Arstavidios Vs Pelton Soviet perspective

[Flaviusx]

ORIGINAL: Mynok

The more I think about that happening, the less I like the sound of it as an Axis player. Man, that would be a royal pain. Cutting that rail line is no different than cutting the supply line closer to the front.

Oh, no.

It's much better. It's stops his HQ buildup spam cold. Since this is actually calculated from the distance to the railhead.

A temporarily isolated spearhead up front can reestablish supply easily most of the time, and be good to go, but if the railhead is pushed waaaaay back thanks to cuts, they'll be crawling forward at 25mps or whatever without the benefit of buildup spam.

[Arstavidios]

yes, I think this approach can be derailed as it has a number of weaknesses, but you need to take dispositions from turn 1 to face it and act accordingly in your deployments and evacuations...

also I need to learn more detail about the movement and supply mechanichs.

[Mynok]

ORIGINAL: Flaviusx

ORIGINAL: Mynok

The more I think about that happening, the less I like the sound of it as an Axis player. Man, that would be a royal pain. Cutting that rail line is no different than cutting the supply line closer to the front.

Oh, no.

It's much better. It's stops his HQ buildup spam cold. Since this is actually calculated from the distance to the railhead.

A temporarily isolated spearhead up front can reestablish supply easily most of the time, and be good to go, but if the railhead is pushed waaaaay back thanks to cuts, they'll be crawling forward at 25mps or whatever without the benefit of buildup spam.

Very true. Another excellent point.......now I'm quite looking forward to you and Pelton going at it and see how he counters.

[Arstavidios]

Turn 10 Rostov has fallen, The Germans have broken onto the northern side of the Neva, and are now adjacent to to kharkov and voroshilovgrad.

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[Arstavidios]

Well, I'm now running on most of the front, to avoid seing my forces surrounded.
Otherwise I'm trying to evacuate whatever I can. If I'm lucky I'll end up with a little over 200 armament factories left.
Moscow should fall in a few turns. Time for the panzers to get there and have HQ build up. I'll see how much I can save from there. Most probably not a lot.

So bacically around the 20th of august I've lost everything except moscow west of the line leningrad, moscow Rostov.

Trying to resist actually made the matters worse. I used up some rail capacity moving troops to the front where they basically made little difference. A few successful counterattacks do not compensate for the extra factories I could have saved. Also those reinforcements holding the front could have been put to better use covering factories deep in the rear. It might have gained one extra turn of factory evacuation. Also, it would have provided less targets thus keeping my losses lower.

[Ketza]

Pelton can be stopped there is an AAR that shows how its done.

Perhaps he learned a few new tricks since then however.

[Arstavidios]

Imo he's improved is to play
His forces are conentrated in 3 massive groups that are 100% focused on getting as deep in soviet territorry as the game mechanics allow it to destroy the factories before they can possibly be evacuated, ignoring whatever losses  may be inflicted. And I'm quite sure there are still a couple of tricks he may not have thought about to get even farther and faster There's just not enough rail potential to take those factories out and by mid august all your factories up to Moscow and rostov are at risk. you do not have the forces to cover all of them

I can fight and get some success in many places. Yet this is largely pointless as it won't save the factories which is all what it is about. worse still if you try to fight  you're likely to use some rail capacity to bring reinforcements in instead of evacuating factories. and your forces get gobbled.

There are some weaknesses and this approach offers some opportunities,  but you have to be ready for that style of deathride assault from turn 1 and act accordingly. You also need to master the rules about movemnt point supply distance...... And count your beans carefully if you want to stant a resonable chance

The point is that  industrial potential will be wrecked so that my offensive capabilities will get crippled in the long run, however, the soviet army should remain a strong force. So basically I'm pretty sure i'll manage to remain in game. But Berlin will probably be very far away by 45.

[Anonymous]

[Deleted by Admins]

[Arstavidios]

Tun 11.
In the North the northern Leningrad hex resists. I evacuated a couple of divisions from the pocket and withdrew a few units allowing the finns to advance. It might not have been the wisest move but this way I saved a few troops.

I'll see how things turn out in the next few turns.

Around moscow Wester front retreated from smolensk to a position in front of Moscow.
Soome German armor followed and got a bloody nose. One mot division routed a panzer and a cavalry divisions retreated.
Some reinforcements arrived to help hold moscow.

In the south most of the Southwester front seems to have escaped the forming pocked. I'm trying to recreate some sort of front line. A couple of successfull counter attacks were launched.

I reoccupied Rostov that was evacuated after the destruction of the Factories.

Most of the southern front has taken reguge in Crimea.

I'm trying to bring some order into the general mess.

I recieved a new spam load of skeleton divisions this turn. they will not be operational before several turns and will draw heavily on my manpower.

I railed what I could towards the front, while some factories kept going East.

German tank strength has fallen sharply by now. Less than 1500 operational. However the deatride towards my factories was quite successful. I could probably have saved a few more factories but there's no certainty about that. You cannot take everything out anyway. Yet it might have been possible sazve a couple dozen extra factories all types included, but then maybe not.

Anyway, the red army is still there.

