Heading East into the Soviet Union

[Nix77]

Also Soviet Garrison Box isn't active until around August 1941.

[carlkay58]

Nix77 - another real problem with trying to balance everything out is that you are frequently only finding out the last depot the unit has drawn supplies from. I am very open that I am no expert on the logistics, I have found a way to handle them that works with my game style. That is also why I include the game saves in this AAR so everyone can do what you did and play around with a data set that is advanced and situational with having to play the game to that point themselves with something that went wrong early on.

I agree that balancing everything out with your strategic aim is the most efficient method. I have found that the 41 campaign is a bit too chaotic and widespread for the Axis that narrowing your scope too early will bite you in the backside very quickly. Look what happened to me because I pulled the FBD from AGN too early. If it had been left up there for another turn or two the Leningrad push would be in supplies up to their ears.

[carlkay58]

T22 Soviet Attacks:

The only attacks by the Soviets were two railyard bombing runs at Shimsk - up in the Leningrad area where the supply net has not yet gotten to. I really wonder how that one Soviet plane got away.

[carlkay58]

T22 Supply Net North:

Even AGN is starting to improve. 9th Army is still having problems but that should start to go away as the two FBDs get to work.

[carlkay58]

T22 Supply Net South:

Supply is getting to everyone but a drive on Stalino and Rostov is too far for realistic outlooks.

[carlkay58]

T22 Air Phase:

With the air clear and cold I enable all of the GS directives and the Recon directives. I redirect the Recon directives to new target hexes. Operational losses are a pain.

[carlkay58]

T22 Freight:

The PGs have their supply good. The 16th Army is really beginning to hurt.

[carlkay58]

T22 AGN:

Leningrad has only a single hex out into North Leningrad now. Some units of the 18th Army and 4th PG are pulled back to the advance depots for refit and CPP recovery. 16th Army continues to advance against little or no resistance.

[carlkay58]

T22 AGC:

2nd and 3rd PG continue to advance towards Moscow. 4th Army is threatening Bryansk. It is probably time to admit Moscow is beyond me this year and start to plan my defensive lines in this area and let my units recover as much as possible before the Soviet offensive begins.

[carlkay58]

T22 AGS:

Kursk and Kharkov have fallen. I will probably push some more to gain some space near both of the cities so I can hold them as good starting points for my 42 offensive. Other than that it is time to start planning my defenses and how to hold back the Soviets over the winter.

[carlkay58]

T22 Soviet Union Garrison:

With three more units this turn, the Soviet Union Garrison is now at 150%. I hope that will limit the Soviet Partisans enough that they are not too much of a pain over the winter months.

[carlkay58]

T22 Files:

[carlkay58]

T23 Supply Net North:

16th Army is my major focus now. I have two FBDs in that area to improve the rail net and it is imperative that it be done quickly. Oranienbaum is now a working port and supplying the 18th Army and 4th PG pretty well. 2nd Army is another one that could use some work but with Kursk in my hands now and ready to be joined to the rail net that should help in that area.

[carlkay58]

T23 Supply Net South:

Kursk and Kharkov should both be in the rail net by the end of this turn or next. Their railyards are on priority repair and should be up in time for winter (four turns). 11th Army is probably the worst case in the south but the rails are getting up to the Dnepr River bend and that should be helpful there.

[carlkay58]

T23 Winter Plans:

Now is the time for planning what I need to protect during the winter so that I have a good base for a 42 offensive. Leningrad and gaining some cushion ground around Kursk and Kharkov are all I need to worry about offensively. I am currently at 593 VPs and if I can capture Leningrad that will go up 36 more VPs. That would leave me about 120 or so VPs in 42 for the Sudden Victory. Moscow - Tula - Orel would give 92 more if I chose that route. I have to advance in the south in order to win but the threat is there that the south is not my only option for victory. So I have to maintain my gains along the entire front as much as I can to keep that middle threat alive.

[carlkay58]

T23 Air Phase:

I turn off the GS directives and most of the Recon directives due to weather and the heavy air losses over the last turn.

[carlkay58]

T23 Freight:

Things have improved for most of the armies but the 16th, 11th, and 6th Armies are in the most needs.

[carlkay58]

T23 AGN:

4th PG captures the hex next to Osinovets which is the last link for the Leningrad pocket. I would be NAVAL PATROL on the port but the blizzard makes it prohibitive and I am not sure on ranges but the directives would probably be cancelled due to weather. So the ground pounders get the job. There are two city forts in the pocket - the obvious one in Leningrad and the other in NW Leningrad. Both are probably full with 10 divisions each. If so, this pocket represents over 30 Soviet divisions and would be a great help for the eastern front overall if they were all bagged.

[carlkay58]

T23 AGC:

I fill the holes from withdrawing divisions and pull back what I can to refit and recover to the advanced depots. I am going over to the defense here. The Soviets will probably concentrate on this area to make Moscow safer in 42. The German forts are being built within 20 miles of the outskirts of Moscow. The problem is that both the 2nd and 3rd PGs are Assault HQs so they will not build good fortifications. I will have to rotate some commands around to do the digging as I don't want to take the PGs off of ASSAULT.

[carlkay58]

T23 AGS:

Mostly defensive moves in this front. 1 PG pulls back everyone to rest and recuperate before the really nasty weather comes in.