Red Star Ascending Axis (BrianG) VS Soviet (HLYA) All Welcome

[HardLuckYetAgain]

The Germans have encircled and/or eliminated 85% of the Southwestern Front up to turn 3 for a cliffhanger. As such I am still close to the Rumanian border, within 10 hexes and goes directly North from there to the swamp. I will also show the beauty of not assigning leaders but taking what is assigned when the new HQs come out. I will show you an awesome rail conversion by Brian and then one that could cause him a problem. So stay tuned ☺️ You will be able to see the Picts and video shortly.

Oh, the front line is at Minsk in the center and still 8-10 hexes from Pskov. I am sure all of this will change pretty quickly And have no illusions it is not going to happen..

[HardLuckYetAgain]

Post being held open for later video of 1st turn.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

Turn 1 End of Turn for Pskov Area

We are currently on turn 4 and I have to say that the disband factor on NKVD SEC units goes really quick. Normally by turn 5 they are almost all gone now. But in the Pskov area I just set up a a shotgun defense. Nothing more than a MP inhibitor. Want to see where BrianG is going with the Germans since his rail did not go North. So I opted for this. Please note the SEC regiment and the 1=1 brigade on rail. They do get cut off on the rail the next turn. By all means if you don't know this yet detrain before doing anything with these units. Otherwise these units will end up with zero MP's and stuck in hex.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

Turn 1 End of Turn for Velikie Luki area

I anticipate BrianG to go through the Swamps and forests towards Velikie Luki. But not much I can do about it but set up token MP inhibitors along the way. I just hope the PZ's and Moto's don't go deep into this Mecca of defense terrain. Please note that under the 2=2 yellow HQ is an Armor unit. Just wanted to point that out here. None of the pockets were able to be broken in the North, nor in the Center.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

Turn 1 End of Turn for Vilnius area

Pockets secure with little I can do but wave as the Panzers roll on by. I defend forward instead of running and setup the shotgun defense with units splattered all over. I do my normal routine of defending in the clear to force a fight if they want the clear terrain. Otherwise they can pay the extra MP's to go through terrain. BrianG's rail is going through Kaunas with no rail repair north of this. On turn 3 BrianG does get an 8 hex repair done on the rail and only seen myself do this before. Good job Brian

[HardLuckYetAgain]

Turn 1 End of Turn Minsk area

Again I defend forward and shotgun defense defending clear hexes when necessary. I hug the Panzers and do hasty attacks on them to start wearing down their fatigue (It is an endeavor in stupidity but I am doing it and still doing it up to turn 3. I will say that some of the Moto units I have been doing this to are down to 5 combat strength on turn 3, and some armor down to 7 & 8. But boy have I paid a price. Anyway more on that later) You can see the 15=20 with yellow supply end of turn 1. I have two options here of where Brian will go. Either North of Minsk or South of Minsk. I know the Middle is a pain. So 50/50 North or South. Brian does have another rail going through Brest. All pockets are secure

[HardLuckYetAgain]

Turn 1 End of turn the SWAMPY area

Well the swamp gets shafted here with a German Moto unit going deep. To the South is an SS Moto unit. I am sure the intention is to link up and catch as many units as possible. This open ended pocket will snap shut. That is fine by me since this will tie up a few Mech units in the swampy area. Not much I can do to stop the link up nor the pocket. The Rail conversion is at Brest Litovsk for turn one.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

Turn 1 End of turn Kiev

All pockets broken in south. BUT these pockets are just as effective. The only problem with them is that of time & the SU's/HQ's get out. I again hug the PZ/Moto units and attack them to fatigue them. As can be seen in the center of the photo an 11=13 has been attacked a few times. I shotgun the area with units. Please note, and I will get to the airforce shortly, that the airforce is active and bombing turn 1.

Avenue of attack here...... Anyone's guess as to where Brian will go. I just hope I am not pissing into the wind here.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

Turn 1 End of turn Odessa area

Well, I worked on this defense for a little bit on how to at least put out some movement blockers on the way to Odessa. It is still in the Alpha stage but I think this offers a little bit more resistence than on a made dash to get to Odessa. There are some flaws in it that I need to adjust but for this game I am satisfied (i.e. occupying the town NE of Kishinev is one to fix )

This was the only area on the map I did a withdraw since it needed to be done. Plus the Rumanians don't rate any attention from us Soviets. ;-P But I will work on this defense some more for future games.

