Summer Offensive - Oshawott (Axis) vs Griefhead (Russia)

[Oshawott]

Do you fly enough recon?

Yes, I think so. I don't fly recon in the south every turn. I can't really advance anymore and I know what he is doing. He is behind the Don building fortifications.

[Oshawott]

T15 - North

Leningrad is occupied. I continue to push east of the Volkovh but supply and terrain is bad. Still I want the Valdai and will continue.

The Finish allies stay north for now to keep their morale high. I use the brigades to garrison Leningrad.

[Oshawott]

T15 - Center

It becomes clear to me that I will be unable to make any kind of sweeping encirclement of Moscow. All I can do is advance to the outskirts and slowly move around the city. A frontal attack of Moscow is suicide in my opinion.

Fresh tank reinforcements will be used in this sector.

[Oshawott]

T15 - Voronezh

This part of the front scares me. I just don;t have enough troops. Major cities are being fortified.

[Oshawott]

T15 - South

I encircle two units in Voroshilovgrad and I am setting up my attack on Rostov. Supply is still bad. I have to keep the mobile forces in the rear.

[Oshawott]

T15 - OOB

[Flaviusx]

I think your advance towards Moscow was too frontal. You should have struck towards Kalinin and Tula imo. That would have locked down a bunch of armaments, as well, or at least tied up a lot of rail for the Sovs.

But even if you come up short of Moscow, you've had a very solid 1941.

[Oshawott]

I think your advance towards Moscow was too frontal. You should have struck towards Kalinin and Tula imo.

Agreed, I wanted to swing wider but because of heavy resistance on the flanks I am being funneled towards Moscow. Tula is heavily defended.

I Corps is coming into play next turn and these divisions are loaded with Pioneers. II Corps will be transported soon to the region and will hopefully take care of Kalinin. Kaluga is another city I desperately need.

[Flaviusx]

Kaluga tends to fall as a result of getting to Tula, imo. I think you just need to commit a panzer force south of the Oka river from the getgo. But it's probably too late in the day to switch it up now.

[HITMAN202]

Flaviusx, why send a Pz Corp to grab space, space that the soviets can easily and slowly retreat in (supply is very poor past Tula) and space that the Germans have to give back blizzard (all clear terrain) ???? A Panzer ball in front of Moscow after turn 14 would seem to do more harm.

HoweverI do lack finesse as the Germans '41.

[Flaviusx]

If it takes the Sovs a month or more to make their way back to Tula during the blizzard, I'd say it is well worth it for the Germans to grab it. Better that than to fight in the clear west of it.

[HITMAN202]

Not to argue (but really all AAR comments do lead to "discussion") how can you hold the bulge in that sector during blizzard when 1) the Germans are short divisions to cover the entire front to start with (Oshawott used 4 divisions in the Finish "no move line" to cover that sector of AGN during blizzard (against Sapper , I think) when those 4 are desperately needed south IMO) 2) that pocket begs to be isolated (units retreating 2 hexes a turn may not be enough to avoid isolation and with the poor supply there they may lack MP's to retreat even 2 hexes and 3) the nature of the bulge gives to many 3 hex attacks and weird retreats and subsequent isolation ??? THEPROS taught me such, painfully.

But you are the Yoda of WITE and your opinions are usually correct. I say this seriously , not in jest (other than the Yoda reference.)

[Flaviusx]

It's not that they can hold it, it's that by pushing the Sovs all the way back to the Oka east of Tula they gain a very nice buffer zone.

The Germans are short of divisions in this sector in this game because the concentration was made north of the Oka rather than south of it resulting in a frontal push on Moscow.

[Oshawott]

T16 - North

I would say that I have probably committed too many divisions up here. But at least I will get the Valdai and a buffer zone. Not sure if it's really worth it.

[Oshawott]

T16 - Center

9 divisions are unable to defeat a stack of two rifle divisions + reserves. This is frustrating. I immediately follow up with another attack to punish those troops. But every delay here is very bad. Further south I encircle Kaluga.

[Oshawott]

T16 - Voronezh

There is nothing I can do in this area. I just want to push the remaining Russian troops over the Don and destroy as many rail lines as possible.

[Oshawott]

T16 - Counter-attacks

The bear has finally woken up. I get the first two counter-attacks. The pocket at Voroshilovgrad has been broken. I push one Panzer corps east because I want to clear the entire Donets bend of Russian troops. Next turn I will attack Rostov with infantry and tanks of 11th Army.

[Oshawott]

T16 - OOB

[Michael T]

If he knows his business you won't get Rostov.

[Oshawott]

If he knows his business you won't get Rostov.

Please explain how you would defend Rostov. I would put three good rifle divisions in the city with cavalry behind on reserve. They would all have to be in the same army of course. Then fighter airbases in close range. Is there anything else you can do to defend the city?