A tale of three cities (hooooper vs Bomazz)

[hooooper_slith]

On the Moscow front, a series of successful attacks are made on the enemy units I can reach; a peaceful advance is conducted on the flanks.

[hooooper_slith]

At Tula, a very weak Bryansk Front pulls up to within shooting distance. I wonder whether the Germans will fight to hold it?

[hooooper_slith]

On the NW front, slightly out of sequence, some significant attacks are made to disrupt the German's defence system

[hooooper_slith]

In other news, Stavka is pleased to announce that the first airdrop to a partisan unit is made ...

[hooooper_slith]

Air transport also plays an important part in keeping the defence of Leningrad alive. This raises the tantalising possibility, as Pelton said, of saving the city before it falls. I would put the chances at one in twenty, but it makes the decision regarding 2nd Shock even more difficult. At this point I will read to you from John Erickson's Road to Stalingrad (still the best book on the Soviet-German war, IMO). "Meretskov [commander of the Volkhov Front] managed to get a delay in the offensive until 7 January, but even then only half of the 2nd Shock and 59th Armies had turned up. Meretskov turned on the heat at his point, for his guns had no sights and he had only a quarter of his ammunition and food; Colonel-General Voronov arrived from Moscow with gun-sights, field telephones and ammunition. The first attacks had taken place on time, as the Stavka ordered, but they had fizzled out ..." Let us make sure history does not repeat itself. I may use the same tactic that was employed with 3rd and 4th Shock Armies, when they turn up: they were only fed after they'd taken their objectives ...

[Scook_99]

On the phone as we speak with the Great Oz (Bomazz). I didn't realize how many Soviet casualites there are already. His plan is sound for what he wants to do, but I won't give that away. This should be a verrry interesting game.

PS: Didn't let on that I have been seeing this, he hasn't a clue he is part of an AAR

[hooooper_slith]

Yep, on the 4 million mark. It's not good.

[hooooper_slith]

ps I would guess his plan is to pull as many elite divisions as possible, panzer and infantry, back to Germany and hold the line with as few troops as possible. That's the way it looks, anyway, peering through the fog of war. But please don't spoil the surprise for me [:D]

[Scook_99]

Wouldn't think of spoiling anything, bud. This is the reason we play these games, well at least I do. The ability to give each other praise, or point out bone-headed maneuvers is all in the fun. Omniscience is not part of the fun. Currently anything addressed to him goes to J. Stalin, and I receive mail to A. Hitler. Pretty sure our emails are monitored by the government, as calling someone a flea-bitten terrorist, and threatening to blow up the Kremlin contains enough key words to kick it to the anti-terrorist division. Oh, modern technology!

[Peltonx]

1.06.11 did its job as far as putting the games into 42.

I am surpised your not pushing more. Bobo had 3.5 million kia before blizzard and almost took me out during blizzard. I was retreating 2 hexes per turn and had to commit all my reserves to hold the lines. Hugh only took 2.7 million kia and did the same as brian who had 4 million kia before blizzard.

In all cases the defender (me) used same tactics, but each attacker got different results that had little to do with the size of SHC armys.

One important thing to remember as SHC during blizzard. A 15 CV stack is not close to a 15 CV stack. GHC troops are disrupted allot during blizzard so allot of squads dont even fight. 1v1=2v1. Once you get them to retreat once you can push them around much easyer then one would think.

[hooooper_slith]

Turn 27
The German's have stopped retreating now. The main line of resistance clearly runs along the Kharkov, Kursk, Orel, Tula line, with stubborn defence around Moscow and the long NW front to Leningrad.

Leningrad:
The weak point in the line is in the Novgorod sector, although Leningrad front does also push a hex closer to the two guards division gallantly holding out in the city centre.

[hooooper_slith]

On the NW front, the Red Army can only make attacks at a few points. As I would like to push south to force Army Group centre to move back from Moscow, Western Front makes a loan of the fresh 60th Army. Meanwhile 2nd Shock finally appears at the Novgorod sector.

[hooooper_slith]

Outside Moscow, progress is slow. The Germans have kept their line strong here, and Kalinin Front is still weak from the defensive battles earlier in the month. It is possible that the Germans will still be in striking distance in March. At Tula, the Red Army arrives at the main German position and comes to a halt along most of the line, although some progress is made south of the city.

[hooooper_slith]

Meanwhile, a small breakthrough is achieved on the Kursk axis.

[hooooper_slith]

At Kharkov, the struggle for the city is just beginning.

[hooooper_slith]

Finally, the south. The Dneister has frozen and the relatively fresh armies of Tolbukhin's Caucusus Front and the southernmost army of Southern Front can finally open their offensive. They achieve immediate success against the Romanian and Italian defenders, driving 40 or so miles into their position on a broad front.

[hooooper_slith]

So my opponent's strategy is becoming clearer. The Germans do have a fortified line, built in a hurry with the help of FZs, and the warm, sheltered cities are filled with Panzer units, probably. Meanwhile the rest of the line is being held by a thin force, often at regimental strength, and by the weak Axis allies. The aim, I'm guessing, is to shelter as many divisions as possible in Germany on the understanding that the Red Army will be too weak to do any serious damage, and will be hard pressed to hold the refreshed Wehrmacht in March. A subsidiary aim might be to allow a large bulge to appear in the southern part of the front, thereby allowing a backhand chop à la Manstein in spring or summer. Call me Mr Paranoid, but I can't think of another explanation for what I'm seeing. I would say it has a reasonable chance of success unless I can nurse the Red Army to something over 6.5 million men by June. I still think 42 is too close to call.

[Scook_99]

I think your assessment about 1942 is spot on. I really wonder what he is thinking about his minors in the south though. Not that I am an Axis master, I see some huge glaring errors I will chat with him about, long after you finish this game though. He deserves to be punished for the mistakes he is making. Oh, did you happen to note the losses at the beginning of blizzard, so you can see what the losses at the end of blizzard? I am always curious about that.

On the minors, yes you can say he is letting them take the losses up instead of the Germans, but there is minimizing German casualties and then throwing men callously to the their deaths with no regard. I'm not sure he realized you can get to Romania with some effort and luck during the Winter Offensive.

[janh]

Yes, indeed, that sounds conceivable. When I look at the maps, particularly at the flanks in the Valdai/Novgorod region and south of Zaproshye to the crimea, I see great trouble looming at the horizon. Winter rules aside, in any defensive situation an Army strung out like this is stretched to the breaking point. Wehrmacht is limited, and overextension will not help that. Your opponent really needs to correct his front lines and consolidate, else even with a depleted Red Army you might find some ripe fruit. Just like in the south. Looks promising, I'd keep pushing there. The longer the Axis lines get, the better. Come spring you can still extract your men to a token holding force, and he'll have a lot of marching thru bare country and fixing of railways to do before he can spring a real summer offensive in the good terrain.

[hooooper_slith]

Thank you janh and Scook. I'm writing all this down!