Zhukov's war

[Tom1939]

1942 november
Snow

After very long rain, we attacked again at 2 places. Both were failure.

Losses this week:

Axis/Soviet

280/599
21/175
106/41
12/67

Stavka

[Tom1939]

The fronts are in stillstand. Red air force prepares for a big action to support the red army against the new tiger tanks of the enemy. But the Luftwaffe has to be weakened first.

[DavidFaust]

6.12.42
Snow

With no signs of a Soviet winter campaign, Germany has committed her reserves to probe the Soviet lines in the centre. The bulk of our armor is keeping the Soviet tank armies in check.

[Tom1939]

1942. 12. 06.
Snow

The soviet winter offense is dead. Killed by 88mm guns... We moved in a few fighters to defend our troops. We probed the enemy units attacking. A full strength panzer korps with all tigers.

Losses this week:

Axis/Soviet

203/209
15/7
89/93
5/59


Stavka

[DavidFaust]

13.12.42
Snow

The VVS has poped its head out once again. It seeems like 3 HQ's of aircraft have stationed around Kiev. The Luftwaffle attacked only 1 of the 3 HQ's as it didnt have the strength to engage the others. The large numbers of Soviets fighters is causing out fighter airwings great problems. It seems only a matter of time till the air balance will shift against us.


Losses this week:

Axis/Soviet

1200/2500 AC

[Tom1939]

1942. 12. 13.
Snow

The elite suicide sb-2's made some recon missions to select a target for our revenge. The main german air defence was a never seen armada of fw's, but the area of Odessa was defended by a single bf-109 unit. We remembered fast the massacre the tigers did to us not that long ago. The bf's were eliminated and this time our tankers had massive air support before they attacked. The first of hopefully many german panzer korpses surrendered with a few hundered tigers.

Losses this week:

Axis/Soviet

1442/658
539/151
732/80
226/384

Stavka

[DavidFaust]

20.12.42
Blizzard

Germany's light Pz divisions have been recalled for stratigic defence and refitting. They have little value against the Kv's and have failed to hold there ground.

Our southern front is in full retreat and has formed a new line of defence a few hexes to the west. Our troops have been rallied and are ready to stablise the critical front.

[Endsieg]

Tom, Dave,
tom said a long while ago you guys were playing without any house rules....
just to set the record straight, does this mean:
-unlimited mules and muling allowed
-no Finn rules
-unlimited rear-area training of fighters on escort supporting airlift allowed
- fortress HQs allowed
- saving the game X times allowed
-no Lorenzo rules of any kind observed
 
no criticism implied here, just wondering if there are any do's and dont's being observed at all....
Endsieg

[DavidFaust]

ORIGINAL: Endsieg

Tom, Dave,
tom said a long while ago you guys were playing without any house rules....
just to set the record straight, does this mean:
-unlimited mules and muling allowed
-no Finn rules
-unlimited rear-area training of fighters on escort supporting airlift allowed
- fortress HQs allowed
- saving the game X times allowed
-no Lorenzo rules of any kind observed

no criticism implied here, just wondering if there are any do's and dont's being observed at all....
Endsieg

unlimited mules and muling allowed

I try to rarly use this as not much action has bulked up a large Number of OP points in Hq's. I dont want to waste them and want them larger.

no Finn rules

The Fins have been defeated

unlimited rear-area training of fighters on escort supporting airlift allowed

We are both using this

- fortress HQs allowed

This can be used but I never will

saving the game X times allowed

I regard this as a cheat

no Lorenzo rules of any kind observed

None


This is a very different game and the same tactics do not apply.

Air...

Once I have committed to a area the Soviet air defence is very tough causing high bomber losses. Alot of effort is needed to clear the skies and that leaves less bomber formations to bomb the enemy. Both sides airforce do not dare support the army as flak losses are very high.

Ground...

Soviet units need to be bombed a few times to force a retreat as all of there divisions should be full strength. I have encounted Soviet INF korps with around 900 squads showing up. As stated above, this is not a easy task once the battle is under way.

[Tom1939]

ORIGINAL: Endsieg

Tom, Dave,
tom said a long while ago you guys were playing without any house rules....
just to set the record straight, does this mean:
-unlimited mules and muling allowed
-no Finn rules
-unlimited rear-area training of fighters on escort supporting airlift allowed
- fortress HQs allowed
- saving the game X times allowed
-no Lorenzo rules of any kind observed

no criticism implied here, just wondering if there are any do's and dont's being observed at all....
Endsieg

Saving mid turn in pbm is cheat (gives one more turn of production).

I do train fighters with air lift.

I use hq mules mostly if I'm in big trouble, not enough hq's for my armada of troops.

I dont like to use fortress hq's much, I find that a risky tactic against suprior enemy panzers cutting supply. But I use troops in important hq's in panzer reach if I dont forget like the last time:)

[Tom1939]

1941. 12. 20.

Rumenians stopped our tanks near Odessa. Not much action as we strengthen out air force.

[DavidFaust]

Do i continue producing Tigers or do I switch to Panthers?
How many factories do I assign to Elefants and Stugs?
Can I switch some fighter production to bombers?
Are the new heavy bombers worth producing? and if so how many?

