

[Speedysteve]

OOB:

[Speedysteve]

Start of Soviet turn 2.

Pieter re-organised his lines by withdrawing the strong Elite Panzer forces from the Kremenchug salient to bolster the Korsun Bridgehead defences. No attacks were launched against the Russians though.

[Speedysteve]

In the South 17th Panzer Division ploughed between Soviet units to restore a tenuous link to the Crimea. This was probably a suicide mission for these tankers though. The Molochna River line fell back towards the Dnepr. The Soviet reaction down here will be crucial.

Virtually all of the Luftwaffe has been removed from the front. As such I will place a much higher percentage of the VVS on Interdiction missions.

[Speedysteve]

North Ukraine:

A frustrating week for the Soviets in general. Due to the repaired rail lines being so far back from the front (just east of Poltava in the north for example) manhy of my units had limited fuel and supplies, in particular in the Kanev Bridgehead. Infact MP were so low in general across the front that I couldn't launch any deliberate attacks across the Dnepr where I wanted to this week.

Here's an example of 2 of my units in the Kanev Bridgehead:

[Speedysteve]

South Ukraine:

Soviet's stormed acorss the Molochna and re cut-off the Crimea again. Only 1 attack was launched on 4th Rumanian Mountain Division. I hope I can keep the Crimea isolated.

[Speedysteve]

Crimea:

I have moved 18th Army troops to Novorossiysk for a potential seaborne invasion along the Crimea. We'll see what conditions await though.

[Speedysteve]

Losses:

[Speedysteve]

OOB:

[Speedysteve]

Turn 3:

ComradeP stormed through Soviet defences in the center of the Kanev Bulge cutting right through the Soviet bulge and surrounding 3 x Tk Corps and 1 x Mech Corps. Despite reckless attacks on the Axis positions involving 100's of Soviet bombers, artillery and Katyusha's no rescue attempt was successful.................

[Speedysteve]

Further south 2 bridgheads are established. The first is the stronger of the 2 NE of Kirovograd when 4 Rifle Corps from 53rd and 7th Guards Army smashed back weak elements of Florian Geyer SS Cav Div. 1st Mech. Corps and 25th Guards Rifle Corps occupied hills across the river.

SE of Dnepropetrovsk 46th Army held weak positions on the other side of the Dnepr.

[Speedysteve]

The weather gods played against me further south still with heavy rain stalling the southern advance.........in the Crimea Kerch was re-taken against the retreating Germans.