TopEverest vs Admiral Kamikaze - the rematch

[topeverest]

As amazing as this turn was, it looks poor to get to the Dneper in the two remaining turns. Note the two rivers I used to limit the chance of counterattack.

Not that I wont stop 0rying to get the Dnepr.

8 hexes the enemy was driven.

[M60A3TTS]

ORIGINAL: topeverest

As amazing as this turn was, it looks poor to get to the Dneper in the two remaining turns. Note the two rivers I used to limit the chance of counterattack.

I don't know what you mean. Those rivers should still be frozen solid and have no effect on defense.

[topeverest]

Busy couple of work weeks.

My misunderstanding of the rules. I thought there still was a minor defensive effect for 10 ice

ORIGINAL: M60A3TTS

ORIGINAL: topeverest

As amazing as this turn was, it looks poor to get to the Dneper in the two remaining turns. Note the two rivers I used to limit the chance of counterattack.

I don't know what you mean. Those rivers should still be frozen solid and have no effect on defense.

[topeverest]

Winter combat season ends
VP - 214
Trucks - 148 / (171) +12 / -19

BY my record, the red menace made 6 breaks in the German MLR in the last game month of the winter season, three of which resulted in major gains. I feel like I am onto a better way for Russians to commit to the offensive. it just took time for me to begin to internalize the tactics that are needed. While I am sure what I am doing is a C- tactic, that still is a vast improvement over what I was doing prior.

1. Russians break the enemy MLR several times and barely cross the DNEPER, capturing Zaforzyhe but not Dnepropetrovsk. I feel this is a material Russian win within the context of the current game and - if I hold that toehold across the Dnepr, it will greatly speed the Russian advance towards Romania.
2. Russians try and fail several times to make an armor pincer penetration near Kursk / Kharkov. Enemy has a share of armor there and their forces aren't as worn down as in the south.
3. Russians break the enemy line several times in the general vicinity of Orel - Kaluga and drive to Bryansk but do not take the city.
4. Russians commit to attritional attacks at other parts of the MLR to tie down enemy forces
5. Reds ended northern campaign to get close to Leningrad well short of its objectives. The supply limitations related to my force deployment ended the campaign before it really began. There wasn't good rail supply support because I never took the rail junction near the Volkov river. I thought that the rail entry hex on the north map edge would act as a normal rail supply hex, but it barely pulls any support

[topeverest]

Here is a view of the MLR, season campaign history, and preliminary objectives for the next season

[topeverest]

Here is a view of unit mix

260 total corps on map
18 artillery and rocket divisions on map
12 total guard armies tank and regular
16 guard airbases

[topeverest]

Everything looks pretty good here.

heavy AFV losses on my side IMHO

[topeverest]

Air prod / pool is golden - If I could scrape up the AP's I would reduce it

AFV prod is maximum, but I have to be more careful particularly with cavalry or I might run out of AFV before the end of the game

[M60A3TTS]

Still alive over here?

[topeverest]

The last 45 real days have been occupied with real life issues, both of us players - but mostly me.

I cant say we will go much faster than a few turns a week till the end, but we both want to finish a PBEM game for the first time.

[topeverest]

VP 201
Trucks - 150 / (148)

The mud season saw three clear turns - and the last mud eligible turn is coming up but will be clear - so the summer 44 campaign season starts with my next turn, which I just received.

Russians capitalize on the three clear turns and press for advantage.
1. Reds push 5 hexes to Yazma but cannot take city. Mud closes down effort
2. Reds launch major effort to push due west at Kursk and take 10 hexes, forcing enemy to make a strategic retreat (that I wasn't prepared for)
3. Heavy fighting at the Dneper curve results in enemy pulling back 4 hexes to the Bazavlik river
4. Reds press at the Azov, and the enemy pulls out of Crimea and behind Dneper

As stated above, I was unprepared for the planned enemy retreat, and I still had underfunded rail brigades - which I have since built. This is a material blunder on my part, as I should have seen this coming. Now I have to be doubly careful how to deploy my rail units

[topeverest]

This is a view of the action since last update and the general plan for the summer season. Keep in mind, I will take what the enemy gives.

[topeverest]

In my evolution in how to play Russians, I believe I have documented my thoughts of the time, even as I have tried to implement the good advice I have received.

In the mud season clear turns, I have taken to bypassing single hexes and captured 8 units in 4 hexes over three turns. I plan to do that every turn and force the enemy to counterattack.

Obviously the Reds are quite behind, and unless I have found the secret to tactics, I may not get to Berlin. That said, I keep learning every turn, and I wont stop trying.

[:)]

[topeverest]

Here is the view of the Red army composition. Note the recent rail unit push.

Not sure if I have enough artillery yet.

Still moving to round out infantry.

[topeverest]

Here

[topeverest]

VP 200 ---- Captured Sumy this turn.
Trucks 149 / (137)

SUMMER 44 SEASON STARTS - modest successes against an enemy mostly behind rivers and level 3 forts.

Russians make attacks in 4 locations:
1. On the lower Dnepr near the Sea of Azov, with extreme effort, the Russians take 4 hexes on the west bank. I probably will be evicted next turn, but the forts are basically busted, and progress will continue. Aside - I committed three entire armor armies to this attack and failed to bring up my artillery, and that was pretty dumb, even by my low bar standards. Anyway, another lesson learned.
2. Near the Dneper curve, the enemy was dug in along the Bazavlik river in heavy strength. The Russians make slow progress despite surrounding 3 German infantry divisions. Just west of the MLR, the Germans are digging in behind the Ingulets river. Certainly a sign of how he intends to fight from this point forward.
3. Near Sumy, the Russians determine that the German MLR is the weakest, since there is no river to hide behind there. Russians make a maximum effort with three entire fronts throwing everything they have at the enemy. The shock infantry did its job and busted the MLR along a 3 hex front. Then I poured in cavalry and armor, driving up to 7 hexes west along a broad front. I displaced a number of enemy HQ and airbases. Reports state that the enemy lost 836 airframes this turn to 623 Russian. Near the end of the turn, I pulsed an armor army into Sumy from the north. 12 enemy divisions are functionally surrounded in that area, and another three on the north side of the saddle.
4. South of Yazma, Russians throw 3 new armor armies and three more cavalry armies supported by two infantry armies in an effort to push out of the woods terrain and break onto the Smolensk plain. It was an unlikely place to commit armor forces, and the enemy was not prepared. Forces push as far as 5 hexes west, but are stopped by fixed fortifications at Spas-Demensk 95.54. That fortification prevented a much deeper penetration.

[topeverest]

Rail conversion is not a subject I frequent, but I have made such fast progress, I am outrunning my rail lines in places, which cannot be good as I am barely sufficient on trucks.

My experience has been that I cannot advance a rail line more than 4 hexes in a turn. Supply is going to grind the Kiev assault to a halt I believe.

[topeverest]

Here is where I question what I did. But I did it. I expect to stay on the west bank in the 2 southern most hexes - look tot he CVs

Note that -50% for 2 Romanian Corps. having not played Axis yet, I am curious what can bring a -50% for an in supply unit...

[topeverest]

Here my plan also stumbled, as I really thought I could do more than my forces were actually able to do. I got hung up on a hex noted in the pic and burned 2 entire armies getting through it. That said, I still don't know of a better way to get around that problem without a major shift of forces, which would take a turn. And that is time I don't have.

I was forced to reduce it, and I didn't have my artillery nearby. DOOOHH!

[topeverest]

Near Sumy the enemy was not protected by a river. I committed maximum effort in that attack, pulsing in 3 extra armor armies that I had intended to surround Bryansk.

This was a very successful attack.

Note 12 enemy divisions on the southern saddle are seriously endangered of being captured and another 6 on the northern saddle. I am sure to get at least half of them I believe.

on 15 hexes to Kiev....making progress