Turn 29, January 1st 1942


Another 126.000 casualties for the butcher's bill...


This week the Red Army initiated 30 major attacks. And while the number of attacks decreased, the majority of them this time succeeded. 17 of my divisions were forced to retreat during heavy fighting, all of them with heavy casualties. Worst hit was probably the brave 46th Infantry Division, defending against determined Russian attacks on the north-eastern shoulder of the Moscow salient for four weeks now. The division, down to ~9.000 men and half their artillery was hit by three rifle divisions and two tank brigades and lost another 3.200 men and 66 guns, despite heavy Luftwaffe support.

Up North the front remained calm. Except airdropping supplies on some Finnish units and the 8th SS cavalry brigade destroying a partisan unit south-west of Leningrad there wasn't much to do. No map update because nothing has changed.

In the Vyshnyvolochek-Kalinin sector The Red Army attacked several of my divisions, but achieved no breakthrough. My lines here, anchored around SS Totenkopf division in the North and XXXXVII Panzerkorps in Kalinin in the South hold. But with the manpower simply draining away at the current speed soon there will be only skeletons of divisions left.

No map update here either because nothing has changed.


Moscow. Damned Moscow.

Here the blows of the Red Army fall the hardest. 16 infantry divisions, 5 motorized infantry divisions and 3 Panzerdivisions defend a 160-mile stretch against the Soviet onslaught.

So far we could not stop the enemy attacks, but we have made them pay for every step.

As the Red Army approaches Moscow they now face heavily fortified positions. And 7th and 18th Panzerdivisions in reserve in Moscow itself have been brought up almost to full strength again and with the 8th Panzerdivision together field more than 450 tanks.

In a series of counterattacks east and south-east of Moscow we have shattered 2 tank brigades and routed three rifle divisions of the field. Enemy casualties have been severe.



The long line from Tula to Voronezh sees several Soviet attacks and several German counterattacks, but the cornerstones Tula and Voronezh hold fast. The Red Army continues to concentrate forces south of Tula, I'm not liking this. The SS motorized brigade won't reach Tula for another week due to the weather, and I have barely any reserves there. If the Russians break through at Tula I'll have to bring up the 20th Panzerdivision from the North. Problem is I can't spare that division there yet.



In the South the Red Army pushes hard towards Stalino. I'd like to say that my troops here are conducting a fighting withdrawal, but the truth is the Russians are simply kicking us out of our positions week after week, pushing us West. Casualties are heavy.
On the positive side: I have 5 Panzer and 3 Motorized Infantry divisions back resting in the Stalino area, so there's no danger of a deep breakthrough.

And Voroshilovgrad still holds.

As everywhere, my biggest problem is the ever-decreasing strength of my infantry divisions. Some of the divisions here are down to less than 5.000 men...




The Crimea saw no action this week.


Some statistics as of January 1st, 1942:


Infantry losses:

Germany: 980.074 USSR: 4.731.440

Guns:

Germany: 8.747 USSR 58.612

Tanks:

Germany: 2.895 USSR: 17.314

Aircraft:

Germany: 1.503 USSR: 12.067