1.04.11 Klydon (Axis) vs Hfarrish (Soviet) No Hfarrish please

[Klydon]

Figured it was time to take the plunge and give this a shot and see what happens.

Parameters on this game are FoW, no random weather.

I bomb Kuressare, but it takes two shots. (First group could not hit the broadside of a dock). Go through the usual plane crunching exercise.

AGN: This should look pretty standard for the most part. My latest wrinkle with this is to attach Totenkopf to LVI panzer (v Manstien) and send it east. 36 motor gets the task of taking out the fort in Ventspils while the rest of XXXXI panzer heads for Riga. Sea lift in some troops and life is generally good. I caught a break and shattered one of the para brigades. Thats good because not much else went very smooth.

Center went ok, but I had to make some adjustments and wound up sending one more panzer division than I wanted to this direction, but felt I had to in order to keep the pocket intact. Will see if the South misses that extra panzer division that much or not. Maybe I will catch a break and a lot of his routed guys won't rally or something.

South: This turned into a debacle as the Russians repeatedly sent in reserves, causing me to repeat attacks. I probably screwed up with the encirclement because I don't think the pocket will hold, which is somewhat upsetting because I have practiced this a lot. Way it goes I suppose and all the best laid plans don't survive contact with the enemy. In addition, I didn't get many breaks on transfering units around either, so I think I will have some cheese with my whine as well. [:D]

I had not moved some HQ and air bases in the south yet before doing the screen shots, so the map is not quite accurate, but close enough.

[Klydon]

Has anyone had issues with supply flights? I think I had 2 or 3 squadrons of JU-52's fly anything on the first turn. I am used to seeing more than that. 

[PeeDeeAitch]

I like the "single panzer lock" in the south for Lvov. That also breaks up the use of the Zbruch River. I am currently undecided if I like to send more than the XXXVIII panzer to the south or not, irrespective of the economics. My "Rovno Smash" with 2 of 2nd PzG's corps did yield pretty good results though.

Did 36 motorized then ship out from the port?

[Klydon]

No, it is under the 18th Corps HQ to the east of the security division. I shipped 2 infantry divs and 2 security divs on the first turn, so I was out of sea lift to move the division. That is a good point however, but I am guessing it won't have enough strategic movement left to get to the port, attack it, load on the ship and move over to Riga. Maybe should have left it in the port, but way it goes. I got a infantry division in Riga (still on the boat however, so it will lose some movement) and a security division there (unloaded). The other infantry division is in the northern port still loaded, so will move to Riga to help with the push out of there on turn 2. 

My issue in the south is I screwed up with the southern most panzer division. This is C&G's little trick, except I should have gotten the infantry division first, then moved back to get the border regiment. I think he will have enough movement to move through the rough and loop around to make contact for the pocket. Just bad execution on my part, but nothing I could do about it after the fact. Hopefully it won't delay me too much, but we will see how it goes. You can do all the practice and planning you want, but when it goes for real, you are stuck with the results. I really got screwed on transferring units around. I didn't even have enough to move the two infantry divisions from PG4's panzer corps to infantry corps like I usually do.

[Tarhunnas]

ORIGINAL: Klydon

Has anyone had issues with supply flights? I think I had 2 or 3 squadrons of JU-52's fly anything on the first turn. I am used to seeing more than that. 

I couldn't fly in anything on turn 1 in my 41 GC, I was a little surprised. Turn 2 i had no problems at all though.

[PeeDeeAitch]

In my AAR I didn't close the Lvov pocket for 3 turns! Still, I got far more pocketed that way as there was a lot of work on Cpt Flam's part to keep it open. In the end, it meant that the Hungarian security brigade on the border activated!

[Tarhunnas]

Nice job with the big Lvov pocket! Using a corps from 2d panzer makes it a lot more solid than my pocket, which is more or less on a shoestring using only AGS units.

[Klydon]

Here is a screen shot at the start of Axis turn 2 after recon has been flown. All the pockets held, which surprises me. Looks like Hfarrish moved the reserve mech corps up to defend south of Pskov, which is what I think you do with it as a Russian. He absolutely thinks I am after Leningrad with such a move (which I am). Center shows a checker board defense and a build up on the land bridge. South, he also went checkerboard, but there appear to be some lanes I could potentially send some panzers out on encircling moves. Could be a trap or mistake. Will see what happens. Since the pockets held, I will try to mop as much as I can while also shoving a good amount of infantry forward and then decide how brave I want to be down there. From my current run, I have one extra panzer division with AGC and fewer in AGS. Going to likely miss it down there this turn, but I am sure I will find a use for it in AGC.

