Tackling the Russian bear (No Tarhunnas pls)

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OOB
Soviet is down to just under 3.5 million...

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Unit Losses

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Air losses

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Production, ARM's continue to drop...

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TURN 9

CENTER
As expected he breaks both pockets. This will buy him a turn.

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SOUTH
Tarhunnas belatedly tries to extricuate himself from West of the Dnepr but I still seem to have a chance of pocketting him against the Pripjet.
For the current turn I'm hoping to make the link-up with 4th Army infantry out of Gomel.
However, having crossed the Dnepr, the supply state of the Panzers drops significantly. It's going to be tight.

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He devilshly moves in 2 units to put the Dnepr crossing in ZOC and thus extend my SP values significantly.

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NORTH
He finally decides to retreat behind the Luga and shift troops from the swamps and protecting the backdoor North.
Still, I have excellent infantry from I, II, XXIV, XXX & XIII Corps available to help 4 PzG on its way.

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State of the Panzers start of turn 9. Still 8 turns to go before mud...

[sillyflower]

I'm with you on the objectives - kill enough commies and the terrain will be yours, and will remains yours during the winter. You sure seem to be killing enough....

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NORTH CONTINUED
Once again I fail to push through to the Sea or Leningrad by a very slim margin and because of several holds along the way. About 10+ divisions are saved from being cut-off. Tarhunnas played with fire but will get away with it this time.

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CENTER CONTINUED
I focus on re-establishing the pocket and expanding the terrain held to the East.
A PZ Corps (including the 7th Pz) is taken out of the front for some R&R.
4th Army lunges forward to linkup with 1 PzG's drive from Kiev. The linkup is made but only just and will no doubt be broken. Nevertheless, the trap has been spun and yet another front like pocket is made.

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TURN 10
NORTH
Before moves, but with recon.
As a side note, I've been on holiday for the last week and while I had my laptop and we did play a few turns, the resolution was so low it's very difficult to take any kind of decent SS. I'm used to playing on a 26inch monitor and I have to tell you it greatly enhances the playing experience. If you have the means I'd certainly recommend the investement.

Tarhannus takes to opportunity to withdraw his forces East, out of the failed pocket, to reinforce the Leningrad defences.
The massed infantry, rested and refitted to a large extend explodes and wreaks havoc on the weakened infantry defending the approaches of Leningrad.
The city is first isolated and then bypassed to the East with an eye on capturing the ports that keep it in supply.
Von Mansteins PzCorps (reinforced with 1SS Mot & SS Cav Brigades) is used to exploit but fails to cross the Volkov because of a lack of movement points to attack. His line was very flimsy at that point. Not so the turn after. Again, I fail to achieve my goals through speed, necesitating infantry to achieve the crossing.

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CENTER
Both pockets hold and the time has now come to split PzG2 & 3 and assign different objectives. However, the last few turns of combat has left them noticeably weaker and most divisions are in need of refit.

PzG3 is urgently needed to clear the way for RR conversion on the all important RR from VL to Rzhev but I still have 2 turns until the RR brigade gets to the point it will be obstructed.
So most of the PZG 3 will go off the line and into refit. PzG3 infantry and 9th Army starts attacking through the Belyi axis in preparation for what is to come.

PzG2 is still needed (to some extent) in the Front line to enable to infantry to clear the pockets but here also the maximum is pulled out of the line and replaced with infantry where possible.

The infantry starts clearing the pockets but I use mostly diliberate attacks to avoid stupid helds and the associated morale loss. Still, several divisions are pushed further East in the general direction of Bryansk.

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KIEV POCKET
The Kiev pocket is re-established and can't be broken.
Unfortunately, there is few infantry available to relieve the Panzers and quite a few divisions are very low on fuel having had their supply path in enemy ZOC.
Nevertheless, Heinrici's XXXIII Corps infantry (all 86+ morale) proves it's worth by pushing ESE, while other 4th Army inf. pushes SW to reduce the size of the pocket asap. Most enemy divs, retreat or route in the pocket although some get away. Next turn, the elimination of the pocket can start in earnest.

