Another '42 tale - Albert.N vs Deaniks

[AlbertN]

Hello Gamers,

Starting an AAR that may be shortlived as the situation is not favorable for the Axis - both players have that perspective.

But it can help to give insight.

Some of you know of me already from the various posts on the forums; and I define myself an intermediate player that limits himself in how much a turn can take as time and effort. Excess of micromanagement = The fun ceases to be and I go can't-be-arsed mode.
Deaniks is a player in the same league I feel, attitude wise.
I believe our skill levels match - if not that he's better than I even, more used to 'heavy weight games'. He plays War in the Pacific AE as well that for me is non approachable due to the amount of micro!
Also as relevant note the game is a reversal of what we're used to.

In general I play Axis, and here I am the Soviets. And Deaniks is used to play Soviets and took control of the Axis powers.

We play with enhanced Theather Boxes; a house rule that prevented Soviets to open up pockets created during Turn 1.
The scenario has some changes that I do not know of, Deaniks hosted it - he said it is something a friend made and it was about the StB scenario (I've read something on the forums here that some people made mods for that to unlock troops). I know the guy and trust him since a while -- But I am putting it here as disclaimer in case for any need a Dev needs to take a look to saves.

Initially I was not thinking to do an AAR, but as things came out with me being a total inept at Soviet stuff, including not even being aware when their changes happen, what to make and to undo and disband, etc ... well I decided to in fact be informative.
While I do not believe a player that limits 'micromanagement' would have no hope against someone who wants to dedicate buckets of hours a turn, I think this type of game is what your average player is closer to have, more so than the type of game the super rugged and veteran player may have.

This AAR won't be as detailed as the previous one where I played Axis. The scope and goal, as others did via other AARs, is to show how sickly OP the Russians are.

We're in May '42 and this is the general map situation.

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A first time experience is always hard - for the Axis at least.

In the South - where the Soviets factually fought and kept forces, retreating the needed, the German forces seized Dneprcity and Zaporye but lost them during the winter.
Kharkov, Orel, Kursk, and even Bryansk were taken by the Axis and lost during winter.
The Axis reached even Tula, capturing it at the final stretch of their pre-winter offensive in the snows.
Vyazma never fell to the Germans and across winter there was a dance between Smolensk and Vyazma.
Toward Leningrad the Germans arrived at 2-3 hexes from Novgorod, and at Staraya Russa but then got repelled.

The Germans played very conservatively across the winter, retreating a bucket of hexes so that even Kremenchug and Krivoi Rog were Russians at the end of the winter counteroffensive.
The Germans have not suffered grand disasters nor defeats and in general retreated in good order, taking some battering here and there but their losses have definitely been contained in Winter. No large German combat units were lost at all during the First Winter, only som diggers that were attached to some locations, overran by the Red Army advancing. When encirclements took place, the Germans broke their troops free.
Axis lost a variety of SUs and Fortified Zones though.

Similarly the Soviets have suffered -some- encirclments of 1 hex or small type, and for the summer whole each turn 100k+ of deads were coming. The Germans were pounding the Soviets hard... still ...

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Turn resume:

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I'll detail my approach to trucks and VVS later!

And to end post nr.1 the OOB scene.

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[AlbertN]

The game started with the Patch where Soviet leaders were perishing like flies.

A lot of Russian leaders died in the first turn, before the 'fix' came. We decided to play on.

The feeling is that the Soviets have enough generals capable; Assault armies help a lot the relatively shoddy leaders - mostly, the Soviets should pay way more Admin Points to replace their leaders.
It is far too easy to have a top notch (for what they've at hand) chain of command. I've done it being a nub, and would prolly do it even better if I play again Soviets.

A lot of Infantry-6 leaders dead. They'd have came well handy I dare say but amen to that!
That by itself is a passive plus the Soviets are benefitting over the Axis as of now for future games.

To change leaders in general should be costier - and definitely more so for Russians.
Some leaders seem to be prematurely around to command armies as well I feel.

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[AlbertN]

Soviet Logistics = Easy Math
Axis Logistics = Rubik Cube

Guide for the new Soviet Player:

Set Everything Priority 4 for Supplies
Create New Depots as you fall back
Create even more new depots as the front stabilizes.

Simple enough right?

As Soviet you do not have to worry of trucks. Why? Math. Which is not an opinion.

Every turn X trucks will be lost to attrition, or better they're damaged. Not really 'lost'. A truck is lost when the enemy destroys it. But your general supply freight is a type of attrition loss. Like, your truck broke an axis, or the engine had a breakdown, etc.
It will get repaired. Somewhen.

Soviets have amazing technicians and mechanics there, truly. And the game engine works with Percentages.
If the repair truck mechanics was a fixed number (ie. 1000 a turn) then a player knows if they damage more than 1000 a turn, they may end up in long term problems.
But here we know Soviets repair 25% of their trucks per turn.

So if each turn I damage let's say 4000 trucks, and 25% of it gets repaired ... the first turn I get refunded 1000 trucks. And 3000 stay in the repair pool. Then 4000+3000 = 7000, of which 25% gets repaired. 1750! So down to 5250 to be repaired still. I add 4000, and repair 25%.
Somewhen I'll get to let's say having 12000 trucks sitting in repair pool, add 4000. Get to 16000. Repair 25% of them = 4000. 12000 trucks remain in the repair pool.

Long story short, sooner or later I'll get to a 0 sum of what gets damaged and what gets repaired. It will be the same for the Axis, just a way different number because Axis mechanics are incompetent and they use too many veichles types (sarcasm, Russians used foreign veichles for the most as their main bulk of trucks and halftracks was from the US...)

Now - everyone saw above in the Turn Summary that the current repair pool of the Soviets is 9000 trucks. Considering we come from the mud turns, the front is more or less static, we can assume I am in a 0 sum already since a long while of damage and repair.

I'll put it in here again as refresher!

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So ... lots of trucks in depots, 70.000. That helps troops fight better as the 'unit trucks' are for moving guns and all.
The fighting force is short of almost 20k trucks, and I've almost 20k trucks in the pool. It's just a matter of fitting it in.

I've spent the game absolutely NOT caring for my trucks.

Right! Trucks, not a headache.
Supply level, not a headache.

Gaming easy mode? Sure. Let's plod on down the route.

Here a sample of depots. Everything or almost at 4.
And everything pratically full to the brim barring what is about upfront.

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But ... why?
Because Soviets can. Your frontline depot gets seized, all is well, the next one in line which is already loaded at 99% or so will supply your troops, so they keep optimal, Supply Level 4 quality supply through the game. Unless they come from the Reserves.

Ontop of that each Depot is a potential refitting station where a unit can be parked for replenishment.

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At this stage the Soviets have static lines though, it's just the end of the muddy season and the first Panzer thrust got stemmed already by the Soviet might in '42.

One may think, but this is Moscow courtyard ... you may struggle somehow afar!

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Here we go, the furthest zone. Served by one 'double track'. All depots full except the frontline one and one that is of new constitution.
Note, I am also refitting units actively there.

Freight can come in from the rail and via sea eventually.

That's how the whole Soviet front is organized. A bucket of depots full of freight for refit and apt fall backs to smoothly navigate the '42 Summer experience.

Don't be afraid to create new railyards. Soviets have both the sapper units if needs to be to fill them up and repair them. And the AP as well.

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In '41 when the front is more fluid - and Soviets are running - one has to be more careful of where to place the depots.

[AlbertN]

Percentages, Percentages...

I just mentioned percentages for trucks. Well - they're here for Guards too!

Soviet player should learn their percentages from the manual. And hey, unless I've misread that in July '42 my Infantry and Artillery percentages are to get up from 10% to 25%. If I've netted enough wins.

