Gnikam eht ni retsasid - Oloren USSR, Terje Axis. Oloren now permitted.

[terje439]

Turn 46

Overall
Mud is still here, so we are only able to make 3 attacks, scoring 3 retreats. Apart from that there is nothing worth noting, apart from the fact that I must have missed some patch notes. Seems fortified zones no longer keeps the fort level in a hex from decaying. Which again means that all my nice level 2 fort hexes are now down to level 1.
Also worth taking a look at is the OOB. Yikes that is a lot of communists!!!

Losses
USSR : 36.000 troops, 287 guns, 5 AFVs, 64 AC.
Axis : 24.000 troops, 136 guns, 22 AFVs, 4 AC.

Pools
Manpower : 120.686
Vehicle : 158.401
Armaments : 213.498
Hiwi : 5

Pest control
We hunt down 4 of those annoying partisans and force them to retreat.

[Tophat1815]

Well you are correct,that is one heck of a horde of Bolsheviks you have cornered there T! Too bad you don't have Guderian driving one of your panzer armies,having him at AG level might not be the best use for him.

[terje439]

ORIGINAL: Tophat1812


Well you are correct,that is one heck of a horde of Bolsheviks you have cornered there T! Too bad you don't have Guderian driving one of your panzer armies,having him at AG level might not be the best use for him.

Hmm might be that Guderian is better used in an army and not an AG, not sure what the concensus is on that.
Hmmm cornered? If only [:D]


Terje

[terje439]

Turn 47

Overall
The ground is finally solid, and we launch as many attacks as possible, ending at a total of 33, which scores 4 helds, 26 retreats and 3 routs. As expected, the USSR defences are deep and rather well dug in. Combine that with the fact that most USSR units now retreat instead of routing, we get into a position where we face harder resistance the deeper we get. I fear this offensive is going to be a grinder.

Losses
USSR : 79.000 troops, 1.325 guns, 112 AFVs, 293 AC.
Axis : 32.000 troops, 431 guns, 83 AFVs, 16 AC.

Units destroyed
Not much, but we do shatter a guards howitzer regiment. Better than nothing in the opening phase of the -42 offensive.

Pools
Manpower : 126.122
Vehicle : 164.032
Armaments : 228.640
Hiwi : 7

Pest control
6 partisans are chased down.

[randallw]

You are not necessarily doomed to lose by mid 1943. Even though you face a large enemy it still isn't high quality and there will be quite a bit of time before you face an avalanche of attacks where your lines fall in.

[terje439]

ORIGINAL: randallw

You are not necessarily doomed to lose by mid 1943. Even though you face a large enemy it still isn't high quality and there will be quite a bit of time before you face an avalanche of attacks where your lines fall in.

Nah I still claim mid -43, that way anything past that is an achivement [;)]

Terje

[terje439]

Turn 48

Overall
Mud again, and since the lowest CV we face is 6, there is no way we can make any attack that will have any decent chance of success. In the south, the USSR pulls back, and our wary troops, slowly try to mount a persuit, they do not do too well...

Losses
USSR : 35.000 troops, 292 guns, 2 AFVs, 140 AC.
Axis : 23.000 troops, 62 guns, 32 AFVs, 32 AC.

Pools
Manpower : 132.484
Vehicles : 166.794
Armaments : 242.521
Hiwi : 6

Pest control
5 annoying units are forced to retreat.

[terje439]

Turn 49

Overall
The main problem right now is the low CV of most of our infantry. This prevents us from making more attacks than we currently do. The good news is that an average of 3 divisions are back to full strength each turn, allowing us to slowly grow in CV along the front. We manage to trap a few units this turn, nothing major, but a few stacks here and there. All in all we manage 25 attacks, scoring 5 held, 18 retreats and 2 routs.

Losses
USSR : 68.000 troops, 1.120 guns, 20 AFVs, 286 AC.
Axis : 32.000 troops, 408 guns, 130 AFVs, 7 AC.

Pools
Manpower : 140.641
Vehicle : 172.108
Armaments : 257.043
Hiwi : 2

Pest Control
6 new partisans show up and are promptly adressed.

