2 frogs in mild blizzard (frogmarc welcome)

STEF78 · Post by **STEF78** » Fri Feb 14, 2014 5:58 pm

Turn 63, 27th august 1942

Bad turn for the russians, I've reached the Volga and Saratov!

Some pockets are hard to reduce as my best units are very far forward.

Most important news, I keep my momentum.

loki100 · Post by **loki100** » Fri Feb 14, 2014 6:54 pm

ORIGINAL: STEF78

ORIGINAL: Wuffer

... but you put him under enormous pressure - it's not only another half million gone, no, but all his carefully nursed Guards and Corps.
You're right. [:)]

Trading experienced Guards with 60+ morale against rifle divs with 40 morale isn't a good deal.

I think that is where you have inflicted so much damage - its not just numbers and terrain, you've taken out the core of the Red Army 2.0 which has to delay any counterattack - on the assumption that you don't actually win the game with this 1942 offensive

M60A3TTS · Post by **M60A3TTS** » Fri Feb 14, 2014 9:07 pm

Terrific job pushing to the Volga. With his current losses at turn 60 plus what's in the bag over these latest turns, he has to be stretched to the limit. Even after the Fall rains you should be able to resume the offensive in winter. Maybe finish off Stalingrad if you haven't done so before. That should be enough population centers off line to insure a victory at some level, even if the game extends to 1945.

STEF78 · Post by **STEF78** » Sat Feb 15, 2014 6:41 am

Turn 64, 3th September 1942

Heavy fights around Penza, I'm unable to keep the pocket closed.

I advance north of Saratov, waiting for the Inf to take the city.

Some others soviets units in bad shape north of the Don.

A view of the USSR destroyed units

And the OOB

STEF78 · Post by **STEF78** » Sat Feb 15, 2014 6:44 am

ORIGINAL: loki100

ORIGINAL: STEF78

ORIGINAL: Wuffer

... but you put him under enormous pressure - it's not only another half million gone, no, but all his carefully nursed Guards and Corps.
You're right. [:)]

Trading experienced Guards with 60+ morale against rifle divs with 40 morale isn't a good deal.

I think that is where you have inflicted so much damage - its not just numbers and terrain, you've taken out the core of the Red Army 2.0 which has to delay any counterattack - on the assumption that you don't actually win the game with this 1942 offensive

I won't get the 290VP before the mud. I have currently 232VP. The question is: Is it compulsory to take Moscow in order to achieve such result?

STEF78 · Post by **STEF78** » Sat Feb 15, 2014 6:46 am

ORIGINAL: M60A3TTS

Terrific job pushing to the Volga. With his current losses at turn 60 plus what's in the bag over these latest turns, he has to be stretched to the limit. Even after the Fall rains you should be able to resume the offensive in winter. Maybe finish off Stalingrad if you haven't done so before. That should be enough population centers off line to insure a victory at some level, even if the game extends to 1945.

I think I will resume the offensive during winter. I've already lived 1944/1945 as german and I found the time very very long

STEF78 · Post by **STEF78** » Sat Feb 15, 2014 9:45 am

Turn 65, 10th september 1942

I'm under pressure on the Penza sector. Russians units will escape.

I focuse on Saratov and drive to Stalingrad

And all these pockets have a clear impact on soviet OOB. It is under 6M men![:)]

STEF78 · Post by **STEF78** » Sat Feb 15, 2014 5:14 pm

Turn 66, 17th september 1942

Richtung Süd!

Resistance is too strong in front of Penza and russians reinforcements arrive quickly north of Saratov.

2 Pz Corps are left near Saratov to act as firemen (the city has been taken[:)] )

All other are now between Don and Volga

And the las pockets have badly hurt the russians

STEF78 · Post by **STEF78** » Sun Feb 16, 2014 1:21 pm

Turn 67, 24th september 1942

Heading South, the Don line is over!

I try to cross the Volga east of Stalingrad and have taken the southern part of the city.

STEF78 · Post by **STEF78** » Sun Feb 16, 2014 7:07 pm

Turn 68, 1st october 1942

Full speed South and east!

STEF78 · Post by **STEF78** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 6:10 am

turn 69, 8th october 1942

Last turn before the mud

I decide to maximize my ground gains, even if it's not safe for my spearhead units

- I take Vorochilovsk and advance beyond
- Rostov is isolated (even if the troops are supplied by sea)
- I reach Krasnodar and destroy a lot of rail
- A bridge head is established on the lower Volga

I'm satisfied with my summer campaign
- Russian OOB is below 6M [:)](my target was 7M)
- A lot of ground has been taken

Below the russian units destroyed

But I'm very far from the 290 VP!!

