Workshop for the new guys - Directive 21 (D21)

[larryfulkerson]

I stopped the Soviet turn and went to the reports tab and asked for the inventory and here's some of the Soviet losses:

[larryfulkerson]

Here's early turn two before I have moved very much. It's looking like there's some mop up in order and some racing to
get to the next bridge over the river. This should be cleared up shortly.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's turn two in the north. All is going according to plan. As if I had a plan.

[larryfulkerson]

And up in the north the Axis Panzer units are beginning to approach the city of Riga on the bay. Resistance is slight
and it's looking like we can make up some time in the schedule here. The follow on forces are dealing with the remnants
and the recon is out looking for some more targets. Like a hunter - killer team.

[larryfulkerson]

Last turn Axis recon units started combing the marshes looking for enemy units and partisans because this is a big spot
for partisans. And Soviet units have been known to luck in the marshes. Recon assets are racing up and down the roads
trying to convert them and especially the rails. Things are going according to schedule here.

[larryfulkerson]

So far the rails are keeping up with the front lines just fine and the supply level is three times what I normally see.
That is very good news. Aggressive players do better with a high supply condition.

[larryfulkerson]

Everybody is rushing toward the middle to trap Soviet units and claim the main road leading east. The paratroopers are
glad to see the approaching columns.

[larryfulkerson]

Compare this image with the one above and you might see the differences because I've been moving units and I got an LOC
connected to the paratroops in the middle. I'm trying to save the rest of them too.

[larryfulkerson]

As sparse as the Soviet units are it's relatively easy to blast a hole in their front lines. Here's an example of the
flood of troops passing through the holes in the lines and getting into the backfield of the enemy.

[larryfulkerson]

So I finished moving everybody and executed the combat phase and the message was that I had failed a force
proficiency check and the turn was ended. So the Soviets went through their rigamoro and then now it's my
turn again. I'm seeing down south where the Soviets are building a second front line behind their primary
one. I guess maybe Elmer see's the future and is planning ahead. Or that's where their objectives are.

[larryfulkerson]

Okay, so it's early turn three and I haven't moved any LCU's yet and before I do I try to remember to check the
deployment of the aircraft and I've been moving aircraft up to the front especially the fighters. There's a
squadron of Stuka's that have the range to targt one of the BB's near Leningrad and as soon as the part of the
turn equals of is less than the number of rounds the strike would take now that I've moved the Stuka's from Berlin
to where they are now, then I'll execute the attack. Say round 7 or so.

[larryfulkerson]

One of my forward recon units has captured an intact bridge over the river and so now I need to funnel a lot of people
that way to make a bridgehold and fan out from there on the other side of the river. It might be the only bridge I get
for a while. I need to use it to get my people across the river and soon.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the front lines after the first combat round. Lots of Soviet units are missing since the turn started.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's T4 in the north and I've finally done enough pushing and shoving and captured Riga and the river crossing there.
So I'm across the Dvina River and I'm in a footrace to see who can get to Pskov first. The Soviets have already placed
lots of roadblocks and strongpoints between Riga and Pskov but I have a lot of troops and maybe I can surround and
destroy all of them and still make it there to Pskov before the Soviet remnants. In fact I might use the paratroops to
put some hassle into the mix myself.

[larryfulkerson]

And in the middle I've got units sneaking up on Minsk and the production centers it has. It's important to capture Jinsk
to lessen the Soviet replacement rate and maybe the supply levels too. I'll have to look into that and get back to you.
I've weaved my way between Soviet units with the 7th Panzer Division and they too will take park in the Minsk party.

[larryfulkerson]

So this is the area SW of Minsk and you can see how mixed up it is. It's really confusing how the front lines can
contort without breaking.

The graphics are of Silvansky's mod version 2.0 and you can get to his mod using this link:
tm.asp?m=4383039

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the SW corner of the Stalin Line and it's been typical of me to outflank it from the south and isolate and
surround the Soviet defenders just before I destroy them. It's happening again this time. The Rumanians and
Hungarians are active and helping out just fine.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the area west of Odessa and I see the Rumanians are active now and I've just moved one to one of the more
important corners of the front lines. It's the river crossing where all the Rumanian invasions start. This is
a hex that the rail must flow through and as such it's a must have river crossing.

[larryfulkerson]

This is the area SW of Minsk and we're experiencing terrible traffic trouble. Most of the units are not bothering
each other but some stacks could be built to get most of it off the road but then I wouldn't be able to tell where
everything is. If the units are in their own hex by themselves I can tell at a glance everything that is in that
hex. It's faster and facilitates gameplay.

[larryfulkerson]

So I moved everybody and reviewed the battles and adjusted one and pulled the trigger and the combat phase went by
uneventfully executing all the attacks and then at the end there was a message that I had failed a force proficiency
check and all of a sudden it was the Soviet turn and they did their thing and now it's turn 5. This is the positions
of everybody before anybody has moved for turn five yet.