Dispatches from OKH: Q-Ball (Axis) v. Von Beeanie (SOV)

[Q-Ball]

Turn 16, 10/2/41:

Phase 3 of our offensive is focused on killing Russians and creating space for the Winter. We also wanted to take Russian population centers in order to stop Red recruiting, and limit manpower later. That's the main reason I wanted to clear Orel, Kursk, Kharkov, and Stalino.

This turn, we liquidated 13 Divisions surrounded the previous turn, taking 125K Russian POWs. We surrounded another 10 Divisions this turn. Hopefully, I can reach 3 mil dead REDS by the end of the Summer.

Rhzev, Orel, and Kursk fell this turn, and the Donbas cities are surrounded, and should fall next turn, along with 6 Divisions inside.

The objective is a short line, and space for the winter.

[Q-Ball]

Turn 16, AGC:

Attached is a shot around Kursk; encirclements weren't in the cards due to Von Beanie's defense, but we did decide to sledgehammer some Red troops, and create some space. His front is close to collapse down there, though it doesn't really matter, since I don't have the time to exploit it (and I know he has big reserves anyway, coming to get me in the winter....)

[Q-Ball]

Turn 16, Valdai Hills:

Here is another shot around the Valdai Hills. You can see by these that my main objective is to nibble off some Red troops, and push him back.

[karonagames]

I think you need to start thinking about where you want your 42 start line to be, before you decide to dig in. AGN will get pushed back 3-6 hexes in the blizzard, AGC 8-10, and AGS 10-12. You then have to decide whether to push on in the 3 snow turns before the blizzard arrives, and if you will counter attack in the March snow to grab back 2-3 hexes. This should help you figure out where you will start 1942, and whether this will fit with your 1942 objectives.

[Q-Ball]

BigA: Good suggestion, I am going to write on that tommorow. Roughly, I expect to hold the Volkhov line because I have Finns on it, but the rest I expect to give ground. I have some space to give back on, but I expect to lose most of the cities I just captured: Kursk, Orel, Stalino, maybe Kharkov. Still, a good campaign into 1942.

Turn 17: LAST CALL, 10/9/41:

This was the last turn before the mud. As such, we made limited moves, mostly to just knock-back some RED units before the snow, rout, and cause losses.

We inflicted 150,000 losses this turn, including 5 units that surrendered. Von Beanie broke the pocket around the Donbas cities, retreating some SS units. Very well done! That also left a bunch of units exposed that were routed. Nearly all were routed because there was nowhere to retreat to for the units. I kept attacking and planning the hexes so that the units were stuck with no retreat path. The result: 2 Soviet Armies totally routed. I wish it wasn't the end of Summer!

Outside of the south, we surrounded 4 units near Kursk but otherwise, we mostly picked on vulnerable units near the line just to kill Soviets.

I will post more complete shots of the front, with what I think the results are. Overall, I think I am ahead in territory, a bit behind in losses, but the capture of leningrad is huge.

[Q-Ball]

OKH Update, Turn 18, 10/16/41:

Our first turn of Mud, and it was interesting.

Around KURSK, the Reds broke my pocket around 4 Divisions, forcing a retreat on a Mot Div. Rather than try to reestablish it, I pulled out. Attacking in Mud is no fun.

..Which I found out in the Donbas. Initial attacks on the 3 divisions isolated in Stalino failed. I pulled more units together to try again, but Mud stinks to attack in. I'll get them eventually, they can't live forever.

The other interesting thing was in the Crimea; the Soviets came out and attacked my troops advancing. If you remember, I only sent 8 divisions to close on Sevastopol and Kerch; my advance was too weak, and I have a German Division in danger of being cut-off. I should rescue it, though. Lesson learned.

Von Beanie is getting alot more aggressive, with successful attacks breaking pockets and going after weak advances. With under 3 mil Red casualties, this bodes ill for the Winter. I would be VERY seriously worried if I didn't have Leningrad.

[CarnageINC]

Looks like you overall offensive has worked well against Von Beanie.  [:@] [;)]  Good job Brad, I was hoping you would meet your match [:D]

[Q-Ball]

Carnage: Thank you, though you did pretty well, and that's pre-patch. I hope I can hold off Von Beanie to only 6-8 hexes of advancement like you did. That bridgehead in the Kuban is key.

