NOOBS LEARNING TOGETHER (SparkleyTits Axis vs Psych0 Soviets)

[SparkleyTits]

Yeah they will all dissapear into your manpower pool for a lovely boost there

[DeletedUser1769703214]

ORIGINAL: Psych0

Righto, Soviet T4 done. I decided to stay everywhere except in the north where obviously a slight adjustment is needed, haha. No point trying to rail a whole bunch of units around to try to prevent Leningrad from being cut off, that's a done deal. But Leningrad itself is fairly nicely defended so the Germans will still need to fight for it. The Finnish border was vacated except for the frozen units around Viborg. The Pskov-Velikaya troop concentrations retreated to Staraya Russa - VL - Vitebsk. Western Front holds the landbridge strongly with 40+ CV stacks. Bring it on! Then along the Dnepr to the Pripyat marshes. There are a fair few panzers at the Dnepr near Gomel. Guderian might be planning a breakthrough there next. Not something that will achieve much I reckon as he'd put those forces really far from his railhead, which now arrived around Daugavpils. Let's see what Manstein and Guderian do next.

Around Moscow a carpet of new recruits are digging in to create the ring of steel. Should get to level 3 forts by the time the Krauts arrive. Oh and a lot of leaders were replaced with more competent ones, increasing combat strength significantly for the Western Front in particular. I somehow received 175 AP this turn, I though it was only 50 per turn? Perhaps due to mobilisation Stavka got a one-off boost?

In the south, Kiev and northern flank defended plus all along the Dnepr behind the river and in nice rough terrain. Still some troops in the open in the Nikolaev-Kirovograd-Krivoy Rog triangle on their way back to the southern Dnepr. Odessa no change, 2 corps sitting in the level 3 forts around the city awaiting the assault which surely must come some day soon. Or not, then they can stay there in sea supply forever. I think Odessa is a nice prize for the Axis as it gives them an advanced supply source via sea, so worth defended.

Sparkles mate, do your worst!

Like to see your Moscow defense if you can post in a couple of turns if this isn't on delay


With Odessa it is nice to hold but I always ask myself can those units be used better elsewhere. 9 times out of ten those units will end up getting retreated to a vacant hex and forced to surrender. With the extra FBD now for the Germans it is pretty much a wash if you take or not take Odessa and if the Russian garrison it heavy then those troops aren't elsewhere where you really may need them more.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

ORIGINAL: Psych0

What is this all about?! 2 pages of disbanded corps HQs. Confused.

Corps HQ's start disbanding on turn 5 and continue till they are all gone. (please note that certain Corps HQ's don't disband like Calvary Corps HQ's and Airborne HQ's) OH, did I mention that your SAD Airbases disband too, but that isn't until early 42 btw. I disband SAD Airbases for manpower myself.

Welcome to the "chaos" of playing the Soviets. Now wait for the next big surprise of squad upgrades. That will get your panties in an uproar next when you see your already paltry combat strength dwindle even more. Welcome to Pandaemoniam

[bigbaba]

ORIGINAL: Psych0

So Russian units just fall directly under army HQs. OK, interesting.

Surprised that you didn't cut off Leningrad. Now I can empty it completely, remaining Armaments & KV1. Also in Gomel, Kremenchug and Krivoy Rog you won't capture any industry [:'(]

you have to thank Stalin for that. after killing most of the Senior officers of the red army between 37-41 the stavka suddenly recognized that it has simply not enough staff personal to handle Corps AND army hq's and therefore it simply disbanded all it's Corps hq's.

BTW: who Needs Leningrad you asked? well, it simply binds german troops. not that it will be gone in 2 turns have fun with the concentration of at least 2 german panzer armies and a bunch of high Quality infantry at moscow.

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: bigbaba

ORIGINAL: Psych0

So Russian units just fall directly under army HQs. OK, interesting.

Surprised that you didn't cut off Leningrad. Now I can empty it completely, remaining Armaments & KV1. Also in Gomel, Kremenchug and Krivoy Rog you won't capture any industry [:'(]

you have to thank Stalin for that. after killing most of the Senior officers of the red army between 37-41 the stavka suddenly recognized that it has simply not enough staff personal to handle Corps AND army hq's and therefore it simply disbanded all it's Corps hq's.

BTW: who Needs Leningrad you asked? well, it simply binds german troops. not that it will be gone in 2 turns have fun with the concentration of at least 2 german panzer armies and a bunch of high Quality infantry at moscow.

The Corps officers did not go away .. simply the decision structure centralized .. a Stalinism for sure ..