Now there is also a grand variable of the German player, how they behave and act, but in the winter the Soviets must attack, attack and attack more if they can. And in general it's better to attack where they can win.
That is a good plus for defending or better - fighting - in the South once the Axis may have outpaced their initial logistics.

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Very important! These nice percentages.
But even here there is the gimmick.
The more I've of something ... the more guards I can get?

Cavalry is non relevant, 100% can get Guard'ed up.
But guns? 10%!

Max out your Artillery units. Some may even be 'shell' units - all add to the top, and thus more Guards because they work in %t.

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There - lots of Arty that is already Guard.
With due attention the Artillerties have been carefully reformed, I had to study some the OOBs, what they turn into and the like. Because some have nifty OOBs in '41 but in '43 they are pretty crap.
The other business to keep track of is the gun availability. The Soviets have plenty of old pieces of Artillery that will sit for long there. They'll never have enough 152s instead as they churn out 20 a turn only.

Learn by yourself. Open all the Artillery OOB, move them forward, see if they endure, if they change, what they're and what turn into.

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Similarly, Infantry follows the same reasoning but it's not as 'cheap' as the artilleries, as it cost more AP and potentially more manpower.
At the moment I am in wait for the NM jump before to pump out more Infantry.

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Ontop of that there are also 3 infantry guard brigades.
That's with the 10%, and without having maxed out the Infantry cap. In July the tally gets to 25%. The question would be if the Soviets have enough non guard formations that can get promoted.
But at this stage, yes that is the case. There will be.

And on a relevant note remember that the Percentages work on the stuff you got - and do Sky Brigades count as Infantry? I do not know but I'll get down that path in another post too.

So another key business for Soviets is to inflate their OOB -if- they have units with enough victories. Guard Units are pivotal and cardinal for Soviet success.

Also pay grand attention - another thing I've learnt later on - how the Guard Corps are formed.
Always pick 2 Guard Division and some trashy Division with 0 wins. Because last thing you want is your 3rd Rifle Division in a Guard Corp to get promoted to guard too and suck up percentage.
I realized that late and once at the end of the Winter Offensives as I was still bloating up and up with new division my total (to increase the %) I started to seek deliberately for 0 victories, low morale formations to merge into a Guard Corp.

That brought me to have an imperious amount of guard force, of many types.

And for now taking a break from writing here!

[Stamb]

Great info comrade, as always!

Thanks for sharing and making another gorgeous AAR!

[Veterin]

Lots of great info in this ARR. Looking forward to how it plays out.

[AlbertN]

TB Management

Even that is important for the Russians!
Not as much as for Germans but hey - here is the North Front as example.

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Here instead of percentages we've numbers.

Pratically the ration between Manpower used, limited equipment used (artillery pieces namely) and CV provided.
CV shown are samples, and many units are recently created with still low experience. Their CV will levitate in time.

The Ski Battallions, they're 456 men and provide ... well I got visually tricked here at first when I saw the 0.9 and 0.8 stuff, then one showed 0.11 and I knew it could not be. I simply assume there is a 0 less, and it's 0.08 and 0.09 and 0.11 for instance of the lot. But the sky battallion is pratically only infantry and a handful of mortars.

A Sky Brigade is 1356 men, including 12 mortars. I've seen their CV range from 0.25 to 0.50 roughly. Confident with experiencing up it will lean more to the 0.50.

A mundane Brigade is right now 4170 men, and uses a bucket of guns and mortars. (It will soon change TOE to get 5000 men but I do not know their CVs by then).The CV I've seen goes roughly from 1.00 to 1.20. Even here some have a glitch, where the 0 past the comma is not seen. 1.9 is in truth 1.09; for 1.90 is shown that way. The brigades are all at 50ish or more experience already.

Then we've Divisions. 12786 men. CV: 2.30 to 3.20 roughly. And a ton of guns each. Almost 200.