[Klydon]

Turn 2 complete. Will post the map later since it is very late for me tonight. I can post losses, etc. Turn 2 felt like it went better with the two big pockets (Lvov and in the center) getting reduced quite a bit and all other pockets liquidated. I also managed to capture Pskov and pretty much trash the river line defense south of there. I am still well behind where I am usually at in getting units moved around, etc. Admin rolls were better than turn 1 however.

Air transport also seemed to return to normal this turn.

Looks like he pretty much has most of the Red Air force in reserve as the only place where recon flights were intercepted was down by the Odessa area.

[Aussiematto]

Re the air supply. Yep, on turn 1 you might have problems with supply, I have noticed that too. One possible reason is that you need a staging base (one of the Army airbases) closer to your intended targets. I vaguely remember, 2nd last game, not being able to supply the Rumanian border located Pz Division, but then was able to this last game using an airbase from 17th army which advanced with the lead infantry unit. It's only a vague memory. Everything else was driven from my mind seeing my pz division in a third game with 1 rifle squad and 5 half-tracks.

I am not sure resupply on T1 is necessarily as important as later -- the Pz carry a lot of fuel in T1.

are you resupply by manual or auto? I am assuming the former. It might be something to do with your AI doctrine settings, or lack of fighters? Who knows...the air game is a dark and mysterious place.

[TulliusDetritus]

So you're starting an AAR, Klydon [:)] Good luck and good hunt.

[Klydon]

Here is the map for end of Axis turn 2.

Question: do people like a big map like this or break it up by AGN, AGC, etc?

AGN: LVI panzer corps heads for Pskov and knocks off the defenders on the northern part of the line while also pushing the defenders out of Pskov. No one had enough movement left, so I had to run 6 panzer division over to occupy the city. The rest of XXXXI panzer corps pushes the front back a bit towards Tallinn. XXXIX panzer corps drives NE from the river and does most of the heavy lifting by outflanking the Velikaya river to the south of Pskov. 18th Army mops up and makes a beeline over the river at Riga while 16th Army pushes hard to get over the river as well. 16th army is making better progress with a couple of corps and should have infantry up by Pskov next turn. A corps of 9th army is detailed to provide flank security along the Sinyaya towards the approaches to Velikie Luki where the Russians have started to dig in behind the river in the swamps. Supply priority was for XXIX and LVI panzer corps when it came to resupply flights. Still need to get the infantry division out of LVI corps, but points are at a premium right now. Overall, I think things are going well here.

AGC: 4th and 9th army have a couple of corps to work over the pocket and continue moving forward. Minsk is bypassed by the panzers. Mogilev is threaten so that the industry is in play there if he doesn't move it this turn. In general, the advance will slow down here for now until the infantry catches up. I was somewhat surprised to get as far as I did considering how little I have for panzers in the area, but I will take it. AGC's job is to tied down as much as they can while playing meat grinder with any Russians they run into.

AGS: 6th Army and 17th Army work on reducing the Lvov pocket and make good progress in destroying units and shrinking the size of the pocket. A small pocket is formed south of Rovino and some other small pockets are formed further south. I may have most of the 1st Panzer army divisions a little too strung out, so will see if he turns on them and tries to trap them off. With the transfer of an armored division and a infantry division, 24 panzer corps has 2 infantry, 1 cav and 1 armored division left. XXXXVI panzer is operating with 3 divisions and a regiment. 6th army sends quite a few divisions east to support XXXXVI panzer. The Russians have put some strong mech units in the cities and they look pretty tough to crack. Rough in this game is always nasty and prevented the encirclement I wanted along the Dnester. Hopefully it doesn't bite me too bad.

In the 11th army area, I have spent quite a few points to try to get the command structure straightened out by putting the Rumanian divisions under Rumanian corps and getting the German divisions in the area into the three corps of 11th Army. I have also sent a infantry division arriving this turn down here to help out as well. Good progress was made and I was fortunate not only to shove the defenders out of Kishinev, but was then able to occupy it. Looks like he has a good build up going around Odessa. I have sent two of the German corps headed that way and the third is up helping 1st Panzer and also keeping the pocket closed in the south.

The other three divisions arriving this turn will get sent north and the Lehr brigade got sent south to join III panzer corps.

Along

[TulliusDetritus]

Klydon, given that I know an AAR takes time, I would say do the easiest thing (to you that is) [:)] The big maps take time: 2 or 3 screenshots... resize the background... cut & paste... I don't do that anymore, with a few exceptions.

