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

[terje439]

Defences #2

[terje439]

OOB

[terje439]

# of destroyed units overall

[terje439]

Active pools (top half only)

Tigers....

[terje439]

Transit pools (top half only)

[veji1]

This is a super opportunity but you are getting weaker and weaker.. The perfect type of desperate situation looming for both of you that is great for AAR readers : You will fight with dwindling forces to trap and destroy 500k to 800k soviet soldiers, and he will fight to get them out.. All of this taking place in worsening climate, with just horrible fight going on in mud and rain and snow.. just great.

Keep it up.

[juret]

suggestion , to help u with the iniative and getting more inf to the South : ( u have alot of ap so ..)

18th army have way to much forces to only have 4 front hexes againt the enemy.
-1 corps NW nw psokow move to north psokov and make line there. (5 inf divs)
-narwa move 1 inf div south to cover behind the lonely inf cowering between the lakes.

psokov
- north of psokov move the lines south 2 hexes so it only get 4 hexes wide, move in the 18th army inf corp there. 4 inf in front and 1 in behind in the town.

This way u free up 9 inf divisions in 16th army.wich u can send down to AGS. and u only give up clear ground hexes who are hard to defend. this way u can anchor defence between the city and between the river sheldon.

If u do this during next mud he cant attack while your units arent in a fort.

U need the inf to exhange the mot/pz in front line duty just defending east kharkov/kurtsk area.

[ErsteKavallerieDivision]

The southern front of 17th Army is also way too strong, unless you are planning a breakthrough there.

I would move all German divisions that are in the 10/9 cv stacks to the army's left flank, to relieve 3rd Panzer or 6th Army.

[SigUp]

As has been mentioned, 18th Army is somewhat too strong for solely defensive purposes. I don't know whether Juret meant this, but your units behind the river linking Lakes Peipus and Pskov are unnecessary. If you hold your mouse onto the two hexes on the east side (the two swamp hexes) you should discover that only the southern hex can cross the river, and only to the hex west of it. Therefore it is enough to have one, at best two, divisions covering that one hex. This move alone would free up 4-5 divisions. If you want to hold the east bank, leaving your single infantry division in that level 3 fort hex is also enough (with perhaps another one fortifying the hex west of it).

[terje439]

Although I agree with you all in that the northern armies are too strong (in terms of units) for defensive purposes, I think there is one fact more that needs to be taken into consideration here, and that is that they are currently deployed (and digging) in bottlenecks. If/when I lose these bottlenecks, my front becomes some 10 hexes longer in a single turn. That is something I need to prevent, and the only way to do this imo is to build up forts behind the front as to force the enemy to break through atleast 2 lines with lvl 3 forts. The panzer/mechanized units on the line will be replaced rather soon anyway as the USSR withdrawal in the south is shortening my line.

So, in that regard, I am not sure that moving forces south is in my best overall interest. Will it makes things a little easier right now? Yes. Does it have the potential to kill me in one single turn? Yes.

Kinda tired right now, so hope I managed to get my thoughts across.


Terje

[juret]

As long as u are attacking in 43 that prevent him from majot offesnives and commit reserves to the south. As for now u cant defend stalino river line east couse u got no inf to di it.

Germany dont have so much resoureces that u can be prepaired for soviet offensive that might come and still do offensive actions.Do like pelton, either all out defence or attack. i Have seen 12-13 inf divisions u can move to south and create a new inf army with to support that limitited offensive panzerball u are so succesfull with. In my suggestion above u still have 5 inf in 3 front hexes in narva line, 2 inf between the lakes and 5 inf in 4 hexes north of psokov and if u fall back that line 1 hex u have only 2 open hexes between the city and the river to attack and they can only be attacked from 2 sides. This means basicly he cant attack untill he got 3-4 rifle corps to attack each of those hexes with arty divs behind.

As long as u attack and kill hes inf divs he cant spend AP on inf corps.

[terje439]

ORIGINAL: juret

1. As long as u are attacking in 43 that prevent him from majot offesnives and commit reserves to the south. As for now u cant defend stalino river line east couse u got no inf to di it.

