November 1941

Eastern Front

As the Germans move upon Tikhvin, the Luftwaffe launches a number of heavy air raids on Leningrad. The Soviet situation is becoming untenable as their efforts to halt the German salient pressing toward the Svir fails. Reinforcements are urgently airlifted to the crumbling Tikhvin sector to bolster the 4th Army.

Army Group Center begins to redeploy for the next phase of Operation TYPHOON. The 3rd Panzer Group takes up new positions between the 9th Army and the 4tn Panzer Group, aiming to strike directly toward Moscow and envelop the city from the north. The continuing drop in the temperature sees winter take an early hold, causing the first cases of frostbite among the ill-equipped German units. Most men are still wearing summer tunics and no supplies of winter uniforms exist to the rear. Only the Luftwaffe has made provisions for operating in the winter, and the infantry has to endure the worst winter in living memory virtually without protection.

The 1st Panzer Army forces the 9th Army back 20 miles along the road to Rostov. The weight of the German attack is then switched south, bringing pressure to bear upon the 56th Independent Army. Rundstedt aims to penetrate directly into Rostov rather than enveloping the city from the northwest.