What?! Seriously?! You are back for more??? Now allowed for Oloren!

[terje439]

ORIGINAL: juret

nice pocket again terje

Thank you [&o]

Terje

[terje439]

Turn 85

Overall
So, the pocket held, and the wise thing would probably be to rest the panzers for a turn to let them refuel, so I lashed out and captured two more USSR stacks instead. Nothing big, but it is nevertheless another 50 points down the drain for the USSR. I am somewhat confused however. Is this the real state of the USSR defences or not?! If it is, I will keep attacking, as we are talking one hex with lvl 3 forts and nothing of essence behind. My recons cannot locate any other troop concentrations either, so there simply does not seem ot be more USSR reserves around. The depth of the bulge I have created is starting to scare me however, so I think I will need to redirect my assault if I am to keep attacking. North lies Moscow, but going South will shorten my line more...Decisions decisions.
74 attacks this turn, for a score of 6 helds, 52 retreats, 3 routs and 13 surrenders.

USSR units in pockets at start of turn
27.

USSR units in pockets at end of turn
5.

Losses
USSR : 277.000 troops, 4.315 guns, 290 AFVs, 459 AC.
Axis : 50.000 troops, 483 guns, 125 AFVs, 126 AC.

USSR units lost
1 cavalry corps, 20 rifle divisions, 2 tank brigades, 3 rifle brigades, 1 naval rifle brigade.

German units disbanded
None.

Partisans hunted down
6.

German pools
Manpower : 1.091
Vehicles : 179.118
Armaments : 42.435
Hiwi : 19

[hfarrish]

How many divisions/brigades/corps has he lost overall? He really looks terribly weak right now, and I suspect his morale situation is terrible. If you keep pocketing units you may be able to get him to the point of no return (or at least so feeble that he can't strike back until it's too late.

Going for the win would be a lot more fun than going into turtle mode for you I suspect...

[terje439]

ORIGINAL: hfarrish


How many divisions/brigades/corps has he lost overall?

Depending on how you count, but between 550 and 600 divisions have been taken out [:)]


Terje

[janh]

ORIGINAL: terje439
I am somewhat confused however. Is this the real state of the USSR defences or not?! If it is, I will keep attacking, as we are talking one hex with lvl 3 forts and nothing of essence behind. My recons cannot locate any other troop concentrations either, so there simply does not seem ot be more USSR reserves around.

Looks like it, and for 1942, I would it expect to be like this. Although with a rather gentle 1941, your Russian opponent may have more and better resources, but they remain limited. Limited to building fort belts on the defense largely since the direct combat power (moral and experience wise, but also equipment and formation wise) is limited.
You also took a huge bite out of the Russian bear with your mega-pocket, and from the looks of it you really turned the game around with this. The initiative is still yours, and if you continue with a favorable exchange rate like this, you're good. I'd keep pushing

You really surprised me showing that Wehrmacht still has such a huge potential in 1942, even if 1941 goes worse than average. I know it is strong, but this strong... Small mistakes, exploited by either side at the right moment, can obviously turn a whole game around. Maybe Pelton in his game just missed the right opportunity, else he might have been even more successful? Very impressive, Terje, I really enjoy following your game.

[hfarrish]

ORIGINAL: janh

You really surprised me showing that Wehrmacht still has such a huge potential in 1942, even if 1941 goes worse than average. I know it is strong, but this strong... Small mistakes, exploited by either side at the right moment, can obviously turn a whole game around. Maybe Pelton in his game just missed the right opportunity, else he might have been even more successful? Very impressive, Terje, I really enjoy following your game.

Seriously - at one point I thought "great, another AAR where Terje defends futilely for three years" but boy was I wrong. This has become a really fascinating scenario of what can happen and hopefully it encourages players to stick things out.

[juret]

mayby make a strokeforce with the panzers mecs and mots and just drive south from the whole now and gobble up units behind the front and envolp the front ones with the best fort values and therefore never meet hes best defensive positions head on , and only attack em when they got cv1 in pockets.

hes defence with tank brigades and inf divisions look very weak

[terje439]

ORIGINAL: janh

You really surprised me showing that Wehrmacht still has such a huge potential in 1942, even if 1941 goes worse than average. I know it is strong, but this strong... Small mistakes, exploited by either side at the right moment, can obviously turn a whole game around. Maybe Pelton in his game just missed the right opportunity, else he might have been even more successful? Very impressive, Terje, I really enjoy following your game.

I think what saved me was the decision to bet it all on a gamble, and then keep pushing. As long as he is not allowed time to dig in again, I should be able to keep pushing for some time.
And yes, Pelton would have been more successful than me, but I think he went in at the wrong location, and that sealed it for him I am afraid.


Terje

[terje439]

ORIGINAL: hfarrish

Seriously - at one point I thought "great, another AAR where Terje defends futilely for three years" but boy was I wrong. This has become a really fascinating scenario of what can happen and hopefully it encourages players to stick things out.