2. Germany dont have so much resoureces that u can be prepaired for soviet offensive that might come and still do offensive actions.Do like pelton, either all out defence or attack. i Have seen 12-13 inf divisions u can move to south and create a new inf army with to support that limitited offensive panzerball u are so succesfull with. In my suggestion above u still have 5 inf in 3 front hexes in narva line, 2 inf between the lakes and 5 inf in 4 hexes north of psokov and if u fall back that line 1 hex u have only 2 open hexes between the city and the river to attack and they can only be attacked from 2 sides. This means basicly he cant attack untill he got 3-4 rifle corps to attack each of those hexes with arty divs behind.

3. As long as u attack and kill hes inf divs he cant spend AP on inf corps.

1. the big Q is how long I will keep doing so. End of mud I think will see my offensive capabilities halted.
2. Not convinced, but ok will move some forces south.
3. That was what I thought, still he can and he does...


Terje

[Tophat1815]

Basically T you are on your last "major" drive and if you pull it off well who knows what the future holds. But to pull it off you need infantry in the south and they must come from somewhere. If and it is an "if' you pull another major encirclement off the reds won't be in any position to launch a major attack at you. Since you are "going for it",then go for it! Good job so far,a pbem friend of mine that I play WiTpAE with said after 41' that you'd be beaten by 43'..........how wrong he was!

[terje439]

ORIGINAL: Tophat1812


Basically T you are on your last "major" drive and if you pull it off well who knows what the future holds. But to pull it off you need infantry in the south and they must come from somewhere. If and it is an "if' you pull another major encirclement off the reds won't be in any position to launch a major attack at you. Since you are "going for it",then go for it! Good job so far,a pbem friend of mine that I play WiTpAE with said after 41' that you'd be beaten by 43'..........how wrong he was!

Nah, never expected (even after -41) to lose by -43. Mid -44 sure, but -43, nah [:D]


Terje

[terje439]

Turn 93

Overall
Brad launches attacks on the Bulge, and I have started to rail units from the north. Due to USSR attacks, our losses are higher this turn, but we are close to closing the pocket now. Clear weather in the south next turn please please please!
7 USSR attacks resulted in 1 held and 6 retreats, while our 41 attacks resulted in 4 helds, 31 retreats and 6 routs.
My main issue now is the small size of my Auntie Ju units. I am not able to airlift alot of fuel anymore...

USSR units in pockets at start of turn
0.

USSR units in pockets at end of turn
3 but they will likely retake a port next USSR phase. No biggie, only two tank brigades and a rifle division.

Losses
USSR : 105.000 troops, 1.479 guns, 396 AFVs, 507 AC.
Axis : 41.000 troops, 443 guns, 92 AFVs, 117 AC.

USSR units lost
None.

German units disbanded
2 FBD units.

Partisans hunted down
4.

German pools
Manpower : 30.928
Vehicles : 178.640
Armaments : 121.094
Hiwi : 9.203
What a strange feeling to have such pools at this date [X(]

[randallw]

I do not like the idea of those fort units way in the rear, soaking up men and equipment.

[juret]

ORIGINAL: randallw

I do not like the idea of those fort units way in the rear, soaking up men and equipment.

ye mayby little early for that ? 32 forts is 50000 soldiers and alot of mashineguns that could be used for inf divs refits.

[janh]

Fantastic job, Terje!

The others are right about 18th Army. You could do a "Lee" now and play a gambit, stripping AGN and AGC of as much forces are necessary to not risk a full collapse, and keep pushing in the south were he's run out of forts now...

It is March 1943, and you are still on a full swing offensive! Isn't that amazing? Especially after that 41 year?

[Wuffer]

ORIGINAL: juret

ORIGINAL: randallw

I do not like the idea of those fort units way in the rear, soaking up men and equipment.

ye mayby little early for that ? 32 forts is 50000 soldiers and alot of mashineguns that could be used for inf divs refits.

I thought the same... but they will be at 50%, I hope.

You like decisive battles, Terje?
All hangs now on just two little ports, maybe there is an opportunity for the last rest of the Luftwaffe

[Wuffer]

ORIGINAL: janh

Fantastic job, Terje!

The others are right about 18th Army. You could do a "Lee" now and play a gambit, stripping AGN and AGC of as much forces are necessary to not risk a full collapse, and keep pushing in the south were he's run out of forts now...

Yeah, your best infantry (double figured cv!*) is not committed; instead of just stripping them down you might switch them?

--
* edit: 16th Army