Kremlin Capers (no Bobo821)
Moderators: Joel Billings, Sabre21
RE: Kremlin Capers (no Bobo821)
Mid January 42 Sitrep.
Things really picking up pace between Kalinin and Rostov. Nothing happening north of Kalinin. The German Army between Tula and Kharkov is collapsing.
Blizzard losses so far 540K ( including 77K POW's) Axis.
Total German losses 1.34 mill inc 420 k permanent. Soviet 3.94 mill
8 German Divisions surrendered so far with another 5 Doomed. Plus 3 more in serious trouble.
It seems my opponent has a self imposed stand fast order. As he is very stubborn and mostly utterly refuses to give ground except when faced with immediate encirclement and then not if he has good defensive ground (woods or city with forts) to counter thrust from. He seems inclined to hold ground rather than give it up and is prepared to accept losses in the process. An unusual and most honourable strategy, and very agreeable as far comrade Stalin is concerned
During January I have made some good progress just to the north of Moscow and to the north and south of Tula. Tula will surely fall or be abandoned I would think. Moscow may yet be liberated. I intend to keep attacking right through February if opportunities are apparent. If I smash up his units there should be little to fear from 'March Madness' as long as I am wary.
I have been merging a lot of units (20 divisions and 25 brigades so far) in order to keep the spearheads going. I realize there is a sensible limit here, which may be just about reached. I won't go under 350 Divisions. OOB is 356 INF Div's. Sadly no Guards yet but I have been solely pre-occupied with dealing out as much destruction as possible and not sowing Guards seeds. But I would have thought at least one by now….perhaps just bad luck.
Last turn a dinosaur division (a 41 Tank Division) with 38MP exploited a gap and trashed 71 transports, oh the joy of it all)
Things really picking up pace between Kalinin and Rostov. Nothing happening north of Kalinin. The German Army between Tula and Kharkov is collapsing.
Blizzard losses so far 540K ( including 77K POW's) Axis.
Total German losses 1.34 mill inc 420 k permanent. Soviet 3.94 mill
8 German Divisions surrendered so far with another 5 Doomed. Plus 3 more in serious trouble.
It seems my opponent has a self imposed stand fast order. As he is very stubborn and mostly utterly refuses to give ground except when faced with immediate encirclement and then not if he has good defensive ground (woods or city with forts) to counter thrust from. He seems inclined to hold ground rather than give it up and is prepared to accept losses in the process. An unusual and most honourable strategy, and very agreeable as far comrade Stalin is concerned
During January I have made some good progress just to the north of Moscow and to the north and south of Tula. Tula will surely fall or be abandoned I would think. Moscow may yet be liberated. I intend to keep attacking right through February if opportunities are apparent. If I smash up his units there should be little to fear from 'March Madness' as long as I am wary.
I have been merging a lot of units (20 divisions and 25 brigades so far) in order to keep the spearheads going. I realize there is a sensible limit here, which may be just about reached. I won't go under 350 Divisions. OOB is 356 INF Div's. Sadly no Guards yet but I have been solely pre-occupied with dealing out as much destruction as possible and not sowing Guards seeds. But I would have thought at least one by now….perhaps just bad luck.
Last turn a dinosaur division (a 41 Tank Division) with 38MP exploited a gap and trashed 71 transports, oh the joy of it all
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RE: Kremlin Capers (no Bobo821)
Nice crushing, all of those pocekted germans will be useless from now on. They will never recover from the morale hit in time to be usefull 8)
"We are going to attack all night, and attack tomorrow morning..... If we are not victorious, let no one come back alive!" -- Patton
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The Logistics Phase is like Black Magic and Voodoo all rolled into one.
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WITW-Alpha
The Logistics Phase is like Black Magic and Voodoo all rolled into one.
RE: Kremlin Capers (no Bobo821)
My honorable opponent has resigned. This has been on the cards for the past few turns. The Soviets have just encircled Rostov and around 10 Axis Divisions. In all there are probably about 25 Axis divisions doomed or in serious trouble. This on top of 11 already surrendered and still only late in January.
It was a fun game and the summer was a real challenge. I learnt a lot about the Soviet capabilities and limitations in the Blizzard. But time for me to don my Axis cap again.
RE: Kremlin Capers (no Bobo821)
You were crushed pretty solidly in summer, and now a surrender. Nice job on your part, but it's almost like your opponent chucked the game.
As the Germans, you need to get digging on T-16, or withdraw, or really both at once. You need to fall-back gradually to prepared defense lines, or just flat-out run if you haven't dug
As the Germans, you need to get digging on T-16, or withdraw, or really both at once. You need to fall-back gradually to prepared defense lines, or just flat-out run if you haven't dug
RE: Kremlin Capers (no Bobo821)
He just refused to retreat. This hurt him a lot in the end.
RE: Kremlin Capers (no Bobo821)
Your opponent was too honorable for his own good.
