1.04 The Wolf and the Bear (no Gids)

[76mm]

In 1942 for the Sovs there is only one rule: do everything possible to avoid large encirclements (or lots of small ones). I'm generally surprised how many Sov players try to hold exposed salients in 1942, and end up paying the price.

[Tarhunnas]

Turn 70. October 15 1942.

The joys and dangers of random weather! Snow over most of the front, with mud only in the south. I was expecting mud, so when I opened up the turn and saw all white, I thought I had opened up a file from my game with Q-Ball by mistake! [:D]

[Tarhunnas]

The reds seem to be intent on creating trouble in the Tambov area! I will refuse to be deflected from may aim. 2d army will have to handle that by themselves.

[Tarhunnas]

Not much happening due to the weather and poor supply situation. Both Stalingrad and Rostov hold out. The Voroshilovgrad pocket is slowly being reduced.

Map after Axis moves.

[Tarhunnas]

Destroyed units after turn 70.

[DTurtle]

Wow, thats a lot of Soviet units killed - the equivalent of close to 600 divisions.

Whats your plan after clearing out the pockets? Sit tight for the winter? Or are you going to try to exploit as far as possible towards Baku (or maybe try and cut off the Crimean Peninsula)?

[Tarhunnas]

ORIGINAL: DTurtle

Wow, thats a lot of Soviet units killed - the equivalent of close to 600 divisions.

Whats your plan after clearing out the pockets? Sit tight for the winter? Or are you going to try to exploit as far as possible towards Baku (or maybe try and cut off the Crimean Peninsula)?

I am happy to take Stalingrad and Rostov an then settle down for winter. Then I'll see how the force levels seem for 1943, if there appears to be any chance of a final offensive pushing the Soviets out of the war.

[Tarhunnas]

Turn 71. Mud over the whole front.

I have some supply problems at Stalingrad. Sheer distance to the railheads are causing my units to be isolated. I don't want to give up the siege of Stalingrad and pull back, so I stick it out. This is caused by the Soviet attacks on my northern flank, you can see the point where the Soviets are stopping rail traffic, just at the northern edge of the picture. Rail construction is progresssing north of Rostov however, and this temprary supply bottleneck should be just a bad memory in a turn or two. Map after Axis moves turn 71.

[Q-Ball]

414 Rifle Divisions? Not to mention 154 Artillery Regiments. That is staggering unit carnage, about 560 Divisions. And you haven't even cleaned-up the Voroshilovgrad pocket yet!


Well done, at a minimum he isn't getting to Berlin, but a 1943 offensive is realistic here, particularly once you liquidate the Voroshilovgrad pocket and move those units up.

He probably is running on EMPTY as far as APs; this is his biggest problem I bet. He might have plenty of men and Arm points in pool, but he can't use them without units.

If every unit you hit appears full-strength, I bet he is out of APs, and is simply topping-off every unit he has because he has no choice. That would also be why you have seen so few Corps, apparently.

If that is the case, then keep going on unit destruction, because you have destroyed so many counters, he could be screwed. It looks like you have destroyed about 210-230 divisions in 1942; it takes 2,100-2,300 APs or so to re-build that. He probably needs to spend APs on that, and NOT on Corps or Artillery Divisions or the other stuff that he needs to fight back.

[Tarhunnas]

Turn 72. October 29 1942. Mud.

Rostov falls to a concerted assault. Otherwise not much happening due to the mud. The supply situation is still precarious at Stalingrad.

[Tarhunnas]

Turn 73. Snow at Stalingrad. However, despite an energetic assault, the city is still holding out!

Map of northern flank from Stalingrad to Tula. The situation at Tambov is being contained, but it has absorbed some reinforcements.



Comment: The situation is remarkably like the real Stalingrad situation. Everything is going fine until Stalingrad, then stalemate and exposed flanks. It is my luck that the Soviets have no large reserves to attack my flanks (I think).

[jonreb31]

ORIGINAL: Tarhunnas
It is my luck that the Soviets have no large reserves to attack my flanks (I think).[/i]

Hitler thought the same thing!

But I think you might be right. The Red Army is a shell of it's historical equivalent with the beating you have given it.

[PeeDeeAitch]

You need more Romanians on your flanks.

[Klydon]

ORIGINAL: PeeDeeAitch

You need more Romanians on your flanks.

Don't forget the Italians!

[Q-Ball]

I think you have to finish-off Stalingrad; after that, what are your strategic plans?

That is a mighty-long front. I wonder if a strategic pullback to the Don/Donets/Kalitva river line might be a good idea come spring. It's pointless to do it now since they are frozen solid. Unless you are going for Auto-Victory. You must be close.

How close are you to Auto-Victory?

[Tarhunnas]

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

I think you have to finish-off Stalingrad; after that, what are your strategic plans?

That is a mighty-long front. I wonder if a strategic pullback to the Don/Donets/Kalitva river line might be a good idea come spring. It's pointless to do it now since they are frozen solid. Unless you are going for Auto-Victory. You must be close.

How close are you to Auto-Victory?

I need another 35 VPs for auto victory, so it will not be coming easy.

I might fall back, my front is longer than I can really defend with adequate reserves.

[Tarhunnas]

Turn 74. November 12 1942. Snow.

The pesky Soviets have dug up some tank corps somewhere and launched an offensive to relieve Stalingrad! And they have succeeded to push a corridor to the city! [:@]

Map before Axis moves.

[Tarhunnas]

The south after Axis moves. Encirclement of Stalingrad is reestablished, but it is still vulnerable to counterattacks. The Vorozhilovgrad pocket is finally mopped up, which will release troops for shoring up the northern flank and reinforce the siege of Stalingrad.

[Flaviusx]

Forget the autowin. Fall back, fight a mobile battle, chew up the Red Army some more.

Maybe go for the autowin in summer of 43. But it's really not necessary here, you can win the game on points and run out the clock.

[Tarhunnas]

I think you are right. It is very apparent that as soon as the Germans run out of steam and get too stretched, the amount of "negative front" becomes a problem. And I don't think I will be achieving much more at Stalingrad.

If the Soviets had had adequate forces for a counterattack I would be at severe risk.