[Klydon]

Turn 3 at start after most of the recon is done. Some light interception in the Leningrad area and a few other areas, so I suspect he has pulled some air craft out of reserve in some key spots where he feels the lines are fairly stable and I can't reach his airfields in that particular area. Surprised he seems to have pulled mostly out of Odessa and also away from Tallinn. The area up there is fairly rough and can easily hide units, but I ran a pile of recon up there. If he indeed left Tallinn open, that might be painful in the long run, but we shall see. My guys around Pskov are low on fuel and there are a pile of Russians around as he undoubtedly has poured a lot of troops in to try to make taking Leningrad as tough as possible.

In the center, he has a few rearguards, but has put a lot of guys on the river lines and has a good amount of units on the land bridge. Industry in Mogilev is gone so that takes care of 48k of his rail cap.

In the south, all my turn 2 pockets were broken unfortunately, but not unexpected. As recon shows, there are a ton of units in checkerboard fashion and he has the start of a river defense going. I don't know if I have enough of a punch to get to Kiev to keep him from railing out the industry there or not, but it is still there. Either recon sucks in the Odessa area or he feels he has enough time to get his industry out of there. Most of the units in the area look to have pulled back to the NE and East with a thin line based on Nikolaev. I will be curious to find out later if Hfarrish spotted my little surprise in the area or not. My thinking is he didn't as most of his aircraft went into national reserve.

[Klydon]

As I mentioned a particular interest in Odessa and Tallinn, these two close pictures should somewhat explain why, especially in the case of 14 Panzer corps.

The infantry divisions are in a port there and hopefully I can sneak up and take Tallinn. If I am successful, then I should be able to sea move up quite a bit of infantry over the next couple of turns and put some heat on Leningrad from the west.

14 Panzer is another matter. As I have made mention before, I think the game favors a drive on Leningrad (in progress and obvious) and also action in the south (somewhat in progress, but not as obvious). One of the things I have observed in most AAR's is that the Axis advance in the far south is fairly slow simply because there isn't anything down there to pave the way for the infantry to move out. The fact is there is a lot of good pop centers, resources and industrial sites to put some heavy pressure on and 14 Panzer will help make that threat a reality.

Obviously all this is a lot of theory (with limited practice) but it should be interesting to see what effect it has on things since most Russians like to send everything (including recon planes) to national reserve and also don't feel threaten that much in the deep south.

As far as elsewhere, I am so far behind on command points, it will likely cost me at least 1 HQ buildup this turn. I also have to figure out if it is going to be worth it in the Leningrad area when I know he is absolutely expecting it. The question there is perhaps is he expecting two full panzer corps (8 units) to do it or not and also how much he may underestimate just how close some infantry I have is. Will have to sort it all out as the turn unfolds.

[TulliusDetritus]

In the north I think you might easily grab Leningrad. He is apparently waiting along Luga River. That's what I call an opened door... [X(] You might get to this river on next turn... and you still would have 14 turns to capture Leningrad. That's a lot. Don't miss this opportunity. No trap at all... Mere turn 3, NO fortifications, no nothing [8D]

[Tarhunnas]

I would say it is a serious mistake by the Soviets not to defend the Pskov-position more tenaciously. You are way ahead of schedule there! The Luga line is much longer, and without a serious delaying action at Pskov, there will not be enough time to fortify the Luga line.

[Klydon]

Here are the losses and OOB screens at the end of T3. Nothing like being down about 1/3 of your tanks after 3 turns. The aircraft situation is not as good as I would like it to be either, but that is the way it goes. Most of the Luftwaffe has been concentrating on moving up and also carrying gas and supplies to the spear head units. I don't think I have used ground support much at all in this game. Russian losses in terms of units will head down here for a bit as I finish off the Lvov pocket next turn and have a few other small pockets to deal with in the south, but nothing big right now. Hfarrish is working hard at keeping me from encircling anything significant at this point and with the panzers low on gas, there was not much mobility to work with this turn.

[Klydon]

Here is the commanders report on German infantry divisions. Like most armies, the armor gets all the glory, but the status of the German infantry divisions should be one of the big concerns of the Axis commander.

I don't recall seeing them go down quite this much on marching, etc but I have a lot of infantry units in single digits with a fair number of 6's and 7's. The bad thing is some of them have never seen combat; just marching around and they are a 6. This is going to make it tougher as things go along.

[Klydon]

ORIGINAL: Tarhunnas

I would say it is a serious mistake by the Soviets not to defend the Pskov-position more tenaciously. You are way ahead of schedule there! The Luga line is much longer, and without a serious delaying action at Pskov, there will not be enough time to fortify the Luga line.

He did have 9 units there that I pushed out. I don't know that there were very many more he could have shoved in there given how little the Russians can move up north. I can see where it is going to be a fine balancing act between putting a pile of stuff at Pskov and how much you leave back on the Luga line to start digging. Unfortified Russians early are usually easy meat.