42-45 vs. normal Soviet AI decisive victory turn 14

[wac29]

More units encircled north of Moscow. A big decision was whether to use part of the 4th Panzer Army, with it's fast 86+ morale units to drive to the Finnish border as fast as possible or let the slower AGC armor do it. The full 4PA could then drive east and threaten Kazan, etc. 6th army is driving more East-Northeast toward the Urals, leaving a large gap east of Gorky. I decided to go for the fast push north since there are still so many soviets up there to trap and there are a lot of victory points in the Leningrad area. Plus it would free up a lot of my units, not to mention the Finns with their shiny panzer division to blitz through the heavy forests and swamps.

[wac29]

Moscow itself should fall soon.

Note the HQ bug soviet units west of the capital. This bug also causes soviet leaders to die easily. Has this been mentioned in the tech support forum?

There is still that motorized division further west I have not spent the AP to activate.

[wac29]

Further south the soviet situation is grim.

After air dropping fuel on a spearhead last turn, some 6th army tanks could make it all the way to adjacent to Kuybyshev, trapping three size 50 IL-2 factories, among others.

I am approaching extreme supply range. Airdropping is helping a lot to keep things moving.

[wac29]

Continuing south the reduction of Stalingrad grinds on. That infantry corps in the swamps to the east is a pain. Lead elements of 1st Panzer Army start moving northeast. The SS motorized division and its corps colleagues are slated to rail south to help the Italians and then drive toward Baku.

[wac29]

It looks like the Italians can complete the encirclement of Krasnodar by themselves!

[wac29]

Turn 10

Both of the pockets formed in this area are almost done.

[wac29]

4th panzer army forms a small pocket and gets in position for the rush to Finland.

[wac29]

Moscow is finally done.

[wac29]

No time to rest before mud so the troops keep moving east. Without 4PA tanks it is slower going though.

[wac29]

This area is getting kind of crazy. With an entire soviet line needing to be established from top to bottom its just not going to happen. I have read people saying the AI has unlimited AP but have not seen the hundreds of shell units being formed.

[wac29]

Only north Stalingrad remains...

1st Panzer Army drives toward Chkalov. It's way beyond 100MP supply range once mud hits but I can get there now!

[wac29]

The Italians finally face opposition and withdraw some. Fortunately 14th Panzer Corps and elements of 17th Army will be there soon to help.

[wac29]

Turn 11

The tanks roll north, even trapping a couple units

[wac29]

The advance in this area progresses. I am going for victory points here. Gorky still has industry so I will airdrop fuel on the a mobile unit around and see if I can zoom adjacent next turn.

[wac29]

There is no point in advancing very far in this area because I would be isolated once mud hits, except that I can maybe get some victory points to help finish the game sooner. Disrupting/eliminating industry would be a good reason too except the game will not go on long enough to matter.

[wac29]

The drive to Chkalov continues. A division is across the Ural river!

[wac29]

The 14th Panzer Corps arrives and helps form the small pocket east of Krasnodar. Several 17th army divisions rail in too. Next turn is the big move to show the Italians how its done.

[wac29]

Turn 12

The tanks go wide and get maximum troops; Leningrad and Volkhov areas and even the whole Finnish border garrison.

[wac29]

Highlights here are the armor pinning industry in Gorky and the pocket near Yaroslavl. The 2 cities here are worth 6 points; more than Leningrad.

[wac29]

Here is a screen shot of the entire Leningrad area. 16th army has been peeling north behind the Russian lines. I have set select 18th army units to refit to build strength for the coming assault on Leningrad.