"The Soviet Offensive in the Arctic: The Pechenga..." Topic
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Tango01 | 01 Oct 2016 9:39 p.m. PST |
… (Petsamo)-Kirkenes Operation 1944 "The Pechenga-Kirkenes Operation, as it became known in Soviet military literature, is an important part of Soviet military history, but has been largely ignored in Western military literature, even though the last few years have seen an increased interest in the operations north of the Arctic Circle in WW2. It was the "10th hammer blow", the last in a series of strategic offensive operations conducted by Soviet armed forces throughout 1944, designed to deal a decisive blow to the German ability to conduct counter offensives and mount military operations along the entire Eastern Front. The battle, or rather series of battles, is the largest ever fought north of the Arctic circle and lessons are still being drawn today from the experience of the two armies that slugged it out in the moonlike landscape of the tundra west of Murmansk. On October 7th 1944, a Soviet force of nearly 113,000 men of the Karelian Front, commanded by General Meretskov (later Marshal of the Soviet Union) launched an offensive against the 60,000-man German XIX Mountain Corps, defending in prepared positions along the Litsa river valley northwest of Murmansk…." link Full text here link Amicalement Armand |
Tango01 | 02 Oct 2016 4:07 p.m. PST |
Anyone have wargame this?… Amicalement Armand |
Mserafin | 02 Oct 2016 6:49 p.m. PST |
I remember that it includes a rare regiment of KV-85s! |
Mark 1 | 03 Oct 2016 12:41 p.m. PST |
I remember that it includes a rare regiment of KV-85s! That would be a rare bird indeed! Got any more info on that? I've always been fascinated by the KV-85, if for no other reason than that it is so widely known in wargaming circles, being perhaps the least relevant vehicle to be so widely known (OK, perhaps the Jagdtiger deserves that even more … call the KV-85 the 2nd least relevant). In reading the linked information I didn't see anything about KV-85s, but interestingly saw that the Army commander specifically requested, and received, a regiment of KV-1s (in 1944!). At least according to the article, the KV-1s operated along side ISU-152s to reduce dedicated strong points. Seems most of the German AT assets had been in place for a few years, though they were well emplaced so the KV-1 provided enough armor to lead attacks, while ISU-152s were certainly able to reduce any concrete bunkers that did not fall to the KV's guns. -Mark (aka: Mk 1) |
Mserafin | 04 Oct 2016 8:55 a.m. PST |
From Henrik Lunde's "Finland's War of Choice," p. 356: The 14th Army did not have any organic armored units since all armored forces belonged to Karelian Front. General Meretskov brought in three tank units…a total of about 70 T-34 tanks. Two self-propelled artillery units were also brought forward. Meretskov also asked the STAVKA for a regiment of heavy KV tanks. His request was granted after some initial reluctance since the General Staff felt that T-34s were more suitable. Twenty-one KV-85 tanks were attached to his command. This unit of heavy tanks was paired with one of the heavy self-propelled artillery regiments and attached to 131 Infantry Corps. The 7th Tank Brigade (T-34s) was paired with another heavy artillery regiment and attached to the 99th Infantry Corps. He cites Meretskov's memoirs as his source for the request for KV tanks. I think this unit was 73rd Guards Heavy Tank Regiment, from the link here: link General Meretskov also personally requested a fifth armoured unit from STAVKA, voicing the opinion that this should include a regiment of heavy KV-1 tanks to break through the German defensive positions. STAVKA approved the request and assigned:• 73 Guards Heavy Tank Regiment o 21 KV-1 tanks to the Karelian Front. Charles Sharp's "Red Storm" says the 73rd "served on the Finnish front and in the artic until the end of 1944, then as a support unit in 14th Army which was not in combat in 1945. It is quite likely, therefore, that the unit never was equipped with IS-II tanks, since there is photographic evidence, at least, that it still had KVs as late as October 1944." He doesn't mention what type of KV. Also remember that the KV-85 was based on the KV-1s chassis, just to add to the confusion. Hope this helps, Mark |
Tango01 | 04 Oct 2016 10:46 a.m. PST |
Thanks!. Amicalement Armand
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HidaSeku | 04 Oct 2016 2:03 p.m. PST |
This sounds very wargame worthy. I might need to find a way to quickly acquire 21 KV-85 tank models… |
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