Ostfront H2H

[Captain Cruft]

Turn 6, July 27th

The Germans are not invincible ...

Rather than waiting for the immense artillery and infantry of the 9. Armee to arrive, 3. Panzergruppe was a bit complacent and decided it could address the Smolensk corridor on its own.

Well, 19. Panzer Division is now looking decidedly ragged after receiving a counter-attack from a fresh mech corps. That's 10 x Pz-II and 4 x Pz-38(t) lost in one action, which cannot be replaced any time soon.

The Soviets are also trying to reduce the German air superiority a bit by launching large raids of unescorted long-range heavy bombers (DB3, IL-4) against the German frontline airfields. Losses are horrendous, and not that many German planes are destroyed but damaging the airfields reduces the German readiness which really helps rein in the anti-supply net.

These raids are only unescorted because there are just not enough fighters available near the front. We are slowly building a force of brand new LaGG-3s and whatnot behind the lines though. I really don't want to use them until they have 30+ experience though.

[bwheatley]

how did you simulate this? using events or is there a real way to do Antisupply via air already? I thought over land antisupply didnt work.

ORIGINAL: Captain Cruft

Luftwaffe interdiction

Here you can see the effect that the air anti-supply is having in the NW Front area (opposite AGN). The numbers in the red circles indicates the supply points lost in each hex which would otherwise have been delivered to units. It is absolutely essential that the Soviet player counters this, which is done by having fighters near the front line which are ready enough to intercept.

Simply withdrawing the airforce to the rear areas to "train it up" is not an option, at least not for the fighter component.

[Captain Cruft]

Settings->Rulevars->Supply->309 = 1

Or at least I think ...

[Captain Cruft]

Odessa

Turn 7, Aug 3rd 1941, and the 4th Romanian Army is about to invest Odessa.

[Captain Cruft]

However, the heroic defenders of the motherland manage to hold on, at least for now.

Note the supply coming in over the sea.

[Captain Cruft]

Further north, the 3rd Romanian Army is going to need some rest and refit after a real bunfight at Zhmerinka, in which the German 17. Armee had to help out.

[Captain Cruft]

Moscow

Can the Germans get here before the weather turns? That is the question.

[Captain Cruft]

9. Armee is now grinding its way towards Smolensk, while 3. Panzergruppe is trying to find a way around to the north.

[Captain Cruft]

August 3rd, 1941

End of turn 7 strategic map from Soviet perspective.

[Captain Cruft]

Odessa is tough

A week later (turn 8, Aug 10th) and the 4th Romanian Army is still struggling to take Odessa.

One thing I really wanted to do with the scenario was to make cities much tougher to assault, and this is sort of proof that I succeeded.

[bwheatley]

me and a buddy are going to start a game of ostfront should be fun. What major bugs do you still have? better to know them going into it

[Captain Cruft]

I know of no bugs as such. However it is so different you may find some things a bit strange. If you post an AAR I will follow it and you can ask questions there which I will answer.

Enjoy!

[ EDIT: Actually there is one minor bug I am aware of. The Hungarian tanks produced at Budapest come out as German. This doesn't really make any difference to anything though. ]

[Captain Cruft]

Bryansk

Meanwhile, back at the front it's August 10th still.

Guderian's Panzers are fast approaching Bryansk. We are doing what we can to slow the blighters down but unfortunately the Soviet air is a bit weak in this area, which doesn't help.

[Captain Cruft]

Kaluga defence line

Stavka has high hopes of stopping the German advance at this point. There are some pre-built forts and a river to help.

The only problem is the lack of combat power of the infantry divisions manning the place. In my design mode I am seriously thinking of upgrading the strength of these units, which have all come onto the map as reinforcements.

There will certainly be a version 0.97 of the scenario, which will contain tweaks derived from this play-testing etc.

[Captain Cruft]

Counter-attack at Bryansk

South west of Bryansk.

A desperate counter-attack by the 5th Mech Corps supported by some fresh Pe-2 bombers has dealt 2. Panzergruppe a bloody nose at least. The 4. Panzer Division was nearly wiped out - it is the unit with a halftrack icon and 8 power points ...

This was the last mech corps to be committed to action. These tank heavy armies have proven to be quite useful counter-attack tools, but inevitably they get crushed immediately afterwards so are something of a one-shot weapon.

[Captain Cruft]

End turn 8, August 10th

Strategic map from Soviet perspective.

[Captain Cruft]

Pripet Marshes

Turn 10, August 24th.

The Pripet Marshes are crawling with partisans.

[Captain Cruft]

Magyars forward

Turn 10, August 24th.

The Hungarians get into the act for the first time. Their job is to hold the Dneiper line at Krememchug while the Germans get on with the actual job of crossing the river to both sides ...

[Captain Cruft]

Across the Dneiper

Turn 10, August 24th.

1. Panzergruppe has crossed the Dneiper at Cherkassy and is going hell for leather to cut Kiev off from the rest of the country. Meanwhile 17. Armee addresses the city in a frontal assault.

[Captain Cruft]

The Pacific calls

I have just failed to resist temptation and gone and purchased WitP-AE, so that will be taking up a lot of time from this point. It is a game that makes this scenario look like playing noughts and crosses ... So this AAR will now be on hold if not altogether finished.

However, I will continue to contribute to bwheatley's Ostfront AAR and play my 2 PBEM games.

Thanks to all who have looked in [:)]