CG41 Jzardos (Sov) vs Sveint (Axis)

[jzardos]

I'm starting this AAR a bit late because I didn't have the time initially. First time playing the Soviets vs a human player. We're currently at T38, so it might take a week or two to catch up the AAR. I have to give a lot of credit to Comrade P and a few others for constant advice how to play the Soviets.

We had NO house rules.

My plan was simple, well in theory maybe, to save as much of the Soviet army and key industry and hit back hard when the opportunity existed. Nothing to radical there, however, I did focus on making sure when I counter-attacked I spent the AP, if needed, to make sure it was of homogeneous command and with a decent general. This very much helped me to maximize my attacking ability. Although this cost me a decent amount of AP each turn, I think they were best spend.

From the advice of others, I will be disbanding motorcycle, Fortified Zones, AA, and AT units or su. Also, I took the overwhelming advice from players to build lots and lots of RR Constructing su. To the extent that by fall each Army had about 2-4 of them to help dig in.

Turn #1 started out, I believe, as a typical Axis T1 turn. In the north the axis took Riga and transported units in. In the center he trapped a nice pocket of Sov units to the west of Minsk. The south he made a decent sized pocket and activated the Romanians. I was 1 mp short with a Mech Div to breaking the pocket [:(]

End of T1, I just moved what I could back to protect Pskov.

[jzardos]

In the center the the poor 10th Army and part of the 11th have no hope. Going to try and use all rivers as lines as they are my friends

[jzardos]

Unable to break through to bring in supplies to relieve the southern pocket. As stated before, I was 1 MP short to a successful relief effort by a Mech Div.

[jzardos]

This is before starting my turn #1 in the south. I think this was key having all these strong mobile divs later to blunt some axis drives and to counter attack with them too. Although I would lose many tanks putting my Tank and Mech units into combat, it was worth it to get a Panzer/Mot Div to retreat or even route when I could get surrounded. That is later...

[jzardos]

T1: loses

[jzardos]

Here's the start of T2. Axis war machine continues to roll and chew up anything in it's path.

[jzardos]

And the southern zone with the newly activated Romanians slowly on the move. My plan was just to stay away from the Romanians as they move through enemy territory very slow since their morale is low. Appears only one Pz Grp is being sent south, I think I should be happy about this as that's where the best tank county is located. We'll see if this changes.

[jzardos]

End of T2 northern zone. Pulling back to try and form lines at rivers if possible. No opportunities for counter attacks yet, best to wait for lone mobile units later as their fatigue rises and supply lines grow. Although, I was able to cut off, only momentarily, 2 Mot and 1 Pz Div. That will slow the advance a bit next turn in the north. Not much air supply from what I can see to the Pz Grps. Evacuated the 3 Arm and 3 Hvy fac from Mogilev.

[jzardos]

The south end T2, was just moving back with a large amount of strength. With only one Pz Grp in this area, I feel more confident to avoid encirclement and plan to stay away from the bulk of the 6th and 17th Army.

[jzardos]

T2 loses
I've also been disbanding corps HQ units to get the manpower cycled back into the lines faster.

[kirkgregerson]

Are you going to still back fill this AAR and bring it current? Curious to see more on how you were able to deflect and prevent the axis from gaining any good ground in 41.

Thanks