BDV wrote: All this whining about mud does not answer the questions I already raised.
Whining? That's a juvenile faux pas in any forum setting, egg on your face (a dishonest debate tactic is actually what it is by definition, it erodes your credibility).
Some more:
How did Manstein's infantry Army and Romanian infantry get to cross the entirety of Crimea?
Probably because the average winter temp is 31 degrees and the average rainfall is about 15 inches leaving the area trafficable all year. Just a thought....
How did the Germans manage to get to Tikhvin?!
By their fingernails and held it for 30 days before being ejected since they couldn't get adequate supplies forward due to the weather.
How did Kleist manage to take Rostov?
By defeating the Soviet 12th Army in fair weather, then the rains came. The Soviets pulled back to Rostov, the Germans actually lost contact and it still took them 4 weeks to cover 100 miles in the mud without enemy resistance.
How did Rotmistrov manage to reposition from Malaya Vishera to Torzhok?
1- When did this happen? Prior to the rains? Check your data.
2- The scale of this is a Soviet corps or less that was lacking in motor vehicles and had access to repair facilities, supply points and rail service to Moscow.
How did the soviet troops in the Rzhev non-kessel manage to withdraw?
Check the map, look at distances and what formations you're talking about, you tell me:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... yphoon.jpg
How did they manage their 1942 operation, when November was positive temperatures throughout?
Not relevant to Typhoon
OKH declared a halt to all offensive movement on 31 Oct due to the mud, that was in effect until the ground froze. In the weeks leading up to that the logistical situation on the MSRs was almost impossible.
?That would be quite big news. Any evidence on this "Halt Order"?
Seriously??? Apparently you are out of your depth here... For easy internet accessibility:
http://gutenberg.us/articles/Battle_of_ ... te_note-48
"On 31 October, the OKH ordered a halt to all offensive operations until increasingly severe logistical problems were resolved and the rasputitsa subsided. "
"From 31 October – 15 November, the Wehrmacht high command stood down while preparing to launch a second offensive towards Moscow."
"By 15 November 1941, the ground had finally frozen, solving the mud problem."
There are numerous sources that go into great detail about this specific period, I suggest you look into one.
Very nice photo, BTW. But you know who had to deal with that mud? RKKA.
Sure, with less motorization, native horses and wagons/carts, a railnet, prepared Army supply depots and workshops, just to name a few advantages that their logistics community had over the Germans...
Who was falling back on their main logistical hub, the Soviets or the Germans?