A snapshot AAR

[juret]

nice to see u back tarhunnas!

How much industry did u loose? hvy? arm? factories?

[Tarhunnas]

Thanks!

I have 158 HI and 341 Arm left coming out of mud. I may be a bit short on HI. No important factories lost, I think I got everything important out, albeit only a few points of some factories, but they will grow.

[TulliusDetritus]

Back in business eh, Tarhunnas? [8D]

Good luck and above all have a lot of fun [:)]

Okay then. I am not following the development of the game lately, but what am I seeing? Leningrad (nothing new) AND Moscow grabbed (Turns 13-14 and beyond)?

And people had told me on the forum that these things didn't happen anymore? I still see the same German über Machine [&:]

[Michael T]

And people had told me on the forum that these things didn't happen anymore?

It's due to a forwardish defence. If the Soviet plays the run and build wall strategy its a different story.

[hfarrish]

I keep saying...if you can find a good Soviet player who will abide by a reasonable forward defense, the game is at the best state it's ever been. Really fun.

[Tarhunnas]

This is the last turn of mud before Soviet moves. As you can se I have a couple of reserve armies training behind the front, but I will bring them forward as a rearward screen to catch leakers.
Identified panzer concentrations are circled. I am somewhat worried that the Germans will cut off something...

[Tarhunnas]

Turn 22, snow, before Soviet moves.

As you can see the Germans have not tried any penetrations, but instead are doing general attacks all along the front. They do inflict considerable casualties, almost 5:1, but I still find this something of a relief from the expected deep penetration cutting off parts of the front.

[STEF78]

ORIGINAL: Tarhunnas


As you can see the Germans are doing general attacks all along the front.

It's a good news for you. On my opinion german offensive in November should only de focused on major objectives or encirclement. Such a frontal push is not the best choice.

[Tarhunnas]

The next turn another German wide fronted assault, this time un the South. Casualties around 4-1. This hurts, but I feel no fear, just like the Vikings in Asterix and the Vikings:

[Tarhunnas]

Here is the situation at the start of Blizzard, turn 25. Map before Soviet moves. The Germans appear to be determined to hold on to Moscow. They have a string front to the north and east of Moscow. On the southern half of the front they are pulling back and seems to be prepared to give ground.

[Tarhunnas]

And a closeup of the central part of the front.

[Tarhunnas]

And the numbers:

[Tarhunnas]

OOB:

[STEF78]

I will follow the winterwar closely!

Your goals?

[Tarhunnas]

ORIGINAL: STEF78

I will follow the winterwar closely!

Your goals?

I am not publishing my plans yet, I will delay that for a couple of turns on grounds of operational security. But there is a top secret map of the plans for the winter offensive to be published later.

[Tarhunnas]

Here are the battles on the first turn of blizzard, turn 25.

[Tarhunnas]

One outstanding attack by the valiant defenders of the motherland, a combined arms operation. Three German divisions have advanced on the isthmus to the Crimea. A Soviet division makes an amphibious assault behind the Germans, and a frontal assault routs them!
Note though that I was helped by the 1-1 > 2-1 rule. If I hadn't routed them out they would have been isolated, but I wasn't sure they wouldn't be able to break out.

The map is taken from the combat reports after all movement was finished, so the positions of the units are not as they were at the time of the attack, I was busy toasting in vodka and shouting "Urrah!" so I didn't have the presence of mind to do a screenshot as the battle resolved...

[Tarhunnas]

Here is a map from turn 29, 1st January 1942. After Soviet moves. I have also marked the front line before Blizzard.

The Germans have held fast to the Moscow salient with strong forces east and north of the city in reasonably prepared positions. Here my attacks have mostly stalled after a one hex advance.

From the Tula area on south the picture is different. The Germans have relatively weak forces without prepared fortifications and I have been driving them back easily. Down at the Black sea the German front have been completely unhinged and the 40th Army is on its way west to connect with the forces advancing north from the Crimea, supported by local partisans.
The problem is I am not sure I want all this territory; it will leave me with a long and vulnerable front come spring. But OTOH it should help my manpower situation.

[Tarhunnas]

BTW as you can see I have some armies under STAVKA control, partly to not overload the Fronts, but also to be able to disengage them and move them around if the need should arise. What do the experts say: is this a good idea or do I get so many penalties it should be avoided?

Another question: I still have a couple of Tank Divisions with hundreds of tanks that refuse to convert to brigades. Should I disband them to add all those tanks to the pool, or should I just park them somewhere at 20% TOE and starve them out?

[jwolf]

I'm only a beginner but I love those tank divisions during the first winter! Their CV is as high as a good rifle division or cav corps -- even a guards unit. So I use them in the winter attacks until they're either burned out from fighting or they convert to the pitifully weak brigades. Even then, the tank brigades converted from earlier divisions are much stronger than the newly formed tank brigades you get. Also the tank divisions get a much higher movement allowance than the brigades, up to 40 points in January.

I also would like to hear an expert opinion on your first question (armies or separate units under STAVKA control) as I have the same issue.