Persistence is a virtue - Encircled (sov) vs Kamil (Axis)

[Mynok]

I will say this for you: you are getting that infantry forward fast which is always a good thing. You are also not doing the stacking stuff I was noticing in your last game and that's a great improvement. I do agree with the others that you took too much from both AGN->AGC and AGC->AGS, but time will really be the tell on that one. I'll wait and see before passing judgment.

[KamilS]

turn 4 - start

It is transitory turn. Finally infantry divisions will join front line, but their contribution will be limited. It will change next turn. For now, I will be happy to push east and get good starting position to next major assault in turn 6.

It is now easy to see, that Encircled noticed I chosen not to attack Leningrad and reinforced parts of the front were I concentrated my main forces. It is problem in the centre, but it suits me in the south.

north

[KamilS]

centre

[KamilS]

south

[KamilS]

4 turn - movement

Soviet defence is getting more and more resistant to my hasty attack.

Plan of forcing a breakthrough in AGN sector turned out to be total failure.

In approaches to Smolensk Encircled's divisions fought surprisingly well, repulsing many of my attacks. But nevertheless, I gained ground, infantry is not far behind, and once I get behind ricer Dnepr I will have some space to manoeuvre.

In AGS area, breaking trough his triple defence line was harder than I thought, but I partially succeeded. Semi-encirclement near Zhitomir will be sealed next turn, and I will be free to try to force crossing and possibly gain bridgehead in turn 6.


north

[KamilS]

centre

[KamilS]

south

[KamilS]

casualties at the end of turn 4

[Klydon]

Looking much better than your last game. Well done.

I am also interested to see how the strategy of not having Leningrad as a big target will work out.

One note of caution on running around with regiments/broken down divisions. That can work well early in the right situations. It is not nearly as effective when you have a lot of supplied Russians around and the regiments are tired. It is a good way to have them get attacked and bumped for unnecessary losses.

[Ketza]

Man your armies are a mess color wise! That would drive me nuts [:D]

[KamilS]

Ketza

Man your armies are a mess color wise! That would drive me nuts

It is because I am trying to create rainbow formation, but jealous Soviets are interfering.

[KamilS]

Turn 5 - start

Die was cast ... and the effect is mud. Mud in the central weather zone. My forces got bogged down. Turn is lost. Encircled will have time to reorganise and strengthen his defences.

But that is not all. My forward formation in AGC and AGS got isolated, what creates massive problem especially in the centre of the front. In that area my rail line is not able to provide enough supplies, so after I establishing connection with surrounded division they will still have fraction of its strength. Rout is inevitable.

Funny thing is that if they were one hex east they would have their full strength.

Btw. I think that July 41 should be free of mud - it hurts Germans much more than snow Soviets in the winter. Mainly due the fact, that balance of forces in July changes rapidly, turn by turn, and Germans operate beyond they supply lines.

[KamilS]

south

[KamilS]

Turn 5 - movement

I moved as far as I could. I attacked as much as it was possible. Overall it wasn't much.

All quiet on northern front. In the centre corridor was created, but front divisions are terribly weak. Encircled's turn will be their first real test.

Thanks to shape of Romanian border, my tanks in the south are well supplied, so created pocket should hold.

In this weather conditions, throughout whole turn I inflicted only 50 thousands casualties.

[KamilS]

centre

[KamilS]

south

[Mynok]

Ouch. A bad time for mud for sure. You should drop supplies on isolated units like that right at the start of your turn so you can use level bombers to increase the quantities. That will keep their punch up against attacks.

[KamilS]

Turn 6 - start

With improvement of weather my mood worsened.

Since end of turn 4, I suffered more casualties than my opponent. Germans - 80 thousands to 75 inflicted on Soviets.

Moreover to my great surprise that wasn't the worst news.

Thanks to the fact, that Encircled's divisions were conducting their attack from area of clear weather their modified combat value was higher than initial figure.

[KamilS]

Mynok

You should drop supplies on isolated units like that right at the start of your turn so you can use level bombers to increase the quantities. That will keep their punch up against attacks.

Unfortunately dropped supplies weren't able to change fate of these 3 divisions.

But I am pretty sure it was largely due to my mismanagement of air forces

[KamilS]

Turn 6 - start cd

Now I faced infinite Soviet forces in the centre and have to deal with them without 3 mot divisions. Fact that two other mobile units were severely damaged wont help me too.

Only in the south situation doesn't look bad - pocket held, and my units are relatively strong.