Comrade Goofski - Barbarossa vs DicedT (No Diced T)

[warspite1]

22nd June 1941
Turn 1

I place Khrushchev at Central Front HQ and Zhukov with the Southern Front HQ.

I place a garrison in Vilnius

I place a fortress west of Mogilev (yes, already)...

I play the free 'Exhort Victory' card (need to watch how often that is played or it loses its effect apparently).

At a cost of 5pp I have dismissed Budenny and replaced him with Rokossovsky - who I have ordered released from prison where he ahem... was er.. taking a holiday.

I save 5pp.

[warspite1]

22nd June 1941
Turn 1
Northern Front

In Finland the 7th and 23rd Armies yield ground.

27th Army sets up along the north bank of the Dvina and the north of Latvia is largely abandoned with the bulk of the Baltic Military District heading for Riga.

8th Army units can do no more than try and block the German 18th Army but without rivers and other obstacles - and with a lack of PP the options are limited. Similarly 11th Army congregate in and around Kaunas and hope for a miracle.

[warspite1]

22nd June 1941
Turn 1
Central Front

What remains of 3rd Army tries to fan out along the Nieman and hold Grodno and the forests to the rear - in other words they cannot possible do what they need to...

10th Army have too few AP's to try and break free of the pocket and so have to hold fire and wait for the inevitable.

4th Army try and hold Brest-Litovsk and the HQ and a couple of divisions head for the marshes to try and cause trouble later.

The biggest question mark hangs over Western HQ. I cannot simply run with 2nd Panzergruppe in the clear. I therefore send some units running (yeah right) toward Minsk and others as roadblocks.

[warspite1]

22nd June 1941
Turn 1
Southern Front

Frustration reigns supreme in this theatre. My opponent has taken some chances here - SS Wiking is on its own, Kleist's panzer spearhead is one hex from being cut-off - and I cannot do anything about it due to the rubbish AP's [:@]

5th Army can barely move and will have to take a beating next turn, ditto 6th Army - who launch a two-division attack on a lone German division out of frustration rather than anything else. That leaves 26th Army who will try and keep hold of Lvov for one more turn. The Germans have panzer and motorised forces nearby - so I keep the city well defended in the hope I can lure the German tanks onto the city...

Southern HQ runs for Odessa, 9th Army runs east for the Dneistr, 12th Army head southeast for anywhere that is not near 1st Panzergruppe.

Southwestern HQ are going to head for Kiev if they can make it without being cut-off - otherwise will leg it south!

[James Ward]

ORIGINAL: warspite1


I place a fortress west of Mogilev (yes, already)...

Remember Run Forrest Run!

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: James Ward

ORIGINAL: warspite1


I place a fortress west of Mogilev (yes, already)...

Remember Run Forrest Run!

Difficult with so few AP's!!

[warspite1]

A lack of AP's? Armies not activating? panzers breaking through everywhere? whole armies being surrounded and cut-off?

Don't bother me - I'm busy.

[warspite1]

26th June 1941
Turn 2

I wake up to the latest Aide-de-Camp report. It makes grim reading and is clearly made up, so I ask Beria to shoot the messenger.

Key news:

- Zhukov delayed en route to the Southern Front
- Khrushchev has arrived at the Central Front (that means there are possible cards to play)

- 2 Armies HQ awaiting deployment
- 18 divisions pending deployment

- My Paranoia level remains at 0
- No front has priority

Northern Front - all 7 armies did not activate again
Central Front - all 3 remaining didn't activate again
Southern Front - the replacement of that plank Budenny with Rokossovsky shows; 2 armies activiated, 1 partially, although a further 3 didn't.

Losses are rocketing:

[warspite1]

26th June 1941
Turn 2

A look at the map shows a total disaster looming. Unlike the game against Orm, where I had not read the manual (and was simply getting a feel for playing the Soviets) for this game I think I am doing what is required - but already the Germans have broken through and are almost at Minsk - while in the south 1st Panzergruppe are about to annihilate my main force - and they were running as fast as possible!!

Either a) I have been unlucky with activations or b) this game needs amending in the Soviet favour.

Anyway, that is for another time. What to do about this mess?

First question is where to place the reinforcements? With both 2nd and 3rd Panzergruppe within one turn of Minsk I cannot risk reinforcement there. I therefore need to put the units in Mogilev (21st Army - Lt Gen. Gerasimenko Intiative 12: Threat 0) and Orsha (22nd Army - LtGen Yershakov 19: -1). Not sure what posture these will take up?? Not that it matters at the moment as I do not have the pp to set defensive postures.

Next I place a fortification on the main Minsk-Smolensk highway.

I place a garrison in Zhitomir.

The 2nd Rifle Division in Poland is ordered to disband and form partisan groups.

I use the breakout card on 11th Army HQ in Dunaburg. They are to make their way to Berlin and storm the city in the next 24 hours. If the commander wants to keep his head attached to his body he will....

I release Marshal Shaposhnikov (initiative 12: Threat 15!) and order him to take up command in the Central Front 5pp).

I order 16th Army to be at my disposal next turn for placement in any front I choose.

I have 10pp left. I am waiting on an answer for the Troubleshooters and do not want to hold the game up. I will use 5pp and save 5pp as before. I will order no retreat from Lvov.

[warspite1]

26th June 1941
Turn 2
Northern Front

Minimal activity in Finland once more. 7th Army repulse an attack on the north short of Lake Ladoga.

27th Army and three divisions of the BMD continue to defend the line Riga-Dunaburg.

The bulk of 8th Army are almost cut-off - and nothing I can do as there are not enough points to allow movement.

I should have read the manual re the breakout. Good job it was free! I suspect Kaunas will be toast before the card has any effect on 11th Army.

Addendum: After I took this picture I decided to move 27th Tank Division to the hex east of Kaunas to create a supply link. Hopefully it helps - although won't help 27th Tk obviously [;)]

[warspite1]

26th June 1941
Turn 2
Central Front

The remains of 3rd Army have no ability to interfere with the northern prong of 3rd Panzergruppe and so Vilnius will fall next turn.

As in the south, without activation, Western HQ cannot outrun the panzers. There can be no defence of Minsk....

That just leaves 4th Army, most of which is trapped in Brest-Litovsk.

And that is the entirety of the Central Front...

[warspite1]

26th June 1941
Turn 2
Southern Front

7 of the 8 divisions of 7th Army appear to have been herded into a forest hex northwest of Lvov?!?! Don't know how my opponent did that but I have not seen anything that impressive since 'Sheepdog of the Year 1975'


Southern Front 1941...................................Sheepdog of the Year 1975

[warspite1]

26th June 1941
Turn 2
Southern Front (continued)

5 Panzer and 3 Motorised Divsions of Kleist's 1st Panzergruppe have charged forward. I decide what the hell; the game position looks dire so let's at least "Win, or die tryin'" as my good comrade 50 Roubles once sang.

[warspite1]

26th June 1941
Turn 2
Southern Front (continued)

...anyways.....

Back to the front. The 45th Rifle Division is ordered to close the trap and moves northeast to link up with other units of the Southwest HQ.

My 'what the hell' idea starts to evaporate as quickly as it began...if only the Army had activated - I could have got some fairly big numbers against lone panzer units [:@]

As it is I have six divisions (4 tank and 2 rifle) lined up against the 9th Panzer Division and am able to attack from 4 sides for an 80% modifier.

That leaves two divisions (1 Mech and 1 rifle) to attack the 25th Motorised which is out of command range. Sadly I can get no other units there and no modifiers for attacks from more than one hex.

[warspite1]

26th June 1941
Turn 2
Southern Front (continued)

I feel that my opponent has got away with one here. An activated HQ could have put the 1st Panzergruppe in trouble. As it is I have forced just two units to retreat (with little damage) and the panzergruppe won't be cut-off for long. That was a real shame for the Soviets.

So, to the remainder of the front:

- 12th Tank Division sacrifices itself to give supply to the 6th 'Sheep' Army units herded into the forest pen.
- I probably weakened Lvov too much to try and pressure the panzer forces but we'll see.
- As much of Southwest HQ as possible have turned tail and run, but I have tried to keep the HQ close enough for those left behind.
- It shows how bad things are when the Romanians give you a beating - and you can't even hurt them back. 12th Army continue their retreat but are going to be cut-off as 9th Army are piling in behind the Dneistr.
- Southern HQ head for Odessa/Nicolayev.

[KenchiSulla]

You'll get a lot of good reinforcements in the center... forget about Minsk, perhaps you can try to hang on to the rail path for as long as possible to ensure that your opponent is not able to move the FSB there... That should buy you some time...

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Cannonfodder

You'll get a lot of good reinforcements in the center... forget about Minsk, perhaps you can try to hang on to the rail path for as long as possible to ensure that your opponent is not able to move the FSB there... That should buy you some time...

warspite1

The problem is what do I have to stop the panzers? My opponent is playing the Germans very well - albeit taking a few high risks in places. I don't just mean handling of the panzer forces - he is proving extremely competent at eliminating other stacks once pocketed and cut-off.

I have replaced two rubbish Front commanders with Tsarist commanders so I am hoping my activations will be better (I saw that with the Southern Front last turn) but of course this comes at a cost of Stalin's paranoia....

Being an incompetent war leader is not all its cracked up to be [:D] Is there a game where I can play Mussolini? I think I would prove very good in that role [:)]

[KenchiSulla]

What are the Axis weaknesses in this game? I believe the key to success on the long term is throwing as many wrenches in the wheels of the Axis advance as possible....

Historically the Soviets did it by paying a high blood price.. Question is, are the losses you are suffering crippling?

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Cannonfodder

What are the Axis weaknesses in this game? I believe the key to success on the long term is throwing as many wrenches in the wheels of the Axis advance as possible....

Historically the Soviets did it by paying a high blood price.. Question is, are the losses you are suffering crippling?

warspite1

I do not know enough to know whether Soviet losses are crippling - they are certainly not great!

From what I've seen so far, the Germans biggest weakness is lack of numbers. If the Soviets get entrenched then the Germans haven't got enough to get through them without incurring losses such that they are no more than a busted flush.

This issue here is that the Soviets simply cannot hold the panzers anywhere to hurt - and just as importantly to delay - them and thus give time for reinforcements to get entrenched.

[James Ward]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: Cannonfodder

What are the Axis weaknesses in this game? I believe the key to success on the long term is throwing as many wrenches in the wheels of the Axis advance as possible....

Historically the Soviets did it by paying a high blood price.. Question is, are the losses you are suffering crippling?

warspite1

I do not know enough to know whether Soviet losses are crippling - they are certainly not great!

From what I've seen so far, the Germans biggest weakness is lack of numbers. If the Soviets get entrenched then the Germans haven't got enough to get through them without incurring losses such that they are no more than a busted flush.

This issue here is that the Soviets simply cannot hold the panzers anywhere to hurt - and just as importantly to delay - them and thus give time for reinforcements to get entrenched.

I think if the loss ratio is 8-10/1 early on you are not losing to many troops.