Twig's War (Twigster Axis, thedoctorking Soviet)

[Twigster]

AGS area. Rather than continue to advance this week, assuring the destruction of the pocketed Soviet forces and preserving the integrity of the attack were deemed more important goals. It was felt that the enemy lacks sufficient force in the AGS area now to significantly hinder planned near future movements.

[Twigster]

The far southern stretch of AGS area. Yep, the Rumanians are pretty stoked.

[Twigster]

Out of sequence; the area around Velie Luki. More desultory attacks by 9 Army.

[Twigster]

End of Axis Turn 12 ground losses.

[Twigster]

Air losses.

The Axis fighter losses the last couple of weeks have been entirely unacceptable. OKH is aware and is taking extreme measures to address the issue.

[Twigster]

The best way I know to describe what thedoctorking has done to my Luftwaffe thus far:

OOB

[thedoctorking]

German turn 12 saw a continuation of the previous turn’s excitement. In the south, the previous turn’s pocket was re-established and about 15 divisions are going to die. In the process, they have completely absorbed the attention of the German infantry in the sector. The armor pressed forward, but I noticed that their combat values were quite low and I was able to make a few spoiling attacks (though they were able to take enough territory that I was nowhere near being able to re-open the pocket). I have established a line across their front and have sent powerful units from SW Front to ward them away from the Dnepr crossings. If they continue to press southeast towards the Dnepr, as I expect, hopefully I will be able to improvise defenses there before they arrive. Reinforcements are pouring into this sector.

I just realized that many of the reinforcement units I’ve gotten in the last couple of turns have their TOE levels set by default to 20 percent, and many other units have lowered TOE’s as well. I spent a good half an hour running through my commander’s log putting everybody back up to 100%. Any reason why this would be? There seems to be plenty of infantry squads in the pool.

My southern air power seems to have done reasonably well against the very active German interdiction/bombing raids down here. Losses appear pretty much equal and there were a few missions where German bombers attacked without escort and got shot down in significant numbers. I feel like my air strategy, anyway, is paying off for now. Up to this point, I have been sending about 15-20 regiments a turn back to the reserve for low morale; now I have a few that have to go back for high fatigue.

[thedoctorking]

Army Group Center continued their straight-ahead push into our defenses between Smolensk and Kaluga. The flanks of the attack were weak enough that I was able to punch through and isolate almost all the German armor in that sector, plus forcing two HQ units to relocate. It will be trivial for him to re-open the pocket, but hopefully this will mean that those units will have lowered supply levels and movement points for further attacks. On the other hand, they are through the Western Front completely, with two West armies on either side of the salient and the base defended by the “sapper armies” of new reinforcements and broken-down units. Reserve and Bryansk Fronts have taken a good bit of former Western Front turf, thinning my defenses on either side of the big salient. Hopefully there aren’t any undetected armored reserves somewhere behind the German front to take advantage of this.

In happier news, Marshal Pavlov has been sent to study the geography of the northeastern regions, and his place has been taken by Marshal Timoshenko – not the best general in the world, but the best general available right now.

[thedoctorking]

On the northern front, German armor was unable to cross the Volkhov where they attacked, but he brought in enough infantry to gain a bridgehead. This probably means that Leningrad is doomed, and I continued exfiltrating divisions across Lake Ladoga to my one remaining port. Hopefully I have at least one more turn to get some of my better stuff out of there before the trap closes.

[thedoctorking]

And finally, here is an update on the losses situation.

Soviet losses are 1.75 million to date, while only 285,000 Axis boys have given their lives for Lebensraum and the fuehrer. We have taken out 2200 tanks, which has got to be something. I’m assuming that is more than replacement, since the Germans only built about 3600 tanks in all of 1941.

[thedoctorking]

I noticed in turn 13 that there were almost no Luftwaffe planes in the air. Air superiority, ourrah!

[Twigster]

Yeah... Soviet air force have driven the Luftwaffe from the skies, this week anywway. Kudos and congats! [:'(]

[Twigster]

Soviet losses are 1.75 million to date, while only 285,000 Axis boys have given their lives for Lebensraum and the fuehrer. We have taken out 2200 tanks, which has got to be something. I’m assuming that is more than replacement, since the Germans only built about 3600 tanks in all of 1941.

You are certainly correct- Axis armor losses are not only way more than historical, but then Soviet resistance has been way more than historical as well. In short, the Soviets in this game have not run away,but have made the arrogant invaders pay for every inch of territory of the sacred Rodina that they have occupied (wait- what did I just say?!)

Contrary to my initial assessment, BTW, Soviet losses by the end of Q3 1941 will be rather closeer to the mark stated as historical, though admittedly Axis (German) losses will be correspondingly higher than historical.

[Twigster]

Axis Turn 13.

AGN


With practically all of Army Group North now having fought its way across the Volkhov, significant forward progress has been made. Without question, the fight to finally and fully isolate Leningrad from the outside world will be tougher and more time-consuming than originally thought. The lack of supporting airstrikes is pronounced this week in the Leningrad sector.

[Twigster]

Detailing the battles of the Volkhov crossing.

[Twigster]

Upper AGC area.

[Twigster]

Lower AGC area.

[Twigster]

The action around Kiev. The hard core of Kiev's defenses are encountered.

[Twigster]

The pocketed Soviet units are are efficiently dispatched and the push east continues.

[Twigster]

STAVKA's prescience as to Wehrmacht's movements continues to impress.