The Great Patriotic War (STE78 vs 821bobo)

[STEF78]

ORIGINAL: GDHF
the best design AAR,STEF78 cool , continuing to observe

Thanks for your kind words

1. The transition to the latest patch from the 142-th turn?

It looks better for the losses

Below turn 144, at the beginning

2. What is the limit for Army Growth? trucks? manpower?

Both, I miss more than 1M men and due to fast advance I'm 60K trucks short

3. The number of mechanized corps you have now and what they are quality? if it is not a military secret

glhf

only one, because of the cost in trucks. I have a 31 tank corps.

[STEF78]

Turn 141, 24th february 1944

Are the limits of axis strategy close? A tank corps raid proved to be able to liberate VK and the frontline SW of Novgorod is thin.

It seems to me that they want to deny access to the Dniepr north of Gomel and to fight for the landbridge. That's fine for me as it means heavy fights.

In the South, note the presence of 2 strong Pzd units near Dniepropetrovsk. Next fight area?

And another week with 40K men lost for the axis side (too much) and less than 60K men lost on russian side (I receive 75K men each week)

[821Bobo]

A tank corps raid proved to be able to liberate VK

This was huge blunder from my side, I moved out to unit defending it.

[jwolf]

It looks like you will be able to outflank the land bridge area from the north. For how much longer do you get good fighting weather? Through March?

[STEF78]

ORIGINAL: 821Bobo
This was huge blunder from my side

Well, I wouldn't call it huge...[;)]

[STEF78]

ORIGINAL: jwolf

It looks like you will be able to outflank the land bridge area from the north. For how much longer do you get good fighting weather? Through March?

We are playing random weather... But no heavy mud is expected in the next weeks [8D] except maybe in Europe weather zone.

Concerning the landbridge, I want to bypass the Dvina/Dniepr line as much as possible. Taking Vitebsk Orsha and Moghilev would be fine.

[STEF78]

Turn 142, 2nd March 1944

Great change at the opening of the turn (picture before my moves). Axis is retreating from Baltic Sea to Black Sea. My aim remains the same: creating as much bridgeheads over the Dniepr as possible.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

ORIGINAL: ericv

You are doing a great job. Coming from far against a still very strong German Army. This remains on of the most entertaining AAR's with a still unclear outcome.

I Second this statement. Plus not to mention that Stef78 does some "great" AAR's

[STEF78]

Thanks for these kind words. I do my best to make a nice AAR which can be read like a book. It's not an easy task as English isn't my native language. I wish I could do it in french!

We begun this game 18 months ago, it's a long, long adventure.

At the moment the game is on pause, turn 145, german to play. German front is in bad shape but we are in 1944... I still have 2 turns to post

I'm sure that we will resume the game soon and go to the "bitter" end.

On turn 144, I'm pretty proud of the result below. I will tell your later...

[STEF78]

Turn 143, 9th march 1944

Game is still on pause but I'm sure that Bobo will be back soon [;)]

North

I'm hammering in the direction of Pskov. Note the 3 inf divs gathering 28k men. Time is hard for german infantry



Velikie Lukie

Almost no pzd/mot in this area. German inf divs do their best.



South

OKH tries to keep the Dniepr clear of russian units and slows the retreat. It allows a lot of victories.



And the OOB. german artillery is dramatically weak.

[bigbaba]

simply outstanding AAR with dramatic turn of events so far. after 1941 i would not bet a single coin at the german recover but the summer offensive 42 was a hell of a ride and then you managed to stop him right before baku and took back the initiative slowly.

this is simply one of the best AAR's in this forum.

now hopefully you have enough time to get at least a draw and get your army to poland or germany.

[sillyflower]

ORIGINAL: STEF78

. I do my best to make a nice AAR which can be read like a book. It's not an easy task as English isn't my native language.

If only France had not broken the Treaty of Troyes 1420 , your english would have been perfect instead of just very good [:D]

Editor's note: for those not steeped in Anglo-French medieval history, this was the treaty that agreed that King Henry V of England and his heirs would inherit the Kingdom of France on the death of King Charles VI of France

[charlie0311]

We colonials speak, and write, much gooder English.

[EwaldvonKleist]

Couldn't agree more bigbaba.
One must not forget Bobos contribution to the show-he tries something else than the Pelton straight frontline hex to turn ratio defense and gives a fight. This will leave him with negative numbers of artillery by 01.1945 but contributes a lot to the entertainment of the spectators.

[Grognard1812]

Excellent AAR, 1942 was very tense. It shows the incredible long-term strength of the Soviet army.
Biggest lesson I learned from this AAR is that even if things look difficult for the Soviets in 41 or 42,
given time they should bounce back. Berlin before Jan 45?

[STEF78]

Thanks for reading the AAR. As said, a good AAR is a combination of reliable players, equilibrated game and fair playing on both sides. Not easy to get. So thanks to Bobo.

ORIGINAL: sillyflower
...your english would have been perfect instead of just very good ....

Very happy to be french native [;)],it allows me to appreciate such poetry:

Demain, dès l'aube, à l'heure où blanchit la campagne,
Je partirai. Vois-tu, je sais que tu m'attends.
J'irai par la forêt, j'irai par la montagne.
Je ne puis demeurer loin de toi plus longtemps.

Je marcherai les yeux fixés sur mes pensées,
Sans rien voir au dehors, sans entendre aucun bruit,
Seul, inconnu, le dos courbé, les mains croisées,
Triste, et le jour pour moi sera comme la nuit.

Je ne regarderai ni l'or du soir qui tombe,
Ni les voiles au loin descendant vers Harfleur,
Et quand j'arriverai, je mettrai sur ta tombe
Un bouquet de houx vert et de bruyère en fleur

[sillyflower]

An excellent, and very french, response Stef, so here's something in english from the opposite perspective that always gets to me. It was actually written by an English lawyer but set to an Irish tune 'Londonderry Air' and most people assume it's an irish song.


Oh Danny Boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling.
From glen to glen and down the mountain side.
The summer's gone, and all the roses falling.
'Tis you, 'tis you must go, and I must bide.

But come ye back when summer's in the meadow,
Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow.
'Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow.
Oh Danny Boy, oh Danny Boy, I love you so.

But when ye come and all the flowers are dying,
And I am dead, as dead I well may be,
Go out and find the place where I am lying,
And kneel and say an Ave there for me.

And I will hear tho' soft your tread above me,
And then my grave will warm and sweeter be.
For you shall bend and tell me that you love me,
And I will sleep in peace until you come to me.

[STEF78]

Turn 144, 16th march 1944

Bobo told me he won't go back in WITE1 so I post my last pictures of this fantastic game!

Russian steamroll is on.

North

Germans try to keep a decent front line



Landbridge

The natural line of defence is behind us.



Center

GD routed and 3 inf divs surrounded. They could be rescued.



South

These units surrounded won't escape. the end is near...

[Bozo_the_Clown]

Awesome game Stef. I really thought you were dead. Shows how important it is to never give up. [&o]

[STEF78]

ORIGINAL: Bozo_the_Clown

Awesome game Stef. I really thought you were dead. Shows how important it is to never give up. [&o]

Thanks

Game has changed since destroyed units come back for free for the USSR.

It's now very hard for the Axis to win if the russian can survive till early july 1942.