If proportions stick, the Ski Battallions will do nice and fine as they make up a Brigade pretty much (10 of them) without sucking the guns away from the main front. And maybe they'll be better even in winter, who knows.
Sky Brigades too seem in line. I'll keep an eye once they train up.

The NKVD security regiments too are quite valuable, 1800 men each about, they have an insane CV ratio I believe.

On the funny note, the AI seems to promote units at random in the North Front. I gained a Rifle Division as Guard with 0 victories there. And then a Sapper-Battallion. I assume they dug more TB-Fort levels?

[AlbertN]

Leningrad Zone - the quiet[/b]

The label is SUPPLY.
All green, except some fortified areas I created the previous turn. Why? Well it is the front I deem the most passive.

Previous turns I've used the VVS in abundance - recon inclusive. It played a key role (from my perspective) in stalling the Panzer advances of May '42. But they were not in this sector.

Here it's most calm. The Axis tried some deliberate attacks here and there, which failed. These were 3 division attacks on 3 divisions. With both sides rested the Germans failed to dislodge a single 'big' hex of Russians.
Russian CVs on the paper are pretty might, terrain plus fortifications.

Even with the baseline 45 NM, the Russians here seem to be strong - but at this stage I feel Russians are strong -everywhere- with 7 Millions on Map and Strategic Reserve.

There is to evaluate if to attack the regiments in the North for some victories there fore more Guards for later even. But that may weaken the Russians in turn and have them prone to be attacked too.

Tbh if I was the German and I was seeing a barrier of huge numbers as Soviet frontline already here, I'd get mighty worried if not depressed even. Not to count the divisions behind, that may be put in reserve. That can cycle in an out to allow the ones damaged to rest ...

Leningrad seems to be, and remain a quiet sector, ruling out a severe involvement of many German formations.

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[AlbertN]

On the way to Moscow...

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Here a first grand battle was fought.
By now many Soviet divisions were pulled back into the Strategic Reserve for refit; and fresh and untested one made arrival.
A lot of Soviet forces here are fatigued and CCP worn, some smashed and just kept on map to keep forts.

First you let the Germans come at you, and crush and crash troops and they get exhausted. Twice a Guard Corp was surrounded (in 1 hex) and twice got liberated.

The Cavalries ... which I've in abundance ... even snuck around and infiltrated, severing Smolensk railroad for a turn. That helped as Smolensk (Discovered to be a Superdepot!) must have distributed loads of freight for the turn it received 0, being cut off from the rail.
Cavalries get trashed but if they give me some time to keep churning troops and troops and tanks and tanks...

The VVS operated her intently. With recon first. Then micro-bombings that were savagely intercepted (and worn out and fatigued the Luftwaffe). And the VVS kept operating, operating and operating til at some point the Luftwaffe was not flying anymore.
The real intent is to get the Il2, which are flying Death Stars, to get to bomb the German formations and blast away the precious guns that Germans are short of.

Once the Germans committed there, some Guard troops shifted from the closeby sectors and the armoured divisions here and their motorized colleagues got mauled. In '42. Yes.
Sorry but not sorry. Soviets are OP.

Other note on Cavalries - which in mud are pretty nify, agile and mobile...

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As you can see there is a limit in Cavalry Divisions, but I've a bucket more than the prescribed limit. I even had 60+ before and the max of Cavalry Corps. But some Cavalry divisions where scheduled for disband, and 1 or 2 got shattered by the Axis forces in their risky infiltration maneuvers.

Long tale short, the first handful of Cavalry Corps, I created by merging cavalry divisions. Then I created the most directly as Cavarly Corp. That left me with a large surplus of divisions on the map, giving me grand mobility. I ended up not using these divisions though because of my own poor planning and in general noobing around as Soviet.

The limits too are 'surpassable' via reinforcements. Like if the next turn a new Cavalry Division is to arrive, it will arrive.

