Zhitomir (PC2)

**Zhitomir** is a scenario in *Panzer Corps 2*.

## Briefings

General %playername%, Army Group South is in dire need of your services.

Is the situation at Kiev as bad as the onslaught at Kremenchug?

Even worse, Herr Oberst, even worse.

Not only is Army Group South's grip on the Dnieper River disintegrating, I believe the enemy's plan is to encircle us entirely.

The enemy forces due south that have cut us off from the Crimean Peninsula are only half of the two pincers attempting this grand encirclement.

The overwhelming force the Soviets threw at Kiev to eject us from the city are now racing westward, clearly aiming to isolate Army Group South...

By cutting off our primal rail and supply line here at Zhitomir.

**Primary Objective: Control at least three Victory Hexes at the end of the battle.**

The enemy force is as strong as it is diverse, with formations of infantry and armor covered by ample air support.

Mein General, we will need strong Panzer forces if we plan to engage the enemy on the relatively flat terrain between Zhitomir and Kiev...

While our infantry will be best suited as a last line of defense, in the denser terrain around Zhitomir.

Poor weather will hamper the effectiveness of your aircraft. And if you were planning to field your air force, be warned that enemy Partisans have taken control of many airfields in the region.

Partisans again... I am concerned at the frequency this problem suddenly plagues our operations...

To state that German occupation administration has created far more enemies than friends is an understatement, and we are now paying the price for that.

Speaking of friends, what reinforcements can we expect?

*Field Marshal Erich von Manstein sighs.*

None. All units meant to defend the Dnieper River are engaged, exhausted, or destroyed. You must keep our supply line open on your own.

Understood, Herr Field Marshal. We shall fight to victory, or until death.

### Debriefing

I congratulate you on keeping you and your Panzer Corps alive, Herr General.

We have lost so many of our finest formations during this hard year, it pleases me to see you were not one of them.

I hope we have done enough here, the only thing left for us to do now is retire to Cherkassy.

Our long campaign this year is finally at an end, but you and I both know this war isn't over.

Get what rest you can, I suspect I will be calling on your skills again very soon.

Mein General, while we have a quiet moment, I finally received a letter from home. I was beginning to worry, it has been some time since the last letter from my wife.

Would you like to see what she has written?

My dearest Stefan,

I know you have enough burdens on your shoulders fighting on the front for as long as you have... but I have news you have to be aware of. There is no hiding what has happened, but I will try to explain.

I am sorry for my mistakes, please forgive me.

It was a chilly day, but I distinctly remember the skies were very clear when I was out for a walk with Johanna. We were on our way to the bakery when I heard the siren that warns of an air raid. Of course, I knew immediately that we had to find shelter. Everyone had heard of the horror that befell Hamburg back in July, and since then the civil defense ministries have made great efforts to instruct everyone on what to do when the sirens begin to sound.

But I was so distracted by the sudden wail of the sirens, I lost track of Johanna for just a brief second, and she was gone! Now I was doubly panicking as I called out for her. But between the wail of the sirens and general chaos as people on the street sought shelter, it was futile.

Seeing how pointless yelling was, I stopped and made an effort to calm myself. Now instead, I looked all around me for some sign of her. Amongst the few people running, I could not see her, but through the crowd I thought I saw a glimpse of someone waving to me. With nothing else to guide me, I ran over to see if this was something, and it was!

Young Stephan was holding little Johanna's hand while waving frantically towards me. I could have kissed that baker's son, I was so relieved! It only took me a few short seconds to reach them, but until I had seen the two of them, Johanna felt lost to me.

I leaned down to scoop up little Johanna into my arms, and that's when I realized her gaze was fixed towards the sky. Looking up, I was stunned by the strange sight that had captured her attention. Dozens, maybe hundreds, of contrails now ominously stretching across the once clear skies above...

I don't know what happened to me in that moment, but I was completely transfixed. Was I paralyzed by fear? I don't think so. I remember that feeling of cold fear from the Spanish Civil War, and this was not it.

Stephan had to stomp on my foot to finally get my attention and bring me back to my senses. He was trying to tell me he knew the way to the closest shelter, and now that I acknowledged him, I followed him.