[SparkleyTits]

This is AGN as the turn was handed to me

https://i.imgur.com/QwP7teZ.jpg

In AGN this turn I focused on two simple goals.
Firstly I wanted to make sure I took Shilsselburg to stop that from being any kind of thorn and secondly to link up my supply lines from Pskov to my panzer army near Valdai in the rough terrain
I then concentrated the entire 4th PzG around Valdai and got my elite 18th army beginning to setup to get Leningrad down as soon as possible

[SparkleyTits]

This is AGC as the turn was handed to me

https://i.imgur.com/9JktIZh.jpg

In AGC this turn I was mostly reactive to Psych0 pulling back his line so I tried to focus on moving most of my units eastwards with not much to say
I am 1 hex off Smolensk, near the rough terrain at Velikie luki and in the south I have managed to push about 9 hexes west of Bryansk although I am expecting to be punished by Psych0

[SparkleyTits]

This is AGS as the turn was handed to me

https://i.imgur.com/61inDjv.jpg

In AGS with my infantry I took Cherkassy and then focused on setting them up in a broadish line of 5-6 possible hexes to penetrate the Dnepr next turn (Entirely unsure of how it will go)
With 1st PzG I focused entirely on getting outside of Dnepropetrovsk to double his evac costs but none of his weak plugs decided to be nice for me and route with them being airborne and sec units so I fell short by a hex

[SparkleyTits]

All in all another subpar turn I only just moved the Finns which means I did not cut the rail when they activated and trap more men in Leningrad......
I only killed 100k men which is just not enough at this stage
I am noticing Psych0 seems very unbothered about using his planes to rack up the exp/morale and I imagine he is keeping most of them in reserve

I am floating off my luck at Leningrad which has allowed me refocus nicely for other theatres but I entirely understand that was only possible because of my opponents mistake and not because my own skill
I am trying to learn quickly and improve but Axis really is an entirely different animal and I expect the winter will be very hard on me indeed

[Psych0]

Ohh, this might be a case of cutting of the head of the snake. Or well, more like choking it a little as the Ruskies don't really have any knife to cut with yet. But especially in the Krivoy Rog - D-town area and the Gomel - Bryansk area his motorized units seem out of gas and with little flank protection...

[Psych0]

Down south at the start of my turn...

[Psych0]

Didn't want to give too much away about my defensive positions, so perhaps not giving you to full view. But want to post without delay, so a compromise of the area I display.

[Psych0]

Especially in front of Moscow [:-]

[Psych0]

North is stabilized now.

[SparkleyTits]

I am very worried....... I thought the area around Krivoy Rog would be safe from the south, I thought it would be a waste for you to come from that way unless I guessed it wrong.......?
Or perhaps did I leave a gaping hole in the north for you to walk through asking for a easy cut off?

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: SparkleyTits

I am very worried....... I thought the area around Krivoy Rog would be safe from the south, I thought it would be a waste for you to come from that way unless I guessed it wrong.......?
Or perhaps did I leave a gaping hole in the north for you to walk through asking for a easy cut off?

It does not matter .. the panzers will crush any foolish Soviet Forays ...

[Psych0]

True, doesn't matter that much as my valiant Ruskies won't be able to keep them isolated till next turn. But isolating at least 11 motorized and panzer divisions, 5 infantry divisions and a couple HQs in the south at the cost of 2 units I think is worth it. Only for 1 turn but ok. Doesn't it also reduce the morale of those isolated units?

In addition, at the cost of 1 unit the Bryansk spearhead of at least 4 motorized/panzer divs and the cavalry division is also isolated. Good lesson to keep your flanks covered. Now it's not a disaster, but later in the war it would be.

[SparkleyTits]

Yeah shame about the 1st PzG I did not think you would be able to isolate I did contemplate on taking the 11th more SE but thought it would be safe

I will try to protect my flanks more cheers

[Psych0]

In the north I have a nice surprise for Sparkles. Big stacks of 50+ behind the Neva and 75 & 100+ in front. Pretty full strength mobile forces on reserve. I hope it's enough to hold up Herr General Model. The approaches to Sviritsa solid enough now that he doesn't have PG4 nearby anymore. Saved a few units from Leningrad too, shipped them out as they were surplus to the defence there.

[Psych0]

In the south, as indicated, I pocketed most - if not all - of PG1. Won't last, but a nice little slap, felt good to be able to do something. His infantry will probably fight its way to the east bank of the Dnepr around Cherkassy. Ah well, Kiev industries are gone. So, far I think the Russian Bear has lost only 3 armaments industries, the ones I couldn't get out of Leningrad.

Oh and the Rumanians are getting ready to assault Odessa. It won't fall straight away but I expect in 2 turns. By then the rail head in the south will be as far progressed as the sea supply via Odessa would have been. Not that supply matters much for his infantry and with PG1 not getting fuel this turn anyway it's only really a bit of fun there to hold out in Odessa.