[Tophat1815]

Did you adjust your % of replacements to various divisions as was suggested?

Picture kinda zoomed-out and can't get a good handle on those drives you are mounting. Are you planning to pinch in and make it look like you are trying for envelopment's?

Are you still planning the major push for 42' in the south?

[terje439]

ORIGINAL: Tophat1812


1. Did you adjust your % of replacements to various divisions as was suggested?

2. Picture kinda zoomed-out and can't get a good handle on those drives you are mounting. Are you planning to pinch in and make it look like you are trying for envelopment's?

3. Are you still planning the major push for 42' in the south?

1. Yes, the divisions with the lowest morale has had their TOE reduced, will try to get as many as possible back to strength, but will focus on my best units as suggested.

2. Big scale encirclements failed in -41, no way I can make them happen in -42, so the plan is to push where I can so that the USSR cannot focus their troops in one specific location, but instead have to spread out. I then hope to form more "mini pockets" to reduce the ammount of USSR troops.

3. I think that is the only viable option, the big plan is to try to seize the Donets, and put pressure on Leningrad as well, should both flanks succeed I will have to re-evaluate, but I doubt Leningrad will fall...


Terje

[terje439]

Turn 50

Overall
Mud again, and we are only able to make two attacks against two isolated stacks, causing two surrenders. The USSR armor has vanished from the scene again, I have to take a look at when the USSR can start to create armored corps, I do not want to be caught by them with my pants down.

Losses
USSR : 64.000 troops, 640 guns, 4 AFVs, 100 AC.
Axis : 25.000 troops, 151 guns, 45 AFVs, 63 AC.
Somewhat worrying here is the number of lost AC.

Units destroyed
2 Rifle Divisions and 1 Guards Rifle Division surrender to our forces this turn.
Not sure if I would have kept all my guards on the front, I am usually strong enough to trap some units whenever the weather permits. Every two guards divisions captured is one less guard rifle corps to worry about later.

Pools
Manpower : 146.256
Vehicle : 177.151
Armaments : 262.474
Hiwi : 5
Good things : our AFV pools are slowly filling up. We do not have alot of spares, but for the first time in a long while, we again have spares.

Pest control
Due to the mud only one of four partisan units are eliminated this turn.

[Q-Ball]

You can encircle units vs. carpets in 1942, but it's tougher.

First, you have to concentrate nearly all your Panzers in one spot. I noticed on that one shot, it looked like just a Panzer Army. You need 2 or all of them in one sector, to give you all the attacks you need in order to make pockets.

Second, you may need to make pockets in stages; pin a bunch of Russian units one turn, surround them the next. Looks like you are attempting that, though a little risky in spring when the weather can turn to mud.

Finally, you probably won't romp in the Soviet rear and surround 20 divisions at once, like 1941. Won't happen. If you can gobble up a half dozen or so divisions a turn, you are still making progress.

The German objectives in 1942 are primarily to rebuild your own morale (through atttacking), and find better defense positions for later. You also want to kill Soviets 3-1 which you can do, and capturing Reds has the side benefit of giving you Hiwis.

[terje439]

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

You can encircle units vs. carpets in 1942, but it's tougher.

First, you have to concentrate nearly all your Panzers in one spot. I noticed on that one shot, it looked like just a Panzer Army. You need 2 or all of them in one sector, to give you all the attacks you need in order to make pockets.

Second, you may need to make pockets in stages; pin a bunch of Russian units one turn, surround them the next. Looks like you are attempting that, though a little risky in spring when the weather can turn to mud.

Finally, you probably won't romp in the Soviet rear and surround 20 divisions at once, like 1941. Won't happen. If you can gobble up a half dozen or so divisions a turn, you are still making progress.

The German objectives in 1942 are primarily to rebuild your own morale (through atttacking), and find better defense positions for later. You also want to kill Soviets 3-1 which you can do, and capturing Reds has the side benefit of giving you Hiwis.

Yeah, that is pretty much my take on the idea as well, however I doubt we will manage to capture 6 units per turn tbh. Our forces are just too worn down, and the USSR ones too well dug in. Shall be interesting to see what I actually CAN manage when the mud clears up, but I am not too optimistic about the summer.