But before we could reach the safety of the underground... I guess the three of us were caught in a blast. I don't exactly know, all I remember is that in an instant, all my senses completely blacked out. I couldn't see, hear, or feel anything. After a few moments, my ears were working again, but all I heard was a ringing. I shook my head, but this was a terrible mistake as it only made me feel nauseous instead of clearing my vision.

I could do nothing, and I think I fell to my knees at this point. Next thing I knew, I felt the sensation of being dragged. It was young Stephan, at least I think it was, his face covered in dust and ash. He was dragging me the final stretch into the underground shelter and to safety...

So confused I was, I didn't even know if Johanna was okay until I started to hear her crying. I have never been happy to hear her cry before, but I knew it meant she was alive! By some miracle, all three of us survived. But as you can see... my injuries cost me my arm. I am thankful though, because that arm shielded Johanna from harm.

As I recovered, I remember feeling... strange. I was not scared, or openly weeping like some of the other injured people in the hospital were. There was a fire in my heart, I was enraged. All of a sudden I was always angry at everything, furious even. At first I was mad at myself, mad at the hospital staff trying to help me, but then I was angry at whoever could bomb us like they had.

I made the decision then to enlist with the Wehrmachthelferinnen. Obviously I cannot fight with my injury, not that Germany is accepting many female soldiers, but I have to channel this anger somehow, and I believe I can help defend others by helping coordinate German air defenses.

I hope this decision does not displease you, and I am sorry I let this happen.

Your Capitana,

Ana Sofia

**Historically, the German attempt the form a defensive line on the Dnieper towards the end of 1943 was a failure.**

**The incomplete defensive networks were not strong enough to resist the overwhelming Soviet attacks that struck them from every direction.**

**As Partisans attacked rear supply lines, Soviet paratroopers rained from above, and Soviet tanks rolled forward, the German hold on the Dnieper broke at innumerable points.**

**The masses of Soviet reserves that Manstein feared were not dealt with at Kursk had finally made their presence felt.**

**Soon enough, the only group of German forces left to defend the Dnieper River was a small pocket around Cherkassy and Korsun...**

**From July 1st 1943 to January 1st 1944, the Wehrmacht lost 1,413,000 killed, wounded, or missing, leaving 2 million spread soldiers across the Eastern Front, but only 400,000 on the front lines.**

**And while Soviet casualties during those months far exceeded these Axis losses, with some estimates surpassing six million soldiers killed, wounded, or captured...**

**Six and a half million more Red Army soldiers were still continuing the fight against Germany.**

## Walkthrough

*This article is a stub. You can help Panzer Corps Wiki by expanding it.*

## Locations

* Zhitomir

* Kiev

* Belaya Tserkov

* Korostyshiv

* Stavyshche

* Hrebinky

* Andrushivka

* Buky

* Dnieper River

* Protoka River

* Stuhna River

* Teteriv River

* Vasyl'kiv

* Zhitomir

* Kiev

* Belaya Tserkov

* Korostyshiv

* Stavyshche

* Hrebinky

* Andrushivka

* Buky

* Dnieper River

* Protoka River

* Stuhna River

* Teteriv River

* Vasyl'kiv

## Notes

* Notable enemy units:
	+ 70th IS-1, which is Level 4 and has a hero with the Leadership, Butcher, and Tank Killer traits.
	+ 74th Panther D, which is Level 4 and has a hero with the Fast Retreat, Evasive, and Superior Manuever traits.
	+ 85th T-34/43, which is Level 4 and has a hero with the Double Move, Ignores ZOC, and Prudent traits.
	+ 86th T-34-85, which is Level 4 and has a hero with the Leadership, Vigilant, and Tenacious Defender traits.
	+ 99th and 100th 57mm M1943, which are Level 2 and have 25 Strength points.
	+ 109th SU-85, which is Level 4 and has a hero with the Aggressive Counterattack, Fearsome Reputation, and Double Support traits.
	+ 113th, 114th, 115th, and 116th 203mm M1931, which are Level 2 and have 25 Strength points.
	+ 131st and 132nd 85mm M1939, which are Level 2 and have 25 Strength points.
	+ 133rd, 134th, 135th, 136th, 137th, 138th, and 139th Strongpoints, which are Level 2 and have 50 Strength points.
* Enemy reinforcements will arrive in the Kiev fortified zone on turns 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 17, 20, 21, and 22.