Operation Kutuzov 1943 (ver. 0.56)

[ogar]

Catching up to this AAR after some time. We're still playtesting, although the pace of turns has slowed -- real life getting in the way, as it usually does.

Turn 7 was when I realized that smashing a drive toward Kursk (south edge of map) was not a good idea. Each of the 3 Soviet Fronts has a Reserve Army (as they did historically) back-stopping the actual front-line units -- if the OKH player drives too far across the start line, the Reserve Army is released as reinforcements.
I drove too far in the south -- because the map edge is so close to the front, the release hex is closest in the south; in other sectors the release hexes are not so tightly tied to the original front.

Anyway, I realized I had unleashed a fresh Soviet Army, and that while it was fun smashing hex after hex with panzer divisions down south...what the hey was I going to do about all those gapping holes in the north or around Bolkhov or in front of Orel ???

So, it is back to TOAW basics on the defensive ... split and release sub-units to fall back and prep a second position; dig in where possible; accumulate panzer units for counter-striking reserve; block the obvious and easy paths, forcing the opponent away from key hexes and into tougher terrain. Grab all the reinforcements I can.

As seen below, I did not seal off the whole front; I can not seal off the whole front. I have also learned that just because I put up a couple of units in D as a stop, there's no guarantee that they will stop the attack. I just have to make his advances as costly to him as I can and try not to waste more units than I already have. If the defenders hold the hex, that is great; but I need to plan that they will not.


In the south indicates there is a row of cleared fortified hexes (and if you look back at T6, the hexes south of that row are where I rampaged during my "Hulk" phase of playing). That's where I had all my fun - whether it will cost me the game, who know ?
Finally, right by Bolkhov -- that rifle divsion looks like trouble, could not budge him this turn. But I've reinforced the city, and those defender stacks around the city are strong and well dug-in. With plenty of artillery, it will be tough to hold, but I should be able to keep Bolkhov a few more turns.

[ogar]

Turn 8 ... turns out to be a disaster.

I lost Bolkhov. I _thought_ I had it dug in, and backed by artillery, and backed by supporting infantry and AT. No matter, that tank brigade and rifle division (which I could not budge in turn 7) just muscled their way into the city. Losing Bolkhov is bad:

1. it is a major city for VP and it's likely I will not retake it;
2. I lose the bonus of 35 VPs for holding Bolkhov through turn 12 (when it historically fell);
3. it triggers Theater Options for STAVKA allowing the re-activation of 2 Artillery Divisions (as though I need more Soviet artillery active);
4. capture of Bolkov (or Orel) before the bonus award turn means the game runs for 29 turns (There is an event to "early end normal" if neither city is captured early.) So STAVKA has an extra 7 turns to sweep the map;
5. it frees up those units involved in the capture to encircle and capture Orel.

So, no, not a good turn but elsewhere, there does not look to be much progress from the other Fronts.. so I'll just try and do what I can with what I have left.

[ogar]

After a loooong pause, I'll pick up this AAR...

turns 9 - 11 are a series of attempts by the Soviets to continue smashing through OKH lines. Countered by a more rational OKH defense, leading to some small losses in hexes but no large scale breakthroughs. The screenshot shows the situation at the end of OKH turn 11 :

STAVKA forces close in on Bryansk and on Orel, but slowly. From the OKH perspective, it's getting scary, very scary, but in each turn I am able to close up any holes in my defense, and not lose any more units... just watch those units get skinnier and skinnier as losses mount and what few replacements seem to make little difference. I can tell from the tempo of attacks that the Soviet forces are much weaker as well. Of course, STAVKA gets replacement units all through the game; OKH's well of replacements runs dry at turn 10.

But right now, I'm somewhat confident I can make a good showing. I plan to hold Orel till turn 17 (when I get the bonus for holding that city). Then pull back along the main east-west RR line to concentrate on Bryansk. The big trick will be extricating all those infantry units dug in along the south-east front, especially those several hexes from the rail line. And, of course, hanging onto the Bryansk complex of hexes for the rest of the game.

[ogar]

And... it's a wrap.

We've called a halt to this playtest after turn 16 -- as promised at the start, we'd go as far as we could until enough bugs were found, and we found 'em. Mostly the bugs are the embarrassing ones -- typos, "why doesn't that TO go away after the alterate event triggered it ?", "why are 2 German reinforcements arriving in downtown Novosil [20 km behind the original front line]?" One goal of the test was to see if my guessing on replacements was any good...and it was not too bad. However, the depletion is far ahead of historical in some equipment, and I can see the effect in the limited attacks by depleted Soviet units.

This was a good match -- Western Front (north side of map) came close to Bryansk from both the Kirov railroad, and along the Ulyanovo road. I was quite worried I would lose Bryansk before I could get enough forces there. And losing Bryansk is the quickest way to an OKH loss. As shown below, it looks close, but the attackers were just too depleted to continue.

So back to the drawing board for some editing revisions. Thanks to Fulcrum for his enthusiasm to keep testing, and testing.

[Cfant]

Thanks for the AAR. Seems you managed to stabilize the front. What is Fulcrums opinion about the balance of the scenario?

[ogar]

Thanks for following, Cfant.

What is Fulcrums opinion about the balance of the scenario?

"Send me more tanks ! Send me more rifle squads." is my rough translation. Which means, it was tipped to favor OKH. Another tell that the balance was pro-OKH is because I was able to stablilize, and hold on... given my earlier losses of armor units, and given my usual skill level, .. it was pro-OKH. Fulcrum is usually a much better player than I am.

Fulcrum commented on an earlier version that playing the STAVKA side meant he had to plan and play more like a Soviet general. But just as historically, the STAVKA player has to pick some key focus points, and concentrate almost everything on them -- not just bang away all along the front line.

I'll be adjusting things to even the sides up...overall armor losses look very close to historical levels (aka, horrendous for both sides); so I'll want to keep that balance, while I tweak things for the Soviet player. It felt like a very close game to me all the way till turn 15 or so...OKH losses were high, but I could just keep one step ahead of the Red Army's attacks.