City Upon the Volga - NOSB (Sov) vs. Pitaman (Axis)

[NotOneStepBack]

I have pics of Turn 36 but we are still locked in the same line. It's almost April '42 and I am starting to brace for the offensive of '42. I wasn't able to muster enough CV to really push the lines over the winter.

[NotOneStepBack]

Pics for those interested, we're almost in Mud again in '42, but here is turn 36. Once mud hits, I'll have tank corps everywhere I can, been saving up Admin points. Should have 2 guards Tank corps too.

[NotOneStepBack]

FYI I will be on vacation in the Virgin Islands from May 27th through June 5th so we'll be on hold at that time

[NotOneStepBack]

Turn 47 (May 1942), the start of the summer offensive, Pitaman breaks the line north of Moscow and also is heading towards Stalingrad. The AAR may live up to its name!

[NotOneStepBack]

We are both back from R&R and the game continues. Hit mud in all sectors in May.

Hopefully these guys will help me in '42!

[NotOneStepBack]

Turn 50. We are having intermittent mud between clear turns, but that is going to end soon and the madness is going to begin. Pitaman has broken through in the North and South and is headed towards Stalingrad. Commissar NOSB issues his famous order...NOT ONE STEP BACK!

It's going to be interesting as I have to build all units from scratch now that are lost, and I think Pitaman is definitely targeting my Guards and Shock armies for encirclement. I could however use this to my advantage, and finally his Panzers are able to be pushed around a little bit.

He has given up on Rostov. Stalingrad offers more VPs, but I'm gonna give him a tough fight over it. The VP situation overwhelmingly still favors him. I am hitting his airforce every turn now.

[NotOneStepBack]

Pitaman if you are out there, would like to hear any of your comments so far!

[Pitaman]

NOSB,

I am here. You have assembled an amazing amount of tank corps. The German summer offense will be interesting to see if it can overcome your tank corps and still achieve its strategic objectives. You have also done a good job in moving out your industry. Random weather, read mud, is also helping you. I will try to continue to keep you off guard on where my major thrusts and objectives are during this upcoming summer offensive.

Pitaman

[NotOneStepBack]

Yeah I had to stockpile AP points but still stay under 500. I had all the brigades in stacks of 3 the turn before, so once April '42 occurred, I just had to merge them all and assign support units. This was only possible since most of the winter was static.

[Pitaman]

NOSB,

Still a very impressive feat to build that many tank corps! I will see if my following Hitler's winter 41 decision of no retreat will pay dividends in the 42 summer offensive. The Germans have been knocking on Moscow's doors all winter. We will see if we can break those doors down or the good citizens of the city will open the doors and welcome the Germans to their fair city. Either way, Hitler has ordered the city to be take or the German army destroyed in the process.

Pitaman

[NotOneStepBack]

Turn 52:

I'm getting very lucky with the weather in this game, mud well into June '42. The south keeps getting bogged down.

Center:




South:

[Pitaman]

NOSB,

Mud turns have been very helpful to you, especially in the south. I can only hope this means mud will be delayed in the fall. My German weather forecasters are predicting clear weather now. Let's hope they are right, or Hitler may be sending them to the infantry units as replacements; cannon fodder!

Pitaman

[NotOneStepBack]

True, but I'm not the same punching bag I was in '41. You've gotten pretty deep into Russia though, more or less historical besides Lgrad (but I hold Rostov). I'm looking forward to survival here and 1943 will be super interesting if I can hold you.

[RKhan]

It promises to be an interesting summer. [:)]

[Pitaman]

NOSB,

Yes, you now have ability to punch back! That said, Germans still have stronger forces than Soviets and certainly can move a lot further than the Russians can.

Pitaman

[NotOneStepBack]

Turn 56:

Disaster. Pitaman breaks through in a massive way and flanks Moscow. I have to do the unthinkable and I abandon the city. At least all industry has been long evacuated so I will lose manpower and the rail hub only. It hurts a lot in VPs, and this could be the deciding turn in the game, but we play on to the bitter end! I can't fight the Germans if I lose all these divisions holding Moscow. It's hard to stop him without on-map artillery.





In the south he also breaks through, threatening Rostov.

[Pitaman]

NOSB,

I was surprised that you decided to abandon Moscow. I was hoping you would commit major forces in an attempt to save the city and by doing so give me a great opportunity to bag some significant forces.

Pitaman

[NotOneStepBack]

That's what I figured, and I can't fight the war without an army. It's a long war, I'm gonna need them.

I don't lose industry by losing it. I will lose a lot of VPs, so it might not matter in the end, we'll see.

[NotOneStepBack]

Turn 57, Late July '42

In the center Moscow is lost, and in the South, Rostov is taken. Also here is an update on the OOB. I think I'll be able to fight on, but he might win on VPs by the time the Wehrmacht collapses. After this turn I also cleaned up the fronts so no one is outside of command range after that debacle at Moscow. I'm able to push his units around, but I'm not able to fully exploit any ground gained since his units simply are too strong and mine aren't strong enough to take ground that don't have any defensive bonuses.

Center:



South:




OOB:

[NotOneStepBack]

Turn 60

While 1941 wasn't too bad, 1942 is schooling me. Pitaman breaks through in the south, encircling much of the Transcaucusus Front.

All I can do is hold on until winter. At least I have sufficient manpower and ARM pools to fight back....eventually. His lines are thinner up north and I'm starting to apply a bit of pressure.