So a while back there was a thread on what if the Germans attacked out of NE Romania on June 22 instead of July 1. What if the following changes were made:
So Pz Group 1 still reaches Zhyotmyr around July 7, cutting off SW Front. Over the next 10 days, the cut-off forces are destroyed. Kiev OTL took 10 days to destroy, along much longer supply lines and after three months of fighting.
OTL the Germans spent 2 months clearing the West Bank of the Dnieper and establishing bridgeheads on the east bank, from July 7 when they seized Zhyotmyr to September 11 when they broke out.
ITTL, AGS could bag half of SW Front in the Zhyotmyr pocket, and AGS has an additional ⅓ the strength facing SW Front with 12th Army. So AGS is now about 2.5-3x stronger vs SW Front ITTL. They could clear the West Bank of the Dnieper far faster and break out east sooner, threatening Kiev and Kharkov a month earlier than OTL
- Pz Group 1 attacks out of Northeast Romania on June 22 towards Zhyotmyr instead of from SE Poland
- German 12th Army is freed up from occupation duties in the Balkans and takes the place of 1st PzG Group place between 6th and 17th armies
So Pz Group 1 still reaches Zhyotmyr around July 7, cutting off SW Front. Over the next 10 days, the cut-off forces are destroyed. Kiev OTL took 10 days to destroy, along much longer supply lines and after three months of fighting.
OTL the Germans spent 2 months clearing the West Bank of the Dnieper and establishing bridgeheads on the east bank, from July 7 when they seized Zhyotmyr to September 11 when they broke out.
ITTL, AGS could bag half of SW Front in the Zhyotmyr pocket, and AGS has an additional ⅓ the strength facing SW Front with 12th Army. So AGS is now about 2.5-3x stronger vs SW Front ITTL. They could clear the West Bank of the Dnieper far faster and break out east sooner, threatening Kiev and Kharkov a month earlier than OTL