41-45GC Smokindave (Sov) vs. Zonso (Axis)

[smokindave34]

Turn 5 STAVKA report:

I finished stripping out all my support units from corps/front HQ's and sending them to STAVKA. I transferred the support units already assigned to STAVKA to my newly formed armies (most went to the Reserve front armies).

Now that this is done next turn I will start to change out the leaders in my army/front HQ's. I'm reluctant to change out leaders in the first few turns as there is little chance to stem the axis advance but from now on I think good leaders can make a difference - I'll start with SW front armies to try and hold off the lower Dnepr crossing.

I finished railing out all industry from Leningrad and next turn will get the T-34 factories out of Kharkov.


Northern Front:

The 3rd tank and 177 infantry division cut off leading elements of LVI corps. I'm still not sure how Zonso will attack Leningrad but any right hook attempt will be seriously delayed by LVI corps getting cut off. This bought the 27 army another turn to dig in......

[smokindave34]

Western Front:

This is where it gets ugly for the Soviets. I don't have any prepared defenses to fall back to and Zonso's rail head is catching up to the panzers. I don't detect any HQ buildups but its coming soon......

Zonso succeeded on 2 of 3 river crossing and 3rd panzer is pushing through the land bridge. I've tried to fall back leaving behind troops in forts to screen my withdrawal. My goal here is to prevent any major encirclements while the reserve front digs in my next defensive line.

[smokindave34]

I continue to suspect that Zonso is going to send 2nd panzer group south to try and pull off a Kiev encirclement. Both of his Dnepr crossings were by Guderian's 2nd panzer group and I suspect next turn he will widen the bridgehead and on turn 7 rush the panzers through. I moved up SW front's 32 army to start protecting the SW fronts right flank against this.

[smokindave34]

SW front continues to dig in and I have mostly level 2 forts behind the river. Most defensive CV's are 10+ so Zonso is going to need the infantry to dig me out. One area of concern I have is that I couldn't find XXXXVI corps - I see a panzer unit further west and suspect thats XXXXVI corps is building up. He may be able to cross the Dnepr west of Chernigov so I push some units further north to guard agains it. I'm afraid I'll open up the next turn and see armor across the river - I spent a lot of time digging in down here and would hate to see that time waisted....


The newly formed 16th army starts digging in behind the Psel. All indications are that Zonso is going to cross the Dnepr near Kiev and I want to be ready for his next move.

[smokindave34]

Southern Front continues to be quiet. I leave a BIG open space down here to try and bait Zonso into diverting 1st panzer south. It looks for sure like he is going to cross near Kiev when the 6th army catches up.

[smokindave34]

Turn 6 STAVKA report:

Northern and NW fronts - Recon indicates that XXXXI corps is gassed up and ready to assault the Luga line next turn. I've been able to dig in here for a few turns however I don't have much "defense in depth" and Zonso has the potential to blow a big hole in my lines here. I know I probably won't hold Leningrad so my goal is to tie down 4th Panzer group for as long as possible. If needed I'll fall back to the forts right outside Leningrad. I did build one fortification unit just east of Pavlovo to keep the port (and supplies!) open to Leningrad.

One advantage I have is that Zonso has LVI corps south of the lake so I'm not going to get pounded by the full weight of his panzers. Unfortunately next turn I'm going to have to start sending some brigades and security divisions to hold up the Finns east of Lake Ilmen. I typically don't build fortifications for this because I would rather spend the admin points on organizing the Red army.

[smokindave34]

Western Front

Trying to use the Western front armies as a shield while my Reserve front digs in the Soviet second defensive line. I should get at least one more turn for the Reserve front to dig in and hopefully I'll have level 1 or 2 forts by then.

[smokindave34]

More of the Western front. I feel pretty good in the fact that I haven't allowed Zonso to pull off any large encirclements yet - although I'm sure his rail lines are now catching up......

[smokindave34]

SW front:

I spent most of my admin points here this turn. I changed out leaders for the 21st, 5th, and 19th armies as they will face the facist forces attempting to cross the Dnepr. The following get new assignments and orders from Comrade Stalin to hold the line:

21st Army - Rokossovsky
5th Army - Tolbukhin
19th Army - Malinovsky

Any time I save here is important as once Zonso is over the river he will probably chase me east until the mud hits.

Also - all the T-34 factories have been evacuated from Kharkov - I can't take any chances with those!

One thing that concerns me here is that recon can't find the XXXXVI panzer corps???? I hope I don't get surprised by them next turn.

[smokindave34]

Southern Front:

I'm not sure these guys believe a war is actually going on. They spend their time digging foxholes, reading Vasilly Grossman's reports from Smolensk and wondering when their chance will come to crush the facist invader.

