Move-wise FitE

[larryfulkerson]

Even though there's only two rr engineers in the Riga area right now the supply situation is adequate. I start getting ansy if the supply in the hexes starts to drop to the low teens or single digits. These two guys have about 6 more hexes to fix to get to Riga so it'll be at least three turns before they are through. That's approx. what it'll take to swarm over Riga with the combat units I suppose.

Notice that there is a Soviet division that appeared out of nowhere to the west of Riga. He must have snuck in from the Northwest area that hasn't been searched yet. And there may be more up there yet.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the supply situation in the area just to the SE of Riga. The supply is in the single digits where the combat units are working and I hesitate to go into combat with that situation existing. Fortunately I have the AGN supply unit ( green oval ) handy. I'll just move him over to where he's needed for now and repair the railroad when I can get around to it.

[larryfulkerson]

Travel SW of the above picture and you find the Wilno area. Here's the supply situation there. It's not too bad overall but I find single digits in the far eastern edges. Luckly, I have the AGC supply unit ( green oval ) who can travel along with the panzers when I drive off to the east. The supply unit can help out until the railroad engineers catch up with the moving front.

[larryfulkerson]

Supply on the southern front isn't too bad yet. The AGS supply unit isn't needed just yet.

[larryfulkerson]

I think I'll task the 11th Inf Div with surrounding the phantom Soviet division ( with an assist from the 23rd Korp HQ unit ), meanwhile the 290th Inf Div can occupy positions on the west side of Riga prepairatory to the assault when it comes.

[larryfulkerson]

The 62nd Pioneer moved up onto the river bank and discovered a Soviet NKVD division ( green oval ) on the far side of the river. So I hesitate to cross the panzers in that spot. Probably better would be the spot indicated by the green arrow, even though they would have to fight their way through a recon unit to get to Riga. This presupposes that there's not another surprize unit waiting where the green arrow points.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the moves in the Riga area. I'm in the outskirts of the West and SouthWest sides with about 4 infantry divisions and I've gotten parts of three panzer/motorized divisions and one infantry division across the river. I'd rather surround the outlaying scrumishers separately from the Riga group and destroy them, but if he successfully retreats them to Riga that's alright too. I'd rather destroy the Riga group in place but if he evacuates them via the sea at least that'll give me the city and another supply source.

[larryfulkerson]

The crossing SE of Plaavinas looks inviting. Looks like it's wide open and ready to be crossed. But hovering the cursor over Plavinas reveals that the hex is "unknown". In other words intell doesn't know what's in the hex. [Other "unknown" hexes are denoted by the green ovals.] If I was the Soviet player I'd have something in there. Plus the recon unit SE of the crossing would have converted the cyan oval hex since he's been there since last turn, unless there were a Soviet unit in Plavinas. So there is something there after all. No need to send a recon unit over the bridge to look.

So unless you want to play hey diddle diddle, right up the middle, this argues for another place to cross. The Panzer unit has an engineer to help with river crossings and there is an "observed" hex that's across the river that's open but it's marshy. Not the best terrain for an attack. There is a good terrain hex next to the Soviet recon unit a little further south but it's "unknown" again. The Soviet player may or may not have a formation in that hex. But it's worth sending a recon unit in there to have a look.

[larryfulkerson]

A quick look by the 59th Aufklar reveals that indeed it is open. This is the place to cross. The Panzer regiments can force the Soviet recon unit to retreat and then we can have at the Soviet armour unit from the North. Meanwhile I can send some infantry across to assault the Jekabpils and Plavinas areas from the South.

[larryfulkerson]

Moving the 8th Panzer Div HQ unit revealed the presence of a Soviet Airborne unit ( green oval ) in the Jekabpils area. I'll send the 15th Inf Div to take care of him.

[larryfulkerson]

The 254th Inf Div will provide the anvil for the hammer of the 30th Inf Div and the 15th Inf Div and the SS Totenkopf Div.

[larryfulkerson]

It's actually a good thing that the Soviet dude put some of his planes on interdiction. It gives me a chance to shoot them down and hasn't really impeeded my moving, at least not yet anyway. It's a good thing I have some air superiority missions active too.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's what I decided to do in the Daugavpils area: I moved the 269th Inf Div to the west side of the river to hold the Soviet Armour in place and the 21st Inf Div got the task to hold the Soviet Airmobile brigade in place. The 32nd Inf Div is moved to the SouthWest side of the Daugavpils crossing to threaten the fort. I kinda wanted those Soviet assets on the east side of the battle to stay where they are for now so I moved the 251st Inf Div to the south of the river to demonstrate and threaten a crossing on the south side of the river. If I don't actually move onto the river hex anywhere the Soviet dude will probably have to defend more hexes where I could cross and haven't yet. The 123rd Inf Div and 122nd Inf Div were moved to the Southeast to encourage those Soviet assets there to stay in place lest I attempt a crossing down there.

[lojishen]

Those last few posts were some of the best I've ever seen in an AAR, especially love the labeled maps with the reason for each divisional size move!!!

Keep 'em coming.

Do you keep the Germans on minimum losses all game, are there certain attacks in the first few turns of this game where you haven't used minimum losses on your land forces?

Thanks,

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: lojishen
Those last few posts were some of the best I've ever seen in an AAR, especially love the labeled maps with the reason for each divisional size move!!!

Keep 'em coming.

More are on their way.

ORIGINAL: lojishen
Do you keep the Germans on minimum losses all game, are there certain attacks in the first few turns of this game where you haven't used minimum losses on your land forces?
Thanks,

Um...I tend to use minimum losses settings because I get the most rounds per turn that way. I don't remember ever using any other setting unless it's the LAST round of the turn when I go to limited or ignore losses. Especially for the aircraft when they're on interdiction and/or combat support during the opponents turn. Then the first thing I do when I get the turn back is switch all the aircraft to limited/minimum losses again.

[larryfulkerson]

All the units you see in the picture below were traveling SE and have the intention of making the front line longer, finding any stray Soviets, and cutting off the supply to the Soviet units in the Minsk area. It's the plan to replace the panzers on the "front line" with infantry to allow the panzers to run off to the eastsoutheast and further extend the land grab. The Soviet units at the far south are the northern arm of the roadblock(s) in the Minsk area which are to be surrounded and destroyed in about two, maybe three turns.

[larryfulkerson]

Most of the units you see in the picture below have used the entire allotment of their movement points to get where they are. The infantry tends to be at the back of the van since they are slower but now that the panzers have run up against the Soviet line at Minsk they will have a chance to catch up and take up the slack in the fighting.

I've already started a program of enveloping/surrounding one end of the line and I intend to roll my way down south destroying Soviet units as I come to them. The Panzers will run SouthEast and cut off any retreating units so that they might all eventually be destroyed.

I think my opponent intended them to be speed bumps and hopefully they won't delay me more than two maybe three turns before the panzers are rolling eastward again.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's some moves in the area of the southern part of the Pripet Marshes and the northern part of the southern front lines. Is that clear?

The 56th Inf Div has discovered a Soviet division in the southern part of the marshes and will need an assist to destroy it.

The 44th, 267th, and 111th Inf Div's are in the final phase of subduing a Soviet roadblock. The hex is needed by the Axis because the Soviet division is sitting on a railroad hex and it can't be repaired unless and until the Soviet unit is gone.

The SS Das Reich and SS Viking divisions are continuing the attack on the Soviet armour unit from last turn. They need to destroy it before they can continue to find a path around the north end of the Stalin Line.

The 4th Panzer, 14th Panzer, and 9th Panzer Divisions were following the SS units and discovered a Soviet armour unit acting as a roadblock and decided to destroy it.

[larryfulkerson]

The units in this picture that are abutting the Stalin Line have moved almost all their movement allowance getting there. The assault should begin next turn or perhaps the turn after that I haven't decided which yet. The one panzer division ( the 11th Panzer Div ) is there to confront the Soviet armour in the Stalin Line. The 57th Inf Div is wiping out the last of the Soviet remnants behind this German line.

[larryfulkerson]

The Romanians get to move this turn and they are just in time to corner a Soviet division ( in the center top of the picture ). The 76th Inf Div has discovered an intact bridge across the river...perhaps the Soviets will destroy it on their turn. The 239th Inf Div has captured an intact bridge and holds it with one regiment of Infantry set on ignore losses. Perhaps they can hold onto it and the Germans can force their way across next turn.