tyronec (Axis) vs Quantas (Soviet).

[tyronec]

Quantas must have a true horde of trucks to support all these motorized support units.

He has quite a few Mech Corps too, would have the Soviet truck pool is quite stretched.

[tyronec]

T165.
No attacks from the Soviets. We do one counter attack to allow to facilitate the retreat. Even with our best leaders and odds in our favor against ordinary Soviet infantry am still generally losing around even or worse.
The retreat continues, will reach the East Wall in 3 turns.

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[tyronec]

T165.
No attacks from the Soviets. We do one counter attack to allow to facilitate the retreat. Even with our best leaders and odds in our favor against ordinary Soviet infantry am still generally losing around even or worse.
The retreat continues, will reach the East Wall in 3 turns.

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[tm1]

looking forward to seeing how the defence of Germany goes, looks like a pretty solid wall, no fortifications along The Carpathian Mountains, we shall see if your opponent remembers history for that region.
I wonder if your opponent has deployed Pliyev's Cavalry-Mechanized Group on The Balkans front

[tyronec]

T166.
Just a few insignificant battles.
The retreat continues.
Getting set up for The Romanian surrender, all the important depots are covered and some rail lines, with other rail lines quick to repair.

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T167.
Quiet turn, have nearly reached our defensive line.

[tyronec]

T168.
No attacks from the Soviets this turn either. They will reach our defensive lines turn after next, when there will just be about 6 turns left before mud.
Romania surrenders, reconstituted defensive line looks OK and the Western rail line is being repaired by SUs. Am leaving PG1 in the South to help delay any fast push through to Austria, maybe I can take Bulgaria when they flip ?
My manpower pool has dropped to around 50k, last time I looked a few turns ago it was around 250k. Not sure where it all went, perhaps to all of those ridiculous new build units. I have a lot of Luftwaffe infantry that have base morale of 55 but actual morale nearer 65 because they have not dropped back to their base level yet after the latest German morale drop. Am thinking that once they lose a battle or two will disband them for more manpower.

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[tyronec]

T169.
All my King Tigers get into action. The Panthers did better !
Soviets about to arrive at our defensive line, at least in the North. If they only destroy the first line of forts in a turn than we should be able to hold out OK, but I don’t expect to be able to hold them to that across the whole front line. If they can start getting through to attacking the second line of forts in a turn then I expect the line will crumble pretty fast.

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[K62]

Wow that Ostwall must have cost hundreds of APs. It looks really impressive!

[tyronec]

Wow that Ostwall must have cost hundreds of APs. It looks really impressive!

Just about all my APs for the last 20 or so turns...

[tyronec]

T170.
We get a few counter attacks in Romania. Note the King Tigers, 25 Lynxes get more kills than 59 heavies !
Soviets ready to start the assault next turn. Don’t think my defences will last long, a full stack of German infantry in a 3 fort has a CV of around 60-80, while a triple stack of regular Inf Corps is often around 120 and that is not counting the good stuff.

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[HardLuckYetAgain]

The road system will turn into a "bane" for the Germans at this stage

[M60A3TTS]

T170.
We get a few counter attacks in Romania. Note the King Tigers, 25 Lynxes get more kills than 59 heavies !
Soviets ready to start the assault next turn. Don’t think my defences will last long, a full stack of German infantry in a 3 fort has a CV of around 60-80, while a triple stack of regular Inf Corps is often around 120 and that is not counting the good stuff.
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Wrong tab. That's for ground losses, not combat.

[tyronec]

Wrong tab. That's for ground losses, not combat.

OOps, my mistake.

[tyronec]

T171.
5 Soviet attacks in the North, which all win easily. They just advance into 2 hexes. We reform for the next assault.
In the center they are nearly up to our front line.
In Romania we trash a few Romanian divisions. I think Bulgaria goes next turn, have one Pz army in the South to keep slowing things up without using the scarce infantry divisions. Not sure how they will do if they assault the mountain line, expect they can defeat some of my weaker hexes if they try but they may be massing the Corps elsewhere.
Heavy rain moving in next turn from the North so hopefully can hold on until the mud.

Correction, I was wrong about Bulgaria. It only flips after Bucharest is taken.

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[tm1]

If Memory serves me you have two extra Hungarian Armies to call upon unless you have used them for Garrison duties.

[tyronec]

If Memory serves me you have two extra Hungarian Armies to call upon unless you have used them for Garrison duties.

Yes, there are two Hungarian armies.
Am not short of German command capacity, generally speaking the Hungarians should be under German command for all combats.
We are using closed TBs.

[tyronec]

5 attacks this turn in the North, we win one. First time in ages Axis have had a successful defense against a strong deliberate attack. The line still holding OK though the Soviets have not committed any motorized corps yet.
Center. Our line is weaker here, not enough units. If we can hold out next turn am getting about 15 or so reinforcement divisions which should help.
South. They are not attacking the mountains, yet… Our Panzers continue to fall back in Romania. Bulgaria has not flipped, not sure why.
We get a load of security divisions into the AR, many have morale of 80 which is way above the norm for my infantry, I guess shooting partisans was keeping them happy ?

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[tyronec]

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[K62]

The hex that held had 58 tanks there. While I understand the argument for keeping panzers in reserve as a counterattack force, German attacks become much more costly once the Soviets field large numbers of T-34/85s. In my opinion, at this stage of the war, it's more effective to distribute some of the panzers, or at least the StuGs, among fortified hexes. Panzer divisions on reserve can also provide valuable support.

[tyronec]

The hex that held had 58 tanks there. While I understand the argument for keeping panzers in reserve as a counterattack force, German attacks become much more costly once the Soviets field large numbers of T-34/85s. In my opinion, at this stage of the war, it's more effective to distribute some of the panzers, or at least the StuGs, among fortified hexes. Panzer divisions on reserve can also provide valuable support.

Could be worth putting some SUs in the front line, I did try that earlier in the year and didn't have great results from it but may be worthwhile now. Another reason for the heavy Soviet losses in that battle is that he attacked with less than usual and then I got lucky and won it.
I don't think Panzers on RESERVE works well because as I understand it they don't get the fortification bonus and just get trashed for nothing as am not going to win these battles even with them. Am using them as a second line so it is harder for the Soviets to get a follow up attack. and if they had activated and then were attacked again then they could suffer very badly.