Pride goes before a Fall Blau - 42-45 GC AAR

[ComradeP]

RHQ?

I assumed the army air HQs were there for a purpose and did some good. Could you elaborate? Always happy to learn something new.

RHG, the security (Rückwärtige Heeresgebiet) HQ's. You don't really need them.

Army air bases are generally not necessary, as you have enough air bases without them, so you can disband them. Those are the air bases with an army colour, instead of a white on blue/grey counter like the Luftwaffe air bases.

[Tarhunnas]

End of turn 24.

Of course I cant resist continuing the attack, in the somewhat vain hope of encircling Tula. Considering the state of my panzer divisions, there seems to be faint hope of success...

[Q-Ball]

Don't forget the Romanians or Finns in managing manpower. The Romanians especially have extra Airbase units (way more than they need), and I might even be tempted to disband the Army Group Antonescu HQ. At least sending the staff guys into the field would raise morale!!!

If you get pushed back closer to Germany, you also have to look at the FBD units, with have 27,000 men each. That's alot of manpower tied up in those.

Good feedback on the Luftwaffe Field Divisions, I wondered if disbanding them was the best choice. Good to know.

I would NEVER disband a regular Wehrmacht Infantry Division though. I don't see the reason to.

[Tarhunnas]

Turn 25

Various attacks and counterattacks. Not really interesting enough for a screenshot. The attempt to encircle Tula will not get anywhere.

As the tide is apparently turning against the valiant champions of western civilization in the struggle against the barbarian hordes from the east, I am thinking about building some strategically placed defence lines. I am wondering, is this worth it, considering that fortified zones will use up manpower?

[Infanteer]

Just fired up my own AAR - this one is very cool. Good luck in the winter!

[molchomor]

(removed

[ComradeP]

I am thinking about building some strategically placed defence lines. I am wondering, is this worth it, considering that fortified zones will use up manpower?

I'd say: no, it isn't worth it, not in 1942.

[Tarhunnas]

Turn 26

Lots of Soviet attacks, but again, no concentrated offensives only attacks here and there that gain a hex. I can usually evict the attackers, often routing a Tank Corps, causing at least double the casualties I suffer myself. However, I don't want to reoccupy the hexes, as I would then be without fortifications and just settting myself up for a worse drubbing next turn. Instead I leave them empty, so even if the Soviets enter, they will not be able to set up deliberate attacks and I get another chance at pushing them back. This works for now, but if the push back several adjacent hexes, I will probably be in trouble.

I abandon all attempts to encircle Tula and pull back from the bulges at Tula and Kaluga. I collect my armor behind the front to let then have some R&R, and more importantly, they can act as counterattack forces.

The strategic reserve, a weak panzer corps, is sent to Leningrad to contain the situation there.

Map of Kaluga - Tula area, end of German turn 26. BTW note place names on map, courtesy of Redmarkus. See the mods section if you want to use it yourself.

[CapAndGown]

To fortify a secondary line, you could shorten your existing line and use some of the freed up units to do the digging. They could also act a s a reserve.

[Tarhunnas]

ORIGINAL: cap_and_gown

To fortify a secondary line, you could shorten your existing line and use some of the freed up units to do the digging. They could also act a s a reserve.

But that would mean giving up ground! [X(]

[;)]

[PeeDeeAitch]

Time for the - Backhand Blow!

[Tarhunnas]

ORIGINAL: PeeDeeAitch

Time for the - Backhand Blow!

Very perceptive! Full points! In the dying days of 1942, on 26th december, The second battle of Lipetsk! The flanks of the Soviet penetration are sent scurrying eastwards whence they came, leaving large parts of their tanks and artillery behind, while the leading units are caught in our panzer vice! The troops of Hubes panzer corps will celebrate new years eve with captured vodka and borscht!

Maybe not a very large haul of prisoners, but an important psychological victory! Shot at end of German turn 26.

[Q-Ball]

RE: Fortified Zones, that's a tough call, because they will eat-up alot of your replacements. Now, those troops are not permanently used, as you can recycle them by simply disbanding the Fortified Zones once you're done digging. That's how I use them.

Do not ever, under any circumstances, expose Fort Zones to either Combat, or First Winter. THAT is a permanent waste of Manpower.

[Tarhunnas]

Turn 28. Blizzard.

It turns out we were celebrating too early. The borscht and bodka has managed to break out and are heading eastwards along with their owners. They are still weak however, so I send them on their way with a couple of routs.

Elsewhere things have taken a turn for the worse. Outside Leningrad, the Soviets are putting on the pressure. I am forced to retreat to a more defensible line.

[Tarhunnas]

And down south west of Boguchar there is a rather weak breakthrough, but at an awkward place, just at the tip of the westernmost point of the Soviet bulge, and I have few local reserves. I am forced to rail a panzerkorps that way to retrieve the situation.

Clearly the tide is turning. This is the first turn I feel I am not really in control, and the initiative is with the Soviets. I must now start to collect panzer reserves at critical points behind the front to meet penetrations.

[Tarhunnas]

Turn 29. Mud!

Well, that was actually a relief. Just shows that there comes a time even the German player will be happy to see mud...

The only problem is that the russkies have been attacking in blizzard, and now we have to counterattack in mud [:(]. And I am dependent on counterattacks to stop the Soviet breakthroughs!

Overview of the southern part of the front, to show the scale of Soviet assaults. Personally, I would have concentrated my best troops in a few spots and blasted a hole, but this is sure putting the pressure on too.

[Tarhunnas]

Turn 30. We are now in mid january 1943. Various attacks and counterattacks, nothing of great importance.

[delatbabel]

I'd watch your manpower pool.

I haven't played this out from 42 onwards with a PBEM player yet but I have in WIR and Second Front (the original DOS games that WitE was hatched from) and as well as anyone that has played Eastern Front campaign games will tell you, in 1942 and 1943 the Soviets don't really want territory.  They want a big pile of dead bodies.  The bigger the pile, the better.  If anything like 50% of that pile are German bodies then they will win the war for certain.

I think that's stating the obvious but you seem to be overly concerned about holding hexes and containing breakthroughs, and I would not be worried too much about holding ground, just holding troops.

Other than that, it's an enjoyable AAR.

[Tarhunnas]

ORIGINAL: delatbabel

I think that's stating the obvious but you seem to be overly concerned about holding hexes and containing breakthroughs, and I would not be worried too much about holding ground, just holding troops.

To some extent, I am trying to be "in character" and not give up ground needlessly. However, the main reason for my counterattacks are:
1. They inflict roughly 2-1 casualties inmanpower, more in artillery and AFV.
2. If I retreated, I would lose the advantage of my fortifications. I am simply a bit concerned that if I abandoned them I would not be able to stop the retreat.

I will retreat if I feel I cannot hold my positions without suffering intolerable losses. However, if I start to retreat too early, I am afraid I will find the front outside Berlin in 1944.

BTW, I actually forgot to mention that I abandoned Lipetsk last turn.

[Tarhunnas]

These are losses after turn 31. Note losses for current turn, caused by my (counter)attacks. I am aware that I would need a better exchange ratio to survive in the long run, but I think this is the best I am going to get.