The STAVKA War Diaries II - No Mehring please

[HITMAN202]

Are you aiming at an entire front-wide offensive since there are so many single regiments holding the German line or planning to hit specific sectors. Your plight reminds me of the dilemma I faced at a sumptuous seafood buffet in New Orleans years ago. I was frustrated when I realized I couldn't eat a lot of every thing !!!

[M60A3TTS]

I'll attack where opportunities present themselves. The main strategic objective will be to eliminate units where possible. Once Smolensk is retaken, I can push on to the Dnepr and move south. Troops farther east from Southwest, Southern and Caucasus Fronts will be simultaneously pushing west. I also hope to dislodge Mehring from the Valdai.

[M60A3TTS]

WEEKS 23 & 24 - November 20-27 1941

Mehrings winter offensive comes to an end after isolating and destroying several rifle divisions. The Germans start falling back. The Red Army remains camped outside of Smolensk. Behind Bryansk Front, three cavalry armies are ready for action. The Volkhov Front prepares to be inserted between Leningrad and Northwest Fronts in order to press the retreating Germans out from the Valdai region.

[M60A3TTS]

Forces trapped by the German winter offensive



Around Smolensk



Red Army cavalry



Voroshilovgrad



Volkhov Front coming

[M60A3TTS]

WEEKS 25 & 26 - December 4-11 1941

The blizzard offensive is on. Mehring is backpeddling as fast as he can, while staying in contact. It's a good balancing act so far. Smolensk and Kursk have been retaken. Evidently he is going to try and make more of a stand in places he feels are more defendable. None of his units are at risk of capture just yet. The Volkhov Front is now being put into place.

[M60A3TTS]

Volkhov Front



Smolensk-Vitebsk



Kursk



Voroshilovgrad-Rostov

[carlkay58]

What are the current VPs? In the sudden death scenario, the Soviets win if the VPs < 190 on 4/1/42.

[M60A3TTS]

He has 204.

[M60A3TTS]

WEEKS 27-30 DECEMBER 18 1941- JANUARY 8 1942

Six weeks into blizzard and I've surrounded and destroyed one security regiment. [:(]

The reoccupation of our territory has proceeded at a fast pace where Mehring feels he can give it up, while resisting in a very historical manner by setting up strong defenses where he feels he can.

In the north, a slow process of driving the fascists from the Valdai continues without heavy casualties. The Volkhov Front is applying due pressure while Northwest and Kalinin Fronts push in their sectors. Ultimately I would like to make it to the key rail hub of Staraya Russa, that would give him some potential supply challenges in the north.

In the center, Nikolai Vatutin's Western Front continues a steady pace to the west and over the Dnepr, with Mehring staying carefully out of bear hug range. I think he would be delighted to see me try and retake Minsk, which wouldn't be an impossible task, if not for the fact that my conquering units would likely be pocket bait come summer. The Berezina looks like the limit of advance in this area, with a subsequent pullback east of the Dnepr in late February.

Continuing down to the south, Andrei Eremenko's Bryansk Front liberates Gomel. Three of our cavalry armies are no longer pushing east, but south as the infantry closes up to the Dnepr. Lead cavalry units are 80 miles from Kiev.

Mikhail Kirponos and Southwestern Front liberate the cities of Sumy and Belgorod. The next objective will be Kharkov.

Semyon Budyonny's Caucasus Front reaches Stalino-Gorlovka-Makeevka.

At the Taman Peninsula, the Germans have held off three successive attacks, extracting heavy casualties among Red Army units. The Transcaucasus Front is ending 44th Army to replace Southern Front's 18th Army in that area.

The 2nd, 3rd and 4th Shock Armies are consisting of tank brigades that are getting valuable experience for future battles. There should be a few guards tank brigades coming by the end of blizzard. There are now 3 artillery armies with their 3 assigned light howitzer brigades which hopefully will see a little action before the Red Army offensive comes to an end.

