Adventures in Russia

[larryfulkerson]

I've been flying the tired planes to Koningsberg for rest and refit and I've already
railed OKH there to supervise. I'm still in the middle of trying to find missions
for my planes and I'm finding a lot of tired ones. Well, I guess they should be
tired after all the combats and airstrikes and moving to different airbases. They
have been busy these past three days.

[larryfulkerson]

I'm almost through moving the units and assigning missions and Ive run into a unit
that has only 46% of it's supply and it's still green health-wise. I guess that's
possible due to the high proficiency or something. Most other units would be at
least yellow by now. Strange. I'm going to build a magnificant air fleet that
will win the war for me and I'm going to have Mexico pay for it.

[larryfulkerson]

I'm just about to pull the trigger for the last combat round and I thought I'd take
a look at how many attacks there were so far and add two more for the two attacks
that are going to execute soon and I get the figure: "a lot".

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the front lines just before I hit the 'end-turn' button. Some progress was made toward Riga but there's a
lot to go yet. I wanted to be there by turn two and I'm not sure that's possible now. Surely Elmer is going to
install a bunch of roadblocks and strongpoints.

On the other hand I've made a lot of progress in the south.

[larryfulkerson]

I got all the paratroopers back to an airbase somewhere. They are all scattered on
the map but they are ready to go out again except for the 1st Brandenberger. They
had some rough handling and need some rest. I'm thinking of flying him to Berlin
to refit. Either that or Koningsberg where the OKH can supervise his refit.

[larryfulkerson]

I've started to clear the marshes. I didn't want to go into the marshes this game
but I've decided that several low-value units can convert most of that and make sure
there's no partisans that spawn that I don't know about it. It's giing to take
several turns to get it all converted but there could be somebody in there lurking
ready to pounce. Besides I don't want to have to guard the whole thing.

[larryfulkerson]

In the north near the coast I'm moving up to contact the next Soviet targets and I
getting a surround started on the Soviets I CAN catch up with. I know I can't catch
them all. That's why it's important to get to the next river and grab all the river
crossings. See if we can't trap some Soviets on the west side of the river before
they can get away.

[larryfulkerson]

The 8th Panzer division heads out to the NE in the general directin of Riga. I'm
converting roads and rails and killing Soviet defenders as I go to clear a path for
the follow on forces to use in their advance. I'm trying not to get my recon units
out to far so as to make it difficult to rescue them for whatever reason. I've been
running into AT guns and AA units and other low-value Soviet equipment.

[larryfulkerson]

I'm moving to surround the remnants and dispatch them. Also, some units are heading
out to the NE to see how close to Riga they can get this turn. Most of the Soviets
are low-value units but every once in a while you run into a heafty tank unit and
have to deal with it. Those I can't kill this turn will still be there next turn.
I'm frustrated in that I know I should be zooming off to the north with the Panzers
but I have these heafty Soviet units to deal with first. I'd hate to leave it to the
infantry to try to subdue. The remnants will be gone soon and my units will be on
their way. Time is of the essence.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's a zoomed out view showing the advance paths and the positions of everybody.
I would have hoped to be closer to Minsk than I am. I mean, it's not all that far
and seems doable at this time....it's just that I was hoping to get there by turn
three and I'm not sure THAT's doable. I need to grab it ASAP to get the decrease
in Soviet production, every little bit helps.

The RR engineers have been out of a job more or less since there's no unrepaired
rail that they can repair so far. I've been keeping them near the front so they
will be ready when the time comes. I've divided them up into teams of three and
put them on the most important routes: the one to Riga, the one to Minsk, the
one heading to Kiev, and the one in Bessarabia right now, the Rumanian team. I
guess if I can't stack the Rumanian RR engineer units I'll have to see if they
can manage to keep up with the front or what. The Rumanians aren't officially
active yet, except for the planes, I can fly those, move 'em around.

With operational rails repaired up to the front the supply levels are great and
much can be done this way. It's really great to be able to fight with an ample
supply level.

