Yet another grand campaign - GC 1941

[originalperson0]

Turn 85
(Jan 31, 1943)

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Lost a single hex on 2nd army but I do have an ss panzer that will reinforce. in the sixth army area I can't get all my divisions out in a single turn from that exposed hex and I didn't want to sacrifice one so just one more turn. Those soviet mechanized corps also attacked but my own panzers are holding well.

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From what I can see those are very scary numbers and I don't have any hope at all.

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[originalperson0]

Turn 86

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they are continuing to push north and south of voronezh and if they get pass the light woods I don't have much to stop them.

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If you look at the map, my units got completely destroyed south of Stalingrad. I got some divisions from the reserve up on the front now so hopefully they can fill in the line while my units repair. I decided to move my units back behind the don river so hopefully that can stop the onslaught.

[originalperson0]

Turn 87

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sixth army got absolutely shredded this turn, not sure what to do now except trying to form a frontline until they run out of steam. These rivers provide like no defense because they are frozen over or something so I have nothing to defend behind. If anyone knows what should I do right now feel free to let me know, the ai can do anything once they learn how to concentrate massive amounts of rifle corp into one place.

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[originalperson0]

(mouse registered double click on submit button again(do not buy logitech guys)

[M60A3TTS]

Anything east of the Donets is land you can afford to give up, albeit not at once.



You need to pull back 6th Army in tandem with 1st Panzer. You can use the level 3 forts on the northern flank to some advantage. You may need a couple turns to get 6th Army away clean, but try not to let anyone get surrounded.

As you slowly move west, this can free up some of the Axis ally units to help provide a secondary defense line or augment the main line.

The weather will start turning soon enough and then rivers will be more of a factor. As much as I like the Generals map, for now you might want weather effects off so that you can see where these rivers are. The mod kind of hides the river details.

Try to pull in a reserve if you can afford it. Rehabbing a panzer division or two would not be a bad idea, again if you can afford it.

Did you ever get a Super Depot in place around here?

What does your reserve manpower situation look like? I'm talking the one on the production screen. The graph doesn't break it down by by nation.

[originalperson0]

Anything east of the Donets is land you can afford to give up, albeit not at once.



You need to pull back 6th Army in tandem with 1st Panzer. You can use the level 3 forts on the northern flank to some advantage. You may need a couple turns to get 6th Army away clean, but try not to let anyone get surrounded.

As you slowly move west, this can free up some of the Axis ally units to help provide a secondary defense line or augment the main line.

The weather will start turning soon enough and then rivers will be more of a factor. As much as I like the Generals map, for now you might want weather effects off so that you can see where these rivers are. The mod kind of hides the river details.

Try to pull in a reserve if you can afford it. Rehabbing a panzer division or two would not be a bad idea, again if you can afford it.

Did you ever get a Super Depot in place around here?

What does your reserve manpower situation look like? I'm talking the one on the production screen. The graph doesn't break it down by by nation.

thanks for the advice

i stacked all the hqs and fbds on those depot hexes along that railroad leading to stalingrad but i'm moving them back currently

didn't know that the production screen breaks it down by nation but there is only 84 000 men in the manpower pool right now, guess that graph showing all my allies is a bit deceiving

[originalperson0]

Turn 88
(Feb 21, 1943)

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(weather effects off this time so i can see rivers)
This turn wasn't that bad but they're probably preparing something next turn if you see where all the rifle corp moved to. I am going to move my FBDs and refitting units back first before retreating, plus I want to use the river and forts that are still there. 17th army is about to get destroyed next turn I know it but there are no supplies out there to retreat to the don in one turn. That is the same for all my other armies too I don't want to leave units behind.

[tm1]

Turn 88
(Feb 21, 1943)
t88south.png
(weather effects off this time so i can see rivers)
This turn wasn't that bad but they're probably preparing something next turn if you see where all the rifle corp moved to. I am going to move my FBDs and refitting units back first before retreating, plus I want to use the river and forts that are still there. 17th army is about to get destroyed next turn I know it but there are no supplies out there to retreat to the don in one turn. That is the same for all my other armies too I don't want to leave units behind.

Is the AI flying supplies into Rostov or does it just have a huge stockpile, you might want to think about pulling 4th Armee back and straightening the line there, you have some mobile units that might get cutoff,and it will free some troops to use as a fire-brigade for critical areas.

[originalperson0]

Is the AI flying supplies into Rostov or does it just have a huge stockpile, you might want to think about pulling 4th Armee back and straightening the line there, you have some mobile units that might get cutoff,and it will free some troops to use as a fire-brigade for critical areas.

The ai has been flying supplies in for the whole winter, they probably also have a massive stockpile too because I never attacked them. Maybe I will pull back a bit if I really needs the troops at voronezh but I already have a lot of motorized units there

[originalperson0]

Turn 89

The ai didn't even attack this turn south of voronezh but hey i'm not complaining. So in the meantime I am just getting those depleted sixth army units further back and filling the line with some motorized. I also managed to destroy a lot of tanks in fourth panzer army sector. The soviets are trying to cut off the units in the kuban though. I also might finally deal with rostov soon, it has been really annoying throughout the whole campaign and they have been cut off for so long.

