November 1941

Eastern Front

A newly reinforced and revitalized 4th Army launches furious attacks at Tikhvin, pinning down the I Corps. The 52nd and 54th Armies continue their attacks against the northern and southern flanks of the salient. Slowly but surely the 18th Army is squeezed back to the west.

With the 7th Panzer and 14th Motorized Divisions just 20 miles north of Moscow at Yakhroma, the Soviets deploy the 1st Shock Army from their reserve. The advance has cost the Germans their last ounce of strength, many units being severely depleted in the costly fighting and atrocious weather. After a bitter battle, the 2nd SS Division Das Reich and the 10th Panzer Division capture Istra. Farther south, the XLIII Corps comes under heavy attack as the West Front attempts to pin down the 4th Army.

Behind the combat line, the 10th Army completes its march to Ryazan. Golikov's army stands poised to enter fighting south of Moscow where it threatens the exposed right wing of the 2nd Panzer Army. To reinforce the hard pressed 16th Army, the 5th, 33rd, 43rd and 49th Armies each gave up a rifle division. Operational Group Lizyukov is formed around these divisions, later going on to become the 20th Army. The 5th Army is instructed to form a mobile reserve to secure its junction with the 16th Army. Its group numbers just 800 men and 21 tanks.

The 56th and 9th kArmies recapture most of Rostov, the III Panzer Corps retreating from the cement factory. The bulk of the 1st Panzer Army falls back to the Mius, hotly pursued by the South Front. With Rostov virtually lost and the 1st Panzer Army in retreat, Hitler countermands Rundstedt's order and insists that the 1st Panzer hold its positions.