November 1941

Monday, November 17th


Eastern Front

CENTRAL SECTOR

The Stavka transfers the 30th Army from the Kalinin to the West Front to cover the crumbling Klin sector and provide support to the 16th Army. Rokossovsky's flanks have collapsed under the force of the German attacks and his divisions are being bled to death, 3 having lost touch with army headquarters.

SOUTHERN SECTOR

Kleist pins down the 18th Army as it attempts to counterattack. The III Panzer Corps leads the assault that aims to bypass and isolate Rostov. The 37th Army also counterattacks, attacking without artillery preparation if pushes 10 miles into the German flank. In spite of this, the III Panzer Corps continues to concentrate its firepower upon the 56th Independent Army. The 56th has at its disposal 86,500 soldiers, while the South Front, minus the 12th Army, has a further 262,000 men.

To support the attack upon Rostov, Manstein's 11th Army hands the 73rd Infantry Division over to the 1st Panzer Army control. This move weakens Manstein's plan of attack on Sevastopol.


[ November 16th - November 18th]