Honor is overrated.
Honor is overrated.
WitE Alpha Tester
RE: Kremlin Capers (no Bobo821)
ORIGINAL: Q-Ball
You were crushed pretty solidly in summer, and now a surrender. Nice job on your part, but it's almost like your opponent chucked the game.
Not "like." He did throw away the game. Kind of a shame, really.
WitE Alpha Tester
RE: Kremlin Capers (no Bobo821)
I doubt he will use a standfast strategy again. He did admit he underestimated the Blizzard. I think it was his first blizzard as German. All his previous Soviet opponents did not survive his summer campaign.
RE: Kremlin Capers (no Bobo821)
Well, if he can get his blizzard game down, he'll be dangerous, because he fought very well during the summer.
WitE Alpha Tester
RE: Kremlin Capers (no Bobo821)
ORIGINAL: Flaviusx
Your opponent was too honorable for his own good.
Honor is overrated.
a wise man's word worth to repeat
RE: Kremlin Capers (no Bobo821)
I have been thinking about some of the comments made and can't agree with some.
First, Robert continued to attack me right up to the begining of the blizzard. So he did not stop and dig in early. It was during these last 6 turns or so (the last few clear turns and the snow turns) of attack he took 2 hexes of Moscow, Tula, Rostov and forced my evacuation of Kharkov and inflicted over 500K of losses. A lot of damage was done. So to say well done great summer campaign and then advocate a pullback and dig in around turn 15/16 makes no sense. You can't have it both ways. If he stops on turn 15 say and digs in his summer campaign looks pretty lame. But he kept going (and good on him, I applaud that attitude) and smashed me up.
Second his Blizzard hold fast strategy was working in many areas and it was only opened up badly in January. Personally I think it may have worked given some adjustment, perhaps a retreat in some area's and a few more Mech reserves used rather than sitting in cities in the rear. So he did not throw the game away. He was trying a valid strategy. Unfortunately this time it failed. But with some tweaks it may well work ok. I personally think it is the right thing to do. Attack right up to the blizzard and then adopt a hold/run flexible defense. Robert just hasn't got the finer points mastered yet.
First, Robert continued to attack me right up to the begining of the blizzard. So he did not stop and dig in early. It was during these last 6 turns or so (the last few clear turns and the snow turns) of attack he took 2 hexes of Moscow, Tula, Rostov and forced my evacuation of Kharkov and inflicted over 500K of losses. A lot of damage was done. So to say well done great summer campaign and then advocate a pullback and dig in around turn 15/16 makes no sense. You can't have it both ways. If he stops on turn 15 say and digs in his summer campaign looks pretty lame. But he kept going (and good on him, I applaud that attitude) and smashed me up.
Second his Blizzard hold fast strategy was working in many areas and it was only opened up badly in January. Personally I think it may have worked given some adjustment, perhaps a retreat in some area's and a few more Mech reserves used rather than sitting in cities in the rear. So he did not throw the game away. He was trying a valid strategy. Unfortunately this time it failed. But with some tweaks it may well work ok. I personally think it is the right thing to do. Attack right up to the blizzard and then adopt a hold/run flexible defense. Robert just hasn't got the finer points mastered yet.
RE: Kremlin Capers (no Bobo821)
Hi Michael,
as viewer we could only built our picture by the material you presented us. While it would be wrong to blame the wheather exclusivily for the German defeat , the fighting in blizzard conditiones certainly did not help the cause. Until now most evidence led to the careful conclusion, that holding-the-line and a forward defense might not the best idea for the Axis, but of course more input would be interesting.
I think most players would agree that a complete pullback by turn 15/16 is much to early, but there is a fine line there, a tipping point: "Attack right up to the blizzard and then adopt a hold/run flexible defense" in your own words would be the best. So, I don't see a general disagreement here, but more a question of finetunig.
A resonable retreat by the Germans during the blizzard allows to pull out much more valuable units btw, if you try to hold a line you need nearly all your Divisions. OTOH, IRL this retreat should have cause horrible losses (imagine horsedrawn arty in snow, storm and ice).
as viewer we could only built our picture by the material you presented us. While it would be wrong to blame the wheather exclusivily for the German defeat
, the fighting in blizzard conditiones certainly did not help the cause. Until now most evidence led to the careful conclusion, that holding-the-line and a forward defense might not the best idea for the Axis, but of course more input would be interesting. I think most players would agree that a complete pullback by turn 15/16 is much to early, but there is a fine line there, a tipping point: "Attack right up to the blizzard and then adopt a hold/run flexible defense" in your own words would be the best. So, I don't see a general disagreement here, but more a question of finetunig.
A resonable retreat by the Germans during the blizzard allows to pull out much more valuable units btw, if you try to hold a line you need nearly all your Divisions. OTOH, IRL this retreat should have cause horrible losses (imagine horsedrawn arty in snow, storm and ice).