Stalin's in the gulag, I'm in charge! II - vs 2ndACR (Axis)

[TulliusDetritus]

The South and Crimea.

[Klydon]

I don't know that I would have tossed 3 cav divisions away at this stage to put two German units out of supply in such a fashion (ok, I know I would not have done it). If they were infantry, do it all day long, but not cav. You are going to miss them when you can form up cav corps in December. IMO, a Russian should be conserving as much cav as they can, unless they can cause some really meaningful damage with it or if the situation is critical someplace. Moves in the north fall under that category to a point, but not in the south this turn. It may not matter much in the long run in this game, but still.

Also, reminder that mountain divisions never come back. Not a huge deal, but the unit in D-town should have been maybe a infantry unit rather than a mountain unit.

Overall, looks like things are getting in better shape in the South.

[TulliusDetritus]

Ah, cavalry don't come back for free (until november)? I thought they did, like rifle divisions. Even if they don't, hmm, I think I don't care I always can buy cavalry units. I use a short term strategy on the first 17 turns: I must survive, that's my big objective.

[TulliusDetritus]

You're right about the mountain division in Dneprowhatever. I forgot to send infantry [:(]

[Klydon]

The cav will come back, but there is a delay and a good chance they won't be available right at the start of December for conversion to corps.

I don't think there is any doubt you will survive in good shape now although he has some pushing left to do in the south, but then you don't appear to mind trading space for time down there anyway. He may get some other gains elsewhere on the front, but your objectives of keeping Leningrad and Moscow safe appear to be well in hand and that was what I was thinking when I made the comment about "wasting" the cav.

It is all good and just my opinion. I am sure most Russians are not as stingy with non infantry as I am. [:D]

[TulliusDetritus]

Yes, cutting off these miserable units (1 infantry + 1 panzer) was possibly idiotic. But the truth is the enemies are approaching to 3 places where there is still industry: Voronezh, Tula and Stalino. I want to make sure everything is evacuated. So that's why I have sacrificed these guys. In vain? I don't know that yet [:)]

[TulliusDetritus]

[center]Turn 15[/center]
[center]25 september 1941[/center]

HA HA HA! 2 more turns and Blitzkrieg is almost over!

This turn has delivered me an outright provocation! As Q-Ball said 2ndACR might be reckless with his panzers -though he ALWAYS manages to save them when cut off... so far... But one thing is certain: he is bold!

In a nutshell, he's advanced towards Stalino... an advance that I will be obviously cutting off. AND I will bring some hordes to see if I can annihilate one panzer division.

This means I am going to reread first the rules concerning movement! [X(] I really don't know them yet and therefore cannot calculate the distance covered by panzers! Enough is enough, I am going to carefully learn all this (along with the fuel soft factor thing): different terrain + zoc + attack... to see if his 7th Cavalry might help the panzer division I want to literally massacre [8D]

[TulliusDetritus]

In the north, nothing has changed. I think he is not going to advance towards Leningrad.

[TulliusDetritus]

I don't think he is going to advance towards Moscow either (at least from here).

[TulliusDetritus]

He hasn't cleared his rear behind the Kalinin Front. My guys keep creating a mess and of course cutting German throats [8D] Oh, and 2 enemy HQs ran away (they were in VL).

[TulliusDetritus]

I am weakening the front west of Smolensk. I am diverting forces to meet the Panzers in the center

[Encircled]

It all depends on the strength, supply and fuel state of those Panzers.

You'd have to cut him off this turn, hold out against a counter attack, and then destroy it next turn, otherwise it will just rout.

Don't get me wrong, routing is good, but destroyed is better!

Do you have the strength in the area to manage that?

[TulliusDetritus]

To stop the Panzers in the center I have obviously applied my axiom: concentrate the forces around them [8D]

But I am going to try a new type of defence: no carpet, two defensive lines. The 1st Guards Division is the reserve of 21st Army.

[TulliusDetritus]

Same thing if they want to advance towards Moscow or Tula.

[TulliusDetritus]

ORIGINAL: Encircled

It all depends on the strength, supply and fuel state of those Panzers.

You'd have to cut him off this turn, hold out against a counter attack, and then destroy it next turn, otherwise it will just rout.

Don't get me wrong, routing is good, but destroyed is better!

Do you have the strength in the area to manage that?

I am going to bring quite many units

I know "destroyed is better". On my other AAR I annihilated the 100% of the AGN panzers. And yes, quite funny [8D] I think he will manage to save his forces. He's been very competent if we talk about this. Isolated yes, destroyed, I don't think so [:)]

[TulliusDetritus]

Ok, done. Alea Iacta Est [8D]

[TulliusDetritus]

And Crimea aka Sevastopol. Will we resist like in the real war? I doubt it [:)] I assigned 3 AA units to the Coastal Army HQ.

[TulliusDetritus]

[center]Turn 16[/center]
[center]2 october 1941[/center]

AGGHHHH!!! I told you I should reread the manual! The case is I surrounded the panzer division I wanted to massacre then attacked but it was routed, it did not surrender... Looks like the units MUST be already surrounded at the start of the turn!!! Looks like I didn't know this! [:D]

[TulliusDetritus]

Now yes, I think I can oficially say Leningrad is 100% safe [:)]

Four enemy attacks. All of them were of course repulsed!

[TulliusDetritus]

Near the Lake Ilmen, his panzers were harmless after all. Apparently he only wanted to swallow some of my units, I very much suspect.