Case Blue Olivier(Axis) vs Keunert

[olivier34]

Rominet, it would be far better in french but we have to practice our english, tu ne penses pas ? [;)] By the way, I like a lot your AAR.
I don't use Photoshop...only Paint.
TURN 10, July 16:
Here are the losses (german) and the make up of the divisions RedCharlie (I have ask to the OKH two times more panzers and one time more fighters)
The soviets are down to 400 000 men.

[olivier34]

JULY 18, end of the german moves. The weather has been clear only on turn 8 (July 12).
Keunert and I have found the time to play a few turns quikcly...my vacation are over...I won't be abble to report every turn.
In another thread (Avoid AAR), you have red that keunert has made me cry... but now I am happy again [:D]
VORONEZH SECTOR

[olivier34]

MILLEROWO sector

[olivier34]

KAMENSK Sector

[olivier34]

ROSTOV sector

[olivier34]

North front. Report from July 20th to July 28th
The good results of the 18th of July have force the soviets to retreat. I ask the OKH some more objectives. Order is given to take the citys of Bobroff and Anna ! They are around 80 kms east of Voronezh.
Voronezh is guarded by some militia. The city is surrounded and taken the 26 of July.
2A and 1st panzer conduct some offensives. Bobroff is well defended and the lake of ammo for the artillery in front of the city makes impossible to take it before the 24th. OKH is disapointed about that but there was no point to take this city at this date.
A few panzer drives are conducted and a lot of soviet troops are killed or captured.
The 26th a new order is given to the 1st panzer. It has to concentrate around Millerowo urgently. New orders will be given around the 5th of August.

Center front.
The soviets are retreating in good order but maybe not enough fast. Two panzers (XXXX and III) are driving east in an attempt to cut they retreat and form a pocket around Nishne Astachoff. Three soviet armys are in front of them. A motorised rgt of the 29th is at the door of Serafi Mowi the 28th.
A fortified area north of Millerowo is taken the 24th but the attack is costly (around 1000 men lost). The city is almost surrounded and will be vacated by the soviets the 25th.

Kamensk has been evacuated by the soviets too. The XIV chase them. The soviets form a new line of defense behind the Bystrala river but the line is force in two places the 28th. Konstantinskaya and Morowski and now at less than 50 kms of the german spearhead.
Rostov Front
The 24th Von Manstein order another attack. The artillery had the time to fully refit. The shelling is again devastating and the 5 soviet rgts defending the fortified area lose 1 600 men. The 50th division (again) help with two rgts of the 132th takes the position in a few hours (400 men lost, 3 600 soviets killed or captured). The 26th the soviets try to take back the ground but fail.

Oil reserve are maximum (83 800). 122 pps. I play a card to get 50 Ju 87d in reinforcement. The spearheads are well supplied but the panzers are getting tired. The lutwaffe is also exausted.

[olivier34]

July 30 (turn 17) Clear Weather.
With 27 prestige points, I get 26 more pps. i spend 36 of them to get 35 more tanks from OKH (25 PzIVg and 10 Marder II)
OKH has deliver a new order. The city of Stalingrad on the Volga river has to be taken by the end of the Summer.


The 29th the soviets have launch an emergency attack toward the 22th panzer division but they fail (lack of artillery support).
The Situation here seems perfect for OKH. A german recon has revealed that the city of Konstantinskaya is empty. There are no rail lines in the area. Two thirds of the luftwaffe attacks are concentrated in the area. The XIV corps receive the express order to move south as fast as possible. The artillery can't help (lake of ammo), the Luftwaffe will.

[olivier34]

30 JULY
Advance of the LIV panzer corps.

[olivier34]

30 JULY
6A and 1st Panzer are about to pocket two soviet armys. A motorised division has drive as much as possible east.

Around Schachty the soviets retreat. Maybe to late. I don't know when Keunert has seen that the real threat in the area was the large circle movement toward Konstantinskaya of the 17th army and the XIV panzer corps of the 1st panzer.
I think that he may have to consider the retreat of Rostov in this area. If I am abble to take Konstantinskaya and Bagalevskaya the next week, Rostov will be threaten and all the troops defending them may be surrounded. But it will take a lot of time to achieve that and Keunert has maybe the order to keep the city until a certain date...I have to take it before the 5th of August and this is impossible. Should I ask some more time to OKH ??

Von Manstein takes another fortified area protecting Rostov to maintain a pressure in this sector.

In green the rail line that can be used. the 4th panzer will be railed in this area.

