Speedy vs Mogmark (no Mogmark)

[Speedysteve]

OOB:

FYI I have only used AP's on FZ creation and FZ disbandment.

Once the Corps HQ start to disband it's time to iron out C&C with the Armies and from that leader and SU assignments.

FACS evac'd from Kiev, Odessa and T50's from LG.

[Seminole]

You might find yourself a little too forward in the south (around Zhitomir). Those panzers can still knife through at this stage. Also not taking advantage of the available covered terrain in favor of an absolute checkerboard I'm leery of as well. I'd rather my troops fight twice as effectively, myself.

[Seminole]

I will not play Random Weather again.

I can just see General Franks calling Rumsfeld now, "Rummy, three days of sandstorms! It's total BS! We can't see much on the ground, we can't fly our helos. It's frigging up my entire timetable for taking Basra and storming Baghdad! I'm never going to war without 100% predictable weather again!"
No wonder he retired...
[:D]

[Speedysteve]

Hi Seminole,

Re: South. It's a fair point regarding terrain use. My current view in this game is I don't mind. I'm up to 10th July. These guys down south are purely buying time for the Dnepr Line. You're right though there's always the option of a looser Checkerboard in favour of terrain.

[hfarrish]

Depends on the opponent, but I thought it was pretty widely agreed at this point the checkerboard was ineffective against the stronger German players; I know I stopped using it after being burned by the "herding" effect...

[Speedysteve]

Sure but each situation has a different set of options. With the forces I had at my disposal in SW front I had 4 options:

1.) Form lines = no good as not enough units.
2.) carpet with reserves = not enough units.
3.) run = an option but don't want to do this as it exposes Southern Front which is stuck in mud.
4.) checkerboard = best option as I saw it as requires more work to pocket and even if so fewer units would be lost than either opening up Southern Front or running away leaving the Dnepr exposed sooner.

By the way I feel all defensive options are available against all players it just depends upon the situation at hand and what is best.

[Seminole]

Depends on the opponent, but I thought it was pretty widely agreed at this point the checkerboard was ineffective against the stronger German players; I know I stopped using it after being burned by the "herding" effect...

I think the German units getting cut off at this point are an indicator his opponent hasn't played a human much yet. But I would anticipate his delays are going to impel him to increase his risks to make up for lost time.
Seeing that SS Mot Div in the southern edge of the Pripyat and the armor near Tarnopol is what led me to warn on the danger. Panzers busting through straight to the east can hook north and meet up with the SS with relatively little combat (hasty is much more likely to succeed in the open terrain as well, and Zhitomir is curiously empty). There's even a chance that another panzer could follow and hook south, capturing the majority of SW Front. In my current campaign I more than once made the mistake of counting up movement costs of blasting through combat/ZOC without the consideration that a follow-on unit wouldn't have all those extra costs. Strategically, I was about a week behind the Pzr Groups capabilities in my estimation of their range. It led to horrendous fall losses.

[Speedysteve]

Hi Seminole,

Indeed this is an option. Let's see how it plays out. Also I'm still in the phase of working out/judging Mogmark's play style an level etc. This will be a good test for this.

[Speedysteve]

Start of SU T4 post Recon.

LG:

1 x PzC is threatening to sneak in north of Peipus and with some incursion SE of Pskov it's time to fall back a bit and man the Lovat/Pola south of Lake Ilmen as well.

[Speedysteve]

Smolensk:

A PzC is heading towards Velikiye Luki. Time to rail in a few units here to slow him down.

The Landbridge has been partially forced so time for a re-org here as well.

[Speedysteve]

AGC South:

Das Reich failed in 2 attempts to cross the Dnepr.

[Speedysteve]

Zhitomir:

9th, 16th Panzer and SS Wiking storm east of Rovno encircling 2 x Division.

Due to unit density I'll probably retreat here now and as such will also retreat Southern Front further south........

[Speedysteve]

South:

I almost forgot to say the Lvov Pocket was totally liquidated this week.

German's forced the Dnestr in 2 places so I'll pull back here too whilst leaving a Garrison in Odessa.

[Speedysteve]

LG area post SU moves:

I'm railing up a batch of reinforcements from other areas as there's no shortage of units in the Center or South. This batch will anchor around the Volkhov.

[Speedysteve]

The situation south of Lake Ilmen:

[Speedysteve]

VL Area:

[Speedysteve]

Smolensk:

[Speedysteve]

Gomel:

[Speedysteve]

Kiev:

[Speedysteve]

South: