Generalrisky (Axis) vs Seminole (Soviet) - Bitter End

[Seminole]

Decided to try another game, turns out my opponent is using the latest beta, so I download it not having played with it.

Game options accepted:



Turn 1

Pockets appear to be tight. Our foe is clearly practiced at turn 1.

We make an effort to break the pocket near Tarnopol, but fail.

Elsewhere STAVKA orders a general fall back.

I do go ahead and position units to hold the line at JanisJarvi. In my experience this can be a good place to farm wins for early Guards units.

I also make a concerted effort to preserve all cavalry and airborne units. Both are precious. The cavalry for their mobility and ability to break loose pockets, as well as preserving all possible units for the creation of cavalry corps during the Winter Offensive. Airborne units are not automatically rebuilt (unless this is a change in the beta I'm unaware of), so I also try to husband them for future operations by not using them in dangerous positions.

This is my first time playing with the rail limits, but I decide I'll focus on protecting Leningrad first, and then Moscow. With no clue how the logistics play out (on the Soviet or Axis side), but mindful of the rapid and repeated blitzes made in beta AARs I decide there is little point is hugging up while the pockets are solid.

I pull back defend Pskov, leaving only a token of security regiments to monitor the panzers who are already across the river at Riga.

AGC's solid cauldron leaves Western Front no choice but to run east of Minsk and setup a cordon behind the Bezerin river. Minsk is defended.

Against AGS the attempt to break the pocket fails and Southwest Front tries to establish a line on the river between Rovno and Zhitomir.

Soviet front lines at the end of turn 1:

[Telemecus]

+1 subscribed and nest of luck!

[Seminole]

Russian air losses in the opening turn, and the overall disarray of the front lines, prompt STAVKA to pull air groups back into national reserve for a re-organization.



Ground losses:

[Seminole]

Turn 2

The mechanized forces of AGN springboard as expected to the gates of Pskov, but they don't try to knock on the door yet.

AGC pockets Minsk's defenders and forces the Ulla and Berezina river line as expected. They approach Vitebsk, but don't try to take the city. The rail limits mean there is practically nothing here yet to defend the land bridge. The defense of Moscow will start farther east.

AGS doesn't make the same effort to liquidate the Lvov pocket that it's sister Army Groups have made in their respective sectors. However, a new pocket has been formed south of Rovno.



The Germans also begin to approach Odessa with their lackey's.

[Seminole]

First the action against AGN.

Too afraid of gassed up panzers to try and hold the river line south of Pskov, Northwestern Front pulls back to defensible terrain farther east.
At the same time units press forward to make contact with the German mech forces, and screening units are sent to Latvia to make the Germans at least pay some extra MP to flip the territory.
German mech are identified on map:

[Seminole]

Against AGC STAVKA orders the creation of a line of resistance behind the Dnepr river and extending up to Vitebsk.
Both the German's 20th and 14th Motorized Divisions are cut off from supplies.
The line over the land bridge is a token force. I need to get more of SW Front shipped north.
German mech are identified on the map:

[CapAndGown]

The Germans have airbases right up with the panzers. What is that all about? Won't they be out of supply? How does that effect German air operations? I've seen that in several AARs and I don't understand it. Franky, I'm not sure I understand the air game at all.

[Telemecus]

ORIGINAL: cap_and_gown

The Germans have airbases right up with the panzers. What is that all about? Won't they be out of supply? How does that effect German air operations? I've seen that in several AARs and I don't understand it. Franky, I'm not sure I understand the air game at all.

They might be empty staging bases which is OK?

[Seminole]

AGS makes a new pocket, but this time it is a string of regiments trying to hold the eastern wall of the cauldron.

SW Front orders 8th Mechanized Corps to hastily organize a relief effort for the troops now trapped south of Rovno.



The three tank divisions scatter both the Grossdeutschland Mot Rgt as well as a regiment of 10th Pzr Div. while a fourth tank division ensures that the Pzr Rgt is isolated in the hills with a German Infantry Division.



The attacks also over run forward airbases for the Luftwaffe's Stuka groups.



After the attack Southwestern Front again pulls back east, using the Pripyat to secure their northern flank and hoping to draw more Axis armored formations this direction.

[Seminole]

The overall strategic picture at the end of turn 2.

In the south the Dnepr line is being fleshed out as rapidly as possible.
Further west Southwestern Front builds successive lines behind the rivers and Vinnitsa is abandoned save for NKVD.
Southern Front falls back creating a screen while security forces are urged forward to scout the enemy armor and harass them while serving as tripwire to their renewed advance.

In the center efforts are made to protect the approaches to Gomel. I don't want to give the panzers cheap trips across these rivers, and position units nearby to force them to clear their flanks before proceeding.

In the north STAVKA orders fortified zones to be constructed on the northern banks of the river Neva and the port on Lake Ladoga.

[Seminole]

Turn 3

Overall pretty quiet along the entire front.
The panzers are clearly catching up on supplies and waiting for the infantry at this point. I was surprised he didn't test the land bridge, but he can blow it away at will.

The screening forces in Latvia are pulled slightly north into better terrain with the hopes of webbing some infantry and slowing their participation in the seige of Leningrad.
With the fresh reinforcements raised in Leningrad and Moscow STAVKA fleshes out the Luga river line and orders a pull back to better screen the forests in front of this position.
STAVKA also emphasizes the appearance of strong defenses south of Lake Ilmen, mainly hoping to deter rather than attempt to block a right hook by AGN around the Luga river line.

AGC re-establishes contact with the isolated motorized divisions, and clears the rivers up to the Dnepr, but otherwise catches their breath.
The land bridge is reinforced Western Front uses their available para brigades to screen the Dnepr approaches.

AGS bulls east past Vinnitsa, while also attempting to work around the northwestern edge of Zhitomir. The screen setup by Southwestern Front proves effective, and the panzers pull back to regroup.
STAVKA orders the paratroopers just sailed from Odessa to Crimea to return to Odessa and take up defensive positions around the city.
Southern Front pulls their screen farther east, while reinforcements are poured into the Dnepr defensive preparations.

In the Crimea and around Lake Ladoga STAVKA begins the construction of fortified zones to bolster the ability of these areas to hold out against the German onslaught. Usually I spend more AP on HQ re-assignment, but I'm trying to burn less AP on that overall in this game.

[Seminole]

Turn 4

July 10, 1941

AGN has encircled Pskov, but otherwise not strongly tested the defensive line that Northwestern Front and Northern Front have begun to construct.

Vatutin approaches STAVKA with a bold plan. It has been revealed by Soviet partisans and sympathizers in the Baltic States that the Germans are repairing the rail line through Riga.
The Germans have apparently directed all their mechanized forces east of Pskov, and are relying on infantry to clear the remaining Baltic territories.
Vatutin proposes defending this area, with an eye toward ultimately threatening the LOC from Riga to Pskov and potentially weakening AGN's thrust toward Leningrad.
STAVKA embraces the suggestion and Vatutin is given command of 28th Army (reporting to NW Front) and relocates to Estonia with a single cavalry division. Six additional cavalry divisions are earmarked for 28th Army, as well as two rifle divisions, one tank division, 5 rifle brigades and 5 security regiments to help slow the German advance northward.
Vatutin jokingly refers to his proposal as Operation Unicorn and his Army and their attendant support as the Estonian Front.
It will be supported by Operation Pegasus, an airborne assault on the Riga-Pskov rail line intended to prevent the rapid reinforcement of this area by rail when the counterattack is launched, as well as drops required to support the intended breakout.
To this end Baltic Red Banner Fleet Airbases are relocated to the island of Saaremaa, and transports are assigned to lift the paratroops.






Vatutin's hope is that the Germans will continue to press their infantry north towards Tallinn and that he can turn their left flank exploit the open terrain with cavalry.

[Seminole]

Turn 4 overall strategic map:



STAVKA orders more fortifications in the north, this time covering routes over the Volkhov river, while also adding forts to the port locations on the Azov Sea and Taganrog Bay. Fresh cavalry formations are placed in this locations to train and assist with digging in.

STAVKA has reconsidered holding the JanisJarvi line against Finland. 40 AP for forts to cover the northern border is a small price to pay to free up a good Army and 9 on map units that are desperately needed to defend Leningrad now so they begin the process of withdrawal.

With AGC's infantry reaching the land bridge STAVKA authorizes another pull back to avoid inviting encirclement.

South of the Pripyat AGS has moved most of their mechanized forces to the Dnepr and are no longer threatening Zhitomir. In response Southwestern Front pulls most of the units back to the eastern side of the river and shuffles defenses father south down the banks all the way to Dnepropetrovsk, with particular emphasis on covering the crossing points around Cherkassy.

We really hope to hold against attacks across the river for a week or two, or force him to keep racing farther SE against the screen we've established on the western side of the Dnepr.

[Seminole]

Turn 5

German advance remains surprisingly tepid.

Slow push along a broad front N and NE from Pskov toward Leningrad.

Vatutin's 28th Army is moved into position with reinforcements in the form of 6 more cavalry divisions and 3 airborne brigades brought by rail. Only one of the brigades currently has sufficient experience (40) to make the jump, the plan is to jump them next week or the one after on or near Riga when the cavalry are prepared to break out and we want to prevent German rail reinforcement. Depends on recon and strategic need. Another brigade is very close to the threshold and may pass it in the next week or two.

Recon along the front exposes infantry reinforcements marching toward Pskov. Hoping these continue heading to the East next week.

In the northern Baltics we have cut off the 269th Inf Div and hope it provides the honey pot to draw German attention north, and not back to the west. Polizei SS and a security unit hold the German left flank. We're hoping to get this flank exposed for the cavalry to move south. Ideally the Polizei move north toward the encircled German unit to wipe out the security units and try to trap the cavalry unit that completed the encirclement. If the security unit stays on the flank we will try to cut off and rout it for follow on cavalry to expand the widest breech.
In addition to the Polizei and 269th Inf Div, the 86th Inf Div is at the Emajogi river and the 94th Inf Div is covering the swamps north of Lake Pskov.

Cavalry will move south, southeast, then double back toward Riga for exfiltration. Priority is rail destruction and provoking German response. I've highlighted below the rail repair conducted (green) and anticipated over the next two turns.

[Seminole]

Overall strategic map at the end of turn 5.



With AGC loosely encircling Smolensk STAVKA orders another pull back. 24th Army and its units are taken from their area north of Smolensk and sent to bolster the Luga river line.

East of Smolensk the screen is dangerously weak, but in the next few turns all reinforcement will flow to this sector to beef up the defenses.

AGS continues racing infantry to the east. A few attacks are launched trying to clear the western banks of the Dnepr around Cherkassy, but no crossings are attempted yet. In recognition of AGS's focus farther south Zhitomir is abandoned and even more units are brought to the eastern side of the Dnepr.

Given that the Germans have devoted an infantry corps to assisting the Rumanians at Odessa STAVKA decides to once again re-embark the airborne brigades and bring them back to Crimea. Don't want to lose them to surrender with the new port rules.

[CapAndGown]

I was wondering how you had so many units up north. I was beginning to get jealous. Then I saw you had completely stripped the Western Front. [X(]

[chaos45]

all the units west of pskov in the north are basically not providing any value to the soviet defense. Germans are moving abit slow though so shouldn't be an issue for the soviets to fix deployments.

[Seminole]

ORIGINAL: chaos45

all the units west of pskov in the north are basically not providing any value to the soviet defense. Germans are moving abit slow though so shouldn't be an issue for the soviets to fix deployments.

[Seminole]

Turn 6

First the Leningrad sector.
The Germans easily brushed back the encircling units and routed the cavalry who had completed the isolation.
They push forward slowly, with the left flank still held by a security unit. Our problem is that their positioning is not suitable to create a breakthrough.
Panzer Group 4 tests the Luga river line, but cannot make a crossing. They do eliminate the fortifications that had been built thus far.
There is also an effort cut the rail to the Baltics at the Narva river, but the Germans find the going too tough to accomplish this week.

[Seminole]

While the situation on the front line isn't conducive to attempting the breakthrough, STAVKA decides they can't wait and the 201st Airborne brigade is dropped in the swamps east of Riga astride the active German railway.

This move greatly displaces AGN's spearhead from railhead.

Vatutin is concerned that the cavalry hiding in the swamps will be discovered. The Germans have been remiss in not executing recon in the Baltics, so they should be blind to the danger. Vatutin re-positions the remaining paras to cover the swamps and the cavalry are moved north closer to Riga with the exception of one division kept south of the swamps.

The German 94th Inf Div has moved east through the swamps and this leaves L Corps with three infantry division and two security divisions to protect AGN's left flank.