October 1941

Eastern Front

The Finns launch a heavy attack across the Svir but are repulsed by the 7th Army after bitter fighting. Fierce battles continue along the river line for the remainder of the month.

Boldin continues to counterattack with his group but is unable to halt the 3rd Panzer Group. Heavy fighting rages as the Russian force launches repeated attacks. The 3rd Panzer continues to hit the 19th and 32nd Armies. Belyi falls to the 3rd Panzer Group, while the 10th and 2nd Panzer Divisions of the XL Panzer Corps fights close to Vyazma and Yukhnow. The 4th Panzer Group all but destroys the 43th Army and breaks apart the 33rd Army. The wings of the 20th and 24th Armies have been turned and a 70-mile gap torn between the Reserve and Bryansk Fronts. Spas Demensk and Kirov also fall to the Germans during the bitter fighting.

To the south, the XXIV Panzer Corps heads for Tula, having tanke Mglin, while the XLVII Panzer thrusts into the rear of the Bryansk Front, vanguards nearing Karachev. The 2nd Army launches ferocious attack across the Bolva River, pinning the 3rd and 50th Armies between it and the XLVII Panzer Corps. Following the unexpected fall of Orel, the I Gurards Rifle Corps detrains at Mtsensk, aiming to hald the German drive upon Tula. Katukov's 4th Tank Brigade has only recently been formed and is fully equipped with T-34 tanks.

The West Front command reports to the Stavka that its situation is difficult and that Boldin's counterattack has failed. Budenny's Reserve Front reports its own situation to be out of contro. Despited these dire warnings, the Stavka reacts slowly to developments.

Whle the Russian armies suffer, behind the German line the actions of hostile partisan groups begin to hinder the movement of support forces and supply columns. In the Central Sector particularly, where the extensive Belorussian forests provide excellent cover, attacks upon supply columns and out posts increae alarmingly. Brutal reprisals follow in an effort to deter further attracks, but this in itself leads to more fighting, each side acting in reprisal against the atrocities committed by the other.