Terje

[terje439]

Turn 51

Overall
Mud still, so no attacks this turn. We just move some units around, and ship filled up units to the front, and depleted ones back from the front.

Losses
USSR : listed as 228 troops, so something is not showing.
Axis : 21.000 troops, 93 guns, 31 AFVs, 2 AC.

Pools
Manpower : 153.118
Vehicle : 179.349
Armaments : 264.873
Hiwi : 8

Pest control
We chase away the 3 partisans currently on the map this turn.

[terje439]

Turn 52

Overall
So, the mud is gone, and the sight we face is worrysome at least. the compared CV between the USSR defences and the Axis offensive power is too far askew by now. My only hope is to breach the front in several locations and hope the USSR starts to fall back. As of now, we only managed 19!!! attacks, resulting in 6 held, 12 retreats and 1 rout. Our losses in terms of AFVs are a major concern, but the panzer divisions are the only ones that are capable of breaking the USSR defences. Things are really not good on the Eastern Front.

Losses
USSR : 76.000 troops, 997 guns, 25 AFVs, 341 AC.
Axis : 36.000 troops, 485 guns, 208 AFVs, 11 AC.

Pools
Manpower : 160.580
Vehicle : 186.445
Armaments : 282.957
Hiwi : 8

Pest Control
5 partisan units are chased away after they appear.

[vicberg]

\Yeah, that is pretty much my take on the idea as well, however I doubt we will manage to capture 6 units per turn tbh. Our forces are just too worn down, and the USSR ones too well dug in. Shall be interesting to see what I actually CAN manage when the mud clears up, but I am not too optimistic about the summer.

This is a common problem. i've encountered it. If against a good soviet opponent and not muling, then it's difficult if impossible to do enough damage to the soviets and this is what happens. In my game against Viktor, same thing has happened. Blizzard has started and I will be a repeat of what you are experiencing. I had same experience in another game, though the defense was carpet vs. checkerboard.

Flav, you wouldn't like to hear this, but muling is a requirement against a competent soviet oppoenent. This game is out of whack, which is why there's so few posts on the AAR forum. Too much FOW. Too random CV on hasty attacks. No two hex (or more) attacks on hasty. Fuel and morale is key. Muling is a requriement.

[Flaviusx]

Vicberg, this game was lost a long time ago, and not because of muling or lack thereof. The only thing I'm getting out of this game is that a green Axis player needs lots of practice and possibly a fresh start to get 1941 right.

Muling in the hands of an Axis player who knows his business will break the game.

[Michael T]

With respect Flav, I stand by my opinion that a very good Soviet will still draw or beat a very good German even with muling. A very good German can not win against a very good Soviet.

[glvaca]

I think this game is just as bad an example on play balance you can find, sorry terje! This game was lost a long time ago.
If anything, and even without muling, 1941 heavily favors the German. It's practically impossible to keep Leningrad & Moscow. 2 cities which did not fall historically. And if the Soviet is not careful, he'll lose Voronezh and Rostov too.
So how can anyone really claim 1941 is to easy on the Soviet?

Secondly, if the Axis gets seriously mauled during the Blizzard, it's his own fault. Just like the Russian in 1941, he has the option to retreat (if necessary) and save his army. If he doesn't, and fights unprepared, it's his own damn fault. The judgement of where to fight is the players choice, not the game. And let's not forget Blizzard was dialed down substantially over the patches. So what do German players expect?

In summary, the game mechanisms are clear, it's up to the players to make the choices that will gain them the advantage, be that in where to attack, where to defend, where to retreat. He who does this best will likely win.

What do people want more?

And by the way Micheal T, I would not play with or against your Southern opening, there is no better example of raping the system because of perfect knowledge.

[Flaviusx]

ORIGINAL: Michael T

With respect Flav, I stand by my opinion that a very good Soviet will still draw or beat a very good German even with muling. A very good German can not win against a very good Soviet.

We're not seeing this, Micheal. At all. I'm waiting for the AAR that demonstrates your claim.

My sense is that between two such opponents you will either get a draw or marginal German win. The only Soviet blow outs occur against fairly weak or inexperienced Axis opponents.