tyronec (Axis) vs Quantas (Soviet).

[tyronec]

T141.
The battle is not going well.
Soviets pushing forwards from Pskov, have to abandon the river line on the Narva so Estonia will go as fast as they can occupy it. Hardly any forts left so am mainly occupying swamp hexes. Do a counter attack but despite winning it is far too costly and may get trashed for my efforts next turn..
In the center am being pushed back again and not much of a reserve to hold the line.
In the South they rout out all of the pocketed units except one division. Have a lot of Panzers here so looks like the line may hold for a while despite the open terrain.

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[tyronec]

The panzers get hard south of Pskov, in two battles and they lose 188 Tigers – that is roughly double my losses for the whole of the past year. NEVER NEVER NEVER leave Panzers and especially Tigers where they can be hit hard in a defensive battle. The Soviets don’t follow up, guess they are quite worn out too.
New offensive opened south of Moscow, we pull back to the second defensive line.
A few more attacks in the South, nothing too dramatic.

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[tyronec]

Quiet turn from the Soviets, just 3 attacks. Guess they are building up for a big push, which we are in poor shape to stop.
North. Get two divisions pocketed, a mistake from two turns ago when they should have been pulled back faster.
Kursk/Kharvov. Manage to isolate two stacks which hopefully will slow them up a little next turn. The refilled Heavy Panzers help out and get some payback from last turn. As is often usual we lose NO Tigers when attacking, despite last turn’s disaster we still have a glut of them.
South. Quiet
Finland surrenders. Didn’t get much value out of those 3 divisions, guess they held a bit of the line for a couple of years.

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[tyronec]

Just one Soviet attacks but despite this the rest my front line is looking weak. Still a few turns to hold on until mud.
North. Continue to pull back, this is looking like the main threat to Germany and bring in reinforcements.
Center. Sacrifice a couple of Slovak regiments to repocked the same stack as last turn.
South. Those three stacks are now too strong to be taken on by even 6 Panzer divisions, and the Soviets have lots of them.

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[tyronec]

Surprisingly good turn for Axis.
North. Surround three Corps and rout them away – took 9 good divisions to do it.
Center. We retreat back to the next line of fortifications, leaving 3 Hungarian divisions to hold a city. Soviets can pocket them or rout them out.
South. My Slovakians got duly trashed last turn but they return to surround another stack. Elsewhere surround another two stacks, anything to slow them up for another turn.

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[chaos45]

Its May of 1944 your still doing pretty well all in all as your frontline only gets smaller from here on out.

[tyronec]

Its May of 1944 your still doing pretty well all in all as your frontline only gets smaller from here on out.

Yes, holding out well enough so far though the battles in '44 can be quite demoralising.

[Metalist]

It is my observation too that if retreating, AFV losses increase dramatically. I guess it is better to keep them intact to counter-attack, and let inf or mech divisions take the brunt of an attack, if that's feasible.

Isn't it rather risky to leave that much space without any ZOC in the south (screenshot t145d)?

[tyronec]

It is my observation too that if retreating, AFV losses increase dramatically. I guess it is better to keep them intact to counter-attack, and let inf or mech divisions take the brunt of an attack, if that's feasible.

Isn't it rather risky to leave that much space without any ZOC in the south (screenshot t145d)?

Agreed, it is best for both sides to use their tank units for attacking and not defence and also for both sides to attack exposed enemy tank units, even with infantry.

As to t145d, I was fairly sure there were no Soviet cav or motorised units in the area so it was safe from infantry advancing too far. But as you say am living on the edge to try and hold onto more ground for that little bit longer and every turn am half expecting a disaster when I get the move back.

[tyronec]

T146.
Not too much in damaging attacks this turn, but the Soviets have pushed through some of my fortified line. It is stand and fight and risk a major pocket, or run. So we run.
Abandoning Orel and good defensive terrain in the center.
In the South sacrificing a pile of allied units to hold them back for a turn and giving up Stalino without a fight.

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[tyronec]

Mud is arriving in the far North and along the coast in the South.

North and Center are quiet, just consolidating the line.

Lots of action in the South, Soviets trash lots of Hungarians and we get a few counter attacks in against exposed individual infantry & cavalry divisions.
Most of the remaining entrenchments are abandoned due to the risk of being flanked, jst a shame I couldn’t hold on for a couple more turns until the mud arrived.
Heavy losses but for the turn but most of them are Hungarians and we don’t care about them.
Reinforcements from Finland arrive.

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[tyronec]

T148.
Mud is spreading over the map.

