Tres Amigos Uno! JAM v ComradeP (no ComradeP)

[JAMiAM]

This is the starting situation in the South. I was able to pocket about a dozen divisions near the Carpathians last turn, so will start reducing them this turn.

[JAMiAM]

Pieter launched a series of counterattacks on the front of my bulge in his turn, in an attempt to slow me down. Losses were much higher to his forces, but after several attacks, he did manage to drive back the front three mobile units in my bulge. They all retreated in good order to the west, but each loss really hurts in the long run, since the morale changes that occurred in v1.03 Beta 3 and beyond, virtually assure that these units will never regain the lost points.

[JAMiAM]

This screenshot shows the situation in the south, at the end of the turn. As you can see, Pieter's counterattacks did not really slow me up. At this stage, I'm now able to get more combinations of attacks going, since some of my infantry is able to get involved, as well. I'm working over his units, and stretching his lines at this point, so that when my forces are able to be fully committed, his will be weakened and much more liable to rout and retreat in the breakthrough and exploitation battles that I hope to be able to start achieving in the next 2-3 turns.

If you look at my starting screens, you'll notice that each turn of his he is accumulating routed units. As this goes on, those routed units and the newly arriving Soviet cadre divisions, will be competing for the Soviet replacements. This will bring the average unit down to a rather paltry 1-2 CV, and thus ripe for the concentrated breakthrough/exploitation attacks that I am trying to line up for, in later turns. Given my historical force commitment in the South, that is what I feel to be the best long-term strategy for the Axis in this area.

I don't recall if it was earlier in this thread, or in the AAR against Flavio, but some posters had commented to the effect of where was I going? Kiev is *that* way. The direction of my bulge is planned for maximum operational flexibility. Not only does the Tarnopol - Proskurov Axis have the most direct rail line to the center of the Ukraine, but a bulge in this area allows for three basic directions of further advance. I can hook north, to trap Soviet forces near Rovno against the Pripyets. I can strike east toward the Dnepr River, threatening the Kiev, Kanev, and Cherkassy crossings. I can also swing south to assist the Rumanians, take the southern Ukraine, Odessa and Crimea. At this stage, Pieter has to guard against all possibilities, and his exterior lines trying to contain the bulge will inevitably start developing weak spots as his troops wear down.

[JAMiAM]

This is the ending situation in the Center. The infantry from 9th and 4th Armies are finally getting close to the front lines, catching up to the 3rd and 2nd Pz Gps, respectively. I've cleared a path to the landbridge area with my Panzers, but it will still be turn 5 before my infantry can engage in strength. The next turn should be mostly prepping for the next stage of my campaign. At least in this area.

That is, again, unless Pieter leaves me an opening. Those river lines look pretty sparse right now, and there are an awfully big number of routed Soviet units lying around...

[JAMiAM]

The ending situation in the North. My mobile units are still clearing some advance lanes for my infantry, and some of them actually caught up enough this turn to get involved in attacks. The next few turns in this area should prove interesting.

[JAMiAM]

The ending air losses for the turn. As you might notice, Pieter's air losses have been exclusively fighter type units. He's obviously resting his tac and level bombers in the National Reserve. I'm not sure when I will see them appear, but for now, this is making my ground war a little easier. The air losses are still in my favor, but there are many more of those Soviet biplanes still in his OOB. Sort of like swatting mosquitos...no matter how many you kill, there always seem to be more!

[JAMiAM]

Finally, the ground losses at the end of the turn. As is usual, at this stage of the game, most of my losses continue to be attritional losses, and damaged components being irreperable during the logistics phases. Pieter's strategy of a forward engagement is costing him a lot of casualties, and wearing down his forces, in a play for time. Whether or not it will work is the at the heart of every good Eastern Front game.

The essential balance of every faithful Eastern Front game hinges around the complex relation between land:bodies:time. Finding the right combination of sacrifice in these three categories is what defines good Soviet play. Finding the right means to break this balance is what defines good Axis play. Having two competent opponents keeping each other guessing every turn on how to best do this, is what defines a damned good game!

[JAMiAM]

Ground Losses at the start of the turn.

[JAMiAM]

Air losses, after running my 400-500 air recon missions.

[JAMiAM]

The starting situation in the North. I don't know what Pieter is planning on Moon Island, but if I can take Talinn, that should cause a problem with his sea supply situation there. I don't want to get too distracted from my drive toward Leningrad, but I can't leave all those troops in my rear, with a viable sea supply route, either.

[JAMiAM]

The ending situation in the North. I've zoomed out, to include the Finns, who made some progress against the 7th Independent, and 23rd Armies. Talinn was taken, and I believe that once I secure Hango, this should interdict the sea supply route to Moon Island which should strand about half a dozen Soviet units.

[JAMiAM]

The starting situation in the Center. Pieter's rolled out the Red Carpet in the landbridge zone, but since they weren't there last turn, they can't be too dug in, and are probably fairly weak reinforcements. Should I attack now, before my infantry arrives in strength and force the opening?

[Bugs Bunny voice] Hmmmn...he don't know me very well, do he?[:D] [/Bugs Bunny voice]

[JAMiAM]

Another Red Carpet rolled up. This one is neatly wrapped around the Army HQ sitting in Smolensk. Look at all those routed units. Maybe that'll put a damper on Pieter's incessant attacks against my front line units. Or, maybe not. He's kind of stubborn...[;)]

I mean that in a good way, of course. His attacking keeps me on my toes, and from getting too overextended. Pieter and Flavio are both aggressive in their defense. I can roll with the punches, and hit back harder at this stage of the game. However, what the future will bring is anybody's guess, at this stage.

[JAMiAM]

In the South, Pieter was able to find the weak spots in my encirclement of the Carpathian units and restored supply to them. After kicking myself for allowing this, I decided to not rout out any of the mountain divisions that are still there, so that I can make sure to get them to surrender next turn. Since mountain divisions do not reappear, like the Soviet Rifle, Motorized (as Rifle Divs) and Tank Divisions (as Brigades) if destroyed before 11/41, and they are of extra benefit in the Mountains, I make it a priority to try and permanently destroy as many of these as possible in my games.

Pieter also launched a small series of attacks against the front of my bulge, to the east of Tarnopol, driving back a couple of units. His losses were higher, but any retreat is a virtually permanent morale loss for my high morale mobile units. Oh well...time to make him pay for this.

[JAMiAM]

Though I didn't pocket any Soviets, like in my turn against Flavio, I still penetrated deep into Pieter's rear, which *should* cause him to displace his lines to meet the developing threat. Then again, like I said, he is stubborn, and may choose to counterattack my bulge. Most of his forces in this area, however, are routed, and in an increasingly feeble state. A few more turns of this pummeling and his forces will be depleted, and unready, and unfit for any offensive action. Then, I will have more operational flexibility and things should really open up down here.

[JAMiAM]

Here are the ending ground losses for the turn.

[JAMiAM]

Finally, the ending air losses. As you can see from this screen, Pieter and Flavio are playing a very different game, in this respect. Pieter's air losses are rather low, since there are hardly any of his air units on bases. They are mostly in the National Reserve. This is allowing me a freer rein in my ground support, making for the slight disparity in the ground losses in our two games, as well as in air losses. I don't know when the Red Airforce will show up, but it will probably be in mass, and well rested, when it does.