[Bonners]

Just posting to say thanks for the AAR. I'm a new player and playing my first campaign against the computer. I'm the Axis and the Soviets are on easy AI (I'm not ready to give them any bonuses just yet. I've found this AAR really informative as you're running a couple of turns ahead of me. In some places I've done better such as around Rostov and Voronezh but I'm having a bit of attrition in the middle where you've broken through. In my game the AI is holding fast to both Rostov and Voronezh, but Voronezh will be surrounded this turn and I have just taken Rostov. Although Rostov still has very strong forces to the South and I havent manage to effect a breakout just yet. The advantage of playing the AI is that I have managed to give the Soviet fleets a hard time which I'm fairly certain I wouldnt be able to do as a human player. So one of Manstein's corps will be crossing via Kerch next turn which again I reckon would be too risky against a human player.

I was particularly interested in your comments about the Luftwaffe, mine is similarly exhausted. It seems to be a fairly even battle in the air. The Soviet losses are always greater than mine but they seem to be fighting the battle quite well and as far as I can tell keep switching bases so I'm struggling to find them via recon each turn to attack them on the ground.

Anyway, wont interrupt your AAR any more, but thanks again, enjoyable reading and really useful for me at the moment.

[olivier34]

Hi Bonners. You have to know that this is only my second attempt to play this scenario as the Axis and the first time that I reach the month of August. (My first game ended around the 24th of July and I never played against the AI). Everything is new for me now and I am sure that I will take some bad decisions in the coming turns...[:)]

August 3 (Turn 18 and 19)
The weather is clear, maybe a little to warm [8D]
I have the OKH some extra days to take Rostov. The ygave me 4 more days... I ask for more fighters too (I discover that the same card get more expensive each time you use it...36 pps for 25 fighters )

The XXXX panzer corps ruch east (40 kms per day) but encounter some supply problem. The citys of Tsmyljanskaya and Nishjaja (100 kms from Stalingrad) are reached.

The III panzer corps fight hard to cut the retreat of the 9th and 37th soviets armies. behind them the infantry moves as fast as possible (forced march for some of them)

But the most important sector now is a little south. IL corps help by the Wiking division and the Artillery of the 17A takes the city of Konstantinskaya. The soviets have seen the importance of this sector. The lutfwaffe loses 60 planes in two days. The sky is in the soviet hands...I cancel some air strikes.

August 2, the soviets launch a counter offensive from Schachty and surround two german rgts of the 125th. They will be rescue the next day. (My front was not guarded there...)

[olivier34]

August 5

Voronezh sector : The 2A withdraw from Anna. Some recon have revealed that the 5TA is still in the area or the 4PzA has moved south. 2A will build a line of defense along the Don with the 2 hungarian army. 220 km to defend with two german corps (8 divisions) and one Hungarian (Three division and one Armor division). Not enough to defend against the 5TA. I will put a panzer corps in reserve that could be railed in two days to Voronezh if necessary.

The pocket is close (City of Morowsky). The luftwaffe has been abble to conduct a lot raids this turn. Where are the soviet fighters that did so well the previous days ?

XXXX corps take a break and wait for the Infantry of the XXXIX corps

The soviet counter attack is not a real danger. in fact I would like them to move east. Rostov can't be taken in time so I will use the LIV corps to take the rail line between Rostov and Schachty to isolate this city.

IL corps try to cross the Don east and west of Konstan. The 371st succeed. the other attempt fails.

[olivier34]

August 9 (Turn 22)
Again the weather has been clear the past four days. [8D]

The Morowsky pocket has hold. Around 28 soviet units in it (Inf, Eng, Art and the HQ of the 37th army). I won't find those guys on my way to Stalingrad but I am sure that the 5TA will be. I think that I have destroy two other HQs before that. It must be a nightmare for Keunert [:D]

The soviets have launch a few attacks but without good results (But the one near Rostov has cost the LIV corps 1000 men for only 1 400 soviet losses)

Rostov won't be taken in time. [:@] I have thought that Keunert could have withdraw from it but he must wait to be rewarded by Stavka. I will check the prestige points the next turn.

I have began my drive toward the oil fields (XIV corps) but I am out of schedule compare to history and Rostov is the Key with the only rail line that I could use to supply my spearhead.

Stalingrad : I have to take this city and I have one month to do so. My problem is to figure out how many troops that I have to send in this sector because the rest has to drive south. (and I have to protect the north flank of the 6A too)

Supply : Fine except around Kalatsch and Nishjaja. The panzers have not enough action points to attack across the river. I have concentrate some artillery and they should be ready to fire the next turn.

[olivier34]

9 August, south.

[olivier34]

August 13, (turn 23 and 24) clear and Rain

I haven't take Rostov in time. I lose 8 prestiges points. Halders is replace by Kurt Zeitzler.

The Voronezh sector held by the second army won't be so calm. The soviets are moving a large number of troops. A few recon reveal that the 5TA is still there, following the 40th soviet army.
The stukas fligh some missions but 15 planes are lost (mostly because of the ennemy AA).
A panzer div and an infantry one are moved by rail from Morowsky to reinforce the 2A.
The 10th the soviets attack and make a gap in the direction of Davidovkao. Bad luck for the soviet offensive, the very next day an heavy rain falls. 2A orders to withdraw behind the DON. Two more infantry divisions are railed in the area the 13th.

[olivier34]

August 13 Sector STALINGRAD

The 10th of August two attacks south and north of Kalat are launch. The fight in the sky is intence. The artillery that had taken place around the city annihilate the fortified positions and the two crossing succeed. Kalat and the forts north of it are almost surrounded. The two soviet divisions will manage to escape. The rain slow down the advance of the 6A.
Nishjaja has been evacuated by the soviets because of the threat of the 3rd panzer. All the III corps cross the river and take position for the final rush toward Stalingrad.
Oil reserves are high. Despite the soviet counter offensive near Voronezh, OKH is very confident. They even ask that the city of Dubroska falls into our hands before the 21th of August. (seems to me impossible...but I can't argue...[&:])

[olivier34]

13 August Rostov
The rain slow down the advance of the XIV panzer corps and the supply can't follow. Von Manstein is really upset. The 17th army was suppose to threat the soviets 51A and 21A that hold the city but again a soviet line of defense has been built...In a week, the artillery of the LIV will have to be railed toward Stalingrad...Something has to be done quickly (another gamble maybe...)

[olivier34]

25 August (turn 30)

From the 13th of August to the 25th, 6A (Erhard Raus) has moved toward Pitomnik and a strong offensive launch the 20th was abble to turn the city north and south and amost reach the center of Stalingrad. Dubowka is taken the 21th. The city has been left empty. The 23th, the soviets evacuate Stalingrad and concentrate on the other side of the Volga. A good news for me. The artillery was suffering ammo shortages.

Little north, the LI corps takes Lowinskaya (helped by the Kempf IIL panzer corps, 24th and GD). We won't advance further north. Recon reveal that the 5TA is concentating his forces 40 kms north. Are they planing an attack here ? The 24th some tanks moves in front of the defensive position of the 44th division.
Kempf is order to attack the soviets immediatly. The stukas will help break the 5TA desire to conduct an attack.

South of Stalingrad, the panzers have been abble to almost surround a large amount of ennemys. Those try to retreat in the marsh behind the Volga or along the Volga. Some attacks are launch.

OKH assign Astrakan as a new objective ! The city has to fall before the 5th of October. This will stretch the front. SHould I play the avoid Astakan card ??

[Bonners]

I'm now a bit further along than you in my campaign against the AI and have also been told to take Astrakan by 5th October. I have forces outside Astrakan (16th September) but it is heavily defended. Have saved up my PP points and am umming and aring about whether to try and take it. Strong forces will be needed to do so which I'm not too sure if I have.

[olivier34]

25th August End of german mvts.
Because of some soviet retreats, Von Manstein was abble to launch an attack on an urban hexe of Rostov. The troops failed to take it. The 22th, the soviets begin to evacuate the city that is free the 24th.
Three soviets armys are trying to escape. (using the rail line). The lutfwaffe conduct several airstrikes on them. The bridge of Kushevskaya is destroy the 26th, cuting the rail line.
(I thought I would have to encircle those units in Rostov. I would have conduct some airstrikes on the port of Azov to cut the supply from the sea too. Now I have to chase them instead).

Supply is a problem in the area. With the rail line in our hands, we will be abble to march toward the oil fields.

The only major problem is the amount of fighters that I have. Around 300 but some air assets have a very low morale. I was selecting my air units only if they had a good readiness (above 90) but forgot to check their morale. Some of my fighters have been routed...I think that two of my air bases were over crowded...(more than 100 planes. They had penalties during the fights. I have played the "ask some fighters card" a few time. This card cost me now 74 pps...I have moved west my weak fighters but I don't know if their morale will increase or not. Should I disband them ?)