Don't blame you, since I felt the same way [:D]

Terje

[terje439]

ORIGINAL: juret

mayby make a strokeforce with the panzers mecs and mots and just drive south from the whole now and gobble up units behind the front and envolp the front ones with the best fort values and therefore never meet hes best defensive positions head on , and only attack em when they got cv1 in pockets.

hes defence with tank brigades and inf divisions look very weak

Yes, that was what I was thinking, as that also prevents the frontline from growing. On the other hand, two cities within short distance, which should mean some manpower centres...Hmm, really gotta think about this one.


Terje

[hfarrish]

Speaking as a Soviet player and seeing his situation, I would definitely keep pressing for units and not worry about manpower at this point. Manpower is not going to be the bottleneck that kills him - units / APs are.

You aren't going to take enough manpower centres to matter until you have crushed him from a unit perspective; then they should fall pretty quickly.

[terje439]

ORIGINAL: hfarrish

Speaking as a Soviet player and seeing his situation, I would definitely keep pressing for units and not worry about manpower at this point. Manpower is not going to be the bottleneck that kills him - units / APs are.

You aren't going to take enough manpower centres to matter until you have crushed him from a unit perspective; then they should fall pretty quickly.

I came to the same conclusion, so I'll keep eating USSR units as long as I can.

Terje

[terje439]

Turn 86

Overall
The decision has been made to keep eliminating USSR units, and push south, not east. Due to the ammount of USSR units being pushed out towards my units however, my panzers have to spend alot of MP to dislodge them. We still bag another 7 USSR units this turn, and we have more infantry moving up on the line, so we should be able to keep going for some time longer. The biggest concern now is the Cv of my panzers, some are down to 2 or 3 now...
71 attacks gave a result of 13 helds, 1 scouted, 54 retreats, 1 rout and 2 surrenders. The USSR also made an attack this turn, and forced a German Infantry Division to retreat.

USSR units in pockets at start of turn
5.

USSR units in pockets at end of turn
7.

Losses
USSR : 158.000 troops, 2.445 guns, 234 AFVs, 509 AC.
Axis : 49.000 troops, 482 guns, 166 AFVs, 103 AC.

USSR units lost
5 rifle divisions.

German units disbanded
None.

Partisans hunted down
4.

German pools
Manpower : 1.074
Vehicles : 179.183
Armaments : 50.877
Hiwi : 2.522

[Peltonx]

Its a game of math and time as it always is.

As long as you are pocketimg units don't stop. The normal ratio of 2.7 to 1 jumps up to 5 to1+ with captured enemy troops.

You clearly have and AP crunch going which is gaining you a full turn every time you pocket more then 5 divisions.

Push until mud, recover and then try again in snow.

As long as you can capture enemy troops PUSH EAST!

Like I said SHC is doing something wrong with his army and crush him while you can

As GHC you can only take what your given, take advantage of it while you can

[terje439]

ORIGINAL: Pelton

Its a game of math and time as it always is.

As long as you are pocketimg units don't stop. The normal ratio of 2.7 to 1 jumps up to 5 to1+ with captured enemy troops.

You clearly have and AP crunch going which is gaining you a full turn every time you pocket more then 5 divisions.

Push until mud, recover and then try again in snow.

As long as you can capture enemy troops PUSH EAST!

Like I said SHC is doing something wrong with his army and crush him while you can

As GHC you can only take what your given, take advantage of it while you can

Problem with pushing east is that it extends my front to such a length that I cannot protect my flanks at all. So I MUST shorthen the front imo. Apart from that I agree with you.


Terje

[juret]

terje are u using airsupply to your panzers each turn?

if they got fuel bomb them with supply and otherwise if short on fuel. also move the airbases little forward so they all stand on the rail 1-2 hexes east to save trucks and supply.

[terje439]

ORIGINAL: juret

terje are u using airsupply to your panzers each turn?

if they got fuel bomb them with supply and otherwise if short on fuel. also move the airbases little forward so they all stand on the rail 1-2 hexes east to save trucks and supply.

Yup, ach turn I fly as many air-supply moves as possible, and that limits the ammount of hexes the airfields can move each turn. I also have to take into account wether or not the USSR can push close to, and dislocate my airfields each turn. For poor English, blame the Capt'n

[AFV]

I think as long as you can pocket units, he won't really have anything to seriously threaten your flanks.
Eventually you will need to shorten the front, but not right now.

[randallw]

Seeing all those brigades forward makes me suspect your Soviet opponent won't be able to stabilize the front until the weather goes muddy.

[terje439]

ORIGINAL: AFV

I think as long as you can pocket units, he won't really have anything to seriously threaten your flanks.
Eventually you will need to shorten the front, but not right now.

I partly agree
Brad has issues with units, no doubt about it. However so do I, my issue is not so much the number of units, as it is their CV. I have too many weak units, and to me it is starting to look dangerous. I will however take some time tomorrow and really look at the situation, and see what my options are.


Terje