OKH Dispatch, 10/31/41: TURN 20

A quick mud break, as next turn we turn to Snow. I should detail my plans for the Snow and Winter, and to Bob's point, what I hope to accomplish.

1942: I have two options for 1942: Moscow, or the South. (Assuming I hold Leningrad still, there is no point to attacking in the North). Given this, I need to hold as much ground as possible.

In front of Moscow, I need to stay East of Smolensk to have any hope.

In the South, I need to keep firmly east of Dnepr.

I plan to give some ground, and fully expect to lose Kursk, Kharkov, Stalino, Orel. I hope, though, I can make those speedbumps, and return them to the Reds in no condition to allow the recruitment of more Reds.

SOVIET PLANS: Hard to say, though Von Beanie has been carefully hording new armies of Cav and Rifles, so I expect full-strength hordes, probably in all sectors.

I think the main effort, though, will be against 4th and 6th Armies, between Orel and Kharkov. This makes sense. My units here are a bit depleted from recent fighting, I don't have many forts because I just took this ground, and the terrain favors attack. For all of these reasons, I expect this to be the main show.

I also expect a major attack south of Lake Ilmen, toward Pskov.

In front of Moscow, I halted in September, so I have level 3-4 forts all over.

The only place I don't expect an attack is along the Volkhov.

Snow Offensive: Given where I think the Reds are attacking, I am going to attack in the Snow!

The objective is not territory; in fact, I plan 2 turns of attacks, then RUN back to our forts. A kind of hit and run. The objective is to retreat and rout front-line Soviet units, so that they are not capable of offensive operations right away. Basically, to knock back some Red troops, to buy a little time. Not sure how much we can get done, but if we can kill some Reds, this is a good thing.

[Q-Ball]

Losses to Date, Turn 20

Here are my losses to date. How close or far am I from benchmarks?

Von Beanie did a pretty good job preserving the Red Army while giving up ground.

[JAMiAM]

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

Losses to Date, Turn 20

Here are my losses to date. How close or far am I from benchmarks?

Von Beanie did a pretty good job preserving the Red Army while giving up ground.

For what it's worth, they're very close to mine against him, at that stage of our game. I have a screenshot of our losses on turn 24, and with some minor extrapolation, our respective games are very close to one another, including the capture of Leningrad. I got a little further in the Donbas, and Valdai Hills, while you've made better progress toward Moscow.

Good luck, von Beanie is good at keeping and building reserves, and as you can tell, trading land for time, and force preservation.

[Klydon]

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

Snow Offensive: Given where I think the Reds are attacking, I am going to attack in the Snow!

The objective is not territory; in fact, I plan 2 turns of attacks, then RUN back to our forts. A kind of hit and run. The objective is to retreat and rout front-line Soviet units, so that they are not capable of offensive operations right away. Basically, to knock back some Red troops, to buy a little time. Not sure how much we can get done, but if we can kill some Reds, this is a good thing.

Good to see this. From most of the AAR's, I think too many Axis pass up this opportunity to cause last minute losses to the Russians and allow their winter counter offensive to get off to a smooth start. The Germans absolutely have time to pocket large amounts of Russian troops, especially if the Russian is being a bit careless and is a bit too interested in getting into position to cause all those casualties during blizzard. Unfortunately, one of the early attempts at this miscarried in an AAR and I think most Germans have gotten a bit gun shy since. It was the right idea imo, but the Germans do have to be careful in the execution because they don't really have any margin for error. The rewards of pocketing a good amount of Russians at this point means that sector won't be under much pressure during the time the Germans are the most vulnerable (IE December).

[Q-Ball]

JAM: I am enjoying your AARs, and I didn't know you were Von Beanie's opponent. Without giving up too much Op Sec, how is Winter going? What type of defense are you using?

Klydon: You are right, poor Haudrauf, a good sport who showed what happens when you leave your army out in the breeze for the Blizzard.....

The Key I think is that on the last Snow turn, you better finish the turn somewhere you can defend. As a result, that last turn will feature very limited attacks, and more movement back to the lines. As a result, SNOW attacks really have to be 2-turn attacks, with Turn 3 serving as a withdrawl back to the lines. Trying to hold any ground you take, unless it's a hill or city, is probably foolish.

