Tackling the Russian bear (No Tarhunnas pls)

[Fishbed]

Oops sorry wrong topic

[glvaca]

Although it's been a long time since I updated this game it has been continuing at a steady pace bar approx. 1 month when real life did not allow for gaming on my side.

The end of turn 17 sees the complete reduction of the Moscow pocket and the Soviet side dropping to less than 2.8 million men under arms.
Moscow has fallen. Leningrad is completely isolated. Tula, Kharkov & Stalino have been conquered & 4th Army is 2 hexes away from Voronezh.

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End Turn 17 Moscow area

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TURNS 18 THROUGH 21
With mud a strange, uncomfortable silence decends on the Russian front and perhaps it is not a bad moment to take stock of the summer campaign.
All-in-all I don't think I'm exaggerating when I state that I have had a very successfull summer campaign and have been able to deal a crippling blow to the Soviet forces & its chances during Blizzard, perhaps even during 1942 IF I can ride out the Blizzard "well enough".

This leads to optimistic thinking at OKH for the coming Blizzard and several plans are made on the assumtion that the Wehrmacht is strong enough to fend of the coming Soviet blows at the high water mark of the advance. In the last few clear turns RR work is geared towards this assumption & the line Tula-Orel-Kursk-Kharkov is given priority for conversion. But even so, the RR situation of the stretch in between Tula & Kharkov & to the West is extreemly bad. Moscow itself is already close to or incorporated in the Rail net.

The first turn of mud, or rather it's effect on the supply lines raises the first doubts at OKH. Many parts of the front are at the extreem end of the supply line (yellow) or, to the East of Stalino, completely out of supply. I'm sure everyone knows that bad supply state= low supply stocks = very slow fort construction, only aggrevated by mud. As such digging in at the front line is slow.

Complicating matters is that the battles for Moscow & Leningrad have created in a surplus of divisions in the stretch between those 2 Cities while again the stretch between Tula-Kharkov is lightly held with simply not enough troops & supply available to construct a defensive line in the frontline let alone fall-back positions in the rear. I have much to consider.

One other notable decision I take is to heavily refit the wehrmachts infantry divisions during the mud & coming snow turns. As a result most (if not all) divisions going into the blizzard are close to full TOE and rested. I realize this is perhaps against current convention on the subject but it makes perfect sense to me to be as strong as you can possibly be at your moment of greatest weakness.

[glvaca]

TURNS 22 THROUGH 24
During snow I have several objectives.

NORTH
I & II Corps, rested and refitted during mud, assaults Leningrad and captures it without problems. The elite divisions of these corps are used as garrison while they train & refit over the winter, at least that is the plan.

The rest of 16th, 9th & 18th Armies & the Fins press East, SE, NE to reduce the bulge that still exists centered on the Valdai. It's objective is to push forward as fast and far as possible in order to capture as much defensible terrain, and reduce the frontage as much as possible. These Armies will be fighting up until blizzard and will have to digin as they stand. The operation succeeds very well and strong winter lines are captured at the end of the offensive.

CENTER & SOUTH
No worthwhile offensive operations are performed. It has now become clear that the forward line cannot be held East of Moscow and further South to Voronezh & Kharkov, as it is just not receiving enough supplies. I decide to retreat is in order and make a serious mistake in starting the retreat to soon. IIRC, I started retreating on turn 22. I should have waited to turn 24 or 25. This decision will influence the winter campaign heavily.

From the Black Sea to Stalino and upwards to Belgorod & strong line is constructed which is in reasonable supply. The 3 Rumanian mountain brigades are assigned responsibility for holding the stetch of terrain South of Stalino to the black Sea. The 2 German mountain divs and the Hugarian mountain brig. are assigned the stretch between North of Stalino & Belgorod. Both forces will prove their worth during the winter.

The Crimea is evaquated during snow & is locked of by 2 German divs, the Italians & some Rumanians.

Approx. 10 Panzer/Mot divisions are railed out to Germany. All excess airbases are put into towns 4 or above. 16 elite infantry divisions are located in Germany or occupy positions where blizzard effects are negated. This is my first Blizzard as the German player in a long time so I don't really have an elaborate strategy. Basically, I intend to fight for every inch of ground between Leningrad & South of Moscow. Between Tula & Belgorod I intend to fall back and screen with elements of 4th & 17th Armies. With some Allied forces thrown in the mix. From Belgorod to the Black Sea I intend again to defend every inch & counter attack when possible.

Backing up the lines are several cities (and of course Moscow) which are very close to the front lines. These are filled to capacity by elite units on reserve and/or to counter attack any penetrations that might be dangerous.

Overview end turn 24

[glvaca]

OOB end Turn 24

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Losses:

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TURN 25
Situation maps end turn 25. Blizzard starting positions.