[Arstavidios]

Tun 12
Losses so far are about 2 000 000 soviets against 400 000 Germans. the Germans have lost 2500 tanks. they have about 1200 operational tanks left.

In the North, Germans broke to the leningrad pocket port. What's left of my forces there is now cut off. i have about 45000 men left there.

I launched a couple of counterattacks against infantry divisions.

I'm retrating slowly. The fins will likely be freed up next turn.

In the center.  The germans attacked towards Moscow. They approached a couple of hexes but did not manange to cut it off yet. So i could again rail a few factories out this turn. Better than nothing.

I counterattacked where I could and managed to get a few german units to withdraw. I brought a few reinforcements by rail.

In the south, I launched a couple of counter attacks and retreated a few infantry divisions. got my first guards infantry division down there. Southwestern front managed to escape encirclement and turned around to counterattack where it could.

Rostov is still in my hands but with the factories destroyed it's lost much of its importance.

In Crimea I'm fortifying ans reorganisind. The Germans launched an assault but were repulsed.

Some organisation is slowly appearing along the front.It will take several turns to have something properly sorted out.
I've saved quite a lot of AP now. I will change a few leaders next turn.

Armament points are getting low now. with many factories lost or off line that's not surprising. Building tons of RR construction brigades seems a good way to spend a few APS and use up some manpower into something useful that won't eat up too much armament.

Plenty of reinforcements recieved again. Especially tank brigades. but it will take much time before they get filled up and become useful. Meanwhile they will all draw on manpower and armament......

[Arstavidios]

Turn 13
in the North Leningrad has been cleared. The finns are attacking accros the line.
I'm retreating my forces into the forrests and reorganising. Leningrad front has 3 armies and is a mess.

Northwest front alsp withdraws slowly. 3 armies there Armies are grouped. I'm bringing in a few skeleton divisions.

Below that the reserve front is getting organised into 3 armies around Kalinin, taking whatever divisions were available nearby. armies vary in size from 3 or 4 divisions to 12

In front of Moscow
The Germans are massing some forces , in stacks of 2 or 3 units. i managed to withdraw a 2 panzer divisions stacks.  There i'm organising defensive lines. I lost a few hewes to german attacks but losses are mounting for both sides.

During the german turn losses were 180 000 soviets to 60 000 Axis includind the 45 000 from leningrad. The germans again lost 200 tanks. during their turn and some more due to the soviet attacks. however operation tank strenghth went back up to 1500 as his divisions are resting.

Moscow is now covered by the western front which counts 6 armies. Moscow MD with one Army defends moscow itself. Plenty os skeleton units hanging around too under stavka.

In the South Bryansk and South wester front got more or less sorted out. Bryansk front liks with western front and covers the Southern approches of moscow  from Kaluga to Tula.

SWestern front got its army sorted out after running all the way from the Dnepr; a few counterattacks were launched against weak axis units.

North Caucasus gets organised around Rostov.

In the Crimea an other German assault was repulsed. Southern front is down there.

I now have 3 guards infantry divisions.

Behind the line I 'm starting to collect all the skeleton units that appear and sort them together. Especially cavalry units.
I changed a number of leaders. I hope it will improve things.

How do air units get auto uprade? Modern figthers get stocked up in the pool while my units fly I-153 and stuff like that.I can spend some APs to upgrade some units , but in the long run this is going to be expensive......

Basically i messed with my factory evacuations, and lost a lot of armament and heacy industry. I just missed a number of the dot city factories.
This is my first PBEM game and Pelton focused all his early strategy on overunning faxctories. Lessons leanred. I hope to do better next time. Now i have an idea of how deep the germans can get early.

I should have about 60% of my capacity left in armament. So far I think I should be able to survive.
However, I may still lose Moscow before the mud.

[Arstavidios]

Turn 14
The Germans have advanced a little in the north.
In front of Moscow Panzers are trying break my front between rzev and Moscow.
In the South seven divisions are pocketed around kursk.
Some attacks towards rostov and an other attack against the gates of Crimea.

Losses are about 550 000 Axis to 2 300 000 soviets.  German tank strenth is still low with over 200 german tanks lost this turn.

I got two more guards divisions this turn which makes 5 for the moment.

In the North
The fins and the Germans adavanced in the forests.
Leningrad front redeploys.

Southwestern front launches a couple of successful counrerattacks against motorised divisions which are retreated.

Reserve front counter attacks an infantry division that had crossed the river near rzev and push it back

In the Moscow area I attack the Panzer spearhead and withdraw 2 motorised divisions. In follow up attacks they are routed.

The two spearhead panzer divisions are isolated but I do not have enough strength to attack them.

South of Moscow some attacks  along the line Bryank front hits some infantry.

SW front reopent the Kursk pocket hitting a number of mobile divisions in the process.

Around Rostov and German infantry division is forced to withdraw.

In the Crimea I keep digging and moving units around. Stalemate here.

I'm moving all those reinforcement brigade towards the front. It will take time before they get ready but they are close at hand.
Changed a few leaders and upgraded some fighter squadrons.

Two more turn before the mud.
Moscow might still be in my hands, but maybe not.

