CB (Long, if I last until Winter): Bonners (Soviet) vs Isokron (Axis)

[Bonners]

28th July - the race begins

Now it is a foot race to see who can can units back into the Caucasus the quickest, unfortunately the Germans have brought a lot of motorized transport to the race which would appear to be a tad unsporting - there is only so quickly my little infantry units can retreat.

Right now it is a case of prioritising my fall back positions. First priority has to be Stalingrad, if the Germans get over the Volga then it is game over. The next priority is to the North of Stalingrad as there is a big hole in my lines caused by the constant stretching of the front. So initial reinforcements will all be directed there. Aster that it is a race against time to reinforce Astrakhan, Maikop and the Black Sea Ports. Astrakhan has to take absolute priority over the other two as once that rail line is split then there is no supply for my units in the South. There is no way I can afford the 200pps to build a new supply centre at Tbilisi. On a brighter note it actually doesnt matter if the southern units dont get much supply as at the moment they only consist of about 3 infantry divisions and a couple of artillery units, so that is good news[8D]

The Rostov armies get totally cut off by the Germans this turn; the transports turn around as the Germans are quick to cut access to the coast so a seaborne evacuation is not possible. The troops sit tight awaiting their doom in Rostov safe in the knowledge that their sacrifice will not be forgotten by Mother Russia. It will also gain me two more days for the Germans to get the rail net up and working.

Despite the disadvantages of creating new armies I have little choice as it is better to have units under some kind of army control rather than being too far away from their respective armies. Therefore a new army is created behind Stalingrad to begin the defence. I use some precious pps to give it some staff and also play a Stavka and Front card to give it some experience.

The overall proportion of forces is not looking too good. With the Rostov armies still in existence the Russian troop numbers temporarily number 350k (but this will soon drop dramatically), German troops numbers have now passed the 800k mark. Also there have been no significant losses in airpower or tanks for the Germans.

Overview of the front line, such as it is, at the end of the turn:

[wallas]

Bonner run for the mountains in the Southern caucasus the open terrain is lost. Plug up any road or rail line leading into the moutains. Make your new front in the narrow strip along the caspian sea with the moutains to your left and protect Baku. Put an army is astrakhan and defend it. The rest of whats left in the south put behind the major river infront of stalingard, and defend stalingrad with at least 1 division in each hex. Your in dire straights and need to take drastic measures.

How I see your situation,

[Bonners]

ORIGINAL: wallas

Bonner run for the mountains in the Southern caucasus the open terrain is lost. Plug up any road or rail line leading into the moutains. Make your new front in the narrow strip along the caspian sea with the moutains to your left and protect Baku. Put an army is astrakhan and defend it. The rest of whats left in the south put behind the major river infront of stalingard, and defend stalingrad with at least 1 division in each hex. Your in dire straights and need to take drastic measures.

How I see your situation,

I think you're spot on. The only bit I'll struggle with is plugging the roads on the way to the mountains. I think the best I can manage is to blow the bridges as I dont really have units to spare to do last stands on the roads. Time will have to be my plug on the roads.

[James Ward]

ORIGINAL: Bonners

The Rostov armies get totally cut off by the Germans this turn; the transports turn around as the Germans are quick to cut access to the coast so a seaborne evacuation is not possible. The troops sit tight awaiting their doom in Rostov safe in the knowledge that their sacrifice will not be forgotten by Mother Russia. It will also gain me two more days for the Germans to get the rail net up and working.

You can try to disband the Rostov armies and maybe get some troops out that way. They are toast anyway you look at it.

[Bonners]

ORIGINAL: James Ward

ORIGINAL: Bonners

The Rostov armies get totally cut off by the Germans this turn; the transports turn around as the Germans are quick to cut access to the coast so a seaborne evacuation is not possible. The troops sit tight awaiting their doom in Rostov safe in the knowledge that their sacrifice will not be forgotten by Mother Russia. It will also gain me two more days for the Germans to get the rail net up and working.

You can try to disband the Rostov armies and maybe get some troops out that way. They are toast anyway you look at it.

That is a really good idea, but a bit too gamey for my liking. If I was in this situation against the AI then I'd give it a go.

[James Ward]

ORIGINAL: Bonners

That is a really good idea, but a bit too gamey for my liking. If I was in this situation against the AI then I'd give it a go.

Think of them as stragglers who made it back to your lines.

[wallas]

ORIGINAL: James Ward

You can try to disband the Rostov armies and maybe get some troops out that way. They are toast anyway you look at it.

excellent suggestions but does that work if no port or no supply ?

[wallas]

ORIGINAL: Bonners

I think you're spot on. The only bit I'll struggle with is plugging the roads on the way to the mountains. I think the best I can manage is to blow the bridges as I dont really have units to spare to do last stands on the roads. Time will have to be my plug on the roads.

