Operation Barbarossa - Alpha AAR

[USSLockwood]

I'm very interested in the situation facing AGC.  If you were able to break through to Mogilev and Vitebsk, I think the Smolensk defense would crack rather suddenly.

[HerzKaraya]

True,

1. Kavallerie-Division was part of 24.PzK, last appeared in Gomel on November 5th 1941 and was transformed into 24.Pz.Div on the 28th.

1. SS.Mot.Div "LSSAH" was directly attached to 1.PzGr, HGS
2. SS.Mot.Div "Das Reich" and Mot.Inf.Rgt "Grossdeutschland" were part of 64.PzK, 2.PzGr, HGN
3. SS.Mot.Div "Totenkopf" was directly attached to 4.PzGr, HGN
4. SS.Mot.Div "Polizei" was attached to 50.AK, HG"D", behind HGN, but later attached to 9.Armee, HGM
5. SS.Mot.Div. "Wiking" was part of 4.AK(mot), 1.PzGr, HGS

1. SS.Mot.Rgt "RFSS" was attached to 42.AK (Reserve), 9.Armee, HGM

SS Kavallerie Brigade was created and used mainly in August 1941 to clean the Pripet Marshes from partisans.

I agree with j campbell that SS Divisions, at least at the beginning of the war, are usually highly overrated, and that many regular army counterparts had much more experience and behaved better in battle.

[tiger111]

The 4th SS Div Polizie was not a motorized division. It was an infantry outfit. It was not an "elite" SS div-in fact performed quite poorly. It started the campaign in AGN.

[Pford]

1st cav dividion subordinate to 24th PZ K part of panzergruppe Guderian (from 27th july 1941) is correct. I believe there was an SS cav brigade of 2 regiments under the command of fegelein (i might be mistaken if he was in command or just served in the unit).

The amount of research this type of game entails must be awe-inspiring. Maybe exceeded only by WiTP. Good luck.

[PyleDriver]

The half gray and black units are SS, however there not elite SS...

[elmo3]

XXVI and I Corps from the 18th Army (purple) have taken the high road and moved through Tallinn unopposed.  They will continue east along the coast. 4th Pz Grp (red) and the rest of 18th Army have taken Pskov and will drive northeast toward Leningrad.  16th Army (pink) will continue to support the right flank and try to maintain contact with AGS to the south.

[elmo3]

In contrast we are not making good progress in the center.  The 3rd Pz Grp's (light green) bridgehead over the Dvina in the north expanded a bit but we have not achieved the breakout we need yet.  There was heavy fighting south of Mogilev but 2nd Pz Grp (light blue) only managed to get 17th Pz Div across the Dnepr.  The 4th Army (dark blue) is holding the right flank and clearing the marsh slowly.  It's hard for them to remember the goal is to drain the swamp when they are up to their asses in Soviet alligators. [:'(]  2nd Army (medium blue) and six OKH reserve divisions (white) are still marching toward the sound of the guns.  In the center 9th Army (green) is slowly pushing eastward.

[elmo3]

AGS forces liquidated the Soviet pocket west of Zhitomir and may have the start of a breakthrough to the northwest of the city.

[elmo3]

In the far south we continue to make slow but steady progress, limited only by the speed of our foot soldiers so far.  Could Odessa fall next week?  Stay tuned...

[elmo3]

Losses through turn 5:

[elmo3]

Somebody asked for a divisional information screen shot.  Here is the 17th Pz Div that I mentioned was the only unit to cross the Dnepr near Mogilev.  Note the almost complete lack of fuel.  They aren't going far this turn.  That is what the red triangle in the upper left corner signifies in this case.



And here is the TOE for the 17th Pz Div.

[Balou]

Here is the 17th Pz Div that I mentioned was the only unit to cross the Dnepr near Mogilev. Note the almost complete lack of fuel. They aren't going far this turn

Does 'almost out of fuel' reduce the defense capabilities of the 17 PzDiv ? I mean in case the AI decides to counter-attack the bridgehead can we assume that moving isn't necessary at all for a defender to hold? Would a fuel amount of less than 10% be enough for a PzDiv to safely retire across a river (of cause I don't assume this will happen that early in Barbarossa, but just in case) ?