[AlbertN]

This is the sector where the Panzers suffered their other dedable.

The start was easy for them, after their air recon they crashed into a weak Soviet army, with limping divisions, left deliberately in front as screening force.

This is a screenshot I took of my previous turn, before I started the AAR, before Deaniks last turn.

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I've been the Axis side. If the Axis wants to advance, their things tire as they move. Suffer from not being in admin movement hexes, and fight. Even if there is a measly resistance by token divisions ... it's still an attack.
German forces at the end of their turn are pratically exhausted and worn. Ripe to be counterattacked. Especially by fat, giant Guard Corps with more CV than the Germans even if they were all rested, fresh prim and proper.

Many armoured and motorized units here got hammered. The cavalries of the Soviets infiltrated to the west, some infantry divisions of the Germans were embraced and encircled. And then liberated.

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I believe the Germans may need 1 or 2 turns to recover with a variety of fighting formations, which is to allow me to do the same with mine.

Here the Soviets will pick on the 4-4 German Divisions, gain a victory and dance away in admin movement bonus.

[AlbertN]

Why ZoC movement needs changing, among other things

Here I started operations.

The label at the corner now is on Ammunitions.

The 3 infantry divisions there were isolated at the start of the Axis turn, and now they're again. Their supplies are relatively low, but they still have decent ammos!
Soviets have cavalries that can easily sneak around... and isolated.

In a more realistic approach and world, they'd not be able to do so. The Germans would react - even if they did not had panzer divisions by - and hammer the infiltration attempt.
Alas in the IGO-UGO system that cannot be done. Or maybe not easily.

There should be a -cost- to slip ZoC to ZoC that depends on the CV of the units exerting the ZoC.
A Soviet cavalry division (that maybe is even unready) or a NKVD regiment cannot exert the same ZoC of a full German ID, not to talk of a Panzer Division that has mobile assets.

Right now Germans have kind of 'be damned or be damned'. If they regiment, they get screwed by direct attacks. If they stick to divisions they get infiltrated by cheap and expendable Soviet forces.

Anyhow! Here we go, set these divisions away from their HQ so no big artilleries for them.

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So here there were the Axis liberation efforts, that crushed some of the Soviet weak troops. Including that Guard Cavalry corps that you see as 2-11 on the map. That one is mauled. Simply I shall bring that in the Reserve with utmost chances for a refit session!

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Sacrificial units are okay to attack too. That 2-5 Cavalry won't go much far anyhow even if I win fights.

And there we go, attacked twice - showing here one of the combats. I lose some cavalrymen but they will get hammered by the Panzers the next turn.
And do not forget the Cav attack gives you recon / tidy information.

Cavalries are also good scouts - like - I discovered a screen of Germans; I suspect regiments as they've 2 CV each there. But they're quite in-deep the Axis line to aggress them.

Scouting attacks were conducted with that Cav division but the follow up proper attack failed to deliver a victory. That is where the Soviets decide to scoot away with the remaining MPs and leave 1 Cav division to rot for the glory.

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The Soviets in general perform a tactical retreat there, leaving cavalries as screen.
The only 'relevant' booty there is a Guard Cavalry Corp the Axis can encircle.
But I can reposition forces for a counterattack as well - I think a good variable is the recovery of the previously beated PanzerArmee to the south.

To the south and the north two German divisions got retreated but in one case ... it was a bloody affair for the Soviets and scooting away for the Germans. A victory bagged though for the Soviet troops.

On the other hand what I loathe is that Soviets are an admin pain in the arse. The HQs that they spawn come in with SUs or the like, or call for them ... and I just noticed a shoddy leader that keeps Cavalry division got relevant SU assignments. probably that HQ arrived on map and was not locked because it spawned ex-novo.

[AlbertN]

Combats went ups and down - I expected better but it happens.

The Soviet defence is not even well made because my own cavalry raids and attacks self-disrupt it. But I'll plonk in the region units from the Strategic Reserve that will be there for the next turn to aide.