What shall I do now?

M60A3TTS · Post by **M60A3TTS** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 8:35 am

Krasnodar would be a good population center to take down if you can't quite manage Stalingrad.

Your army appears close to being gassed, but at the right time. Mud will help the Russians recover but it will help you somewhat as well. His army size is still keeping him in the game but where he looks to be hurting is in the tank department. He should have twice the numbers given how few tank corps that you bagged. He seems to have lost enough brigades though to make a dent in the numbers. Look for an opportunity to bag some tank corps as part of your winter offensive. I can't see him making any real headway until February and if you take more of his armor out, it will weaken what gains he can manage. It will also keep eating into his available APs if he has to replace those.

Wuffer · Post by **Wuffer** » Tue Feb 18, 2014 11:05 am

Don't let operational questions or shortlived tactical aspects ever never dictate your strategical choice.
You have identified your target, the destruction of the Sowjet Army, as you would nowhere get enough points for a sudden Death.
Ok, he's back to Red Army 1.01, but you have diluted your Panzers over half the front now. Regroup. Go for a second Penza(*) with all necessary forces.
M60 is right, you have allready decimated the Cav Corps, so IMHO I would look now for the Tank Corps and all the other stuff which he could use for a serious counterstrike.
Only one big pocket more but with all his fast units trapped inside... and perhaps, maybe Germany could even survive this exercise.
A pocket with strategical impact.
ASAP.

---
edit:(*)
or any other side he must fight for; but don't get after the cities or the terrain, get after his mobile forces

STEF78 · Post by **STEF78** » Thu Feb 20, 2014 7:53 pm

ORIGINAL: M60A3TTS

Krasnodar would be a good population center to take down if you can't quite manage Stalingrad.

Your army appears close to being gassed, but at the right time. Mud will help the Russians recover but it will help you somewhat as well. His army size is still keeping him in the game but where he looks to be hurting is in the tank department. He should have twice the numbers given how few tank corps that you bagged. He seems to have lost enough brigades though to make a dent in the numbers. Look for an opportunity to bag some tank corps as part of your winter offensive. I can't see him making any real headway until February and if you take more of his armor out, it will weaken what gains he can manage. It will also keep eating into his available APs if he has to replace those.

You're right, I will keep on destroying his army. VP will follow

STEF78 · Post by **STEF78** » Thu Feb 20, 2014 7:55 pm

ORIGINAL: Wuffer

Don't let operational questions or shortlived tactical aspects ever never dictate your strategical choice.
You have identified your target, the destruction of the Sowjet Army, as you would nowhere get enough points for a sudden Death.

+1

STEF78 · Post by **STEF78** » Fri Feb 21, 2014 8:25 am

Turn 74, 12th November 1942

Mud is over. I continued to reduce the pockets during the last turns

Interesting development near Krasnodar. I'm always focused on destroying soviet army.

What shall I do with Crimea?
- an assault will use 1 or 2 Pz Corps
- seizure of Crimea will free roughly 10 divs (8 romanians/2 germans)

Wuffer · Post by **Wuffer** » Fri Feb 21, 2014 11:50 am

Could we have a closer look at all this Tankcorps still in the frontline at StGrd? [:)]

STEF78 · Post by **STEF78** » Fri Feb 21, 2014 12:45 pm

ORIGINAL: Wuffer

Could we have a closer look at all this Tankcorps still in the frontline at StGrd? [:)]

They have a CV around 4

I will post closest screens during the next turns

STEF78 · Post by **STEF78** » Fri Feb 21, 2014 1:14 pm

Turn 75, 19th november 1942

Great turn, SHC OOB is under 6M, Novorossiysk is taken, Krasnodar surrounded and my PzD progress towards Grorny

My advance towards Astrakhan aims to lengthen russians defensive lines

And a closest view on Penza/Saratov. My position isn't optimal as I have to maintain PzD/Mot on the first line due to the lack of Inf Divs available.

STEF78 · Post by **STEF78** » Fri Feb 21, 2014 5:14 pm

Turn 76, 26th november 1942

Advance continues at a slow rate. Railhead are far behind. Touapse is taken