[originalperson0]

Turn 90

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Not that bad of a turn. The soviets did make fourth army retreat a little near the top of the screenshot but the line is straight now. i'm also sending three full strength divisions that arrived this turn to take rostov with, probably enough I think there should be like only four rifle divisions in the city and they have been isolated for so long.

south of rostov, I used romanian cav and panzers to mess around behind their line and created a nice encirclement. looking back at the screenshot that was probably not very smart.

[originalperson0]

Turn 91

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The sixth army strongpoints held mostly and I even got to counterattack against a mech corp but they are really fatigued now so I don't expect to hold next turn. I also secured the fourth panzer army encirclement unless the ai becomes smart and attacks with their tank corps.(they will not) And that one division I left trapped near maikop got freed too.

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Odessa and Sevastopol are still soviet held and I just left a ring of allied units around these places for a very long time. i decided to scout odessa and now I know they are all guard divisions now so I won't even try.

[originalperson0]

Turn 92

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The ai did the mistake of leaving holes in the frontline and i couldn't resist the urge to grab those free hexes. I can't hold all that with the divisions I have now but it is still worth it to mess up their supply for a few turns.(probably)

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The pocket of fourth panzer army is now completely gone and I now I have enough repaired sixth army units to fully fill in the line now. I think those axis allied units are withdrawing soon so I got to find replacements for them too.

[originalperson0]

Turn 93

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Yeah I think that this is a bit overboard but Kalinin was guarded by a naval brigade how could I resist. Last turn the soviets routed a couple panzer divisions but the ai seems really confused now and I even got a motorized a hex away from moscow. I think it's probably still worth it because spring is coming soon and the ai will stop attacking.

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You can see the new divisions that are now outside of rostov to help take it and I think it would be enough if I take all the pioneer battalions from other places and assigned them here.

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[originalperson0]

Turn 94

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The ai is now retreating across the whole frontline now so more free hexes for me. There are almost no soviet units facing 9th army right now, maybe I can cut the railroads around moscow to destroy their supply. I am also killing so many soviet generals behind their lines too.

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Everything holding alright, soviets like to concentrate a ton of force against 17th army and not actually do anything so I'm not worried right now. Rostov should be for the taking next turn as there are only four rifle divs there.

[tm1]

Turn 94
t94centre.png
The ai is now retreating across the whole frontline now so more free hexes for me. There are almost no soviet units facing 9th army right now, maybe I can cut the railroads around moscow to destroy their supply. I am also killing so many soviet generals behind their lines too.
t94south.png
Everything holding alright, soviets like to concentrate a ton of force against 17th army and not actually do anything so I'm not worried right now. Rostov should be for the taking next turn as there are only four rifle divs there.

Seems like there entire front line is collapsing though I cant see how Leningrad looks but apart from the Stalingrad front the Soviet line was just a " house of cards " just waiting to fold, you only had to hold out and hold your nerve.
Though they have rushed troops back to Moscow there looks like a good chance you will take it.

[originalperson0]

Turn 95
(Apr 11, 1943)

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The chaos continues and 3rd panzer army is real close to Moscow now, although it is april and everything will turn to mud soon but that is a good thing if that means I can consolidate my gains. If only I could have killed those two naval brigades west of moscow this turn before the soviets can rush some more units there.

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Large areas are now full of mud but now this should be the frontline for the rest of the spring from now on. Finally took Rostov too, maybe I could send those units to Odessa or Sevastopol but I should start preparing for the summer offensive.

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[originalperson0]

Turn 96

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Everywhere is heavy mud and that means I can't do anything at all now until summer(even clearing encirclements). I can still move my units into empty hexes which I will do until then. The ai allowed my panzer division to loop around moscow so most of the railways leading to there are now cut off.

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For the summer offensive I'm thinking of having 1st and 4th panzer army attack south of Stalingrad where the romanians are right now, the soviets don't prioritise that part of the front at all if you look at the frontline there.

[EwaldvonKleist]

If you would like to hear some advice:
1) Concentration of forces is important. Panzercorps should operate in groups of 2 or 3 at least
2) You throw divisions forward without protected supply lines, next turn they are isolated. Invest more time and though in laying ZOC layers and have more follow-on forces while not pushing too hard unless the prize is worth it. You will advance a hex or two less but next turn your units have good supply, more MP and CV. Small safe pockets are better than many loose pockets that become a four turn affair.

[originalperson0]

Turn 100!

I was planning to not post all the turns in the spring because usually the mud doesn't allow anything to happen but it wasn't raining that much for some reason so I could still use my full MPs and CVs. The AI is not recovering at all too and I don't want to let this go to waste.(also i may have lost 5+ panzer divisions in 4 turns)

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Soviets are counterattacking hard against 9th army but 2nd panzer army took Ryazan which was undefended. You can't see the leningrad front in the screenshots but it is literally the same as it was since the last time I took a screenshot of that area.

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(i realized that i forgot 2nd army was there in game)

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the soviets just let me reach saratov only having the garrison there and nothing else in the way, the ai really has died.

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fourth panzer army doing the thing I wanted them to do in the summer offensive but this time way easier

i'm not really motivated to continue this, my schedule changed and i don't have that much time to game anymore so this could be it