May 43 / June 43( T22-23 / Clear ) :
After several months of combats, situation is close to stalemate : Axis need to reinforce their troops while Soviet are doing the same .
Local Soviet offensives all fail and suffer heavy losses .
From Axis point of view the strategy followed is to spare all available forces to be able to defend efficiently and counter attack whenever possible .
July 43( T24 / Clear ) :
In order to find new offensive opportunities , Stavka decides to reinforce the efforts against Vitebsk/Smolensk area and transfer troops in South Ukrainia.
Newly formed Tank Guard armies is making strong advances between Vitebsk and Smolensk .
Smolensk is a key defensive position that OKH will defend to the end .
While in the south , a bloody assault ( Ex result , 6 steps lost ) results in a breakthrough in prepared defensive lines
August ( T25 / Clear ) :
OKH didn't want to try a summer offensive because of the visible lack of any possible success.
Initiative is now definitively on Soviet side, Offensive will now be Russian .
In Ukrainia , nice progresses are made toward Stalino .
But what a heavy cost for russian soldiers . The loss rate is terrific ...
The best russian offensive weapon is by far artillery armies !
September / October 43( T26-27 / Mix / Mud ) :
September is another month of terrible battles, seing heavy losses on soviet side and slow fallback of German lines .
But last days of the month see the beginning of a deep battle in Ukrainia ( Deep battle drawn last ).
This is the sign of a major Soviet offensive ( Deep Battle chosen as initiative chit ) , which at last turns in huge success :
All Axis armies from Kharkov to sea of Azov are surrounded and now risk a massive elimination !!
Once again, Manstein is called to deliver a counter offensive . But troops inside the pocket are pinned on defense and cannot help the attempt.
This time , russian will resist . The 1st guard Tank army will win eternal glory during this October 43
After nearly a month of desperate counterattacks, 1 Guard Tank army has repulsed all the assaults and it keeps the pocket nearly shut .
In the south , a miracle happens for the Axis troops that succeed in saving some troops .
Even better , an attack against main supply railroad Kharkov/Stalino/Rostov cuts supply for the Russian troops !
A Rumanian cavalry corps is sacrified to keep supply closed.
This terrible month of mobile warfare is ended by a global repositioning of Russian troops ( Move chit ) ... does it prepare another month of offensive ?
Lost isolated troops :
November 43 ( T28 / Mix ) :
At start situation :
Orders of Stavka are now to concentrate assaults against Kharkov pocket and definitively reduce it.
But German troops trapped are still supplied and OKH will not give up so easily : simply abandon these divisions is not acceptable and the longer they resist, the longer the russian efforts will be delayed .
General Von Paulus is asked to resist to the death in the city !
During the month , terrible combats with heavy losses will occur .
Finally, by the beginning of december , the result is as follow :
Kharkov has been liberated but pocket is still here , still attracting more and more troops in the battle !
In southern Ukrainia, sacrifice of Rumanian Cavalry has given time to build a coherent defensive line on the Dniepr and allow somes german divisions to escape . Now Supply has arrived to feed Front Russian units .. .
During this time , situation around Smolensk and Vitebsk is stalemating ...
December 43 ( T29 / snow )
Decision is at hands near Kharkov. Soviet increase their pressure with an offensive NorthWest of the pocket .
This time , pressure is too dangerous and Kharkov pocket cannot be anymore supported .
Von Paulus will end its military career writing his memories in Siberia
January 44 ( T30 / snow )
After Kharkov success, Russian troops advance to reposition and try an assault across Dnepr, which is repulsed .
February 44 ( T31 / snow )
Russians use artillery and the strengh of their tank armies to dig holes in compact German defenses.
In heavy snow, new T34-85 and JS2 prove their superiority and win a decisive victory that allow them to cross Dniepr in a succesfull exploitation ( Deep Battle/Move pulled by the end of the turn )
OKH is forced to evacuate Dniepr bend without combat !!
March / April 44 ( T32 / Mud )
Russians use their initiative to pull Deep Offensive again .
And again , this double Deep Offensive activation results in a massive success : Guard armies penetrate deep in German defenses totaly inefficient in mud ( No panzer ZOCs during mud )
Now , Stavka sees a great opportunity to finish German resistance in Ukrainia and throw its reserves in the battle ( Move chit pulled, followed by Stavka )
But again, Axis react with a desperate energy and launch attempts to deliver surrounded troops before they come OOS
Some extremely needed troops are delivered, but losses will be heavy by the end of the month ...
these troops wer lost in the Dniepr valley :