I use rail as the russians more for getting away from the German front lines then railing units to the front line. Regarding plugging up roads and rail, I mean the ones in the moutains.

[James Ward]

ORIGINAL: wallas

ORIGINAL: James Ward

You can try to disband the Rostov armies and maybe get some troops out that way. They are toast anyway you look at it.

excellent suggestions but does that work if no port or no supply ?

I don't know but they are lost anyway so why not try it

[James Ward]

ORIGINAL: wallas

ORIGINAL: Bonners

I think you're spot on. The only bit I'll struggle with is plugging the roads on the way to the mountains. I think the best I can manage is to blow the bridges as I dont really have units to spare to do last stands on the roads. Time will have to be my plug on the roads.

I use rail as the russians more for getting away from the German front lines then railing units to the front line.

Speed cards help too.

[Bonners]

July 30th - We Love the Leadership of Comrade Stalin Day

No map to update this turn as not much happened due to a lovely mud turn. I may, note use of the word 'may' get a turn or two of respite as I notice that JU52s are flying plentiful supply missions south of Rostov. I presume Isokron's forces will take Rostov this turn as the infantry have caught up and he'll then need one more turn to fix the rail net, so hopefully I can run faster than that. I'm thinking of trying to make a front line stretching along the river from Krasnador to Maikop on one flank as that is where he will first get into contact. Maybe I should retreat all the way into the mountains though before making a stand?

So, beyond clearing up a few stragglers no real German offensive action this turn. The remains of my armies continue to retreat out of the Don bend; again it will take a couple of turns, but I need to decide whether to try and fight in front of Stalingrad by the Don or whether to retreat further. I'm thinking two armies to go north, the new 1st army to defend Stalingrad and two armies to gradually retreat towards Astrakhan. Whatever decision I make I have already starting fortifying the new 1st army in Stalingrad and the shell of 24th army has been railed to Astrakhan.

One thing I am not sure of is how to supply troops in Stalingrad? There are obviously no bridges so is there any way to supply the troops once the road and rail net gets cut from north and south? If not am I just wasting troops in Stalingrad and would I be better off retreating to the East bank of the Volga?

Anyway, all this is really immaterial as the troops under my command have decided to name this day the 'We Love Comrade Stalin Day'. Showing htat he has a far greater understanding of the strategic situation than myself, Comrade Stalin has told the cut off and out of supply troops in Rostov that they still have a purpose and that they will be helping the motherland greatly by holding on until August 13th. I cant tell you how happy and pleased my troops were to get this command. This is what we need, combine this with the 'no step back' order and discipline by itself is sure to halt the German attack.

We move forward sure in the knowledge that nothing can stop our defence of the motherland[8D]

[Bonners]

1st August - fly you fools, fly!

Where to start? Well, let us start with the good news. I now have total freedom of operations from Stavka. With the loss of Rostov and other cities combined with the 'no step back' order I now have zero prestige, so there is nothing Stavka can now do to me.

In the Caucasus there is now nothing to stop the Germans. My troops suffered in the mud turn and have not been able to retreat fast enough. The Germans manage to overtake several of my retreating units who will now be cut off next turn. The defence of the Caucasus rests with a couple of artillery units, HQs and the Coastal Army that was rescued from Sevastapol. Any units that are still connected to the rail network I try and withdraw but a German reconnaissance unit of assault guns manages to cut the rail net in two which will lead to further units probably being cut off. All I can do in the Caucasus is run:

[Bonners]

1st August _ Stalingrad Front

Well, the Caucasus was the good news. Around Stalingrad I again was not able to retreat my troops fast enough, 60th motorized cuts across the Volga and manages to take a surprise bridgehead. I new there was a huge gap in my lines but I just couldnt fill it quickly enough. I very much doubt I can stop them so I am thinking that I will now not defend in front of Stalingrad. but instead will retreat all forces north and south to plug the gaps. 60th motorized could actually be the lesser of two evils as there are now large German forces pushing up from the south west where there is nothing to stop them.

[Bonners]

5th August Caucasus

I didnt do an update last turn as the Germans paused for breath to try and catch their supplies up. This turn the full fury of the offensive was again unleashed. Because I have inflicted so little damage the Germans seems to be powerful for three main thrusts into the Caucasus. What little rail lines I still possess cannot connect to rail my troops out, the sheer pace of the German attack continues to overtake my poor foot soldiers. Various straggler units succumb to the Germans with yet more being surrounded and will be out of supply and die in a couple of turns. Any unit that makes it to a rail hex is immediately railed out. I am going to leave the odd unit to act as a sacrifice in the mountains, but I am rapidly retreated to the South as fast as I can. The Germans will take Maikop without a fight. Grozny will definitely fall, but I have decided that is where I will start to make my stand, any units that are left will then make their final stand around Baku.