IT's clear though that reducing the pocket will take more than 1 turn, in addition the size and the nature of the terrain forces a large commitment of infantry which will be sorely missed when the advance East restarts in earnest.

At the same time 1PzG pushes East to increase the distance between the lines. Progress is easy but I don't want to go to far and decline several small pockets which would be more trouble than they are worth. Overall, many divisions are routing now versus retreating earlier.

17th Army inf. starts pushing East in the direction of Kharkov.

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SOUTH
A small pocket SE from Kiev (already isolated) is cleaned up and as many divs as possible move East in the general direction of Kharkov. I'm still 2 more turns away from having a RR over the Dnepr, until then, the going will be slow for the panzers.

On the West bank of the Dnepr, 6th & 11th Armies with Allies, push on in the directions of D & Z-town & the Crimea.
The going is slowed down considerably by well placed delaying units behind rivers.

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ORGANIZATIONAL
Unfortunately, I don't have ending shots.

ARMY
11th Army is now "liberated" from the Rumanian divisions and has now 4 Corps attached with 12 inf. Divs among them.
Most Corps now have the arty SU's I want them to have and I still have a considerable reserve of useful Arty, flak and other SU's at OKH.
I now start the process of assigning better leaders for the better Corps. In addition, pioneers, stugs and other valuable SU's are assigned away from ordinary corps to OHK for assignment to the assault Corps later.

LUFTWAFFE
With the drive on Leningrad in excellent supply, if transfer the Ju52 assets to the Center and South Luftflotte to have 4 in the Center & 3 in the South.
Ju87 Gruppe are moved to the reserve or moved to the fighter airbases to free up airbases for use by Level bombers. Most bomber airbases start the game massively over their support value seriously diminishing their effectiveness. For optimal use, no more than 2 gruppe and 1 Stab should be assigned per airbase. In addition, the Ju87's Gruppe have suffered massive losses the last few turns and they are in need of rest.

At the same time I stop using the luftwaffe for air support & interdiction and move them close to the RR's. They need a breather and although annoying interdiction doesn't seem to be all that useful. I've never had a unit reduced in movement points because of it for example although perhaps it is responsible for some unexplicable loss of morale for some infantry divisions, but I'll post a different thread for that elsewhere.
Besides, I want them fresh for the battle of Moscow which will soon start.

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The picture:

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TURN 11
No screenshots.

NORTH
I & II Corps push on and cross the lower Volkhov with difficulty but I decide not to commit the panzers to exploit. The terrain is just to bad.
Pzg4's XXXXI PzCorps is railed out towards Rhzev to help PzG3 in a direct push towards Moscow.

CENTER
PzG3's Panzers, supported by infantry attack towards Rhzev through Belyi and make good progress although the usual hugging by Soviet units causes the usual delays and attrition to the spearheads.

PzG2 is resting and refitting while the infantry finishes the pockets & moves up and attacks in the direction of Bryansk.
2 small additional pockets are made consisting mostely out of beaten down divisions just routed.

The Smolensk and Mogilev pockets are eliminated.

SOUTH
PzG1 pushes on in the general direction of Kursk, covering 4th Armies flank, which in turn is covering the flank of PzG2.
The elimination of the Kiev pocket starts in earnest and goes faster than expected allowing for the withdrawel of several Corps next turn.
11th Army is trying to cross the lower Dnepr, but the going is slow.

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TURN 12
Only ending screenshots.

NORTH
I push on over the Volkhov needing to fight every step of the way. Every hex is contested and, if I fail to occupy a cleared hex, I will need to fight for it again next turn. Very often, routed units are rallied and pushed back into the line immediately. In fact, this is a patern that is repeated accross the board. It amazes me how most rally each and every turn, are put back into the line and succeed often to cause a held here and there if I'm not careful or if I just have plain bad luck, it seems...

I still have Manstein's PzC in reserve in case I score a breakthrough but don't commit them this turn.

The Fins make their appearance up North and I come within 1 hex (no ZOC) of capturing the remaining port on the cheap, but it is not to be.

In addition, a very interesting, confused and extremely important fight for the flanks from Novgorod down to Rhzev is taking place, which will increase in intensity over the next few turns.

Overview