The Oder must hold! VtB: xhoel (Axis) vs Gunnulf (Soviet)

[John B.]

I always enjoy reading your AARs. I've never played this game but I have one quick question, when does Steiner show up with the miracle weapons to save the day? Is that a hardwired event?

[xhoel]

Thanks John, glad to hear you are enjoying the AAR.

Steiner is already fighting south of Berlin. You dont need a relief attack when the capital hasnt been encircled yet [:D]

[FriedrichII]

Superb quality AAR and interesting scenario!

When I look at this scenario I tend to think how fantastic it would be if the Western Allies could be part of this scenario. This scenario is exciting, but with the Western Allies in it, it would be an other level of excitement.
I am in no way any expert, but for H2H battles the AI would not even have to be upgraded to allow the Soviet human player to command the Western Allies too, or even more exciting would be if this could be an 3 human match (Axis, Soviet, Western Allies).

[xhoel]

Thank you, appreciate it!

That would be interesting for sure, but the game systems cant handle it AFAIK.

[xhoel]

Since I just got back T17 from Gunnulf wanted to give a small update: Prague has fallen to a direct assault meaning the entire Wehrmacht starts T17 isolated. At the same time 0 replacements have arrived East and also the last 3 Divisions that were supposed to arrive on map simply have disappeared (not in OOB either).

Together with this comes a reduction in CVs by 50% across the board and the erosion of any attacking CVs meaning no counterattacks will be possible from now on, which really sucks. Almost all defensive CVs are now in the 1-10 range, meaning they wont last long at all. There will also be a complete lack of replacements and I am interested to see how the game will handle that. Any units that get attacked will probably surrender to the Soviets instead of retreating so I´m guessing a complete collapse will follow soon.

Since this campaign ends at the start of T21 Axis, this gives the Soviets 4 weeks (turns) to take Berlin, which under these circumstances is more than doable and I dont think there is any chance that I can prevent that from happening. I still intend to see the game to the end but at this current time feel like this isolation rules are a bit too much. Time will tell though.

[loki100]

grim

but maybe a few glimmers in the gloom

1) esp first turn isolated shown cv tends to be under-stated (essentially it imposes an assumed shortfall and units often have a bit more than that baseline - I've seen Tyrone argue this as one reason why the axis player can get caught out in the opening turns)
2) you still have what is in the depots - admittedly now very finite
3) your better units in decent terrain will retain some combat power

basically thinking that it usually takes 8+ turns for the Soviets to reduce Stalingrad in StB - admittedly both sides are weak in that situation and its the Soviets that can improve on their starting problems

[RedJohn]

That seems... incorrect. Or is it meant to simulate mass surrendering?

[Beethoven1]

Don't lose heart. You will break the isolation next turn and turn back the invaders with our new wunderwaffe, ultimately leading to total victory.

[Beethoven1]

duplicate

[Stamb]

Berlin is not a NSS is this scenario?

[xhoel]

@loki100: I like to believe that but am not sure that its true. Berlin is at fort level 3 (50%) and due to isolation rules wont build towards a level 4 anymore so its stuck there. StB is different in that the Soviets are trying to push West while slowly reducing Stalingrad, with much weaker forces.

Here the only thing the Soviet player needs to do is hammer Berlin and then its game over. They have the strength to do so, but lets see how much the Germans can last.

@RedJohn: It is meant to simulate the collapse of the infrastructure and the chaos that was taking place in the Reich in the last weeks. It is WAD, but my feeling at this point in time is that it is a bit excessive. Will see if that changes by the time the game ends.

@Beethoven1: This is one isolation that you cant break

@Stamb: It is. The rules are that once you cannot trace a rail connection between Berlin and another NSS, the Wehrmacht goes into isolated status.

[tm1]

It is. The rules are that once you cannot trace a rail connection between Berlin and another NSS, the Wehrmacht goes into isolated status.

Hi this seems a bit extreme to say the least, after the hard work only to collapse from isolation just does not seem right.

regards

[xhoel]

ORIGINAL: tm1

Hi this seems a bit extreme to say the least, after the hard work only to collapse from isolation just does not seem right.

regards

That is my feeling as well. Nothing to do about it now. Lets see how the game goes.

[Stamb]

Even if Berlin fall, xhoel showed that he is a true kaiser

[tyronec]

Here the only thing the Soviet player needs to do is hammer Berlin and then its game over. They have the strength to do so, but lets see how much the Germans can last.

My experience with assaulting Berlin was that the Soviets could take it within two turns, however that was with a moderate garrison of 2-3 divisions and am thinking you are probably going to be able to stack it with a lot more than that and merging units to get maximum strength.

[xhoel]

@Stamb: Cheers mate!

@tyronec: The issue is with isolation. The units start losing ready elements fast and morale drops dont help either. I have 10 divisions in the city but will see how it goes. Because of fort entry rules, I cant merge much, since that would leave the units out. My guess is that Gunnulf can take Berlin by T19 latest.