Axis suffered over 50 000 losses during their turn and 20 000 during my turn.
My losses were about 120 000 and 15 000 during my turn.

I will soon be short on armament. so i'm generous on RR brigade construction. those are useful units and they will soak up excess manpower. That should help for the digging.

[Arstavidios]

Turn 15

The Germans continue to push towards Moscow but they make little progress. They suffeer heavily in the process.
On the rest of the front axis forces are slowly advancind, making some attack.
Kursk pocket was closed again.
Gates of crimea attacked again.
I have 7 guards divisions now.

I made some attacks all along the front. getting an additional 20 000 axis casualties for about the same numer of soviet casualties.
The flanks of the german advance towards moscow are lightly held. I managed to push him pack around rzev en kaluga.
His airbases lay open but i did not have enough movement to get there.
I moved plenty of cavalry armour brigades and various reinforcements there. There may be some opportunities.

i've isolated a couple of infantry divisions in the proces. One of the german mountain divisions has recieved multiple bashing along the campaign and is down to less than 5000 men.

There are now around 1600 panzers left with less than 1300 operational.

I feel the loss of industry though.

[Arstavidios]

Turn 16.
The Germans  consolidated their lines.
In the Moscow area they ecacuated a couple of hexes. better than nothing.
with only one turn left before the mud, Moscow should be safe until snow.
south of Moscow I launched a few counterattacke bur less than previous turn. My units are rather worn out and many are now unready. Also all the new units arriving are drawing heavily on my manpower and production.

So I'm moving units forward and arranging my lines. With the arrival of so mant units my forces are badly diluted.

Losses are now about 600 000 germans against almost 2 500 000 Soviets.

so i'll see what's in store for the last clear turn.....

[Klydon]

Nice job to hang onto Moscow at this point. That will certainly help you through the winter to a point, but do be careful of a snow offensive there.

You will still likely have to move stuff out over the winter and in fact should start moving the factories that have not started up yet out as rail cap allows. (Those are marked with ** I think). The rest you should consider moving at some point.

I would also look to set aside some reserves and get them up to strength and ready to go in your Shock armies that are coming. You will need to do some damage on the Germans during the winter and it will be tough.

Just out of curiosity, what is your manpower situation like? (The number should be in the production screen towards the bottom).

[Arstavidios]

Turn 17 and 18

The germanns have withrawn from in front of Moscow and are digging in all along the line.

western front is advancing in front of Moscow to liberate the evacuated ground.
reinforcements keep arriving.I ve been reorganising the armies and fronts that were largely mixed.

now some sort of organisation is emerging. Most front have 3 armies except for western front in front of Moscow which is massively overloaded.

Guards divisions keep poping.
i'm collecting them for the moment to build some strong reserve armies.
Same thing for the cavalry.

Tank and rifle brigades form a reserve position behind the front.They are slowly building up.

i'll collect the airborne and naval brigades together to make some specialised armies.

my numbers are growing regularly and many divisions are now ready.
Most units are still very much understrength but at least they can be used though they are fragile.
One assault is pretty much all they can sustain before switching to unready again.

The AI is stealing RR construction brigades from the armies to repair railroads. nothing against that except those construction brigades are the reaffected to the front while i want them to stay under army command.

This may prove a huge issue as it will make me waste a lot af precious APs on the long run.

also I've had a few routed divisions down in Crimea that do not seem to want to rally
Should I sent some NKVD security units to help remotivate them?

They've been on summer vacation in Crimea for other one month now.

[cpt flam]

you'd better look at your leader Moral value
i tend to prefer that in 41

[Arstavidios]

They were under Stavka command. moved them under some army command, but they're still routed. that's strange as those divisions are the only ones that don't rally and they've been there for quite some time.

Well i'll leave them in the beach resorts for a while.

[Tarhunnas]

Interesting, you seem to have made a good recovery. Plan ahead for the shock armies. You cannot have a winter offensive everywhere, you have to concentrate your best units in the shock armies and have them in the right places when blizzard starts. And december is the best month for you, so you want to be in the starting blocks.

A screenshot would be nice.

[Arstavidios]

turn 20

Mud again.
Reinforcements are coming to the front. Ny numbers are growing regularly. just rached 5 000 000 men.
I keep organising the front line armies. 15 guards divisions by now.
Don't know if it's good or bad.

I'm pulling guards divisions off replacing them by reinforcement divisions.

the front is held by regular rifle divisions. Other units are held in reserve behind.
Rear area is a messs for the moment. I've been recieving SHAD airbases for a few turns now.
I'm upgrading a few fighter bomber units every turn to modern aircraft. I have hundreds of planes piling in in the pools yet my frontline keep flying biplane junk.

Don't know how auto upgrade works if it works at all, so I'm spending APs on that.
reconnaissance is scarce. I checked a VVs base and most heavy bomber units were had only a few operational planes left and were flying day missions; thought i had set them to night missions

Oh well. I moved some of them back to the pool to help with maintenance. How many heavy bomber units can you safely park on an aifield? I like to fill airbases to the max. this seems to work fine with fighter. Results seem less good with bombers though.

I disbanded a lot of air HQs and airbases early on. This helped free some manpower for the front line units