Thriumph or Tragedy? (D21)

[Jukipo]

Troops of 19th Panzer Division on the streets of Saratov.

[Jukipo]

Turn 127, 9/6/42 AGA

The supply situation has improved at Caucasus. Our troops are advancing again. Panzer divisions breakthrough near Georgiyevsk. 11th Panzer Division captured Mozdok. SS Totenkopf division is securing Caucasus Mountain passes. Beslan and Alagir were captured. Only 80 km to the oil fields at Grozny.

[Jukipo]

Turn 128, 9/9/42 AGN

Torzhok was captured.

[Jukipo]

Turn 128, 9/9/42 AGB

The last remaining enemy units west of Volga are soon destroyed.

[Jukipo]

Turn 128, 9/9/42 AGA

The enemy made some heavy counter attacks near Mozdok. We have cleared the road near Georgiyevsk. Totenkopf is advancing at the base of Caucasus Mountains.

[Jukipo]

Turn 128, 9/9/42 AGA

Here is the situation at the coast of Black Sea. We are advancing towards Sochi. Supply situation is difficult as the railhead is far away. We have shipped some units to Kerch to resupply.

[Jukipo]

Turn 129, 9/13/42 AGA

Sochi was captured. Several enemy units are surrounded near Sochi. We are advancing slowly near Mozdok. There is not enough supply.

[Jukipo]

Turn 130, 9/16/42 AGN

Frontline is stabilizing near Torzhok.

[Jukipo]

Turn 130, 9/16/42 AGB

Let’s have a look about the situation near Saratov and Stalingrad. All enemy troops are destroyed this side of Volga. Fall rasputitza is going to begin in 2-3 weeks. We are not planning any major offensives this fall. Troops are digging in.

[Jukipo]

Turn 130, 9/16/42 AGA

8th Pz Division and Totenkopf are advancing towards Grozny. We’ll have to hurry, time is running out. There is over 150 km to the Caspian Sea.

[Jukipo]

Situation on 9/16/42 after 130 turns.

AGN: Situation remains stable

AGC: Saratov was captured. All units are defensive.

AGB: We are digging in along Volga River.

AGA: We are at the gates of Grozny. Only a little more and we’ll reach Caspian Sea and cut Baku-Astrakhan railroad.

Air war: We don’t have air superiority any more. Both sides are equally strong. The enemy is losing about five time as much planes as we do. They must be producing a lot of planes every month.

Losses in the first 130 turns: (last 5 turns in parenthesis) [replacements in 5 turns]

69385 (+1667) Heavy Rifle Squads [repl 2155]
7589 (+302) Rifle Squad – Rum [repl 280]
2949 (+28) Rifle Squad – Hun [repl 155]
5134 (+10) Rifle Squad – Fin [repl 125]
986 (+23) Rifle Squad – Ita [repl 90]
9517 (+186) Engineer Squads [repl 225]
2385 (+100) Panzers (all types) [repl 425]
3297 (+120) Fighters (all types) [repl 205]
683 (+35) Stukas & Hs-129 [repl 75]
3273 (+101) Bombers (all types) [repl 105]

[John B.]

This is a very good AAR! [&o] It seems odd that the soviets would be so ineffective in the winter offensive (taking nothing at all away from Jukipo). The Germans did not necessarily suffer higher losses than they did in the Summer of 1941 but they did get pushed back quite a bit and their supply situation was such that counter attacks were pretty much out of the question.

[John B.]

Sorry, that should have gone in a long time ago. Never mind.

[Jukipo]

ORIGINAL: John B.

This is a very good AAR! [&o] It seems odd that the soviets would be so ineffective in the winter offensive (taking nothing at all away from Jukipo). The Germans did not necessarily suffer higher losses than they did in the Summer of 1941 but they did get pushed back quite a bit and their supply situation was such that counter attacks were pretty much out of the question.

Thanks! Soviet winter offensive was ineffective because I was prepared. My troop were waiting in fortified positions with full supply. Historically German units were worn out. Soviet offensive was a surprise for Wehrmacht.
Now I feel a little sorry, I didn’t continue my advance in November 1941. It would have led to more interesting game in 1942.

[Jukipo]

Turn 131, 9/20/42 AGA

The enemy counteattacked near Grozny. Totenkopf Division was beaten badly. We had to withdraw 30 km.

[Jukipo]

Turn 132, 9/23/42 AGN

We have captured Valday. Now it’s time to dig in and wait for rasputitza.

[Jukipo]

Turn 132, 9/23/42 AGB

We are going to make two limited offensives before rasputitza.

29th and 55th Infantry Korps are going to cross Volga near Stalingrad. Our objective is to form a solid bridgehead and destroy enemy forces in the area.

17th and 52nd Infantry Korps are going to capture Staritsa. We would like to cut the railroad leading to Astrakhan.

[Jukipo]

Turn 132, 9/23/42 AGA

We have managed to cut Astrachan – Baku railroad near Gudermes. Our troops are moving East on the north bank of Terek River.

[Jukipo]

Turn 133, 9/27/42 AGB

We have crossed Volga near Stalingrad. Staritsa was captured.

[Jukipo]

Turn 133, 9/27/42 AGA

9th Panzer Division crossed Terek River and captured Gudermes. We have now isolated enemy units in Chechnya. Lack of supply is limiting our advance.