Rodina Struggle (Morvael vs Cpt Flam)

[morvael]

Encircled in Moscow were: 4x HI, 20x ARM, 13x VEH and some 300k fuel.

Easternmost hex where I attacked is an important Soviet rail line, without it they have to travel some 400 miles east (and then back west) instead directly along the front.

The Moscow bulge is causing problems for me, hard to cover every hex, not enough infantry divisions...

[chaos45]

As long as you dont suffer a major reversal of some sort come winter- probably game. As you got leningrad and moscow and will still get some ground in the south and center yet before winter.

Even with mud coming---u get a chance to dig in and do mop up/line adjustment actions in November....and in all honesty his industry and manpower losses from those major cities will be a big impact on Soviet Recovery.

Shoot for 1942 German win----will be a hard road for the Soviets to stop it in their current state....as Moscow also gives a massive defensive hub for the German center over the winter.

[M60A3TTS]

The mild winter option makes this even more of a challenge. Under normal conditions, retaking Moscow is a real possibility. Mild winter not so much.

[loki100]

well done morvael, very impressive force concentration by the look of it

[morvael]

M60A3TTS, I don't know. I sort of ran out of steam later, trying to recover supply in the center, cover holes in the front, rest tired troops, prepare for winter. If there would be unending clear weather things would look brighter. I hate mud, snow and blizzard [:)]

loki100, Guderian managed to join the fray, it took him some time to return from the south. So it's three Panzer Groups together now.

[chaos45]

Even if he pushes the lines back to Moscow it will be impossible for the Soviets to take- fortified with the city bonus German troops wont wear down in the city and the terrain is good. Should easily be able to stand there all winter.

Plus u secured leningrad super early so those lines will be heavily entrenched and well rested by winter. Thats one thing many Soviet players I dont think are realizing about leningrad is yes you may lose it but the longer it takes the Germans the better---as its less time to prepare for winter and less time/troops shifted to moscow sector early.

Also dont underestimate the double whammy of manpower losses of both moscow and leningrad. If you can keep up the losses on the Soviets it should degrade his ability to man formations even if he has armaments. Esp taking them both in 1941 when the manpower multiplier is at its highest.

[morvael]

I'm not good at constructing defensive lines. They are too shallow and in some places (I blame length of the front line) I even have 0 level forts (I blame mud, snow, and blizzard; also sending most construction units to OKH and AGs to repair rail). Most is in level 2 of course, but no doubt he will concentrate on the weakest spots.

edit: but I digress, AAR is not yet at that point

[sillyflower]

Nothing to stop you assigning some construction units to forts or back to corps HQs, especially as it is free. Now is the time to learn how to create defences!

'Audace, toujours l'audace' is a great slogan but a rubbish mission statement

[cpt flam]

Turn 16 or october 2, 1941
the fight continue for their advance
in the Valdai hills and looking for river lines

[cpt flam]

in the south Stavka order to counter attack
seven successfull on eight
Rumania guard entry of Crimea

[cpt flam]

part of my production chart
Fyodor Tolbukhin and Aleksandr Vasilevsky are promoted Général-Leitenant
3 more Guards rifle division

[morvael]

How about saying that raid of 9th Panzer cut off rail to your troops west of Stalino? It may have left von Kleist divisions a bit over extended, but pinned the Soviets in place.

[chaos45]

production wise your currently fine. You have a huge amount of manpower/armaments lol....You must not build many new units----I build SU like crazy and keep most my units in key areas at 100% and refit so usually have 0 in both by now or close to it.

I can only guess your CV/defensive values arent all that high with half a million men in the pools and not on the field. If you stack armies with SU- you can often get 4+ SU sent in support of a defense this can really change the odds on alot of fights with good leaders.

[cpt flam]

thank for your advice Chaos but i just send back turn 25

Turn 17 or october9, 1941
they continue to push and threaten
Rzhev, Kaluga and Tula
Forecast for next turn is mud in north and south russia

[cpt flam]

and i forget to learn from before
this time 6 Armies are doomed
half from South front, otherwise South Ural
sole good news are six more Guard promotion
total 18 rifle div (1 in the pocket)

[morvael]

This is just beginning of a month long desperate struggle in mud and snow, which will see the SS boys down to 25% TOE... But it was worth it, to strike at the last clear turn [:)]

[chaos45]

ya if you bag all those Soviet Cav divisions will limit Soviet winter offensive operations as they are the only decently moving and CV value soviet units in the winter.

[M60A3TTS]

ORIGINAL: chaos45

ya if you bag all those Soviet Cav divisions will limit Soviet winter offensive operations as they are the only decently moving and CV value soviet units in the winter.

Yes, that's 4-5 cavalry corps right there. Not good.

[Peltonx]

T-14 SHC only had 4.2 million lol this pocket is a real nail in coffin and you lost Moscow.

That's a hard hit to manpower centers, not sure you can recover from that.

[cpt flam]

at least i will try [&o]