If I was the German in this situation (besides the having compulsions on surrendering each time I'd see the OOB numbers, or having a look to on map CV of Soviet formations - which though are at times illusory) I'd mass all 4 PanzerArmees and advance together with a double pincher in the middle, leaving Russians uncertain if they'll turn north, or south.

But I am not in the head of my opponent here.

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The Strategic Reserve plays a key role for the Soviet defence. And it is a broken mechanism right now - exactly as the ZoC business.

The change needed is that the Reserve arrival hexes should be further away from the front, and maybe delayed of 1 extra turn to transfer on MAP.
Similarly, to get into the Reserve from MAP the 'check to be eligible to do so should be done -before- movement of a unit.

Right now I can move units away and transfer them to the Reserve. That's amazingly convenient - not much to 'save them' (right now not much saving to be done but ... in '41 maybe so) but because they refit well and nicely.
Because despete the immense stockpiles of Freight around the map not all refits accordingly. (Given I also have a lot of stuff on REFIT too myself!)

But what is in the Reserve comes with the capability of pratically popping on the map where needed. Only hindrance they're not CCP loaded ... but air supply can fill the short stocks they come with.
Russians have also plenty of armies, that one can be moved there to 'hook up' in the chain of command all the needed divisions.

A good key is to rotate units in and out of the Reserve - what gets mauled from the map goes in Reserve and can get refitted.

To have a tenful of divisions at the ready to patch a sudden hole is good to have.

__

Said that I crushed regiments up north by Leningrad, and shuffled some units about and around for refitting purposes.
Not planning to invest too much in the turn - as said in general that's how I play.

Last but not least, while both I and my opponent agree right now the Soviets are far too strong, we both feel their AFV are far too brittle (like Panzers beforehand).
We lack experience to determine how the 'Panzer patch' worked out - as I've personally seen quite an amount of Panzers being blasted away in severe combats, even 90-100 in a single combat inclusive of Panzer-Retreat so there is no perception of them being OP.
But Soviet tanks are just paper made or so.

Not that right now the Soviets need that type of buff, their backbone is 'Guard Infantry' with SUs.

[AlbertN]

End of June '42 - Recon sightings

The Germans have been mighty quiet - an expected reorganization of their punches to come.

Admittedly we even had a talk between players, and I myself forwarded the suggestion to pack together all the Panzers for a massive punch. It may have as well happened.
In '42 German infanteries in good forts are still pretty formidable on the defence, when the Soviets are short of engineer assets that dismantle fortifications.

In fact despite the numbers on the paper as Russian I do not venture against fortified Germans of yet. That can wait.
For now it's sniping on weak formation (Like that 2 CV strong Infantry division at the top of the screenshot is a suitable victim) to net victories.

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Despite the Southwestern Front being one of the two Assault Fronts (I tried not to have Leningrad one on Assault but right off the bat the Southwestern to skirmish better and bang bigger the advancing panzers in '41) and having quality assets, it cannot withstand the might of 3-4 panzer armies on its own; and the whole Crimean front defense line hinges on Zaporye and D-City.

But at least now I know where the enemy will target and I can exclude, for now at least, a direct advance to Moscow via Tula. (I expected that this turn and deployed forces about there from the Reserve, that now I can shift southward).

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On my end there is little to do - waiting for the Germans to come forth.

My line falls back some hexes there, leaving some 'baits' ahead.
I can potentially sacrifice a handful of divisions - left to the north instead than the east. I've the men for, and if the Germans want to capture them - I think it's a tradeoff to bid some time to reposition more significant forces. Then again - the Germans may capture them going lightweight maybe - I do not truly know how ready they're for the push.

But ideally I shift to the Reserves some extra troops to dump them in the region after refit.
Next turn is pitoval due to extra NM and supposedly more Guard units.

I've stocked up on administration points for that - waited to make new divisions and even the new corps as of now.

