A look at Barbarossa. (AAR)

[Orm]

I try to ground strike the German out of supply spearhead with some success. The tactical factors are halved because the winter weather.


Picture taken at Allied ground strike phase of impulse #4, Nov/Dec 1941 (Turn 4 of 5)

[Orm]

With the Blizzard grounding the German air force I decide it is time to remove the threat behind my lines so I make an automatic attack against the german paratroopers.


Picture taken at Allied land combat declaration step of impulse #4, Nov/Dec 1941 (Turn 4 of 5)

[Orm]

The central front. Not much movement except to attack the German unit behind my lines.


Picture taken at end of Allied impulse #4, Nov/Dec 1941 (Turn 4 of 5)

[Orm]

I put my out of supply units in supply and retreated 1 hex. Rebasing my heavy bombers with air transport capability to Rostov where I have my 4th Para Corps.




Picture taken at end of Allied impulse #4, Nov/Dec 1941 (Turn 4 of 5)

[composer99]

Now that Orm's impulse is over, may I say that I feel like there was an opportunity missed to cut off the spearhead winding along past Rostov by attacking the MOT in the woods. Particularly, if it had been disorganized it would have been an easy out-of-supply kill.

[Red Prince]

Before getting down to the nitty-gritty, I give you the now standard Weather Report:


Picture taken at start of Axis impulse #7, Nov/Dec 1941 (Turn 4 of 5)

[Red Prince]

I've decided to go ahead and use that Offensive Chit now, with Rundstendt again leading the way. Sure, I might have a chance at rain later, but I don't want to count on it, and I see something that has potential, maybe.


Picture taken at Choose Action, Select HQ, of Axis impulse #7, Nov/Dec 1941 (Turn 4 of 5)

[Red Prince]

Wisdom may not be one of my top traits. Two attempts to Ground Strike the enemy, in Rostov and the hex to the east of Rostov. In Rostov, the weather halves my Tactical factors, and the swamp-become-forest halves them again. That's a 1.5, rounded to 2. It worked for Orm, so why can't it work for me? It may seem a waste of fighter power, but I sent 2 very nice escorts along with that bomber, and got the result I wanted; the Soviets chose to go after my Ju 88A4 instead. Can you see where this is all going?


Picture taken at Ground Strike, Defensive Interception, of Axis impulse #7, Nov/Dec 1941 (Turn 4 of 5)

[Red Prince]

But it got through, anyway:


Picture taken at Ground Strike, Air-to-Air Combat Digression, of Axis impulse #7, Nov/Dec 1941 (Turn 4 of 5)

[Red Prince]

And very nearly flew a perfect run! But didn't, quite.


Picture taken at Ground Strike of Axis impulse #7, Nov/Dec 1941 (Turn 4 of 5)

[Red Prince]

Over Rostov, I rolled a pair of 6's before getting lucky with a hit on the Soviet paratrooper. That should take one monkey off my back.


Picture taken at Ground Strike of Axis impulse #7, Nov/Dec 1941 (Turn 4 of 5)

[Red Prince]

After railing 2 more Militia toward the southern front, I planned my attack. If you couldn't see this coming, I'd be surprised. Runstedt could only get 7 units doubled. Nobody else was in range. But it was enough to make this a 61:9 attack. I know that looks like an inordinate amount of bomber coverage over a forest (swamp) hex in snow, but my bombers brought this up to 7:1, reduced by the weather to 5:1, and Orm's bombers were already in the hex, so they'll end up disorganized one way or another (assuming I win -- good odds at 5:1 +1), so why not put what they have into the battle?


Picture taken at Defensive Ground Support of Axis impulse #7, Nov/Dec 1941 (Turn 4 of 5)

[Red Prince]

And I rolled a '10' !!! This is especially nice, since I get 3 Oil Points out of the victory, too. It's another reason I used more aircraft than I really should have; if Rundstedt remained organized, so would everyone else, and it would be a shame to waste his reorganization points on an O-Chit impulse.
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Edit: Sorry, but I have to pause for now. My niece just sent me a text message ordering me to turn on and watch Dr. Who. [:D] How can I disappoint her?

[Red Prince]

I rebased my ATR to Bryansk, used it to reorganize the L Mechanized Corps, and then used Rundstedts O-Chit reorganization to resupply 4 Corps and my long-range fighter.


Picture taken at HQ Reorganization of Axis impulse #7, Nov/Dec 1941 (Turn 4 of 5)

[Red Prince]

This may be in slightly bad taste, but this image shows what I like to call "breathing room".


Picture taken at end of Axis impulse #7, Nov/Dec 1941 (Turn 4 of 5)

[Red Prince]

I don't think I'm actually going to get Novgorod back again. How annoying! [:@]


Picture taken at end of Axis impulse #7, Nov/Dec 1941 (Turn 4 of 5)

[Red Prince]

There really wasn't any movement on the northern front or in the center. Most of my units there are still disorganized from the attack on Bryansk. This is what things look like in the south. I didn't actually break through the lines, though it was a temptation. It probably would have done me no good, anyway. I'm happier with what I got out of this impulse.


Picture taken at end of Axis impulse #7, Nov/Dec 1941 (Turn 4 of 5)

[Orm]

ORIGINAL: composer99

Now that Orm's impulse is over, may I say that I feel like there was an opportunity missed to cut off the spearhead winding along past Rostov by attacking the MOT in the woods. Particularly, if it had been disorganized it would have been an easy out-of-supply kill.

I was to cowardly to attack on the south front. Maybe it was my fear for the German offencive or just plain stupidity but for some reason I did not dare attempt any attacks here. [:)]

[Orm]

I launch a couple of desperate ground strikes. On the way towards Tula my bombers are intercepted by hordes of Bf-109s but they bravely fend them off and continue towards the target.

[Orm]

Unfortunately it seems that most of the bombers dropped their loads before reaching the target.

Edit: Remember that the winter weather affects the bombing mission halving their tactical factors.