October 1941

Eastern Front

Heavy fighting rages in and around both the Vyazma and Bryansk pockets as the Soviet forces launch repeated attacks in an effort to break out. The Stavka orders the 19th and 32nd Armies to make their way to the east toward Sychevka or Gzhatsk. The 20th Army is ordered to push southeast. However, during heavy fighting, Gzhatsk falls to the 10th Panzer Division and the 2nd SS Motorized Division Das Reich.

Inside the Bryansk pociet the 3rd and 50th Armies, fighting close to Dyatkovo, attempt to fight eastward but run into strong German forces. The 13th Army, in action at Trubchevsk and Suzemka, fights its way southeast and manages to break throught the German ring.

Kempf's XLVIII Panzer Corps begins to push toward Kursk and Livny on the extreme southern flank of Army Group Center, while the XXIV Panzer Corps is involved in further costly fighting with Lelyushenko's I Guards Rifle Corps as it pushes nearer to Mtsensk.

With the front line in tatters, the Mozhaisk Line is upgraded to the Moscow Reserve Front, commanded by Gen Artemev. Moscow begins the placement of its limited reseves, placing a rifle division each at Volokolamsk (316th), Maloyaroslavets (312th) and Mozhaisk. The Stavka also begins the formation of a new 5th Army under Lelushenko and a 26th Army under Sokolov at Tula. The latter force is based upon the I Guards Rifle Corps.