[Bonners]

5th August - Stalingrad

I am still none the wiser as to how I can get supply to the units I have left to defend Stalingrad, but I am committed to a defence now. Unfortunately I ran out of time and prestige to fortify all the light urban hexes.

5th tank and 46th army continue to retreat to the north. Meanwhile 24th army will now work its way south. unfortunately there is now rail net for 24th army so most units will be lost as they are overtaken by the advancing Germans. Meanwhile I am trying to reinforce Astrakhan with 21st army to make a last stand.

The units to the north now have to make a stand, just because they are rapidly running out of places to run to. 5th tank makes a couple of spoiling attacks to the north of Stalingrad, but I dont expect this to do much, but maybe it will slow the Germans down enough for me to get a defensive line of sorts in place.

All in all not a good turn. On a brighter note Comrade Stalin will be pleased as we have actually stood and fought around Stalingrad.

[Bonners]

7th August - Stalingrad

Not a lot to report on for the next couple of turns, so a quick recap. Up north and in the Caucasus my troops continue to retreat and continue to get overtaken by the Germans which will eventually lead to further encirclements.

The main battles are the Germans clearing the paths to Stalingrad. To be honest he is flicking away my resistance with ease. 5th tank I cant get up to full readiness for the whole army to attack, so there are a couple of small scale attacks which are not enough to blunt him, but may do small amounts of damage. His forces are inexorably building up though and I just dont have anything left to stop them.

[Bonners]

9th August -Stalingrad

Unfortunately I didnt take a decent screen shot, but this turn was another disaster. Unfortunately a mud turn which really works in the German's favour at this stage. My troops have to continue their retreat with readiness continually dropping. Meanwhile the German panzers have a turn off to rest up, regain supply and readiness. The 24th army is now in a dire position and in danger of further encirclements, unfortunately jsut cropped off the screenshot.

Similarly the 47th army is in danger of being cut off in the Caucasus, I just couldnt get the remaining troops near enough to a complete rail line as again Isokron is quick to send out recon units to cut the lines.

[Bonners]

11th August - Stalingrad

This screenshot rather neatly shows the remains of the 24th army as they are surrounded by the advancing panzers. Unfortunately this means that the lines to Astrakhan are also now wide open as my plan was to gradually retreat this army along the line of the Volga.

Similarly to the north of Stalingrad 5th tank continues to be cut to ribbons, I darent counterattack as no units are now in a fit state to do so. The Luftwaffe also have free reign in the skies and with little AA cover left the tank units continue to get cut up. Further north although there is little in the way of motorized units the Germans cut through the lines in several places. At least here I have more time to retreat and recover readiness with the lack of motorized units following up.

[Bonners]

11th August - Caucasus


...and finally a brief overview of what I have left in the Caucasus. I am trying to leave one unit behind in each mountain pass, although I am not too sure how good they will do. Ideally i would like entrenchment cards, but they are a thing of the past and prestige points. With the encirclement of 47th army I have to create a new HQ so I at least have something in charge. Apart from the group of units in Astrakhan digging in and one mobile brigade trying to cover the coastal rail ine, this shows all my remaining troops in the Caucasus. Every unit is now either going to Astrakhan or the Caucasus, but I dont have enough troops to even hold the river line at the moment and am expecting those pesky Germans to be showing up soon.

My positive note for this turn is about how quickly my turns are played out. It is amazing how quickly a turn can be completed with only a few units. Obviously this is all part of a new Soviet master plan; with Isokron's troops now well in excess of 800k he will hopefully soon start to suffer from repetitive strain injury from trying to advance all his troops[:'(]

[Bonners]

13th August - mud, lurvurllly mud!

Finally an update that is positively oozing with positive energy on a very positive day. The Soviet mud hits hard. Any Soviet unit that cant retreat is already scuppered, so most units stay in place with little in the way of movement as we are already on our next retreat lines. For the first time in days Soviet units start to recover supply and readiness. I even have a tank corp in 5th tank with 100% readiness; what to do with such riches!

Anyway, the battered remains of 24th army meet their doom south of Stalingrad. Also the final unit of 47th army, the HQ, meets its doom. Isokron attacks, makes it retreat and then, as he put it, he tries to steal the last of the vodka ration. It is not pretty as the HQ unit takes 15 German tanks with it on its way to its demise.

Meanwhile more reinforcements start to trickle into the southern Caucasus, there will at least be a fight for Astrakhan and Baku and maybe Grozny. The remains of the coastal army have also now got at least one infantry brigade guarding each of the mountain passes. They wont be able to do much, but at least they are sitting entrenched and will be able to hold the Germans up.

All in all not a bad turn.

Forgot to get a screenshot but was having a look at stats.

Total German troops now about 830k, total losses only 50k

Total Soviet troops 330k, total losses................over 500k...ouch!