[AlbertN]

July comes and the Panzer offensive began to roll.

Admittedly the pocket they made is well larger of what I predicted and expected. But it is positive that the Axis achieved that.
One of the encircled units got promoted to Guard status even...

Recon has been flown already, nothing on the ground moved yet.

Soon there will be a raging battle as Soviets pour reserves there and the Germans maneuver and shank them. Til they get exhausted.

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In the while the Guard Promotions started to roll with the new %.

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Ultimately I've 'quiet' sectors with large combat formations I can also draw from.
The Axis has a short window of time, I believe, to achieve a result before the Soviets can locally throw a bucket of troops.

For instance the Moscow front has some mighty hexes that would not have been easily seized. I will probably shift the Guard Corps away from there, and without Panzers threatening (and thus risk of deep envelopment) have just a thinner, strong line of divisions.

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[AlbertN]

History tends to repeat.

Sneaking cavalries and motorized assets find some holes and ... surround some panzers and motorized units.
Ontop of liberating the 'pocket', for now at least.

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Bad news for me though, I just realized a bucket of SUs were destroyed - I believe mostly out of damage and fatigue through combat (or directly in combat) and then the HQs getting relocated.

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And then problem nr. 2 for the Axis when they advance. Air cover...

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Similar to the Persian Arrows in 300's, the Soviet planes darken the skies and the sun...

Even the elite SS forces are mauled and forced to retreat.

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The northern branch of the pincher will come out pretty intact, Soviet forces there are not really ready and massed for an offensive.

But to the south ... at least the equivalent of 2 Pz.Korps and 1 Inf.Korp (3 divisions each) have been already forced to retreat. Which will also come handy with a movement reduction later.

With the VVS free to operate I can prolly leave ground support on to break further down the enemy attacks - sure they can relocate fighters on but that's mileage flown already on bases that may not be exactly that manned and supplied.

Russian Brigades just bloat up any CV on demand - frankly - among the changes needed for the game is to erase the Para / Infantry / Marine Brigade to be a SU. It should bea CU. On map only. That's it. And it needs to get along with the CCP loss relative to the combat ratio (or they get used as CCP soakers anyhow).

All the while in the Soviet reserves troops are refitted, replenished and trained.
Guard Corps at the reaedy, freshly filled to 90% TOE ready to be teleported on the map like Space Marines in landing pods.

[AlbertN]

T56 Arrives...

The Germans consolidate the pocket.
For the good and the worse - it is akin to a Kursk '42.
As Soviets I do not believe I can win the battle at the tactical level BUT it ought to exhaust the Panzerwaffe and drag to the end of July. Will they spend August refitting and licking wounds?
If so it can be a tactical defeat but a strategic loss.

Anywhere else on the map the Germans are quiet!

From Krimea to D.City; north of Kursk to Leningrad the front is quiet (besides the baseline attrition that happens each turn in logistic phases).

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The expected thrust toward Voronhez did not came - I may have deployed some reserves too far there but all is good!

In the while the Soviet OOB looks very fat...

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And some may wonder why the Reserves are so HUGE? Almost 1 M men in there...

Well besides the mundane cycle of troops that I have for refitting purposes, do not forget Soviets just go to the NM of 50.
Anything sitting the reserve gains in NM! Thus there is a grand cycle of what is not NM 50 to be shoved gradually in the reserve and replaced on the map (More micro ... deep joy NOT!)

Even the whole artillery reserves of the Stavka were issued to the reserves.

Plus as NM of 50 was reached, many new formations were pumped via the stacked admin points.

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And as tally totals of stuff increase, so do the Guards in cycle!

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Time to fly Air Recon and see what we can do on the map.

[AlbertN]

T56 Continued

Post air recon

The northern portion of the front seems the thinner - 2 hex thick instead of the 3. Ground scouting happens, I can easily use 'Unready' units that were mauled the previous turn to hug the Germans here and there and see what I am facing.

