smokindave34 (Axis) vs M60A3TTS (Soviet) 41 CG

[M60A3TTS]

Week 32 - 25 January 1942

A combination of blizzard and snowfall in the air.


The same pattern of attacks continue. There are wins and losses, and continued fatigue is and will remain an issue.





Ground losses almost twice that of the Axis, but they are losses that can be made good.





We get some good general officer promotions this week.





Guards rifle divisions are now starting to flow, and we have a 3rd Guards Cavalry Corps.





One downside this week and that involves our tank divisions. Many of these "upgrade" from on-map divisions to off-map brigades. This causes a reduction of almost 2k AFVs on the map. One nice side effect is that the remaining on-map mech divisions now have a fresh supply of older AFVs to draw from.

[Q-Ball]

If IIRC, the Production System will also substitute T-26s and BT tanks into "Light Tank" or "Recon Tank" slots if there are not enough T-60 and T-70s available down the road. Which there won't be, because those 2 models for me die in droves in 42/43

So those old tanks are going to get used regardless

[M60A3TTS]

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

If IIRC, the Production System will also substitute T-26s and BT tanks into "Light Tank" or "Recon Tank" slots if there are not enough T-60 and T-70s available down the road. Which there won't be, because those 2 models for me die in droves in 42/43

So those old tanks are going to get used regardless

I've generally not had issues with running out of the T-60s and T-70s. That may be because I tend not to build the max tank formations allowed to help conserve trucks. If these older tanks were to replace them, they wouldn't make much of a difference because as you say, their life expectancy is so low.

[xhoel]

Seems like the offensive is giving you some nice Guard units, keep up the good work!

I don´t understand why the game is making some of the Tank Brigade renames though. For example, 130th TB is redesignated as the 3rd TB but 2 rows below it shows that the 3rd TB is also redesignated as 130th TB. Seems like the bug that Maly mentioned before, where weird renames are taking place.

[M60A3TTS]

ORIGINAL: xhoel

Seems like the offensive is giving you some nice Guard units, keep up the good work!

I don´t understand why the game is making some of the Tank Brigade renames though. For example, 130th TB is redesignated as the 3rd TB but 2 rows below it shows that the 3rd TB is also redesignated as 130th TB. Seems like the bug that Maly mentioned before, where weird renames are taking place.

Among my many spreadsheets is one that tracks how many wins the rifle divisions are collecting. At this point I am cherry picking those divisions to get them into battles while other units stay out. Some are still going back to the nearby depots for manpower replacements as needed. Once you get used to working with the CR filters, it only takes a minute or two at the start of each turn to track and the benefits speak for themselves.




I don't know what is with that re-name situation. It doesn't have a negative impact, so it can be ignored.

[M60A3TTS]

Week 33 - 1 February 1942

The blizzard conditions have returned and attacks continue. We are starting to close in on our geographic objectives at the start of the month and see no reason why we can't achieve them.




The nature of the battles remain largely unchanged. We take the greater losses but outlast the enemy on the battlefield. Then we advance. It is a pure grinding effort, allowing superior numbers, weather, and a lack of firm defensive positions to dictate the outcome of these battles.




OOB




Ground losses

[M60A3TTS]

Here is the detail of another battle where the Red God of War is on full display. A combination of 152mm artillery and 82mm mortar fires are clearing the way for our riflemen. Of course it takes a good commander such as K.K. Rokossovsky to put the steel on target.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

The Soviet POW count of 1.4 mil seems low for this time....I feel like Axis need to get 2 mil by winter

I would shoot for higher, "MUCH" higher. I shoot for 3.5 million at a bare minimum. 4 million you keep it real as the Germans.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

I did not see many attacks by Dave during the Winter. Or maybe I am just missing it. I would be attacking every chance I had as Germans in the winter to inflict as many nose bleeds as you can. After awhile the Soviets have to tend to those nose bleeds. But that is just me.

[M60A3TTS]

ORIGINAL: HardLuckYetAgain

I did not see many attacks by Dave during the Winter. Or maybe I am just missing it. I would be attacking every chance I had as Germans in the winter to inflict as many nose bleeds as you can. After awhile the Soviets have to tend to those nose bleeds. But that is just me.

You're right, he hasn't made many. He has had supply issues to work through and maybe that had something to do with it. In any case, he's not taking a lot of permanent losses, so his own numbers will rebound in time.

