Sledgehammer

[hugh04]

This is my first attempt at an aar, so please excuse my presentation. I am playing the axis and my motivating strategy was to launch the maximum amount of deliberate attacks possible each turn. I did not focus on pockets, but did try to form what I could. I did not divert any panzers from AG Center, as the key to my strategy was to inflict max pressure here to open up opportunities elsewhere. In the south, I do not try for a Lvov opening, but I like what I did alot. The north was an all out push to leningrad. The north will get 3/4ths of all reinforcesments, center gets the rest. Enjoy.

[hugh04]

Back to square one, having trouble uploading files captured in snippet.

[Peltonx]

Don't give up- took me several days to figure it out.

I very much want to see your hammer tactics. I am hoping to learn something and add it to my tool kit.

[hugh04]

Turn 1 agc

[hugh04]

Army group south opening. I attacked all across the line to get the benefit of turn 1 special rules. 2 pockes formed, rail line to lvov severed and more units isolated because supply must be traced through mountain hexes. Eventually, I will get the full lvov pocket but did not use any armor from agc. Also, this opening might encourage an opponent to fight forward.

[hugh04]

Turn 2 in the north

[hugh04]

turn 2 center

[hugh04]

Turn 2 south. Advance was counterattacked strongly by the soviet during his part of turn. Turn 3 freed pz III from isolation.

[hugh04]

Turn 3 agn. Strong attacks made over the river line south of pskov. Infantry closes up and headquarters of Manstien's corp gets in position for a turn 4 hqbuildup.

[hugh04]

Turn 3 agc. Into the landbridge. 7 panzer divisions conduct deliberate attacks in the landbridge. Some routes and some land gained. Critical advance to the dnieper south of mogliev continues. Infantry moves up and some units pocketed.

[hugh04]

Turn 3 ags. Isolated panzer units relieved, HQ buildup of one panzer corp initiated and soviet front line attacked very hard. Last of the lvov units are pocketed.

[hugh04]

Turn 4 north. Strong attacks north through pskov are made. Pskov falls to an eight division deliberate attack. Manstien's corp does an hqb. Infantry concentrate around pskov. Turn 5 will be a critical.

[hugh04]

Turn 4 agc. Strong attacks continue to be made in the landbridge. Small gain in land but several units routed. 4th army closes up to the dnieper. This action in the center is consuming soviet units that could go elsewhere and also encourages the soviet to continue to feed units here.

[hugh04]

Turn 4 south. Hoping for big things this turn but soviet conducts a strategic retreat. Great move by my opponent and a great example of trading land for army preservation. The soviet is in strategic control in the south.

[hugh04]

Turn 5 agn. Luga line decisively breached my Manstein. Units stay concentrated and an inpenetrable cooridor is formed to the luga. Critical turn. In order to preserve concentration of force, only a small thrust is made toward the south of lake illmen. I am not planning a right hook, but I would like to manuever the soviet to give up this area.

[hugh04]

Turn 5 agc. Dnieper line crossed south of Mogliev, 11 sov divisions pocketed. Strong attacks continued to be launched in the landbridge. Infantry deliberate attacks key to this turns success.

[hugh04]

Turn 5 ags. Nothing much happening. AGS continues to try and close with retreating soviets.

[hugh04]

Turn 6 agn. Infantry pours across Luga line and many deliberate attacks launched. Failed to cut critical rail hex near leningrad. However, soviet army is being engaged and many axis su's have been sent to agn.

[hugh04]

Turn 6 agc. Pocket eliminated and broad general advance made. Infantry and armor combine to make strong deliberate attacks on frontline soviet units. Supply is tenuous at the moment.

[hugh04]

Turn 6 ags. Soviet counter attack made on axis armor units and some units infiltrate to create supply problems for axis. AGS infantry advances to dnieper and to help free up axis armor spearheads. Supply is weak.