Return to Smolensk (The Soviets), IdahoNY v Scar

[Scarz]

Thanks for the tips Big Anorak, any hints are always welcome.

Also, for those following the AAR, we will have a two week break in the action as I travel out of the country.

Scar

[Scarz]

Turn 8

Coming back from vacation, everything seems new and on the edge of disaster! Should take a turn or two to get back into the "feel" of things again.

The Russians really only have two areas to comment on this turn. First, in the north, the Finns appear to have crossed the no cross line. Anyone know how this happens?

[Scarz]

Secondly, the big pocket east of Velikie Luki was closed off, and those troops are lost. A big waste of some of the better troops from that area...its also opened a big hole for the Germans to drive north. I did not receive many new divisions this turn, but what did come in is being sent to this problem area.

Rails: I had some unused rail capacity, and decided to go ahead and remove the Kharkov factories. While it wasn't urgent, I felt it better be done sooner than later.

[randallw]

The Finnish rules aren't exactly understood by people; there's a No Attack Line, which means the Fins cannot launch an attack from a hex beyond the line, unless Leningrad was captured by the Germans.  There is also the No Move Line, which is the southernmost area the Fins can move to.  Moving south of the No Attack Line causes morale penalties.

[randallw]

Those German units that surrounded your two armies have their own problems, without a railhead really close by.  They'll have to slow down and reduce their attacking for awhile, as Bob ( BigAnorak ) mentions.

[Scarz]

I hope that their supply issues kick in soon, as they are eating up the miles, and I have been unable to get enough troops in the area to blunt thier advance.

[Scarz]

Turn 9

North

The Leningrad Front seems to be holding fairly well. The Germans seem reluctant to slog through the entrenchments encircling the city, and are seeking small encirclements as they present themselves. The Red Army had its first real success on the offensive, as it routed two regiments of SS Totenkopf as they tried to slip around the flanks of the outer defenses. I hope that will slow down the Germans in the far northwest portion of the Leningrad Front, and make them think a bit before trying that tactic again.

[Scarz]

Middle

In the center the Velikie Luki pocket was reduced, and the German attack continues to cut northward. I am scraping the bottom of the barrel for troops to send to the front, and am forced to strip the Moscow defenses as troops are sent in to try and slow this advance. Not sure what else can be done here, I just have to hope supply and fatigue slow down this offensive, as the troops I am sending in are for the most part getting ground down quicker than they can fortify.

[Scarz]

South

In the far south, I had hoped to pull back from the Dnepr line this turn, but the last stragglers the Southwest Front finally crossed into friendly lines at Chernigov, and as they were mostly tank and motorized units, I did not want to pull back without them. Next turn I will begin the pull out towards Sumy. I know I am running a big risk here, as the Germans have two bridgeheads that could be expanded quickly, thus trapping much of the 6, 12 and 5 Army's (Western Front).

In the far south, the Rumanians have still not reached the river line in strength, so the entrenchment of the river line continues unmolested.

Rail: For the first time, no factories were relocated this turn.

[Scarz]

Turn 10

North

The Leningrad Front still seems to be holding up well. The Germans are slowly driving back the outer defenses, but as the front gets pushed back, it is definitely becoming more firm. Novgorod still looks to be holding, but it should only be a matter of time before they get pushed back.
North of Velikie Luki is still a problem area, but lack of supplies and fatigue seem to be slowing down the German push in this area. It seems apparent now that this drive was intended to cut upward to cut off Leningrad. I have already stripped the Moscow defenses, so there is little that can be done with this information now. The 30 and 34 Army's from the Moscow MD are still trying desperately to blunt the advance, but without entrenchments, they are unable to do much more than get in the way.

[Scarz]

Middle

In the center, south of Moscow, the Germans seem to be making their main effort a drive toward Bryansk. I have really stripped the forward lines in an effort to build up the Bryansk Front and build a solid line along the end of the Desna river up to Bryansk and then up along the Bolva river to just south of Vyazma. I will have to contest this line, as there is very little room to retreat backward from here.

[Scarz]

South

Finally, in the south it turns out that I definitely stayed one turn too long. The bridgehead around Cherkassy finally gave way, and a flood of German units poured through. I started the withdrawal from Kiev and the river line, but unfortunately it will turn into a running fight for the next couple of turns and I am sure to lose some divisions as the troops try a fighting withdrawal towards Sumy.
Also of note, the Kharkov Front disappeared. Instead of the units that were attached to Kharkov Front being attached to STAVKA, they were attached to Southern Ural. This really threw a wrench in my organization.

Rail: Rail was predominately used for troop transport. However, I decided to start removing the factories from the Stalino area, anticipating the possible rapid gains the Germans may make now in the south, beginning with Stalino. I am not sure if I have been overly aggressive with removing the factories, as some of them were taken out long before they were in danger of capture. I am unfamiliar with how this will affect production levels in 1942.

Overall Assessment: With several problem areas, especially in the south and Velikie Luki areas, I am far from feeling secure. But, with August ending, and the mud turns not far away, it seems that even with some large gains in the next few turns that the Soviets will be able to hang on in decent shape until the snow turns.

[Klydon]

Fast paced campaign. [:)]

Just some observations from the cheap seats:

I think you are stacking units way too much. Killing two crappy rifle divisions is not much harder than killing one for the Germans at this stage, but you double your losses. The other thing is you seem to be using a lot of linear defensive lines with a lot of units on the line next to each other. Makes it easier for the Germans to kill more in battles of encirclement. Something else is when you pulled back from the river in the south, there are almost no "rear guard" units. I would have employed 4-5 divisions in a checkerboard defense to slow those German infantry down for a turn before they get to your next line.

If you think the Germans are going for the "big right hook", one thing about it that he may find out about the hard way is the logistics for a German suck trying to pull it off because of how the rail lines go and how far his units are from the rail lines. Important rail lines go through Novgorod, just south of Lake of Ilmen, and the east/west rail half way between Novgorod and Leningrad. With it being the first part of September, I find it sort of tough to think he is going to risk a strike with that far to go to try to put Leningrad out, but who knows. The Valdi hills represent some terrific terrain to make him dig you out of as rough is just the suck for trying to kick units out of in this game. Heavy woods is not exactly a walk in the park either.

[Scarz]

Thanks for the tips Klydon. I seem never to have enough troops to make a complete line, and have troops close behind for support to stop the penatrations (I know it sounds hard to beleive for the Soviets not to have enough troops). I will try and thin the line and gain more depth as you suggest.

Also, in the far south, how far back should the Soviets give in 41, before they should start really trying to hold ground?

[Klydon]

A lot depends on how much effort he puts in down there and his progress by time. His limit logistically is probably Kursk, Kharkov, and the Stalino area and any German getting this far is probably a happy camper. I would consider using delay tactics in front of Kharkov, but look to dig in on the back side of the Dneper at the bend and make him work hard for those two cities there. The big thing in the south is it is all open terrain, so both sides can afford space for time. I sort of think it is possible to sucker a German into advancing too far in the south before his rail heads are caught up. All of a sudden he sort of runs out of gas/ammo and there are a pile of Russians waiting to make him pay.

Setting up shop in the Crimea is helpful as well from the standpoint of view that you don't want to allow him in here for a cheap victory. You want the Germans spread out absolutely as much as possible because you can catch him napping on mud and really smack a spread out German around in the blizzard.

[Scarz]

Well he sure popped through on his right hook this turn. I am in real trouble here, the mud can't come fast enough.

[Scarz]

Turn 11

North

What a disaster the north has become. Stalin can't shoot enough generals to make up for the poor performance fo two army's and STAVKA planning (me). I was unaware that the Finns could cross the "no attack line" and I now have Finish troops pouring through what was lightly defended by a few NKVD regiments around Sviritsa. Strange that this never came up in my games against the AI, but it is a hard lesson here.

To add insult to injury, the Moscow MD army's defending north of Velikie Luki were pushed aside and German panzers are loose in the rear areas. It was a hard decision, but I have committed the STAVKA reserve troops (Reserve Front). These troops were slowly being formed for the planned winter offensive, and were really not prepared for operations yet. However, the need outweighed the future plans, so in they went. They are comprised of the 33 and 32 Army's, each with three infantry divisions, and two tank divisions attached to the front. They also have more than sufficient air assets, with five air bases full of the newest model plans that were training south of Moscow.

Leningrad itself seems to be holding up well enough, but this deep swing to the south could really hurt if it meets up with the Finns.

[Scarz]

Breach in lines.

[Scarz]

Center

The center also seems to be holding up well enough, but with very little pressure. German armored units that were driving towards Bryansk have diverted a bit to the north, which caused 20 Army to pull back to the MLR south of Vyazma. Additionally, the Germans are pushing at the southern end of the Bryansk Front line around Shostka, but it is not a determined effort yet.

[Scarz]

South

The Southwest Front pull back seems to be proceeding, although the Russians are losing a division or two each turn. In the far south, the Southern Front has been able to hold the river line for another turn, but German units are building up, and have forced a couple of minor bridgeheads. I would like to pull these troops back, but they need to stay in place a turn or two longer to allow the Southwestern Front the time it needs. Cavalry units and newly arrived divisions are hard at work in the rear making a defensive line from Kharkov south along the Donets river, to the Torets river, to Stalino, and then south along the Kalmius river. This line will be my final retreat line in case things really fall apart in the south.