The overall appraisal of the situation is that from a standpoint of territory, the northern and central territory that I want to bring under Soviet control will be achieved. The southern area is the larger challenge. I will clearly not push Mehring back over the Dnepr there and in fact thid is where he will likely mass for the summer offensive. Rail repair is very spotty and the situation becomes more problematic the farther I advance. At this point, I will probably take Kharkov, and start digging in. If he chooses to try to subdue the Caucasus. or push on Stalingrad in summer, I will try to replay history and give ground there while remaining fortified where possible. Hopefully his lines will be strung out in time for the winter of 42-43 when Red Army 2.0 will begin flexing its muscle.

[M60A3TTS]

Leningrad Front



Pressing the Valdai



Movements near Velikie Luki



Mogilev Sector



Cavalry in action



Southwestern Front



Caucasus Front



Taman Peninsula



Smolensk Defense Belt



OOB

[HITMAN202]

I didn't think Mehring could extricate his forces so well. His blizzard strategy was risky ,IMO, but he played it skillfully. He does have a major problem in the hills. though.

I feel much better about my situation versus THEPROS

[M60A3TTS]

WEEKS 31 & 32 -- January 15 & 22, 1942

The Valdai Strategic Offensive continues to push closer to Lake Ilmen and Staraya Russa. Mehring continues to hold on with tenacity to what he has, and hopefully this will allow the Red Army to pocket Wehrmacht divisions near Demyansk.

Near Kharkov, the Red Army continues to attempt to work its way around both sides of the city.


Near Demyansk


Kiev-Kharkov

[M60A3TTS]

WEEKS 33 & 34 - January 29 & February 5, 1942

The Demyansk Pocket closes around the 12th, 81st and 121st Infantry Divisions. After the final battle over 34,000 German soldiers march into captivity.

Meanwhile to the south, the Germans want no repeat of Demyansk, as Kharkov is given up to Soviet troops. Elements of 54th Army are at the outskirts of East Kiev.

The one German surprise in the far south near Taganrog is backhand blow by 13th and 14th Panzer Divisions with 16th Motorized Division and 1st SS Motorized Brigade. Snow rather than blizzard is the weather in the South Zone. Much of Vasily Sokolovsky's 51st Army is cut off without hope of relief.

[M60A3TTS]

Demyansk



Kharkov



Taganrog



Artillery Armies in action



Campaign losses

[randallw]

That's a nice custom map for this campaign. Almost looks like a different game.

[M60A3TTS]

WEEKS 35 & 36 - February 12 & 19, 1942

The Valdai Strategic Offensive reaches its objective of taking Staraya Russa. This has cut the German main rail line to the north, and a RR repair unit is already observed laying down an alternate supply path.

Western Front holds positions along the Drut. In the Kiev-Cherkassy sector, Fascist forces have chosen in parts to withdraw to the western bank of the Dnepr. East Kiev remains firmly in their hands. Several STAVKA armies are being brought here to eventually form the Voronezh Front.

At Kharkov, forward progress is winding down as Axis mobile formations reinforce the defenders in that area. Rumanian troops remain safely entrenched at Stalino.

With only one more week of blizzard to go, and German troops largely over their weather-related losses, it is expected that the front lines will remain largely as they are through the Spring, allowing for some changes dictated by tactical necessity.

[M60A3TTS]

Valdai Strategic Offensive



Western Front



Kiev-Cherkassy



Kharkov

[Lictuel]

M60 what program do you use to edit your screenshots? Especially for the arrows. You said you plan on getting four artillery armies with their divisions, do you also have a rough plan how many tank corps / armies you will create?

[821Bobo]

Probably paint.net http://www.getpaint.net/
It is free and sufficient for AAR purposes.

[M60A3TTS]

Yes, I use paint.net

Lictuel, I will have 24 tank corps and 4-5 tank armies. Right now I have 15 cavalry corps, but will add one more once I get a couple more cavalry divisions in April.