Thanks again for this AAR

[j campbell]

hi lee,

Are the units led (by leader) at the division or at corps level. Awesome screenshot. You took some serious casualties in the last turn roughly 20,000 if i am not mistaken from end of turn 4 to end of turn 5. That would make you 32 days into the campaign.

So your losses are about what the wehrmacht had lost at that stage:

Killed Wounded Missing
June (22-30) 8,886 29,494 2,707
July 48,470 125,579 9.051


I realise this is very early, ( WE ARE IN ALPHA) but are there any variants on the initial set up of forces or are all the designations/units placement already established for the opening turn?

thanks again,
john

[j campbell]

hi lee,

1 more thing before i forget-your bridgehead there-is it across a bridge/railway hex or can you cross a major river anywhere with panzer/motorized troops? If counterattacked and forced to retreat across that river would you sustain increased losses?

thanks,
john

[Bronze]

Thanks for the AAR - the time is appreciated.

Could you comment on the reserve and security divisions?

Can you stack the airbases and have an uber base?

And what about the TOE being above 100% for certain items?

How does the handling of generals work? And down to what level?

[elmo3]

ORIGINAL: Balou

Here is the 17th Pz Div that I mentioned was the only unit to cross the Dnepr near Mogilev. Note the almost complete lack of fuel. They aren't going far this turn

Does 'almost out of fuel' reduce the defense capabilities of the 17 PzDiv ? I mean in case the AI decides to counter-attack the bridgehead can we assume that moving isn't necessary at all for a defender to hold? Would a fuel amount of less than 10% be enough for a PzDiv to safely retire across a river (of cause I don't assume this will happen that early in Barbarossa, but just in case) ?

Thanks again for this AAR

Moving across a major river (not into an enemy ZOC) for mech/motor units costs the terrain +4 so 17th Pz will not be retreating. Fuel does not affect combat IIRC.

[elmo3]

ORIGINAL: j campbell

hi lee,

Are the units led (by leader) at the division or at corps level. Awesome screenshot. You took some serious casualties in the last turn roughly 20,000 if i am not mistaken from end of turn 4 to end of turn 5. That would make you 32 days into the campaign.

So your losses are about what the wehrmacht had lost at that stage:

Killed Wounded Missing
June (22-30) 8,886 29,494 2,707
July 48,470 125,579 9.051


I realise this is very early, ( WE ARE IN ALPHA) but are there any variants on the initial set up of forces or are all the designations/units placement already established for the opening turn?

thanks again,
john

Leaders are Corps and up. No variants in the setup.

[elmo3]

ORIGINAL: j campbell

hi lee,

1 more thing before i forget-your bridgehead there-is it across a bridge/railway hex or can you cross a major river anywhere with panzer/motorized troops? If counterattacked and forced to retreat across that river would you sustain increased losses?

thanks,
john

You can cross anywhere but it costs a lot to cross a major river with mech/motor units. Rail hex does not affect that unless you are entrained. Don't think there are any extra losses for the river but I don't have the manual open now so any other testers can correct me if that is incorrect.

[elmo3]

ORIGINAL: Von Hindenburg

Thanks for the AAR - the time is appreciated.

Could you comment on the reserve and security divisions?

Can you stack the airbases and have an uber base?

And what about the TOE being above 100% for certain items?

How does the handling of generals work? And down to what level?

I have to go out for the night so if no other testers chime in here I'll answer these questions tomorrow.

Nice to see everyone enjoying the AAR.

[PyleDriver]

Well Lee, even if a unit doesn't have the MP's to retreat, if forced to retreat across a river it will, but the unit looks pretty ugly on the other side, really ugly...Theres attrition for retreats, more so, I believe, or I've seen across rivers....