From Dunaburg to Daugavpils - Speedy vs RCH (no RCH)

[Speedysteve]

Hi All,

This is a PBEM++ v1.02 game vs RCH with me as Axis.

No what if options have been selected.

We've just finished Turn 3 but I've not had time to start the AAR until now.

The starting dispositions can make a fair bit of difference to how the exact nature of the 1st turn plays out. I think I got lucky on Activation Rolls as not a lot moved on Turn 2.

Any thoughts or questions let me know.

Here's AGN post moves.

4th PzGp struck north of Tilsit and raced NE encircling 2 x HQ and 4 x Divs SW of Jakobstadt.

18th Army pushed Soviets north and 16th Army headed to Kaunas.

RCH seemed to build a Fort south of Jakobstadt.

If I'm lucky with Activations again I could either strike for Riga or Daugavpils next turn (also a potential aim to create a sizeable Kaunas pocket):

[Speedysteve]

AGC post moves:

Bialystock Pocket was wiped out on Turn 3.

2nd PZ Gp raced NE up the Brest/Minsk Highway and smashed a few Tk Divs back on the Minsk approaches.

3rd Pz Gp is mainly outside Vilnius now.

With some lucky (bad) Activations I should be able to trap 3rd Army in Grodno Region and I'd love to take Minsk on the fly....

Made a boo boo outside Brest on Turn 2 when I forgot bring up the Siege Artillery. It's en route now

[Speedysteve]

AGS post moves.

Pocket west of Lvov was partially wiped out on Turn 3 and Lvov was encircled this turn. It's a weak cordon though and if he gets enough Activations he could attack and break the encirclement.

[Speedysteve]

Rom Front post moves.

The Reds pulled back a bit but 11th Army punctured the enemy lines and the Rom Pz Div raced through to take Kishinev.

[Speedysteve]

Start of turn 4.

Luck ran out and seems like activations everywhere for The Reds.

In AGN they counter-attack and push back 1st Pz Div to open the encirclement.

Failed attack on 20th Pz Div near Vilnius in AGC.

[Speedysteve]

In AGS successful Counter Attacks re-open Lvov and almost wipes out 3 x Pz/Mtr Div's

In Rom Land the Pz Div is cut off east of Kishinev and destroyed.

[Speedysteve]

AGN post moves.

I was unable to re-pocket either the 8th or 27th Army HQ's but the bigger priority was to get across the Dvina. This was accomplished at Daugavpils by 3rd Mtr and 6th Pz Div's.

A temporary pocket was also created around Kaunas in conjunction with AGC. If the Reds get any activations in the area though there'll comfortably be able to stroll out.

16th Army captured Kaunas.

[Speedysteve]

AGC post moves.

Fairly happy with progress here (except my boo boo for not moving the Siege Artillery to Brest a turn earlier.)

3rd Pz Gp encircles 3rd Army NE of Grodno. Hope it holds.

2nd Pz Gp storms forward on an empty road to Minsk and a Rifle Division is ejected after an assault by 10th Mtr and 10th Pz Divs.

Will move the FSB forward in 2 turns once Brest is secured. Until then it will be a matter of surviving on fumes. Aim is to wipe out 3rd Army, trash as much of Western Front as possible and move eastwards as much as fuel permits.

[Speedysteve]

AGS Post Moves.

Fun and games down here. Rescued my 3 encircled units from 1st Pz Gp, took Lvov and encircled 6th Army and 5 battered Red units.

6th and 17th Army bulled forward and wiped out the 7 units trapped west of Lvov.

[Speedysteve]

Rom Front post moves. A couple of successful attacks and re-taking of Kishinev but nothing of note:

[Speedysteve]

Start of Turn 5. Only 1 successful Soviet counter-attack against the Finns!

The Kaunas Pocket held (may be due to a lack off activations?), 3rd Army still cut off in AGC.

In AGS The Reds retreated back towards Proskurow in general.

Due to pockets holding there's 24 x Divisions and 2 x HQ's to remove from the OOB.

[Speedysteve]

AGN post moves.

18th Army pushed further north nearing Riga which has a Major Garrison in it. Luckily I decided not to try the Riga/Tallinn Rail line in this game for a change. Siege artillery is en route 12 days away.

16th Army began to reduce the Kaunas pocket wiping out 2 Divisions.

4th Pz Gp is beginning to suffer a lack of fuel and only managed to slightly expand the Daugavpils bridgehead. 1st Pz headed to Ostrov but was stopped on the edge of marches when it detected some Reds.

Deaths Head and 3rd Mtr failed to take Jakobstadt. Now the rail line to Daugavpils is clear I should be able to order the FSB to relocate next turn.

I'd love by some miracle for no activations to occur in the area and to have enough fuel to seal all of the units in Latvia and along the Dvina into a pocket.....doubtful.

[Speedysteve]

AGC post moves.

2nd and 3rd Pz Gp co-ordinated to encircle 2/3 of Western Front Units around Minsk....hope it holds.

9th Army squeezes the remnants into a 30 KM pocket near Grodno.

Brest falls and 4th Army nears Minsk and is put into SO Posture.

Intel detects 'rail movement at Smolensk' I'm assuming this is either 21st or 22nd Reinforcement Army.

If only I had the fuel to carry on Moscow would be mine[;)]

Will order the FSB to move up to Minsk next turn all being well.

[Speedysteve]

AGS post moves.

With recon indicating a fair few enemy units still ahead near Proskurow 1st Pz Gp moved to the east slightly (encircling 5 x Divs of 5th Army) and was order to R&R as the FSB is bought up to Lvov.

6th and 17th Army pushed onwards.

[Speedysteve]

Rom front post moves.

Just gradual plodding forward

[Speedysteve]

Start of Turn 6.

AGN.

Activations means the units along the Dvina have mainly fled. Grrr.

[Speedysteve]

AGC.

All the pockets held.

21st Army has arrived at the frontline.

[Speedysteve]

AGN post moves.

A lack of fuel prevents full movement by 4th Pz Gp. They do manage to smash through Jakobstadt and encircled Riga and the 17th Army HQ in it. 1st Pz managed to eject a small Garrison from Ostrov.

18th Army attacked Leipaja and failed and more Divs are reaching Riga.

16th Army cleared the Kaunas pocket and changed into SO posture.

FSB moving to Daugavpils in 12 days time. 4th Pz Gp will head into R&R.

[Speedysteve]

AGC post moves.

Mixed views here. 2nd PZ GP secured Mogilev but did not have enough strength and units in range to try for Orsha. It did manage to destroy Western Front HQ though.

3rd Pz Gp pushed the boat out and raced to the NE with the last fuel that remained. I secured Polotsk and Vitebsk but I mis-judged availability and failed to leave units in the Cities[:-]

Due to the strength of 21st Army at Orsha and recon showing 20th Army down the road I decided to move the FSB to Minsk which will take 12 days. I will put the Pz Div's into R&R next turn onwards.

9th Army wiped out 3rd Army pocket.

[Speedysteve]

AGS post moves.

Little action here as 6th and 17th Army just reached the Soviet liens by the end of the 4 days.

6th Army is going into SO posture.