[jubjub]

ORIGINAL: HardLuckYetAgain

I did not see many attacks by Dave during the Winter. Or maybe I am just missing it. I would be attacking every chance I had as Germans in the winter to inflict as many nose bleeds as you can. After awhile the Soviets have to tend to those nose bleeds. But that is just me.

These can be extremely painful if they fail.. The combat value of your units melts away during winter fighting, and it's difficult to recover it. I only do them against very weak divisions, preferably in snowfall.

[M60A3TTS]

Week 34 - 8 February 1942

Snowfall predominates just north of Kursk. South of there blizzard conditions cover the landscape.


This week is much as those that recently have come before it. We have the wins and the losses.




The losses, when they come, can be very one-sided affairs. A follow on attack was successful, robbing the Germans of Depot #6.




Despite the occasional failure, the more important goals of this offensive are being met.

[tonyhnz]

Some observations/questions about the air war in this aar so far.
Interdiction appears to have an effect but it is best only used on non clear targeted hexes through which the enemy has to move.
For some of the fighter-bomber groups, you can change them from fighter to bomber training - do you ever use this facility ?
You also seem to move some air groups to out of way airbases to have a sort of on-map reserve as well as the normal air reserve to help better manage pilots/air groups ?

[M60A3TTS]

ORIGINAL: tonyhnz

Some observations/questions about the air war in this aar so far.
Interdiction appears to have an effect but it is best only used on non clear targeted hexes through which the enemy has to move.

This is correct.

ORIGINAL: tonyhnz
For some of the fighter-bomber groups, you can change them from fighter to bomber training - do you ever use this facility ?

I could but generally do not. In 1941 there are adequate long range bombers to attack the hexes that I want to. There is also the issue of having enough quality fighter escorts during the ground phase.

ORIGINAL: tonyhnz
You also seem to move some air groups to out of way airbases to have a sort of on-map reserve as well as the normal air reserve to help better manage pilots/air groups ?

This is correct. In 1941 there are roughly 15 fighter/FFB AOGs/divisions on the map. By Summer 1942 it may come close to double that. Until air regiments fall below 50 experience and need training in the reserves, it is simpler for me to just move divisions forward and back on the map as needed instead of having to move the same ones into and out of the reserves. But this is more of a personal preference and others may not find it as useful.

[tonyhnz]

Appreciate the replies about the air war.

Had a question about reserves - do you typically use a tactical reserve where you set units to reserve status close to the line or have more strategic reserve units further back from the line to cover breakthroughs ?

[M60A3TTS]

ORIGINAL: tonyhnz

Appreciate the replies about the air war.

Had a question about reserves - do you typically use a tactical reserve where you set units to reserve status close to the line or have more strategic reserve units further back from the line to cover breakthroughs ?

During this winter offensive, I try to have all units close to the front with second line units in reserve. This increases the chance of more wins for divisions that are working their ways to guards status.

In the coming summer, I will have both second line infantry in reserve status and farther back will be corps-level reserve formations with a mix of cavalry-tank units.

Finally, in summer there will be some reserve rifle armies for emergency use but they will not be extensive.

[M60A3TTS]

Week 35 - 15 February 1942

Blizzard conditions north of Velikye Luki. Snowfall across the remainder of the front.

We see continued success in the area of the main offensive. Kursk is now completely cleared of enemy troops.




Ground losses




Now up to 5 guards cavalry corps. We also have our first guards tank brigade. The event log has it named as 7th Guards but it really is the first.




Here is the AFV count. Since all but three tank divisions are now converted to brigades, the count drops significantly. This will be built back up as we bring the tank corps on line starting in April.

[jubjub]

M60, it seems like you could achieve a significant breakthrough if you concentrated your troops and attacks. What would you say the downsides to that strategy are?


From my experience (on both sides), a successful breakthrough stretches the Wehrmacht thin, which makes winning battles easier, and it can potentially trap stragglers to encircle and destroy. Additionally, in blizzard conditions, there's usually no serious threat of counter attack.

[gingerbread]

ORIGINAL: M60A3TTS

...This will be built back up as we bring the tank corps on line starting in April.

How are the vehicle pools?

[M60A3TTS]

ORIGINAL: gingerbread

ORIGINAL: M60A3TTS

...This will be built back up as we bring the tank corps on line starting in April.

How are the vehicle pools?

You can see that it's almost 10k to the plus side in units, but one needs to be careful not to read too much into that. Once the tank corps start to come on line in numbers that include rifle brigade SUs, in addition to some tank brigade and regiment builds, that excess will quickly diminish.