[beender]

ORIGINAL: HardLuckYetAgain

This was the only area on the map I did a withdraw since it needed to be done.

I agree. My experience has been whatever units I don't immediately pull out in this area, are gone for good. Maybe these
comrades can be heard fighting and crying in that horrible Lvov pocket, but they have to be left behind[:(]

[HardLuckYetAgain]

ORIGINAL: beender

ORIGINAL: HardLuckYetAgain

This was the only area on the map I did a withdraw since it needed to be done.

I agree. My experience has been whatever units I don't immediately pull out in this area, are gone for good. Maybe these
comrades can be heard fighting and crying in that horrible Lvov pocket, but they have to be left behind[:(]

Well, I am fighting forward this game as you see on my forward postions in the photos. I am now going to post the Beginning of turn 2 photos to show what Brian did. Make no mistake about it. I am playing a losing game that I can not win playing this close to the Germans. But that is how I am playing this as long as I can.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

ORIGINAL: HardLuckYetAgain

ORIGINAL: beender

ORIGINAL: HardLuckYetAgain

This was the only area on the map I did a withdraw since it needed to be done.

I agree. My experience has been whatever units I don't immediately pull out in this area, are gone for good. Maybe these
comrades can be heard fighting and crying in that horrible Lvov pocket, but they have to be left behind[:(]

Well, I am fighting forward this game as you see on my forward postions in the photos. I am now going to post the Beginning of turn 2 photos to show what Brian did. Make no mistake about it. I am playing a losing game that I can not win playing this close to the Germans. But that is how I am playing this as long as I can.

There is a chance of what I am doing will work but I won't know for sure until a few more turns go by. So far I am holding my own but it is not sustainable until I get counters for placement on the map.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

Turn 2 Pskov Beginning of Turn

Brian does a large sweep and bags all the front MP blockers that were in his way. SEC units I hardly knew you.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

Turn 2 Velikie Luki Beginning of Turn

MY TREES!!!! MY TREES!!!! As I feared he went towards VL. Guess it is time to go play in the forest again.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

Turn 2 Minsk Beginning of Turn

Brian goes south of Minsk. The cauldron in the middle here between the two Panzer armies is getting "HOT". I will have to make a decision if I "Should stay or should I go". I quickly made the decision to stay for all those that can't wait for an answer. Stay I did. But I have a nasty chance of getting a pincer between the two Panzer armies I have drawn in Red. But I want to make the Germans earn it. Lets party.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

Turn 2 North Swamp Squatters

Not much action happening here. But if you look hard enough there is a Wil O' Wisp in there

[HardLuckYetAgain]

Turn 2 North Swamp and Kiev

As expected somewhere on this front was going to get plastered. The southwest swamp pocket is shut tight. No hope for those poor bastards. The top part of the next pocket has a PZ regiment looks like guarding. Regiments are easy to make retreat & I just need 3 divisions to pretty much retreat that to open the pocket up. Disclaimer, it is never easy retreating a damn PZ regiment. But getting three division here is like finding hens teeth since most are behind German lines

[HardLuckYetAgain]

Turn 2 Vinnitsa Beginning of turn

Large sweeping pocket as expected. My only hope is to find some gaps in the ZOC's for my non CAV units to penetrate. Once I get enough CAV units you better make sure you have solid lines because I have a knack at finding those openings. I see a few places to penetrate. So these two pockets should last another turn. Of course it is a blessing and a curse to open a pocket. Yes I will be prone to getting the rescuers surrounded too. But that is alright since in my case I am staying close until the last minute. It is also a curse since your reborn units will not come back just that much longer when they are killed. But this should be fun since I will be playing close to his supply lines, 15ish or less. I might need a bandaid after this.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

Turn 2 Odessa Beginning of turn

Finally last but not least is the Odessa. Stalin was not pleased with the retreat from the Rumanian border. He immediatly ordered a counter attack to gain the lost ground that was given up without a fight.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

Placeholder for Turn 2 Video