Marc vs Bobo

[821Bobo]

This will be my first AAR, at least here on Matrix forum.

Settings
Alt GC41-45
Full FOW
Random weather
Marc is playing Soviet side


HR
The ussual stuff
No HQ bombing unless stacked with combat unit
Max 3 air attacks on airfield per turn
No paradrops before Blizzard and no paradrops to break pockets

Dispositional changes
Only minor. Manstein has asked for one more motorized division and he got it(14.MD).
Grossdeutchland regiment, 255.ID and 267.ID from 2. Panzer group were diverted south to help with the Kovel pocket.

Sorry, but no screens for first 3 turns.

Turn 1
Nothing special
AGN - XXXXI Pz.Korps heading north to take Riga, Manstein crossing Dvina at Dvinsk.
AGC - Standard Brest-Litovsk pocket, 2. and 3. Panzer Group get in contact west of Minsk.
AGS - Standard Lvov pocket + bonus Kovel pocket.

Turn 2
AGN - Soviets are able to reestablish contact with Riga, luckily back in supply is only Riga however it effectively prohibits XXXXI Pz.Korps from any major action this turn.
Manstein with nearly no opposition reached gates of Pskov, attack is planned for next week.
AGC - Soviets have abandoned Minsk. 3. Panzer group have reached Mogilev and upper Dneper, one motorized division was able to establish little bridgehead on the east bank at Sklov.
2. Panzer group reached Mogilev from south and closed encirclement of some Soviet units defending Berezina river line.
AGS - Strong Soviet forces here, STAVKA probably didnt divert any forces to north. Could be nice pocket here but 1. Panzer Group doesnt have the needed strenght so we just headed east to the Dneper.

Turn 3
Decision to not try any major encirclement in previous turn was the best one we have made. We got mud in the Central Soviet zone. Basically the whole front is stuck in mud. Only in Rumanian sector is clear weather.
AGN - Manstein is sitting in front of Pskov and unable to move. Infantry is trying to catch up but it is going slowly.
AGC - Both Panzer groups are out of supply and unable to move. We had also to retreat from our Dneper bridgehead. [:@]
AGS - Soviets have managed to isolate two most exposed Panzer divisions. Due to the mud in the central zone is preventing us from attacking east, 1. Panzer group diverted its axis of advance to the south and created small pocket between Dnester and Bug.

[821Bobo]

Turn 4

Finland - Nothing extra, attacks were made with the goal to cut off at least few enemy units.

[821Bobo]

AGN - Infantry still on its way. Pskov was taken by XXXXI. Pz Korps which has allowed Manstein to exploit and move towards Leningrad. But with low supply, advance is limited.

[821Bobo]

AGC - 3. Panzer Group broke through landbridge, 2. Panzer Group have made small bridgehead across Dneper at Mogilev.

[821Bobo]

AGS - 1. Panzer group is continuing its journey to Dneper. AGS HQ played with the idea of destroying Soviet units south of Vinnitsa. The lack of MPs to make things certain and possible mud next turn in South Soviet zone led us to conclusion its not worth it.

[821Bobo]

Rumanians and 11. Army. First main target is Odessa. Doesnt seem to be defended or our air recon sucks.

[821Bobo]

Air losses.
Stalin's falcons are flying missions from day one. More then Jagdwaffe they are afraid from firing squad. But when air cover is failing to show up, ugly things happen. Good to see IL4s being massacred.acred.

[821Bobo]

Ground losses
Didn't notice the manpower before. Can anyone explain what the manpower row means?

[Peltonx]

I see allot of big pockets in your future looking at the tactics SHC is using heheh

[821Bobo]

Indeed they were and they are opportunities for nice pockets. But only theoretically. I am struggling with lack of fuel. So far Marcs defense has been mostly ineffective however his cavalry is doing good job by cutting off my spearheads.

[821Bobo]

Turn 5

AGN - Our recon has showed there is something at Luga line. After breaking through the Soviet line north of Pskov, for our surprise we have encountered mostly non combat units and Luga was crossed without any opposition. Manstein is standing at Leningrad gates. Leningrad is defended only with fortified region but we do not have enough MPs for attack. [:@]
Poor planning on our side. Chance to get Leningrad by surprise is gone......

[821Bobo]

AGC - 3. Panzer group is bypassing Smolensk from north and 2. Panzer group from south. To our another surprise, Smolensk is unguarded!

[821Bobo]

AGS - 1. Panzer group broke through Soviet carpet and established large bridgehead on the Dneper east bank.
Rumanian sector - Our recon from previous week was wrong. Odessa is defended. Displayed CV is X, that is not good at all.

[821Bobo]

OOB - Soviet numbers are not that bad. With 4M they should be able to show better resistance. I am wondering where are the missing units.

[Peltonx]

This game is like a pro football team playing a high school football team.

You might want to consider playing at least a collage team next game, your not going to learn anything from this slaughter, nor is he.

[sillyflower]

Maybe Bobo has learnt from playing good people as his opponent should[;)]

[821Bobo]

You might want to consider playing at least a collage team next game, your not going to learn anything from this slaughter, nor is he.

What? He didnt ask for inexperienced player and I do not consider myself any kind of expert. Yes, he is making mistakes but who is not? Even if I will learn nothing from this game, he for sure will!
And this game is far from slaughter. From what I have seen, slaughter is MT vs M60.

[Peltonx]

ORIGINAL: sillyflower

Maybe Bobo has learnt from playing good people as his opponent should[;)]

Yes hes going to get taken to the wood shead by Bobo for sure.

[Toidi]

ORIGINAL: sillyflower

Maybe Bobo has learnt from playing good people as his opponent should[;)]

Well, Robert surely did learn and his opening moves are good or even excellent. But when things gets tough, Robert gives up maybe a little bit too easily. He resigned the game with me on turn 13, he quit the game with you after the blizzard - I somehow doubt how much experience he has in '42 and later. So I would say that even if the beginning of this game looks very favourable to Robert, I think Marc can spring back to life in '42.

[821Bobo]

That is not true, I have quit our game because of different reasons. Getting Leningrad, being in front of Moscow and Stalino +/- 20 divsions in pockets on turn 13 can be hardly called as "things gets tough"