[larryfulkerson]

I drove 7th Panzer Division's recon element to Vilnyus and found it empty so I grabbed
it. There's a Soviet aircraft that was previously invisible at the airfield there
but instead of shooing it away I thought I'd leave it there so that my arty can pound
it a little bit. The trick is to kill just some of the planes and keep it in reorg
all the time. When the replacements bring the squadron some new planes you can pound
it again and kill them. I usually make the mistake of killing everything in the unit
and then the fun stops.

[larryfulkerson]

Now I'm moving the SS Div Reich and I'm aiming to clear the rail line running upper
left to lower right along the marshes so that supply will flow better. I've got
this turn left to convert rail at the 0% damage level, automatically being repaired
upon capture....I've got to make the most of that. Uncovering the rail leading to
Kiev will help that a lot in the long run.

[larryfulkerson]

I was moving the HQ unit for the 18th Panzer Div just now and when it arrived at it's
destination it turned it's health dot from green to yellow and that means it can't fire.
I can still move it but no shooting. It needs rest before it'll be combat ready again.
I intend to go easy on him for the next turn or two....see if he can't turn green again.

[larryfulkerson]

I've been moving units and this is what it looks like at just south of the entrance
to the marshes. I'm making another entrance and it would be nice if I could repair
some rail somewhere to kind of help out somehow. Units are moving toward the Soviets
and we're having meeting engagements and surprise popup's of previously invisible
Soviet units. Progress is being made. The Korps HQ units have some significant arty
component and I like to move those guys to the important battles so they can lend
some arty support. I try not to use the Division HQ's that way though because I find
those burn supply when they move and right now they are moving a lot. So I just leave
them on 'T' for the most part and let them support how they may. I notice in the image
some aircraft on the extreme left edge that are yellow and need to be flown to the depot.

[larryfulkerson]

The 75th Inf Div captured Lvov and it's crossroads and supply path, a badly needed
hex. And right now the Soviet remnants are being mopped up by the follow on forces
so they are busy. I'm going to head southeast to see if I can trap a lot of Soviet
units on the west side of the river before they get away. I'm going to enlist the
11th Army as the second pincer of the trap I'm going to spring and maybe the war will
last longer than it would have.

[larryfulkerson]

I sent the 14th Panzer Div on the scenic route and pushed it as far as it had MP's and
it ran into an enemy unit instead. Other units will follow of course so he won't be
alone long. He can defend himself in the early game phase.

I'm trying to trap all those Soviet units on the left side of the image that are moving
east trying to get away. If I can clog up all the river crossing and otherwise block
their retreat I'll eventually be able to kill them.

I took a glance at the supply bubbles and they are in the high 30's. That's great. To
bad it won't last long.

[larryfulkerson]

I railed in the Slovak units to the marshes to help root around in all that muck to
clear out the partisan birth areas. There's only two of them so they aren't of much
use on the front lines and if they weren't useful converting hexes I would be tempted
to disband them. But they come with a fighter plane that comes in handy and that's a
plus.

EDIT: And yes, I realize that I have the Slovak units stacked....after this picture
was made I separated them.

[larryfulkerson]

The yellow arrow is the path taken by the 14th Panzers and there's not much in the
way of rails down there. Plus, the Soviets have had a turn now and their units have
moved eastward so the proposed path ( blue arrow ) goes along the rail line, a little
bit further to the east to try to include as many Soviet units as possible. Also, it
might be an easier route, who kows?

[larryfulkerson]

I had been flying tired planes to Koningsberg for rest and refit but it filled up
with planes so then I started flying them to Berlin but all the airfields immediately
aroud Berlin are filled up. I guess I'll fly the rest of them to some coastal
airfield as a clue to me that they are resting.

[larryfulkerson]

I was flying a tired plane to a coastal airfield when it overflew Warsaw and I saw
airfields galore. I can even arrange for four of my HQ units to bring themselves
here to babysit the tired planes. This airfield is a lot closer than Berlin and
is more convienent to the battlefield and has a good supply level. This is the
new aircraft depot.