T149.
Mud across the whole map except a few hexes in the South.
Soviets making some attacks during the mud which is pushing us back.
Building a new defense line along the river up to Riga – this is the area where they are closest to Germany and any turns I can slow them down would be a help.

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[tyronec]

T150.
Mud battles, not going too well….

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T151.
Mud, except a few hexes in the South next to Azov. We judge that the weather will continue for at least another turn and hopefully fill in those light mud hexes.

[tyronec]

T151.
Mud, except a few hexes in the South next to Azov. We judge that the weather will continue for at least another turn and hopefully fill in those light mud hexes.

T152.
Disaster, the mud cleared across the whole map.
Not too much damage in the North or Center, just 4 divisions trashed.
In the South it is BAD, 4 divisions pocketed though the Panzers have enough MPs to escape. However about 20 divisions take a hammering and below D’town there is really nothing left standing.
I should have pulled back one turn earlier, was never intending to stand and fight once the mud cleared. Will try and hold the river line at Riga but elsewhere pull back across the front. Just hoping that the Soviets don’t have the MPs to pocket more in the South.

I have been caught by the mud clearing twice now, in '43 and '44. Don't know what Axis can do about it, the weather forecast doesn't help unless I am missing something and the other problem is that Recon is just about useless in the rain so you can't see if there is a swarm of Soviets massing somewhere. Could play safe and retreat early, but that could be giving up maybe a couple of turns worth of space.

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[tm1]

Hi

That is a huge salient centred around Smolensk if your opponent punches through on both flanks an links up behind Smolensk you could possibly be looking at a " Bagration " style disaster.

[tyronec]

That is a huge salient centred around Smolensk if your opponent punches through on both flanks an links up behind Smolensk you could possibly be looking at a " Bagration " style disaster.

He can't push through from the West because of the rough terrain and lack of supplies. He can probably break my line anywhere on the map by massing Tank and Cavalry Corps but he is not going to get too far in one move because I am retreating 3 hexes a turn and his infantry can't help much.
But yes, am pulling back from Smolensk.

[tyronec]

T153.
Not many battles, Soviets just killing the pocketed infantry and a small counter attack by Axis.
North. We now have 4 armies defending the river line, I don’t expect it to hold for more than 2-3 turns but anything helps.
Trying to defend a bit of the river in the South, maybe get one or two turns out of it but even if the Soviets don’t storm it am going to be outflanked.
Elsewhere we Run Run Run.

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[tm1]

From your last post you feel that your defence line along The Daugava / Divna rivers wont hold for long, could you not possibly pull your centre forces back quickly which of course means you give up Smolensk to fortify along the The Dnepr river, that could also release some troops to support the Divna line ?

In the South the line could run from The Ingul river to Kirovograd then to The Dnepr at Cherkassy or alternatively from The Bug up along The Sinyukha and Tashlyk rivers then the Ros to again The Dnepr River. this would straighten your line to give you reserves possibly ?
The Pripayat Marshes should slow them down considerably.

Of course your probably thinking three steps ahead anyway and know what to do much better than me, but I am enjoying this AAR.

[tyronec]

From your last post you feel that your defence line along The Daugava / Divna rivers wont hold for long, could you not possibly pull your centre forces back quickly which of course means you give up Smolensk to fortify along the The Dnepr river, that could also release some troops to support the Divna line ?

In the South the line could run from The Ingul river to Kirovograd then to The Dnepr at Cherkassy or alternatively from The Bug up along The Sinyukha and Tashlyk rivers then the Ros to again The Dnepr River. this would straighten your line to give you reserves possibly ?
The Pripayat Marshes should slow them down considerably.

I made the decision sometime in '43 that that the plan for '44 was to retreat back to Germany and make a stand there. It is difficult for Axis to stand up against 3-stacks of Infantry Corps even in 3 level forts, unless there is also good terrain or a big river and and even with those only for a short time. So my thinking is rather than fight the Soviets throughout the Summer would waste the first half of the Summer turns by running away and then just fighting for the second half of the Summer.
There was a slight change to that strategy when the Soviets came charging down from Pskov and I have been holding the river line from Riga for a short time, but overall the plan is still the same - delay them reaching my intended 'combat' area in Germany.
The idea is that once they get there the front line will be shorter, they will be experiencing some supply shortages at least for a while and there is at least some terrain. It does mean giving up on Romania.

I have not played this period of the game before and I don't know how viable a more forward defence would have been.

[tyronec]

T154
The retreat continues, we beat up a few Soviet units that have advanced too fast.
No assault from the Soviets yet on our river line.

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