1.04.10 Fulkerson vs KLilly

[M60A3TTS]

You should be able to get much of the North Causasus front out alive. I'd suggest you evacuate the infantry by rail into the Crimea. Don't march them, you may need to pass them through the Kerch Peninsula quickly. The cavalry and tanks may be able to make their way out via Rostov and establish a checkerboard. I'm not sure how much else can be saved, but if the rail line is intact, get them out via the Crimea as well. You could try to get out by way of Rostov, but the trouble there is as the pocket shrinks, the Axis lines shorten and he can concentrate the panzers on sealing off the pocket by driving southwest towards those marshes. As far as reforming the front goes, I'd start at Stalingrad, establishing a line along the Volga. That will give you a couple weeks to start digging in. Finally, you need to commit to building more corps with your APs or you just have no hope. The Red Army cannot exist as a perpetual force of just divisions and brigades if it is to be successful.

[Ketza]

What an odd looking front.

[larryfulkerson]

I've already started to build some Rifle Corps units but have only a few so far. Disaster struck in the deep south. Kevin sealed off the
pocket and I'm not sure I have enough combat power to breakout. Here's the front lines in T64 before any Soviet movement:

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the OOB:

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the ground losses so far:

[larryfulkerson]

And here's the state of Soviet production:

[kirkgregerson]

Larry,

I understand that playing the Soviets come with a learning curve. However, I'm really struggling to understand your logic for not pull back sooner before the last debacle. Why on earth would you not just give ground rather than sacrificed about 1/5 of your troops? I know it makes for a longer march back to Berlin, but I just don't see any hope for the Soviets in this game now. When does an auto victory kick in? This game needs a mercy rule to end it, can't watch it anymore. [:'(]


Partly making a joke, so nothing personal about your play. I think the skill levels were not equally matched which is no fault of yours. Not sure how well my strategy to have multiple def lines as some other 'expert' Soviet players and retreating would have fair against your opponent. All I know is you just have to give ground when there's nothing in terms of factories to protect anymore.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the pocket in T66 before any Soviet movement. There's the possibility of isolating some of the Axis units inside the pocket this time.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the pocket in T67 before any Soviet movement:

[JKLilly]

Here is the end of my turn, beginning of October 1942. This is the end of my summer offensive in the South. The rains will come soon.

I think I'm in pretty good shape. My panzers are exhausted but I have no intention to make the Hitler mistake of going for Moscow/Caucasas. I think Larry is pretty beaten up. Larry's beaten me before, so goes fates of war. I should be able to have a nice Christmas.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the front lines in T68 before any Soviet movement but after recon flights have been flown:

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the T68 OOB

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the T68 ground losses:

[larryfulkerson]

And here's the T68 state of Soviet production:

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the front lines in T70. I broke a hole in the north and Kevin broke a hole in the south.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the OOB for T70:

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the ground losses so far:

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the state of Soviet production in T70:

[larryfulkerson]

And here's the T70 air losses so far:

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the T74 front lines before any Soviet movement: