Is what Dr Johnson would have said if he had been a wargamer. Probably.
Anyway here is my game so far. We join the action at turn 114, July 22nd 1942.
The Case Blue offensive is over but we have made some significant gains in territory and objectives and much of the summer campaigning season is still left.
Starting with Army Group North, here's the overview:
And a close up of the battle lines:
In my first attempt I was too slow in my advance and was unable to take Leningrad. In my second attempt at the scenario, which is this one, I went like the clappers, got around the city and cut the life road. I also kept all of my Stuka squadrons out of the action except for hitting the Baltic Fleet any time it moved out of port. Having sunk all the Soviet boats the Stukas were then diverted en masse down south to do the same with the Black Sea Fleet.
With no supply at all going in I was able to reduce the defenders with artillery and mop them up. Moping up concluded just before the muddy season. Losses were very light.
I saw no need to advance further here, the terrain is marsh, forest and many rivers, it would just be a slugfest that would cost thousands of rifle squads. No point in attacking where the enemy is strongest unless you have no choice.
We bombard the Soviet lines twice a week with all arty over 100% supply. Ivan always has some juicy orange and occasionally red stacks to aim at. Casualties are in the thirtieth percentile, I estimate the enemy to be losing 2000 squads a week in this sector alone.
The Soviet has given up assaulting this line, all his attacks failed with 100 to 1 casualties or greater.
Army Group Centre (overview)
And a close up of the Moscow sector
Operation Typhoon only managed to get me to 100 km from Moscow, I elected to dig in whilst still strong rather than overextend my thrust and fall prey to the Soviet winter offensive. Consequently Case Blue had two chief objectives: Moscow and the oil fields at Maikop.
As you can see I did manage to bash through to the city centre and the Kremlin. Soviet paras (tough bastards) counterattacked my exhausted troops and drove them out, but were themselves retreated again by fresh German reserves. I was, however, unable to surround the city or push further into the eastern suburbs by the end of the offensive.
This whole sector is now re-supplying. I'm hoping a second push in a few weeks time will clear the remainder of Moscow and its suburbs.
Army Group South:
Overview:
And a close up of the Stalingrad area
I was able to capture Rostov, and convert the rail line that runs like an arrow to the southeast down on into it, prior to the start of Case Blue. Capturing that rail line is essential to capturing Rostov and being able to make a move into the Caucasus, and Ivan knows this and hangs onto it like his balls.
Once that was taken the Soviet front in the south collapsed completely during Case Blue. So I decided to go for broke and attempt a drive on Stalingrad as well as diving south for the oil fields. There is not really enough troops or supply to do both, so it is gamble. I have no idea what sort of strength the Soviets will be able to muster for a winter counter-offensive in this area. If it's a lot then I might be screwed.
Finally, this may look like bugs going after a spill, but it is actually Army Group Caucasus which has achieved its primary objective of capturing Maikop and the oil wells and is now re-supplying before mopping up and moving to defensive positions.
And a close up of the Maikop sector:
One thing I learnt in my first aborted attempt is that you have to pay close attention to the rail lines. Work out which rail lines you are going to need ahead of time and attack to capture them. Planning ahead with regards to the rail and supply is absolutely vital. Otherwise you end up bogged down, low on supply, with Ivan sat on the rail line you need for supply, but you can't shift him because you have no supply. And he gets stronger much faster than you do!
Anyway, thanks for reading, your comments, criticisms and observations are welcome.
