War Reports from the East Front II: Carnage vs. Redmarkus

[CarnageINC]

ORIGINAL: Ketza

Are you planning on rebuilding those divisions? If I were the Soviet player I would hammer those regiments for all the easy wins to create as many guards units as possible.

Yes I am sir! I'm just trying to dig in some fortifications before his offensive attacks. I've never tried the tactic before so I'm just curious to try it on a limited basis.

[CarnageINC]

ORIGINAL: Klydon

Looks like the Valdi Hills area is going to be tough to get into good supply anytime soon, even if you moved repair units in that direction now. The other issue is there isn't much done in the way of north/south lines making it harder to move reserves up and down the line.

Overall, it looks like the line is fairly straight, although you will likely have to pull back a bit more in the south or risk him trying an encirclement trying to trap your units there.

I don't know if anything has changed with the 'independent' construction units since the last time I played but it seems that they are not as numerous and active as before. My rail lines are certainly not in a position I thought they should be. Maybe I should of held more construction units at a higher level?

I've never has a unit encircled and destroyed so I'm hoping that I can continue this streak [;)]

[CarnageINC]

Newspaper 30 October 1941

I thought I wouldn't bore you with a map that hasn't changed at all so I'll drop a newspaper on you for a date marker. [:)]

[CarnageINC]

AGN SITREP 6 Nov. 1941

Red did some curious stuff in AGN this turn. He built up his forces along the front lines in the Leningrad sector. Then he did some probing attacks....still in the mud season...hmmmm. I think this area will be his secondary priority still so I'm wondering if he's just testing the waters because my divisions being broken down into regiments. I plan on rebuilding the units back into divisions next turn.

[Flaviusx]

Bear in mind that fort decay means that unoccupied hexes quickly degrade. You can count on the fort level dropping one each turn if not occupied now. The lack of persistent forts is a subtle, but important change in 1.05.

[CarnageINC]

ORIGINAL: Flaviusx

Bear in mind that fort decay means that unoccupied hexes quickly degrade. You can count on the fort level dropping one each turn if not occupied now. The lack of persistent forts is a subtle, but important change in 1.05.

[X(] AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [:o]

My forts will decay that fast! NOOOOOO!!!

What a wasted effort that was I guess [8|]

[CarnageINC]

Order of Battle, 27 November 1941

I know the numbers don't jive with a successful German war effort but I'm hoping that come the mid 40's that Red is really pushing me hard for his offensives. [;)]

[CarnageINC]

Casualties from start of war till 27 November 1941

[CarnageINC]

Frontline Trace

[CarnageINC]

SITREP

Tonight I'm going to ask high command (my wife [:D]) what she wants to do with the Soviet winter offensive. The options I think I'll give her are:
1. Stand fast, give no ground if possible. Use Panzer's to act as fire brigades. Limited summer offensive if this option is used
2. Give limited ground for time, minimize casualties in infantry divisions. Good for future offensives
3. Run from massive Soviet offensive areas. Bad for future offensives, having to retake ground lost.

Any options I'm forgetting? [:'(]

I'm going to strongly suggest option 2, but sometimes she can totally not understand somethings and go off color patterns or how uniforms look....who knows [8|]

[Q-Ball]

RE: Fort Decay, keep in mind ANY unit in that hex will stop the fort from decaying.

ANY unit can mean an HQ, A Fort Zone, a Slovakian Airbase, whatever.

I built alot of forts against B-G, but I also created almost 100 Fort Zones; not to dig, though they do help, but mostly to keep forts from degrading

But spreading out Airbases, HQs, etc, also helps. It's just more expensive in attrition, because those units are larger.

If you don't have a plan to prevent Fort Decay, you will have problems

BTW, if you ever wondered what good the Slovakian Airbases were once the Slovak Air Units are all withdrawn in early '42....now you know. They are FORT MAINTENENCE personnell.

[CarnageINC]

Thanks Q-ball that's good info. I never thought the speed for fort decay was on, but that's neither here nor there. Using fortified zones is a good idea, and one I will use in the north with the Fins to create a deep defensive barrier.

I asked the 'Fuhrer' what options sounded good and after a eye roll and a sigh she went with the most historical. I might have to find a new Fuhrer because she finds my games to weird I think [:D]

[CarnageINC]

AGN SITREP 12-18-41

Red and I have agreed to a house rule that makes the Soviet player use only 3 Fronts to use deliberate attacks while the rest can only use hasty attacks. So far I think it makes a good and more historical flavor to the game. Even though the Soviets can still advance with hasty attacks they will not be able to do this for long with the penalty of higher casualties.

I noticed that I forgot to add any commentary to the map so its a bit dry. As predicted, the north is a secondary theater for Red, he has only committed a few hasty attacks in the region. I'm using Q-ball's idea of using fortified zones to make a deeper defensive belt in the far north.

[CarnageINC]

AGC SITREP

Red has started and aggressive push in this AoO, he's using one front in the northern sector to use deliberate attacks only, while it appears hes using only 1 Front to use deliberate assaults in the southern sectors. I've had a few close calls with encirclement in this zone but managed to extract those divisions successfully. I plan on holding fast in this area but I'm afraid of the cost it will accumulate in casualties.

[CarnageINC]

AGS SITREP

This is the area I most expect Red to make a hard push and it stands true. Hes using 2 Fronts to push hard at the salient. I may have to use a more mobile defense at the cost of the Fuhrer wraith. Removing the units from the salient is a major concern but things are not critical at this time. I have committed my mountain division reserves to see if they can slow the main thrust of the advance. This was probably a mistake but one I have to live with for now.

[CarnageINC]

Frontline Trace 12-25-41

Not looking to bad for the first few turns of the Soviet offensive.

I forgot to name the blue line '12-25-41'

[CarnageINC]

AGN SITREP

Red has picked up his hasty attack tempo in this region. His losses are not as high as expected and hes starting to push my units out of their fortified positions in the northern sector.

[CarnageINC]

AGC SITREP 12-25-41

In the northern sector of AGC Red has a full blown hasty offensive going. His main effort seems to be a broad push to reach Orel and then Bryansk. He has some more concentrated deliberate offensive moves in the southern sector that again seem directed at a general push for Kursk.

[CarnageINC]

AGS SITREP 12-25-41

Here, like the situation in the center, Red is making a broad general push toward Kharkov. Only in the south, were I thought he would have a deliberate attack to pinch off the salient, is he conducting a hasty attack campaign.

[CarnageINC]

Crimean SITREP 12-25-41