Russia! Why not? (Morvael welcome)

[Mike13z50]

If you are low on trucks, why form 40 Light SP regiments? That will add around 5k to your trucks needed with troop deficit as well as expanding the number of trucks needed for supply?

[morvael]

Good question. First of all it was a shame that almost none of 126 SU-76M that were produced weekly were used (tank and mech corps were still trying to use SU-76, because of older TOE not allowing upgrade). I try to use all equipment that is produced, especially when in huge numbers. Second, my truck situation started to improve and was best since November '42. Third, SU regiments use very little trucks, and I had my eye on 70 motorcycle regiments that use a lot of trucks, but give very little in return CV-wise, so they were good candidates to disband. Also, I had to prepare for lower production of T-34/44, so units other than corps (tank/mech/cav) using T-34 are on my watchlist to disband. That said, at that moment I was not aware of a bug, that I found and fixed, but too late for it to make into patch .11 (I hope it will be in .12), that caused about 40+ of my sapper regiments to accumulate up to 300 fuel and up to 400 trucks each, when they should use no more that 10-50. So as you see I monitor my truck situation since June '42 very carefully and I try to remedy issues that I find, although getting over 100% truck need may be difficult, unless I disband all remaining tank brigades and tank regiments (which I seriously consider, but first I would like too see the effect of the fuel patch).

[mktours]

The numbers of strength shows how important the industry is in this game, I agree with Saper that the evacuation of industry is the key for a long term war in this game, and the game could be decided well before the first blizzard. [:)]

ORIGINAL: morvael

Turn 125

As can be seen 1st Baltic Front is ready to storm Velikie Luki, but the weather does not allow it yet. This will be a frontal assault, as difficult terrain prevents flanking maneuvers. It's southern neighbour, North Caucasus Front, prepares to surge towards Smolensk, with the help of 3rd, 4th (underway from Pskov), 5th and 6th Tank Armies (as open ground is a good place to use mechanized forces). New, significantly stronger TOE for tank corps is now available, so all along the front tank corps units were withdrawn from the frontlines, to speed up their upgrade process. At the same time, 40 light SU regiments were formed, because of 900 SU-76M waiting in the pool. The goal is to have one regiment attached to each rifle corps.

Strength:
men: 9 594 296 vs 5 157 860
guns: 152 878 vs 52 807
AFVs: 16 618 vs 5 859
aircraft: 18 182 vs 3 647

Trucks:
in units: 270 044 / 291 205 (92.73%)
in the pool: 145 635 / 169 181 (86.08%)
in repair: 78 784

Losses:
killed: 14 390 vs 4 645
prisoners: 1 003 vs 380
disabled: 35 513 vs -1 902
guns: 823 vs 234
AFVs: 124 vs 5
aircraft: 134 vs 43

Including:
in combat: 64 vs 35
from AA: 26 vs 4
on the ground: 0 vs 0
operational: 44 vs 4

[SigUp]

Is that 5 million the Wehrmacht, or the total Axis number?

[morvael]

mktours, I have evacuated all vehicle factories, but they only give 660 trucks compared to 4500 from LL. I have all equipment factories as well. Of course I think evacuation of factories is very important, and it's the only factor that makes the Soviet fight in 1941.

SigUp, this is total Axis, Wehrmacht is about 3.2-3.4 if I remember well. 300-310k Finns, 600-580k Rumanians and 580-620k Hungarians plus some 30k Slovaks.

[morvael]

Turn 126

Winter offensive begins. Velikie Luki are captured, though the Red Army pays the price of 5 500 men killed & wounded. Leningrad Front is on the outskirts of Pskov.

[morvael]

First line of Smolensk's defence is cleared, though the main forces do not start their advance yet.

[morvael]

Kharkov is heavily defended. German 167th Infantry Division succesfully defends against 3 attacks, thanks to reserves.