Not shown but Odessa if finally under siege. 2 German division have been dispatched from 11th army to take this fortress.

[smokindave34]

Losses data....

[smokindave34]

Turn 7 STAVKA report:

Northern and NW fronts: Leningrad is in trouble. In hindsight I was much too complacent up there and I don't have enough troops to hold Zonso off much longer. It appears Zonso has the 16th army and LVI corps ready south of Lake Ilmen to launch an assualt and try and cut me off. I've moved all the reinforcements I had to this area and assigned them to the 11th army to cover the Msta river. I can lose Leningrad, however I can't allow the 4 armies I have up there to get cut off.

My plan going forward here is to have the 33rd Army fall back to the heavy forts around Leningrad and pull the rest of my troops east behind the Volkhov river to prevent them from getting cut off and slow down his right hook.

If he had made a determined assault last turn with all of 4th panzer and 16/18 armies I may have lost Leningrad last turn.....fortunately for me he didn't and my appointment for an NKVD interview has been postponed for another turn.

[smokindave34]

Western Front:

Fairly quiet here. Western front was aided by Zonso transferring the 14th Motorized division to LVI corps (he really wants the right hook around Lake Ilmen!). My troops in the semi pocket south of Smolensk will be encircled next turn but will hopefully continue to slow 3rd panzers progress. Reserve front continues to dig and we now have a large number of level 2 forts.

[smokindave34]

More Western Front:

10th, 4th, and 3rd armies hold the line for one more turn. The axis 4th army has caught up and next turn it will get ugly in this area. Bryansk front will arrive next turn and take some of the load off of Western and SW fronts. I always struggle in this area as there are very few defensive features to build upon.

I could end up here with a large portion of 10th army being surrounded. It looks as though that is the intent of 2nd panzer army. I thought about falling back but hate to give up the forts I've built here without a fight.

[smokindave34]

SW front:

Next turn I'll see a determined assault to cross the Dnepr. I'm really strong here (in relation to the rest of the army..) and hope to hold off one more turn. To help I've sent some of my best troops from 30th army (Southern front) to support the SW front's 19th army. If he crosses the river he shouldn't be able to exploit there for a few turns.

Starting moving out the Kharkov AP's by rail.

[smokindave34]

Southern Front:

I think I've fallen into a trap of "whoever defends everything defends nothing". I have the whole river covered but could have used those troops in the defense of Leningrad. I sent 4 division from down here up north and all future reinforcements will head north also.

The battle for Odessa continues altough I expect I'll lose it this turn.

[smokindave34]

Turn 8 STAVKA report:

Northern Front: Leningrad is destined to fall....elements of the axis 18th army continue to push headlong to Leningrad. Recon indicates that the LVI panzer corps is fueled up and ready to storm northward around Lake Ilmen. I've placed the 48th and 11th armies of the NW front to block this advance hoping that they can slow von Manstein up enough to allow me to perform a controlled withdrawal from Leningrad. If he cuts off my rail line here I'm in big trouble.......

The goal up here is not to save Leningrad but to prevent any major encirclements and tie up 4th panzer for as long as possible.

One bright spot is that recon showed Zonso is already fighting partisans behind his lines - hopefully I'll get lucky and cut his main rail lines. Hurray for the VVS!

[smokindave34]

Western Front:

Fairly quiet turn on the approaches to Moscow. The SW front's 24th army falls back and screens Rhzev. I suspect Zonso will be heading in that direction with 3rd Panzers XXXIX corps. Reserve front gets four airbases assigned to it and continues to dig in as it now has the responsibility to defend Moscow.

Recon shows that LVII corps is gassed up and ready to strike next turn. I'm hoping that one Pz corps alone won't be able to do too much damage but he will certainly puncture the Reserve fronts defenses.

[smokindave34]

Western Front continued:

Elements of 4th army are encircled by the facists 2nd panzer group. A heroic break out by our cavalry forces has re-supplied this are for one more turn. I'll lose the units pocketed but tie up elements of 2nd panzer and 4th army for another turn.

The Bryansk front arrives to a chaotic situation and immediately takes command of 10th and 32 armies. I've fallen back to some prepared defense to protect the right flank of SW front. I'm going to be on the run in this area now until the mud comes......

[smokindave34]

SW front:

The Dnepr has been crossed at two locations. The XXXXVI corps has crossed at Kiev and 2 corps (XIV and XXXXVIII) of 1st panzer group at Cherkassy. I haven't fallen back here yet as I'm hoping that the panzers are low on fuel and can't exploit the crossing for another turn. Also - he has no infantry across to expand the bridgehead yet (and I hate giving up those level 2 forts without a fight!).

The 30th army continues to dig our next defense line along the Psel river. All Kharkov factories are gone now as I expect that is where most of 1st panzer group is headed next.