Alpha AAR - A year at the front with Field Marshal Noob

[karonagames]

Turn 9: Partisans swarm out of the forests to attack rail lines.

[karonagames]

Turn 10: while most of the Partisan attacks do only minor damage, rail capacity is reduced (Dotted green circles)

[karonagames]

Turn 10: Panzer units around Vyazma suffer from supply shortages.

[janh]

Wow, this doesn't look good for GAIA anymore, on neither part of the frontline... And it is only late August.  Can it recover from these blows?

[karonagames]

Start of turn 10: GAIA breaks open the Cherkassy pocket and the troops in the pocket run for the exit! 2 Divisions and 1 regiment are (temporarily) isolated.

[karonagames]

Beginning of Turn 10: Her attempt to punish the over-extended Hungarian Motorised brigade fails, but I think under the latest version, this attack would have succeeded - the odds needed for SU to cause a retreat are now 1 to 1, but they suffer an extra round of defensive fire. I look forward to testing the new version to see how this works out.

[karonagames]

End of turn 10: 2 of the 3 ports supplying Leningrad are in German hands. 18th Army starts to tighten the noose on the SU's second city. You should note when comparing this AAR to the Road to Leningrad scenario AARs that I have sent at least 5 more infantry divisions and all the BFGs that the German army has to support the attack on Leningrad, but I don't know if the AI has sent more of less forces to defend Leningrad compared to the scenario.

[karonagames]

End of turn 10: Looks like Moscow owes the partisans a few vodkas, as they have bought Zhukov enough time to rebuild the defences in front of Moscow yet again. XXXIX Panzer korps is tasked to capture Kalinin, while LVII Panzer Korps will push to the NE and swing behind Moscow to the north.

XXXXVI and XXXXVII take an enforced rest, and hope they get the supplies to enable them to swing behind Moscow from the South.

[karonagames]

End of Turn 10: As I had hoped the defence of Moscow has weakened other areas, and Orel and Tula are well within my sights. 2nd Army and 6th Army should shake off the Mud of the Pripyat Marshes and start making better progress eastwards.

[karonagames]

End of Turn 10: Hopefully, the better morale of GD motorised regiment will keep the Cherkassy pocket sealed tight this turn.

[karonagames]

End of Turn 10: Odessa falls, but I fail to get the vital bridgehead across the Dnepr that will open the door to the Crimea. GAIA struggles to defend Odessa as well as her historical counterparts, as she uses regiments and brigades where she needs to use divisions, particularly when working within the stacking limitations (3 units regardless of size). Joel and Gary are on the case, looking to give GAIA some help with increased fortification levels etc.

[SGHunt]

I'm exhausted just watching - very exciting AAR.

Stuart

[karonagames]

End Turn 11: The suburbs of Leningrad, Pushkin and Kolpino are captured, but a Probing attack on the Southern City Hex shows just how much value is added by level 5 fortifications. I hope I have enough BFGs and pioneers to reduce the fortifications. 4th Panzer Group continues to roll up the Volkhov line.

[karonagames]

Thanks Stuart - I'm looking forward to seeing how GAIA reacts to your move in your AAR. I think you will get away with it, but I would never try it against a human - especially not Andy!

[karonagames]

End turn 11: The rail lines are not repaired, so supplies are having to be moved by truck for 120miles more than they should do, consequently the panzers' progress is being measured in yards, especially to the south of Moscow. I know I must try to emulate Jon, and spread the line as thinly as I can then pounce on any crack that appears in the line. I just can't see any cracks in front of Moscow at the moment.

[karonagames]

End of Turn 11: Plenty of Cracks in this sector that I hope to exploit. The rail line that will go through Bryansk has not been attacked so more supplies should get to this sector.

[karonagames]

End of turn 11: The Cherkassy pocket has been mopped up so the advance on Kharkhov can begin in earnest.

[karonagames]

End Turn 11: Finally forced some bridgeheads across the Dnepr - now I can move into the Crimea and Sevastopol

[karonagames]

End of August: Front line North.

[karonagames]

End of August: Front Line South.