[morvael]

The bridgehead expands and the crucial bridge in Zaporozhye is repaired by 1 NKPS, so supplies start to flow in greater numbers. First two armies of 2nd Ukrainian Front arrive from the north. Luftwaffe is decimated by Stalin's Falcons.

Strength:
men: 9 608 025 vs 5 216 309
guns: 153 690 vs 53 405
AFVs: 17 967 vs 6 266
aircraft: 18 188 vs 3 666

Trucks:
in units: 275 955 / 300 761 (91.75%)
in the pool: 145 408 / 169 792 (85.64%)
in repair: 76 580

Casualties:
killed: 40 682 vs 23 486
prisoners: 958 vs 254
wounded: 29 020 vs 8 383
guns: 1 421 vs 1 116
AFVs: 452 vs 108
aircraft: 377 vs 456

Including:
in combat: 260 vs 352
from AA: 34 vs 79
on the ground: 0 vs 0
operational: 83 vs 25

[loki100]

you are on a roll now, even if hampered by your MP/truck problem.

Be interesting to see how much you have cleared by the time of the Spring muds as I guess that will determine your chances of getting to Berlin in time

[morvael]

We are only in 2nd December turn now (completed on both sides), so it's too early to know what will happen before Spring comes. I think my westward movement is too slow, but obviously it's impossible to replicate '41 Axis advances, as their defense is too strong for that. Sadly, my best turns of advance are when cpt flam retreats 2 hexes...

[M60A3TTS]

How many artillery and rocket divisions do you have now?

[morvael]

2+2. A small, but happy family [:)]

There was this embarassing moment when storming Kharkov and failing, I realized that I forgot to add two rocket divisions to the attack. Ah well, Soviet commanders have a lot to learn about force coordination...

[M60A3TTS]

If you need to get more trucks to support ground ops, I'd suggest reducing your deployed level bomber regiments. A fully loaded BAD eats far more trucks than an artillery division.

[morvael]

Yeah, I have sent my partisan supplying IL-4s to reserve some two months earlier. Also, I use only Pe-2 level bombers, as they are the smallest and fit with 2 fighter/fighter-bomber and 1 tactical air group.

[morvael]

Turn 127

Mud in the south, but the Red Army advances a little, thanks to weak Rumanian pickets on the first line of defense. 2nd Ukrainian Front enters battle. Tank armies prepare to surge north, towards Dnepropetrovsk.

[morvael]

Advance on Kharkov is relentless, 2661 guns open fire on German 257th Infantry Division.

[morvael]

An opening shows up north of Smolensk, 44th Army is at the city gates. South of this area, Germans evacuate Kursk without a fight. Soviet armies fail to pursue them effectively, and the elite 12th Guards Tank Corps is badly mauled, losing half of it's strength attacking Hungarian and German rearguard.

[morvael]

Pskov is slowly encircled, and an attack out of Narva is successful with the goal of unblocking northern rail line leading to Pskov via Gdov.

Several Soviet Air Armies get new commanders. 1st Air Army (Western Front) gets Khryukin (7/6/5/5/6) instead of Kutsevalov (6/5/3/4/4), 2nd Air Army (ex. Bryansk Front) gets Novikov (7/7/5/6/6) instead of Mitenkov (5/5/3/4/4).

Preparations are made to disband useless units that use too much trucks, as the situation starts to become critical.

[morvael]

Strength:
men: 9 703 017 vs 5 215 690
guns: 155 583 vs 53 554
AFVs: 18 062 vs 6 400
aircraft: 18 096 vs 3 158

Trucks:
in units: 271 859 / 302 833 (89.77%)
in the pool: 152 117 / 189 965 (80.08%)
in repair: 77 260

Casualties:
killed: 21 550 vs 15 464
prisoners: 931 vs 347
wounded: 28 549 vs 5 252
guns: 836 vs 748
AFVs: 287 vs 61
aircraft: 266 vs 194

Including:
in combat: 172 vs 149
from AA: 20 vs 31
on the ground: 0 vs 0
operational: 74 vs 14