Long campain, Soviet mech battalion, Nov 1941

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0060 Three SdKfz 222 tried to moved along the north forest road, but were destroyed by KV shooting through the gap in the forest from the center. One SdKfz 222 in the center also destroyed. Another either retreated or slipped through our line. Halftruck immobilized by German arty. Two of 152mm battery ordered to fire.

0070 One KV immobilized by 7.5mm howitzer. The rest ordered to advance. Where the hell main geman forces ???

0080 PzIII seen in the forest. If the axis of German advance go through the forest that's not good. Infantry will not be able to hold them. If our T34 went against german in the forest losses will be huge, and KV just too slow, to move them in and out of the forest. All cavalry but scouts ordered to move into forest. Three halftrucks moved there as well.

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0011 About a panzer company moving through the central forest. We have deployed infantry before it, and moved three T34/57 behind infantry. One panzer already burned by infantry. Panzers moving along the north road hit two KV which were supposed to be an ambush. One KV lost in the short range tank duel and another heavily damaged. With the help of KV group in the center and immobilized KV behind all detected panzers destroyed (four PzIIIh). North KVs were supposed to be ambush, but Fritz detected them first instead. KV were separated, left without support and didn't fare well in the short range duels. It was a mistake to put them there at all.
It's not clear if the central german group intend to continue move through the forest or turn into clear. KV in the center ordered regroup and wait for a while. On the south several PzII/III appear and turn into forest. They were hit by our T34/57 plt guarding south flank. Two were destroyed, one T34/57 took heavy damage. It doesn't look good. The serious fighting is not started yet, enemy forces is not commited and we already have substantial losses. If Germans have another three panzer companies somethere with such a loss ratio they will wear us down eventually.

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0012-0013 Group of PzII and PzIII continue their move from the south to the north battlefield through the forest. SOuth T34/57 plt shoot at them and kill another couple. The rest approached primary battlefield on the north edge of the central forest and were engaged by T34/57 plt sitting behind the infantry mass. No survived enemy detected. The main (?) german tank force continue to push through our infantry massed. It seems the german infantry separated from the tank by our mortar and artillery fire. Is it the time to move everything we have against german spearhead ? Or they have some other major force in the reserve ?

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0015 It seems the situation in the center is stabilized. Several panzers is burned by infantry Molotov. Another five, on the side of the german spearhead killed by central KV group. However there could be still more panzers behind the smoke. Our 152mm howitzers are pounding area in the center, behind the line of panzers. Platoon of T34/57 is moving from the south to the center. The group of PzIII detected on the noth road, platoon of T34/57 is left to watch over the central area. Commander stated to put together attack group to move into objectives in the german rear. One T34/76 with riders, three rifle squads on the halftracks, one 57mm ATG and one HMG squad on trucks should reform and move through the center, into the area designated by cavalry scouts. Scouts havn't detected any ATG or tanks behind the main german force, so it should be relatively safe.

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0016-0017 While our T34/57 was sitting behind the infantry near the central fight, two PzIIIh popped out in the forest clearing suddenly from the south and killed it in one hit. No crew survived. Both Panzers were later burned by cavalry with molotov.
Three T34/57 from south arrived into center. Our cavalry scout located and attacked two 8cm mortars in Fritz rear. Central group of four KV ordered to move into close-range fight. Most of our infantry in the center heavily suppressed, in retreat or rout. Another three fresh squads ordered into the furnace which central fight become.
On the north german made their move. Four panzer attacked our position, three were destroyed by 57mm ATG, immobilized KV and T34/57 platoon.

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0018 Advance of KV into the central fight was not quite successful. One KV lost with the crew, anothe heavily damaged and probably immobilized. KVs manged to kill two PzIII. In the forest T34/57 plt arrived from the south helped to repell panzer advance and destroyed three PzIII. German 105 mm howitzers immobilized one T34/57 in the center and disabled gun of another. No functional tanks remain in the central T34/57 plt. Commander trying to withdrwa infantry from the north edge of the forest and hit german panzer group with heavy artillery.
Last (?) PzIII killed on the north and T34/57 plt moved from the north-back to the center. One 57mmATG rebased to the central fight, two another on the move. Two PzIII detected by scouts in the German rear area.

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0022 It seems our 152mm howitzer broke german armor group in the center at last. Some panzers routed and were killed by 57mm ATG. Our infantry started to advance, T34/57 and KV moved in to support. On the west group of five PzIIIj/1 moving to the north. It seems they want to retake objective in the north-westforest taken by our scout.