[EwaldvonKleist]

I didn't know about the isolation rules. It seems a bit over-the-top and binary as a rule. I rescind my prognosis that you keep Berlin to the end. Its time to escape to the moon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Sky

[Hardradi]

Ask Goering if it will be possible to airlift supplies into Berlin from the outlying depots. [:)]

Finally caught back up. Hope we get some decent battles still. Looking forward to the finale.

[xhoel]

@EvK: It does seem a bit over the top but am withholding my judgement till the game concludes. Will take a look at the movie

@Hardradi: Goering fled to Flensburg and has been relieved of his command. The loyal Ritter von Greim commanding Luftflotte 6 has already airlifted supplies into Berlin, 630 tons.

[xhoel]

It is easy to get caught up in the major operational moves that happen in a game of this scale while forgetting about the individual units that make up these colossal armies. I wanted to try something different, by showing the readers the unit history of the Wiking SS Panzer Division in the span of T1-T16 and will continue to update about their fate until the end of the campaign.

January 1945

Turn 1: Wiking starts broken down in three regiments defending in Hungary. At the start of the Soviet offensive, one of its regiments (the 1st) is hit hard and mauled losing 31 AFVs out of 42.
Turn 2: The unit is reformed as a division and ordered to defend the fuel refineries at Almasfuzito. Attached to the IV SS Panzer Corps (Obergruppenfuhrer Gille), operating under the 6th Army (General Balck). It is reinforced by the 525th Heavy Panzerjäger Battalion (31 Nashorns). Divisional Morale is at 74, 48% ready TOE, 93 AFVs on hand.
Turn 3: No change in positioning, morale remains at 74 and same TOE. Losses 1 AFV to attrition, 92 left. Set to refit.

T1 Battle:



T2: Status and SU attached:




February 1945

Turn 4: Morale increases to 75 (matching NM), TOE drops by 1% to 47%. 91 AFVs on hand.
Turn 5: Leads the successful counterattack against the 2nd Guards Mechanized Corps, losing only 11 AFVs in the process. At the end of the week it has a morale of 77, 41% ready TOE and 80 AFVs on hand.
Turn 6: Remains in Almasfuzito. Ready TOE increases to 43% but 2 AFVs are lost to attrition (78 remaining). Morale remains at 77.
Turn 7: Remains in Almasfuzito. Ready TOE increases to 46% but 1 AFVs lost to attrition (77 remaining). Morale remains at 77.

Counterattack on T5:



March 1945

Turn 8: Remains in Almasfuzito. No changes in TOE, morale and AFV numbers.
Turn 9: Attacked during Soviet T8, holds the position, causing heavy losses to the enemy in both men and material. Morale increases to 78 due to the win. Fort level in Almasfuzito drop from 3 to 1 and with the division only at 34% of TOE (64 AFVs left) it is ordered to pull back to Komarom and defend the fuel refineries there. Of the 64 AFVs it still has, 37.5% of them (24) are damaged and in need of repairs.
Turn 10: One of the few units that is spared during the start of the Soviet Hungarian offensive. Is ordered to move to Vienna and set on refit. Morale at 78, 36% ready TOE and 62 AFVs left.
Turn 11: Received replacements in Vienna that bring the division up to strength. Morale remains at 78, TOE increases to 64% and the number of AFVs increases from 62 to 93. Moved south of Vienna to hold the defensive line there.
Turn 12: Ordered to move south of Prague to hold the defensive line on the river Sasava. Attached to III SS Panzer Corps (Obergruppenführer Keppler) subordinated under the 6th SS Panzer Army (Oberstgruppenführer Dietrich). Reinforced by the Dresden Corps MG Battalion. Ready TOE at 63%, 91 AFVs on hand, morale remains at 78.

T9 hold and unit status:





T11 after refit:



Unit movement T1-T12:



April 1945

Turn 13: Pulled back south-west of Prague being held in reserve. Ready TOE at 64%, 89 AFVs on hand. Morale continues at 78. Receives the 505th Heavy Panzer Battalion (31 King Tigers) as reinforcements. CPP at 75. With the attached SUs, it sports 150 AFVs in total.
Turn 14: Spearheads the counterattack against Kravchenkos 9th Guards mechanized Corps, mauling them badly but takes heavy losses in the process. In total (including SUs) 44 AFVs are lost, 30% of the initial strength. Morale jumps at 80, 44% ready TOE, the division itself has 50 AFVs on hand. Together with SUs, that number stands at 106.
Turn 15: Joins the counterattack against the 76th Rifle Corps causing heavy losses to the enemy. Ready TOE drops to 40%, morale remains at 80, total of 101 AFVs left in the unit. Remains south-west of Prague defending the city outskirts.
Turn 16: Remains in the same positions. Ordered to hold at all cost to prevent the Soviets from cutting off the rail line that goes out of the city. Ready TOE up at 45%, total of 103 AFVs in the unit but only 43 AFVs in the division itself. Almost no Pz. IVJ left, 36 Panther Gs make up most of the divisional AFVs.

Total losses for the period T1-T16: 118 AFVs

Attached SUs T13:


Counterattack T14:



Counterattack T15:



Unit status T16 (before the Wehrmacht goes isolated on T17):



Unit movement T12-T16:



Pantergrenadiers going in action: