Another World : AAR Soviet Stelteck Vs German Pelton (No Pelton Zone)

[Stelteck]

Hi.
Hello this is another AAR that i will try to make as i'am fighting Pelton for the survival of the mother land.

There are plenty of AAR already so it will probably not be very original, but i will try to puts some information if i have time.
"IF" is the right world, as i took more than 3h for my first turn. Fortunately i expect this time to shrink as i'am getting more familiar where all my stuff are.

Still a long time for a result that is far, far from perfect.

Let's discover the opening, which i cannot do anything about it and that is very, very optimized. For the german [8|]



My objective of the turn north is to man an heavy defense around Pskov, as Pelton usually try to cross the river on turn 2 and i'am not very fond of it.
The NW front, now manned by Zuikov and the 27th army, manned by an idiot (but PP are scarse) will do their best, using around 10 divisions railed from others part of the front.

Center formed a line at the first river available and will try to delay the ennemy advance.



And now south. South is a big problem as i do not have enough troops here after the others fronts done and i feared that south front could be cut of from SW front, so i tried to man the stalin line a little to allow south front to evacuate.
But i'am very close to german panzerhead and so it could be a bad idea. We will see next turn.

For encercled troops, i know pelton usually keep them alive to prevent them for returning, so i tried to stick them like glue to panzers in hope to got them some hasty attacks and maybe hamper supply.

My first batch of renforcements will only come turn 3 and i expect turn 2 to be very, very long.

[Stelteck]

Turn 2: 26 june 1941

Next turn, i will get plenty of renforcement !!!

Good news and bad news this turn.

The good news is that Pelton did quite close of what i expected.
The bad news is that although i tried to stop it, my rifle divisions did not have the power to stop the panzers.

In the north, despite my best effort and heavy fighting, the panzer divisions manage to break though the Pskov line. I will have to retreat somewhat.
The armored reserves i positioned here did not commit to battle. How unfortunate. I need better generals.

I notice also that the german use a lot of bombing raid prior to assaut, often not escorted, and i need to increase quickly my fighter coverage.



In the south, as expected the Panzer go south to encircle the south front, as it was expected. Unfortunately my cover in the open was too weak, but still manage to slow the assaut a little. I hope to be able to save half the front, but an entire army have been isolated.
It looks like it is time to start maning the Dnepr.



In the center, probably the weakest front of the german currently, panzers tried to go around my defense line.



My turn is not finished but situation is looking good, as 2 heroes divisions managed to cut an entire panzer army !!!



I'am quite tented to send my entire western front in an all out assaut on minsk which is poorly defended, but it would probably not be wised as german infantery is only one turn behind the city.
Still a shame not to be able to exploit this encerclement more.

Lessons of the turn :
- Build fighter coverage ASAP, even with poor planes. Maybe use DCA support.
- I need to dig more before battle.
- My poor units use 5 points to enter ennemy territory. My best... 4.
- Ennemy panzers are red in fuel, but i'am not sûre what does it mean. If it is the value "BEFORE" ressuply by HQ, i can still have very mobile panzer against me for turn 3.

I will finish the turn tomorrow.

[Stelteck]

Turn 3: 03 July 1941

A quiet turn with little actions.

I choose to run to new defensive positions, and my opponent choose to built up their panzer groups.
I expect massive panzer thrust next turn. It will be difficult.
My divisions did not yet had time to dig. So i try to use swamps. Hurra to swamps.

On the bright side, the first big batch of renforcement juste come and there was enought armement and manpower in my pool to fill most of the new divisions.

I'am also able to move industries and i will start in the south.

Here the situation at the starts of the turn and the expected ennemy movement :

North : Probability of full HQ built up : 200%.
There are plenty of ennemy panzers, he had the time to built them up all and i need renforcement especially south of lake limen.



Center : 80%. Ennemy group was cut off but he easily restore communication. But he do not have so much panzers here and its movements are easy to predict. I will put fresh divisions in the swamps north.



South : 60% : Lots of panzer but i do not think all corps will have built up. Some will. But he have so many offensive options, and i really do not want to send renforcements in this area. I expect the Dnept to be breached this turn and i then will have to run if i cannot counter attack the breached. (+1 soviet would have helped a lot here. Bad luck).

[Stelteck]

Turn 4: 10 July

Hi. If you are reading this AAR do not hesitate to post a small word sometimes as i'am feeling a little alone [:D]

This turn was surprising. I expected major armored german attack and nothing happens, except a little in the south.

Maybe i overestimated german capability at the time. But it is good news !!

I received plenty of division renforcement (and the reserve front command) this turn and my manpower was able to fill them as soon as they appeared. Unfortunately i have now zero manpower stocks so i will only get the 300/400K that i receive each turn.
Still have plenty of armement points in stock.

As no russian units were harmed during this turn, my troops got a boost of 400K in number.

Ho yes and finland front is active now so i will run like chicken to get free units to use against germany.



North and center only see panzers coming to contact and staying there. According to fuel status they do not have a lots of fuel. It is surprising i was expected a HQBuilt up last turn.



In the center still my defensive line is weak because of this tons of clear terrain there. I cannot built a defensive line here it is annoying. I will built one on the dnepr with fresh division. So i'am not expecting to hold smolensk very long.



In the south, Elite german armored spearhead managed to cross the Dnepr, crushing 2 soviet divisions here with a well supported hasty attacks of 3 panzers divisions, tons of support and 2 big air raid, final CV 6 to 1. My entire line is in reserve mode but noone reacted.
Some firing squad are needed !!! (And i do not know what i'am doing wrong with reserve).



Ennemy troops are too strong to be pushed back, but i will try to make him fight for the bridge head at least one turn before running away.

See you next turn for the expected great german offensive.

[M60A3TTS]

Reserve activation primarily depends on the initiative of the leaders. Most of the Southwest Front army commanders are initiative 4 which isn't much use. Also if units have high fatigue from a lot of marching, less likely they activate. STAVKA led units generally won't reserve activate and it's clear you have several divisions like that in the line. Similarly, the units in the Kharkov Military District will have a tough time activating, and since they can be reassigned at no AP cost, it makes sense to do so.

[smokindave34]

There looks to be a panzer corps fueling up near Pskov. I'd expect a HQBU underway and Pelton's panzers will be pushing hard for Leningrad next turn. Pelton is a fan of the "right hook" but he may just grind straight through to Leningrad - do you have the city and river garrisoned?

[Stelteck]

ORIGINAL: smokindave34

There looks to be a panzer corps fueling up near Pskov. I'd expect a HQBU underway and Pelton's panzers will be pushing hard for Leningrad next turn. Pelton is a fan of the "right hook" but he may just grind straight through to Leningrad - do you have the city and river garrisoned?

Ho yes

The defense is not as strong everywhere and yet the 11th army defending south of the lake limen did not had enough time to dig, but if i want to send more renforcement i will need to send the western front....

End of the turn :

[Stelteck]

Ok so i had a small look at turn 5 this morning. No time to take picture but i can use a public photo from my opponent.

In the north, Pelton choose the right hook by launching panzers south of lake limen. My army here put up a great fight in difficult conditions !
Still my army is now out of shape and will not hold the german anymore now so i have to be very carefull for next turn as its panzers still have fuel.

In the center, there is a minor encerclement of soviet forward units but they will escape and all my lines hold. He do not have many troops in the area whatsoever.

The problem is in the south : [:D]
I tried to hold him one turn at the river but it was not efficient.



Great move as i did not evacuated anything. Kharkov was garrisonned by a cavalry division but it did not hold. I just lost half T-34 production.
But who need tanks anyway ?

As the greatest marshall of soviet union Semyon Budyonny say, tanks will never replace a good horse.



I'am giving him the southern front right away !!

Still i have to leave with a crumbling south as i did not intend to make it priority in my renforcement list.

[Stelteck]

So turn 5, 17 july 1941 with picture !!

North, the german go to the right hook. The army here put a decent fight, but will not hold anymore.
Renforcement are needed to counter this new threat !!



In the center, little tactical movements. Troops will be able to escape this turn, but maybe not the other one.



And in the south, panzers go wild !!!



This turn new units were filed at only 60% manpower, it looks like my stock begin to be depleted. I will also receive less new divisions in the future.

Situation in the south is alarming, as others fronts hold only because i always send new troops there. And i will keep this policy.
South will have to hold as he can !!

[M60A3TTS]

You called the right hook, Dave. Not sure why he went that route though. Maybe he sees a big pocket opportunity, although with Dinglir he went straight up against a checkerboard setup.

[smokindave34]

ORIGINAL: M60A3TTS

You called the right hook, Dave. Not sure why he went that route though. Maybe he sees a big pocket opportunity, although with Dinglir he went straight up against a checkerboard setup.

I agree that he may have been better off punching straight through to Leningrad however Stelteck doesn't have a lot of troops in front of the "right hook" so Pelton may be able to bag a good portion of Northern Front. I'd say that you should transfer troops from the south to counter this move but you've got major problems in the south as well [:(]

Good to see you have a sense of humor regarding the loss of the T-34 factories!

[RKhan]

ORIGINAL: M60A3TTS

You called the right hook, Dave. Not sure why he went that route though. Maybe he sees a big pocket opportunity, although with Dinglir he went straight up against a checkerboard setup.

I suspect he is playing with his food.[;)]

[Stelteck]

ORIGINAL: RKhan

ORIGINAL: M60A3TTS

You called the right hook, Dave. Not sure why he went that route though. Maybe he sees a big pocket opportunity, although with Dinglir he went straight up against a checkerboard setup.

I suspect he is playing with his food.[;)]

Probably lol. Situation south is really bad. I went panic mode trying to put some blocking troops in front of big industries centers, but i would need 3 times the current troops numbers to be effective.

[RKhan]

ORIGINAL: Stelteck

ORIGINAL: RKhan

ORIGINAL: M60A3TTS

You called the right hook, Dave. Not sure why he went that route though. Maybe he sees a big pocket opportunity, although with Dinglir he went straight up against a checkerboard setup.

I suspect he is playing with his food.[;)]

Probably lol. Situation south is really bad. I went panic mode trying to put some blocking troops in front of big industries centers, but i would need 3 times the current troops numbers to be effective.

If it helps, this is what a strong northern defence looks like at the start of turn 5. All credit to my mentor, who pointed me in this direction, and wishes to remain anonymous.

[Stelteck]

Thanks. In my game the Pskov line was breached turn 2, i did not have so many units entrenched at the time unfortunately.

[ericv]

I have never seen Kharkov taken on turn 5. Amazing

[Stelteck]

Did not need this town anyway !!! [:D]

I'am beginning to think that there is no miracle. I cannot defend everything, shall i defended karkov more, something else would have fallen. Objective or encerclement.

I have no renforcement to send south so the front will collapse here anyway and i have to leave with it. [8D] I may even strip troops from there as i need a new army to leningrad front ASAP as enemy progress. I will post screens of turn 6 tonight.

[ericv]

[:D][:D]

Yes, i see the problem. Too few units, too much objectives to defend! Playing against Pelton just isn't easy in any way

Good luck!!

[821Bobo]

You guys know the quote from Sun Tzu, right? - He who defends everything defends nothing.

After Pelton crossed Dneper at Kremenchug on T4 you should have retreated from Kiev to east. That could have prevented early loss of Kharkiv. Also from T4 screen it looks like you could have easily mustered 30+ CV for counter attack with 50% chance of throwing him back.

[ericv]

sounds quite intelligent and insightful, the quote from 孫子, also known as master Sun.

There are a lot of quotes to be found on the Internet! That thing is full of irrelevant information

Here is another one :

Even the finest sword plunged into salt water will eventually rust.

Everyone on this site knows what i am refering to.


More quotes here: here or here