NORTH
The Fins are racing to the front to start the only blizzard offensive of my own. The intend is to draw of as much Soviet forces as possible.

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MOSCOW AREA

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TULA TO VORONEZH
The weak area...

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KURSK TO STALINO

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STALINO TO BLACK SEA

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TURN 35

NORTH
Fast forward to turn 35.

The intervening period has been one of desperate Russian attacks all over the line. Eventhough individual hexes may be lost and the line pushed back a couple of hexes in places, overall the the line holds. Much of its success is no doubt due to having powerful reserves spread out just behind the lines in order to counter attack and restore the line if needed. Gradually, refitted Panzer & Infantry divisions are railed back in to reinforce the reserves or replace worn out divisions in need of a rest in Germany.

Up North, the Fins having created as much noise as possible during turns 26 to 35 are now settling down into their stop lines. They are very weak from losses and morale loss but I don't plan to replace them during the coming summer. I have other plans...

South of Moscow the Stavka committed most of it's reserves in an effort to outflank Moscow to the SW. Many places have seen attacks and counter attacks for many weeks but more on that in the next ss.

[glvaca]

THE KURSK - OREL BULGE

Gradually over the course of the winter a very large bulge developped in the Center with Kursk/Orel as its base stretching more then 100km to the West.At it's very peak it came to 20miles of the vital RR feeding supply to Bryansk. Only the timely arrival of 4th Pz Armies XII Corps could prevent and push back the break through.
Soviet RR lines have progressed several hexes West of Kursk and Orel.

While the German retreat started out of necessity and weakness, over the course of the winter newly arriving divisions have been railed in to occupy the strong defensive position going SW from Kaluga till South of Bryansk. The timing was very difficult and a long rear guard delaying action was performed between Orel and Bryansk to gain time for reinforcements to arrive. Now early February, the German divsions have regained some of their offensive strength and counter attacks are launched all over the line. Russian units are generally weak, in between 1 and 3CV.

To the South the defense based on Kharkov - Belgorod - Sumy has held firm, eventhough just barely and is now starting to counter attack to the North to prevent the Russian forces from digging in.

For a while now I had my eye on this developping bulge & for a while I have been railing in fully rested infantry and panzer divisions to safe points behind the line. Getting ready for the March counter trust: Operation Citadelle '42.

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SOUTH
The South basically held firm over the winter although hard pressed in places and particularly between Stalino and the black Sea.
Counter attacks are launched all across the line.

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TURN 38
D-Day.
Over the past few weeks my main worry has been that the Stavka would get wind of my plans and retreat out of the bulge. But I probably should not have worried so much and true to his nature, the Stavka stays put, except on the extreem West end of the Bulge where approx. 10 hexes are given up.

In an effort to weaken the defences preparationary attacks have been carried out all accross the front. In the North, emphasys has been laid SW and NE of the intended breakthrough area.
In the Kharkov area, special focus is laid North & SE of Belgord.

After much thought, the plans are fixed and the red arrows indicate the planned lines of advance. Both trusts will follow the available RR as closely as possible and FDB's are standing by (South) or on route to the breakthrough area's.

I expect a hard fight to get through and a considerable striking force is assembled for both pincers.

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NORTH PINCER
The North pincer contains the most troops, especially on Infantry including 8x 86+ morale divs. These guys have been resting in the rear and have been moved into assault positions on turn 37 (no morale loss on T38).
Backing up the infantry are 16 Pz & Mot. divisions of 2nd Pz Army & 4th Pz Army. Most have been refitting for weeks but have been called upon to counter attack penetrations or help the infantry in regaining morale. Still, 80% of these divisions are at full (or close to) strength.

This the area I expect the breakthrough to be toughest.

[glvaca]

SOUTH PINCER
The South pincer consists of 12 Pz & Mot. Divisions and has only about half of the infantry strength of the Northern pincer.
Still, again most Pz & Mot. divs. are rested and full strength & 4x 86+ morale inf. divs are available, + 4 newly arrived & full strength inf. divs.

[glvaca]

PHASE 1 - THE POCKET IS ESTABLISHED
The operation goes like clockwork and both pincers slice through his lines like a knife through butter. The Soviet Army is really weak. Mostly un-dugin infantry & cav is brushed aside by 3div. hasty attacks.
Both pincers meet around Livny with only one obvious weak spot. I will just need to get lucky that he does not have units ready to take advantage of this and re-opne the pocket. Still, I'm feeling fairly confident that not much will get out of the pocket, even if he manages to reopen it.

Before the operation I was hoping to catch around 300k of troops but with more recon available I'm starting to suspect it will be more. The Wehrmacht's back with a vengeance!

[glvaca]

For reference, losses start of T38