These are all the the topics being debated by the High command

[Tom1939]

Stavka's opinion on the matter:

- Switch to panthers.

- use elephants, 5 factory

- produce more bombers, you have enough fw's

- produce he177's with 6 factories they are worth it



To be real:
I always produce tigers, because armor is vital. After king tiger, the debate is over.
I use stug's with 4 factory (they bring the numbers).
I would only produce ju188a in possum after they come to play. He177 is not worth the cost. As russians you have to produce the pe heavies as the il4's are plain bad.

For the fighters. I hope that will not be a question for you soon. I try to force you to go all fighters, and make your bomber force smaller and smaller to have less advantage from the times you rule the sky.

[DavidFaust]

24.1.43
Snow

The Soviets have been reforming there lines and moving there tank armies around for the last 2 weeks. We suspect they are massing there troops for a big offensive. Our place of intrest is in the Baltic States as all tank armies in this sector have been redeployed.

Orders for last week....

AGN was sent reinforcements and there objective is to secure AGC left flank.
AGC with the newly formed ss korps have been ordered to postpone there offensive to the east of Minsk. If AGN gets bogged down, AGC has to launch a attack to secure the rail lines so the easten offensive can continue.


This week...

This week we have spotted 2 tank armies in the Baltic States. This new information destroyed our planned offensive but with the troops in there jump off positions the decisions was given to scale down the depth of the attack and ensure the flanks of our advancing Pz korps were protected. A large portion of the supporting Luftwaffle was diverted to disrupt the Soviet tank armies. 1 Soviet korps surrendered, 1 shattered and another has taken such heavy losses its combat value is questionable.

losses this week:

Axis/Soviet

579/3848
121/918
67/2753
190/191

[Tom1939]

1943. 01. 24.
Snow

We were just moving back to ne defence lines when the panzers attacked in the north. Our tank armies were already in ambush positions, but our luck run out. They were not left unspotted by enemy air recon this time. Red army is digging in all along the front, red air force is held back for the summer. In the south small recon attacks were launched.

[DavidFaust]

28.2.43
Snow

Germany is attacking and gaining ground in the north and the Soviets are gaining ground in the south.

[DavidFaust]

7.3.43
Snow

Last week Soviets tank armies launched a attack retreating a Pz korps east of Riga. In this area Germany has massed 3 SS korps in reserve with the objective of counter attacking the Soviet armor in this area.


The SS launched its counter attack retreating 2 tank armies and forcing the 3rd tank army to surrender. Our troops are very extended in the north and we nervously await the Soviet responce.

Losses this week...

Axis/Soviet

640/2838
275/1983
44/2316
42/0

[Tom1939]

1943. 03. 07.
Snow

From our past experience we counted on german reserves, we had some as well. 2 of our finest tank armies run over a panzer korps, and 2 normal armies finished the encirlement against a german infatry korps. Several panzer korpses are now in a gigantic pocket of armor. Over 8000 red fighters are now patroling the sky. We still think the enemy gonna get out, so several more tank armies have arrived from deeper ambush position to fight it out next week. Hopefully we gonna get some proud panzers humiliated (retreating the surrendering).

Losses this week:

Axis/Soviet

814/833
304/241
516/206
16/112

Stavka

[DavidFaust]

3.14.34
Snow

The northern front..... North to south

NE of the forest hex................................XLVII Pz korps
2 hexes east of Riga in the forest hex....XLI Pz korps
NE of Riga along the rail line...................Empty
NE of Riga..............................................34th army
Riga........................................................44th army
East of Riga............................................II SS
West of Riga...........................................LXVII INF korps



Rail line west of Kaunas..........East of river running south..........West of the river

.............................................Empty........................................20th army(river bend)IV SS
II korps.................................II korps(river bend) 5th cav.......2nd cav
I SS.......................................5th tank.....................................24 army
4th guards army...................60th army..................................40th army
Empty...................................50th army..................................49th army...........................Daugavpils

[DavidFaust]

We plan to clear the skies to enable the bombing of Soviet positions. The Luftwaffle has enough strength to attack only 1 of the VVS airfields and support the army

Our 1st thoughts of attack was to encircle and destroy the the 5th and 2nd cav. mot corps. We know that both of these armies have suffered losses last week and should be easy enough to destroy. The 5th tank corps is guarding there flank and is a freshly committed unit. We assume this army has plotted around 4 hexes so it should be low on supply. 2-3 good quality bomber units would be enough to dislodge this army. Our major concern about this operation is the presence of the 29th army, we know this is a entrenched unit and will be tough to retreat. With 4 Pz divisions encircled and bombers needed else where we have decided to scale down this attack and try to encircle only the 5th cav. mot corps.


Our 2nd attack is to clear our rear and secure our supply lines. This will envolve the capture of Riga with the dustruction of the 44th and 20th armies. The combined strength of these 2 armies is around 100 tanks and 1000 squads. These 2 units are in low supply and are unentrenched so should not cause too much trouble. The 34th army is guarding there flank and is not entrenched. It has taken heavy damage last week and last recon reports show it's strength is around 60 tanks and 170 squads.