January 1944

Eastern Front

With the fighting in the Ukraine having raged unabated since the Battle of Kursk in the middle of 1943, the Soviets prepare to turn their attention north. Around Leningrad the Leningrad, Volkhov and 2nd Baltic Fronts have trained hard during 1942 and 1943 to break the 18th Army's grip on Leningrad.

Still in much the same positions as in the winter of 1941, the Stavka aims to break the siege for good and destroy the German 18th Army before pushing south and west to reconquer the Baltic States. Govorov's Leningrad Front will begin the offensive from the Oranienbaum pocket and the perimeter of Leningrad, encircling the left wing of the German siege positions against the Gulf of Finland. Meretskov's Volkhov Front is to crush the right flank of the 18th Army against the Volkhov while Popov's 2nd Baltic Front pins down the 16th Army south of Lake Ilmen to prevent the transfer of forces to Leningrad. The Leningrad and Volkhov Fronts have assembled 417,000 and 260,000 men respectively, with 1,200 tanks and Su's, 14,300 arty pieces and nearly 720 aircraft in support.

Against this formidable array Kuchler's Army Group North deploys 40 infantry divisions, 1 panzer grenadier and 2 panzer divisions, split between the 18th Army and 16th Army. The 18th Army fields the III SS Panzer Corps at Oranienbaum, LIV Corps between Oranienbaum and Leningrad, XXVI and XXVIII Corps on the Leningrad perimeter and the I Corps along the Volkhov, a total of only 50,000 combat infantry from a complement of over 200,000 men. It is supported by 200 panzers and assault guns, around a third of which are serviceable. South of Lake Ilmen the 16th Army has its X, XXXVIII and II Corps strung out on a long and vulnerable line to the junction with the 3rd Panzer Army near Pustoshka.