The outter line seems weakish - probably there are stronger divisions just behind!

In the while a thing I've not mentioned is Air Extraction. For which I need airfields.
The one in Sumy is in construction cannot be used yet but that hex may hold some!

In the while the Germans forgot to seize and secure that other one that is a fully functional double strip airfield! I've massed all the 'Flying Fortress' Li-2 in the sector and should send more; as I think I've some Transport squadrons fitted with the U-2!

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Nonetheless the Soviets descended with the troops they started to mass at the northern edge of the 'kessel' and manage to open it.

It's just a 'breath' of life for now that thanks to the binary system of the game suggests that what is not isolated rout out.

To be seen what we will manage to do in order to pull out as many Soviets as we can from in there - and how many will be left to surrender.

The Germans should consolidate the pocket even further the next turn - and I doubt I'll be able to free it again. In fact I must be careful not to get trapped with the 'relief force' too, a far too common risk!

As you can see they exhausted the movement - some at least.

But at the same time I've plenty of troops that are moving to the sector as well.

[Stamb]

that hasty attack combat CV is gorgeous

[AlbertN]

T56 Continued

176 SU of variuos type will return in the Stavka from the Reserve, this turn.
Morale'd up to 50 and with maybe a handful of extra experience points for the bucks.

It is expected that the Axis will continue its mopping up the pocket and chocke and strangle it for good.
I totally overstimate the Russian airlift and the Li-2 cannot extract anything from there ... at worst I'll air supply it for a while.

A bucket of Guard assets made their way to the northern reaches for liberating what I expect to be a new pocket - the liberation force that could not fall back adequately.

Kharkov sector has been welcoming the Assault Southwestern Front and braces for impact. But will the Germans try to surround it while they still need to vanquish the pocket? I am unsure.

There are at least 3 other Guard corps in the Mothership ... I mean, Strategic reserve, about to get teleported ... I mean, relocated to the map.

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But to just idle is not good across the board.

The other way to exp up your Soviet troops is to have them fight. Simple as.

Each sector of the front has a handful of Cavalries division which can scout. Litterally moving adjacent to enemy units, and see what the game reveals. Heck they can even just perform one attack to see what happens.

Here's the case. Scout. Probe. Embrace and rout. Rout losses are little but I had 9 divisions attacking, which means Wins for guard promotions and morale / experience.

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To 'snipe' enemy units is something I was doing as Axis too vs Msag. But the Soviets are just greasly fat in the department. I can snipe and scoot away - which is way worse than what Germans were doing when I had them.
I've so many units that the 100 CCP ones attacking are my frontline, and then fall back in a rearline; and the rearline that is still loaded with CCP and fresh and rested takes places on the front.
That in quiet sectors where I want a -strong- front and not a 'soaker' front.

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The Luftwaffe here rules the sky. I was wondering how come only 8 fighters achieved such and realized a bucket of Axis fighters are used as bombers there.
There are over 100 'fighters' of the Axis, between Fw190s and Bf109s.

[AlbertN]

T58 - Pocket Dance

The pocket was broken, and closed. Broken and closed.

The bad notion is that Deaniks mastered the fine art of forcing the retreat of the rescue party into the pocket, but routed more units out ... so 6 Guard corps ended up trapped in the pocket...
AND ontop of that among the persistant flow of promotions, troops in the pocket get promoted.

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Now with the new patch I want to try something out.
The LW seems less mighty and powerful.
Lebedin airfield was taken this turn, I doubt it is already operational - there is no airlift to deliver supplies there.
Bog-something airfield is too forward - there was the veil of Hungarians there earlier.

I bet Konotop has a bucket of Axis planes. Maybe some in Nezhin too.

There is Poltava to the south too that can be a smooth airbase. And then Kremenchug but that's quite far.

I will try to perform recon first on Konotop and then bomb the airfield.