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 As the autumn weather sets in, we're trying to make a push to the Black Sea.  At the ends of the map we're engaged in even battles, while the bulk of our force is making its way through the middle along the rivers. Allied Turn: October 17, 1943 Raining(Dry) Finally, the clouds break and the rain comes down.  We left the back of Meltopol open, and to take it out we hold our units back another turn. If this rain turns the ground to mud, they aren't going anywhere any time soon anyway.  Kirovograd has some bitter infantry battles. In the end the Cultists secure the town, and we're able to send our forces in the direction of Krivoi Rog.  As expected, the Panther gets full replacements and now it's a major roadblock. We can't even attack it this turn, as the bridge only allows one unit to get close. With air power out of the equation, we can only sit and wait while the defenders get stronger. We do replace the lost T-34 down here, where it will be more useful. Axis Turn: October 17, 1943  The only activity is a hit from the Panther on our ISU-122. It's able to withstand the attack even in the rain. Allied Turn: October 21, 1943 Overcast(Dry) The rain quickly fades and we see only scattered showers for a few days.  We don't quite take Cherkassy, and in fact may lose some troops in the battle if they counterattack.  The Bridging Engineers allow our tanks to cross but this BT-7 runs into an ambush north of Berislav.    We send some of our best units to dislodge the Panther, but they take many casualties just whittling it to half strength.  More success is had at Krivoi Rog as the Hummel is eliminated. Yet another defensive artillery is seen here, a veteran rocket-firing Nebelwerfer unit.  Nebelwerfers are deadly to infantry but not quite as dangerous for tanks. Still, it gets some defensive fire in to reduce the damage when a T-70 goes after the Wespe.  There is a quality 88 FlaK unit here, but we decide to overwhelm the defenses as there is only one and the Focke-Wulfs seem to have retreated to the south. The last of the Stukas is shot down. (Yes, that is an auxiliary Yak-9 with overstrength. I need something to try and get a fight started against a FW190.)  But despite the bombs dropping all around them, the air defense guns shoot many of our planes down. Axis Turn: October 21, 1943  Some of the weaker units in the area take losses. The FW190a's have arrived, but they were not able to reach any of our planes yet.  We then witness a heroic effort -- a T-34 stands up to a Nashorn and nearly demolishes it!  At Berislav, our artillery that advanced ahead of the rest of its force comes under fire from over the river. After this we also lose the BT-7 that was scouting. Allied Turn: October 25, 1943 Overcast(Dry) It stays cloudy but fortunately never rains hard enough to muddy the ground.  The Panther is finally gone thanks to a Sturmovik, but dealing with it has cost us precious time. What with the roadblocks we're seeing at Berislav and the threat of worsening weather, the odds that we will reach Kherson in time are very slim.  The sheer numbers we have in this area, combined with the stand of our tanks against the Nashorn, mean that Krivoi Rog will be sure to fall within a week or two. We keep our planes up in the skies; the Focke-Wulfs may come but our fighters will be ready to strike back.  The Nashorn manages its own defensive stand and survives the tank assault.  Cherkassy holds off the core forces.  But the Soviet Regular army troops charge across the river and drive them out of the town. Axis Turn: October 25, 1943  About the only attack comes from the artillery, and it ends up doing very little even to our trucks. The 190's arrive but curiously do not attack anything (the bombers have interceptors but surely they could have shot down that strength 6 Yak-7). Allied Turn: October 29, 1943  We clear the first roadblock, but Berislav is now prepared for our attacks. On the river side we're able to knock down the strength of the AD guns.  In what is probably the largest air battle of the war so far, we engage the Focke-Wulfs over Krivoi Rog. After our Yak-1M's nearly finish off one squadron, the weakened Yak-7b's are able to shoot them down.  We just keep on attacking on the ground until the units in the town pull out. What is left will be easy for us to take prisoner or kill in a few days. Axis Turn: October 29, 1943  The defenders of Krivoi Rog make a few attacks on our infantry and then pull into the city to make their last stand. Victory of some sort is in our grasp now. The only question is whether we can make the push all the way for a total victory at Kherson.
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