Russian Invasion of Zapadoslavia, January - March 1939
With winter in full swing, pretty much the entire eastern front is covered in snow and ice and conditions are poor, although, the frozen ground does provide better mobility for vechicles than the previous wet, muddy ground of autumn and early december. Of course, this also brings in more logistics challenges for both sides, as proper winter equipment must be delivered to hundreds of thousands of troops across the front, on top of the already needed equipment and ammunition replenishment. This is particularily hard for the Zapadoslavian forces in the Baltic region and Belarus, as a lack of railway connecting them to the rest of the country, and Germany taking away the port of Danzig, has effectively cut off the region from proper resupply. Over the last few months the region was able to manage thanks to low consumption and remaining local stockpiles, however now things are sure to get worse, especially as the Russians prepare to launch a new offensive into the region.
January
The Russian offensive launches from Hubokaye in northern Belarus, with a Russian armoured division supported by several infantry divisions smashing into the Polish defence line. Not expecting an armoured attack, especially in the current conditions, the Polish forces are not properly prepared. Combined with the aforementioned logistics problems and Russian number and quality advantage, the front is broken in just a few days, and several thousand Polish troops find themselves overrun by the quickly advancing Russian armoured force. The battle does take quite a toll on the Russian armoured force, however it is bot ha strategic and tactical victory, with the Russians breaking the Daugava river and approaching Daugavapolis, in just a week's time. A mass infantry assault is also launched further north into southern Latvia. The harsh conditions result in heavy loses on both sides, however this is a bigger problem for the poles, as they will have a harder time replacing them in this area. On top of that they are pushed back onto the outskirts of Rezekene. The next week the Russians choose to continue theri armoured spearhead into southern latvia along the railway line, although the terrain east of Daugavapolis is qutie harsh, hilly and covered in forests and lakes. Thankfully for the Russians, the Poles are still not fully re-organised, and it does not take long for their armour to break through, although once again at a considerable cost. Another offensive is also launched from Opochka towards northern Latvia, once agai nsuccesful with Russians having a favourable casualty ratio and pushing the Poles back behind the original border. Towards the end of January's 3rd week, Daugavapolis falls to the Russian offensive, although soon after Polish reinforcements from other parts of the front finally start arriving (only now due to lack of railway connection).
February
In early february the Russians launch an all out mass infantry offensive across the entire baltic front, from Daugavapolis to Ostrov. Heavy loses are taken by both sides, but the Russians are relatively succesful, gaining significant amount of ground in the region. Throughout the month the Russian advances continue pretty mcuh the same, getting closer and closer to Riga, and dangerously close to cutting of Russsian forces near the Finnish border. Seeing this threat, the Zapadoslavians start slowly pulling out their units towards the south, although with the Russians constantly on the advance, this proves rather hard.
March
As march arrives, the second season of Raputitsa begins, snow starts to turn into rain and the ground once again turns from frozen to muddy, while weather turns from ice cold to wet cold. This, while reducing cold attrition, severely decreases mobility. This slows the Russian advance, but also the Zapadoslav retreat. By the end of the month, most of northern Latvia and parts of Estonia are under Russian control, and several Polish divisions are already essentially cut off from the Zapadoslav Northern Army, soon likely to be forced to retreat into Finnish territories in Estonia, while to the south the rest of the Polish army retreats behind the Daugava river.
Unit Map: https://www.map.army/?ShareID=1018850&UserType=RO-7pS8PTqP