The Anti Bolshevik Crusade - Tarhunnas vs Q-Ball (no Q-Ball please)

[Mynok]

Looking at where his railheads are, he should be in excellent supply.

One at Zap, one headed fast towards Poltava, one almost to Kaluga and one at Vyshny. That's really good.

[Tarhunnas]

Turn 16. The Moscow area after recon but before Axis moves.

I have done it again! It's my weakness. Sometimes when things are going well, I exploit too far and put my units in impossible situations. I am not sure I will be able to extricate the two motor divisions, and even if I do, it will take effort that should go into more constructive projects, like surrounding the Soviets. Will I ever learn?

[Tarhunnas]

The Moscow area after German moves. I concentrated on surrounding Moscow and the Soviet forces there. The two overambitious motorized divisions will just have to chew their belts for a while.

[Tarhunnas]

The South after Axis moves turn 16. Nothing dramatic. The Panzer Group shifts south in preparation for an assault on the Donbass cities. Some industry is left, but i expect the Soviets will be able to get most of it out.

[Tarhunnas]

Losses after turn 16. Nearing 3 million, but it is not good enough.

[Tarhunnas]

For those interested in details, two leaders have given their lives for their country.

[Tarhunnas]

Turn 17. As expected, it was risky to let the Rumanians watch our backs. The Soviets have gone on the offensive, and now I have to divert forces to deal with that.

[Tarhunnas]

The Soviets have also gone on the offensive in the central sector, mostly by infiltration. I can take care of that by sending reinforcements from the Moscow sector, as I expect opertaions to wind down there now. Lycky this didn't happen one or two turns earlier.

[Tarhunnas]

And here is the entire front after the first 17 turns! The gains are good in the north and center, but less impressive in the South.

Moscow solidly in our hands, and pocket of 200k+ Soviets cleared. The two motoized divisions were lost however. Well, that was a mistake, but you cant make an omelette without getting a dirty frying pan. And, it was the first time I have ever captured Ivanovo!

In the center, infiltration checked and a little pocket is made at Ryazan with panzers released from the Moscow front.

In the Eastern Ukraine, Panzer Group 1 makes a determined push towards Stalino, helped by the newly arrived XXXX Panzer Corps under Stumme, and manage to penetrate to the suburbs of Stalino and Makeevka, thus blocking further evacuations. 3HI, 3AP in Makeevka and 6HI, 7AP in Stalino. There will have to be a snow offensive to clear the place out.

In the area north of the Crimea, some forces are diverted from various places to push back the Soviets and shore up the front, and the situation is now more or less under control.

[Tarhunnas]

Losses after turn 17. Just over 3 million (I made some unnecessary attacks to bring it over 3 mil [:D])

[Tarhunnas]

Destroyed units at the end of turn 17.

[Klydon]

Nicely done!

That line is a long one however.

[Tarhunnas]

ORIGINAL: Klydon

Nicely done!

That line is a long one however.

Yes, I am a little concerned about that. OTOH I don't really need to hold everything I have. The Ryazan area, for example is not really important, and I can fall back a couple of hexes east of Moscow.

It is the area north of the Crimea that is the big problem. No way the Rumanians can hold that in winter, so I will have to do something about that. Either clear the Russkies out during snow, or pull back forces from somewhere to hold that line.

[Mynok]

You could probably extract 9th army and 4th panzer from the center after consolidating westward and send them south to push the Soviets into the Crimea again.

[Tarhunnas]

Turn 18. Mud.

The Soviets managed to push back the Panzer stack next to Makeevka! [X(] They even routed! Never expected that! Thus they were able to save the industry in Makeevka. Further, they isolated the other panzer stack, forcing me to attack in mud. Nice job by Q-ball!

Here is the Stalino area before German moves.

[Tarhunnas]

However, the German soldier is not intimidated by a little rain! A counterattack opens a supply route to the encircled panzers near Stalino. Otherwise, not much happening. Here is the Southern part of the front after German moves.

[Tarhunnas]

And the center after German moves turn 18. The line is pulled back somewhat to the east of Moscow, and the infantry of AGN is spreading out in a northwesterly direction, to create a more solid front in time for winter. Some FZs are constructed in preparation for winter.

I am considering to send 3d or 4th Panzer Group down to the Crimea, to rescue the Rumanians from themselves. I do not envisage any offensive action in the Moscow area during snow. There is really nothing left to take that is worth the risk of being caught with the pants down when winter arrives. In the south, on the contrary, there is.

[Mynok]

Re-thinking a bit, I would suggest taking whichever panzer army has the most infantry still attached. You will want those to sturdy up the Rumanians.

[Tarhunnas]

ORIGINAL: Mynok


Re-thinking a bit, I would suggest taking whichever panzer army has the most infantry still attached. You will want those to sturdy up the Rumanians.

The problem is that there is quite a ways to the railhead, and then any regrouping between the army groups will have to be via Warsaw or something because of the rail situation. I tried to relocate a Panzer Group in my last game, but it ended up wintering in East Prussia. Well, we'll se... East Prussa is not a bad idea if you ask the troops [;)].

[Tarhunnas]

Turn 19. Mud overall. Not much happening. Some straightening of the front, and some squashing of infiltration attempts. I retake that hex by Makeevka. There are still 2 HI left in Makeevka, and considerably more in Stalino. That is worth fighting for, as are the cities themselves. They will anchor the southern front nicely in the blizzard.