If you are trying to hold a pocket through a Blizzard turn....good luck with that.

[BletchleyGeek]

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

Snow Offensive: Given where I think the Reds are attacking, I am going to attack in the Snow!

The objective is not territory; in fact, I plan 2 turns of attacks, then RUN back to our forts. A kind of hit and run. The objective is to retreat and rout front-line Soviet units, so that they are not capable of offensive operations right away. Basically, to knock back some Red troops, to buy a little time. Not sure how much we can get done, but if we can kill some Reds, this is a good thing.

That's going to be interesting [:)] Soviet offensives are all about having two fresh echelons, if you achieve to badly disrupt the first one it will be lacking "ooomph factor" (or momentum as Flaviusx puts it).

[Q-Ball]

OKH Dispatches: Turn 22, 11/13/41

The Axis Winter Offensive got off to a pretty good start. We lost suffered 13,000 Casualties to the Russians 65,000, though we have a total of 17 units currently surrounded, all in little stacks and pockets; the largest is 5 units. The Russkies have big reserves behind the line, so I expect some of these pockets to be broken but hey....do I want to face those guys now, or in 3 turns?

We also routed a total of 27 units, and SHATTERED a Tank Bde for good measure. A couple times, I pushed a 3-deep stack on purpose, just to get it to Rout. That hopefully takes them out for awhile.

Below I have a VERY crude screenshots of a couple flashpoints: The Donbas Cities, and in front of Kharkov. In each case, we have units surrounded, and pretty much blew away the main Russian line. There is no chance of a big breakthrough, as he has plenty of reserves, but the point is not to take space, but to knock him off balance. I like to think if I can land a few punches, he will have to momentarily collect his balance before punching back in the Blizzard. That's the hope anyway, hopefully this is worth it.

I lost 53 tanks this turn, which hurts a bit, as my Panzers were just starting to look pretty good, with full fuel and rest.

[Q-Ball]

Turn 20, Central and Northern Sectors:

I am also launching limited attacks in a couple other sectors.

Near KURSK, you can see another blow-away of the main line. There are reserves nearby, so I expect heavy counterattacks. Win or lose, I suppose I am forcing him to commit those Armies early, in SNOW season when we have more of a chance.

In the NORTH, a very strange pocket on Lake Ilmen. I think it will hold though.

I will tally-up the whole offensive when we are done, but I hope to kill 200,000 Russians, buy myself 1 turn worth of space, and knock down morale some. I expect to pay 50,000 guys and 120 tanks to accomplish this.

[jomni]

Some bold moves there.  Whining axis fanboys should read your thread.
Good luck!

[Klydon]

Yep, good job hopefully knocking him off balance. The way he is stacked up is exactly why you do that. Those cav are stacked up to become cav corps on the first turn of December. Too bad you can't kill them, but kudos to Von Beane for conserving them. They can be a PITA to the Axis in December.

The other thing to keep in mind as you are doing this stuff is to look for opportunities to tear up rail lines. Setting him back a bit logistically will also help your cause, especially if you get to the point you are forced to retreat a bit.

Be sort of interested to know if he was expecting this type of action or if he expected you to sit somewhat and just dig.

[BletchleyGeek]

ORIGINAL: jomni
Some bold moves there.  Whining axis fanboys should read your thread.
Good luck!

+1

[janh]

Indeed good job. This is a very interesting AAR. Q-Ball's AARs were always very interesting, especially in AE. I am curious how this game goes through the winter turns.

The cavalry will have a purpose soon... I imagine you will face heaviest attacks in the Donbas area during blizzard.

The only thing I wonder is whether this defense with stacks spread out is such a good move? Though the going is slow, it seems to cause serve losses for the Russians? Can you post a loss screen after the present turn?

ORIGINAL: jomni
Some bold moves there.  Whining axis fanboys should read your thread. Good luck!

Blizzard hasn't even started yet... Let's hope Q-Ball fares better than others!

[BletchleyGeek]

ORIGINAL: janh
Blizzard hasn't even started yet... Let's hope Q-Ball fares better than others!

My money goes on that he'll be the Axis player who has done better during Winter 1941 after release.