Idaho defends the Motherland

[IdahoNYer]

Here is where the Soviet mass might just overwhelm Army Group Center.

Western Front's three armies: 3rd, 4th and 10th - all push armor and cavalry into weakening German resistance - the Front is attempting to turn from a southern advance, to a more westerly advance, centered on taking Gomel, and clearing the Germans from the east bank of the Dneipr.

This shift, was intended to allow Bryansk Front to re-enter the attack after refitting - but the Germans are pulling back too fast and its going to be hard for Bryansk Front to re-enter the fight before the end of the month. In the meantime, 54th Army continues to pressure the Germans, and will drive toward Chernigov - lead tanks have reached the Desna!

52nd Army, faced with a tough German defense, will most likely only conduct limited offensive operations as it links Bryansk and Volkov Fronts.

Volkov Front, finding panzers to its front, shifts its axis for a week, and launches 48th Army just east of Kursk in an attempt to link up with STAVKA armies advancing from the east - the Prize: a potential haul of 12+ divisions squeezed in NE of Kursk.

The STAVKA armies - 32nd, 50th, 30th, 37th, and 51st - envisioned to hold the line, are now in full attack to batter and cut off the retreating Germans near Kursk. I'm going to pull one out to replace the 55th Army as STAVKA reserve - the front is tightening anyway, too many armies in the line anyway.

Southwestern Front's 18th and 26th Armies drive toward Oboyan and potential link up with Volkov Front.

Great potential all along the Front here - while I'll probably not "bag" an army, the Germans will take a battering in pulling out. As long as he can't withdrawn faster than I can attack - his casualties will be severe. And that is the whole point of the winter offensive!

[IdahoNYer]

South of the Southwestern Front's attacks, Caucasus Front finds the going tough in and around Kharkov. Apparently, the Germans don't want to abandon Kharkov - its defenses has remained very strong, despite the apparent collapse of Army Group Center near Gomel.

The Front has resorted to grinding attacks - a slow process to gain ground, and envelop Kharkov.

The heavy German resistance extends south toward the Dniepr, where the Germans seem stretched, but so is the Southern Front - and can only launch some spoiling attacks to exert pressure on German allies in the line.

That should change in the coming weeks, as the Trans-Caucaus Front's 44th Army is being brough up from the Turkish border and will attack through the southern area of the 38th Army to link up with the two armies attacking from the Crimea. The objective will be the destruction of German units south of the Dniepr Bend.

[IdahoNYer]

Turn 31; Jan 15, 1942.......Blizzard.

Scar and I decided to wrap this up - Blizzard offensive was just gaining too much momentum for the Germans to establish a cohesive front.

Majority of German heavy hitters were in the triangle - Kharkov - Kursk - just north of Sumy. In most other areas (except where the Finns were, and the Germans in AGN area were in better shape than elsewhere), the Germans were either very thin, or attempting to delay.

This was just going to get worse in the last month plus of blizzard so we suspended. Just too many Russians - 6.8 million and climbing to 3.2 Germans and decreasing. Most Soviet units while a bit tired, were still in pretty to very good shape and were not going to let up on offensive operations. Also, both the 44th Army - with all the fresh mountain units that were guarding the Turkish border, and the rested Bryansk Front were about to launch attacks - and not a whole lot stood in there way.

So, without much chance of a good German summer offensive, we decided to go to plan B - start a new game and I'll give the Germans another whirl.

Was alot of fun playing the Soviets - learned alot - Their ability to re-generate combat power is simply amazing come late August/Sep. Every German player should try the Soviets at least once to see how they multiply despite losses! I think if the Soviets aren't under the 5 million mark by blizzard, the Germans are going to have a very rough time of it. And keeping the Soviets under that mark is a challenge!

Anyway, fun game!

[Klydon]

Entertaining AAR!

Congrats Idaho and well played. I look forward to seeing you and Scar hook it up for another game.

[juret]

we are just in januari 42 ;(

i love reading idahos aar once a weak and drink morning cofee.

lets hope the 3rd AAR at least go to 43 close to historical results

[amaniacwithacar]

Great AAR, too bad it ended so quickly

If he had done a bit more damage in the summer and withdrawn from that massive bulge, he probably would have survived

oh well, that was a well deserved victory and I cannot wait for your next one!

Let the massacre begin!

[janh]

ORIGINAL: amaniacwithacar
Great AAR, too bad it ended so quickly

If he had done a bit more damage in the summer and withdrawn from that massive bulge, he probably would have survived

The damage done actually had picked up well, Scar quickly caught on. I think he should have disengaged earlier, and withdrawn steadily 2-3 hexes per turn. And let those 2 infantry divisions in the second blizzard turn die. Holding these forts so far forward, and this bulge would have been a serious challenge for anyone. Without counterattack capabilities, he couldn't drive out the Soviets sneaking thru. That may be fine, and could have meant some kind of Demyansk right there, just that pocketed units in this game wouldn't survive that long to be able to relieve them by spring.