Soviet aircraft had been on one-hour alert, but were held on their airfields after the first wave of German bombers passed.Īt 9:30 AM on 22 June, Colonel General Kutznetsov, ordered 3rd and 12th mechanized corps to take up their counterattack positions, intending to use them in flanking attacks on the 4th Panzer Group, which had broken through to the river Dubysa (Dubissa). German bombers destroyed many of the signals and communications centers, naval bases, and the Soviet aerodromes in particular from Riga to Kronstadt, on Šiauliai, Vilnius and Kaunas the bombs rained on carefully selected targets. Their objectives was to cross the Neman and Daugava, the most difficult natural obstacles in front of Army Group North's drive towards Leningrad. All together, Northwestern Front had 28 rifle, 4 tank, and 2 motorized divisions.Īrmy Group North's 4th Panzer Group advanced in two spearheads, led by the XLI Panzer Corps and LVI Panzer Corps. The front fielded 8th and 11th Armies with the 27th Armies in its second echelon. The military administrative control over the Baltic republics area where the Army Group North would be deployed was exercised by the Special Baltic Military District which after the invasion was renamed into the Northwestern Front, Commanded by Colonel General Kutznetsov. Air support was provided by the 1st Air Fleet. In total, the Germans had 20 infantry divisions, three Panzer and three motorized infantry divisions. Army Group North controlled the 18th and 16th Armies, along with the 4th Panzer Group commanded by General Erich Hoepner. This was one of the major battles during the initial phases of Operation Barbarossa known in Soviet history as the Border Defensive Battles (22–27 June 1941) as part of the larger Baltic Strategic Defensive Operation.Īrmy Group North, commanded by Field Marshal Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb, and staging in East Prussia prior to the commencement of the offensive, was the northern of three Army Groups participating in the invasion of the Soviet Union. The result of the battle was the almost complete destruction of Soviet armoured forces of the Northwestern Front, clearing the way for the continued German offensive towards the crossings of the Daugava River (Western Dvina). Erich Hoepner and the 3rd Mechanized Corps commanded by Major General Kurkin & 12th Mechanised Corps commanded by Major General Shestapolov in Lithuania 75 km northwest of Kaunas in the attempt by the commander of the Northwestern Front, Kutznetsov to contain and destroy German troops that had crossed the Neman River (Nemunas).
![steve panzer general 2 page steve panzer general 2 page](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/pg2/images/2/29/Suite4.jpg)
Many campaign design features and ideas saw their first use in one of Steve Brown's campaigns, of which the most wide-spread and famous probably is the British Western Desert and Italy Campaign (also known as BWDIC).The Battle of Raseiniai (23–27 June 1941) was a tank battle fought between the elements of the 4th Panzer Group commanded by Gen. Steve is the creator of many campaigns and a pioneer within campaign design only a few steps beghind William Dickens. Steve is one of the foremost representatives of the "minimalistic school" of campaign designers, as opposed to the "waffenkammer school" of campaign designers. Steve has been around for a long time and seem to have endless patience and time to spend on the forums, helping n00bs, discussing campaigns and campaign design and generally furthering a friendly and co-operative atmosphere on the forums.
![steve panzer general 2 page steve panzer general 2 page](https://www.projectredwall.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/3pdwb840-720.jpg)
1 and the creator and guardian of Panzer General 2 campaigns.
![steve panzer general 2 page steve panzer general 2 page](http://www.opengeneral.pl/pg2campaigns/steve/images/Screenshots/seelow3.jpg)
While this is a scary mugshot, Steve Brown is one of the cornerstones of the Panzer General 2 community.