ZA RODINU! (Kamil vs Mike) March 1943!

[Mike29]

T52. 11.06.1942. Strategic situation. Both parties preparing to decisive battle. German move huge mass of tanks from the South. Soviet redeploy North-Western front from North West. Russian tank brigades are waiting to become tank corps under tank armies near Tula and Tambov. We push flanks and center on Smolensk direction. Situation nervous and dramatic.

[morvael]

Your army is so small... Will you prevent Orel pocket? At this point in time I had 7 697 656 men, 87 160 guns, 7 356 AFVs and 9 300 planes (so your airforce is in better shape, but the rest is smaller).

[Mike29]

We are fighting for Orel at this time, this main intrique of the moment. There are bigger armies and different opponents. I saved Leningrad, 360 AP and now 30 miles from Smolensk. Quantity has the matter but quality is all.

[sillyflower]

Orel an easy pocket from that picture

[Mike29]

Agree. Next turn is mud and we are going to strangthen our defensive lines. We will not let them take Orel and Bryansk without fight. No one step back!

[sillyflower]

Hmmmm

Methinks you may just be setting up a bigger pocket. IMHO your mantra should be 'not one more unit lost'

[Mike29]

I thought about this, there was easy desicion to leave Orel and Bryansk, but something convinsed me to accept the challenge and I dont regret. I suppose now is perfect time to start trying to snap up strategic initiative while all his panzers accumulated near Orel.
 
I'll post detailed screens just after receiving next turn from Kamil. Now I can only say we fight for this area third turn in a raw, Orel is still mine on turn 55, but probably next turn I'll have pocket for 150 - 250 000 which shall be openable I beleive. Anyways, we immobilize main German Task Force here for more than a month while push other all directions, and it is really epic battle for both consideration I hope.

[Mike29]

T53. 18.06.1942. Initial situation before epic battle of Orel. We reinforce our line by elite units of Volkhov and NW fronts.

[Mike29]

T54. 25.06.19542. Our vision of strategic situation.

[morvael]

ORIGINAL: Mike29

25.06.19542

Do you have these?

[Mike29]

T54. 25.06.1942. Battle of Orel (first week)

First assault of German hordes fell to average units of South-Western front. Level of forts was 2, so Kamil passed them without any problems. Next line is much stronger - experienced and fresh units of NW front and Moscow MD. We moved here everything we have - all Volkhov front, NW front, 3d and 4th Shock armies. Weak units of S. Urals MD were left in Orel interfluve as a bait for encirclement.

Our advantage: we are huge, we know what they do and where they are. Our goal to kill their tanks.

[Mike29]

ORIGINAL: morvael

Do you have these?

LOL, sure! How you think we downed this?!

[Mike29]

T54. 25.06.1942. General situation.

[Mike29]

T54. 25.06.1942. Battles.

[Mike29]

T55. 02.07.1942. Battle of Orel (second week). We stay on our positions. Most of our counterattacks failed. Remarkable battle was here - two heroic divisions of the legendary 16th Army stoped the spearhead of German advance.

[Mike29]

T55. 02.07.1942. Battle of Orel (second week). Voronezh and Volhhov fronts attacks all around trying to distract some German forces to themselves. One German division encircled.

[Mike29]

T55. 02.07.1942. General situation. We opened Southern front from Crimea!

[Mike29]

T 56. Battle of Orel (third week). Germany made pocket, we opened it and made own.

[jjax]

I thought I should probably login and say that I'm enjoying this AAR! I'm looking forward to seeing how the battle of Orel turns out.

[Mike29]

Thank you JJAX, it is always pleasure to feel that someone read this. I will keep you informed we are now on T57, and it will be very very dramatic. Situation still not entirely clear but fears of inevitable disaster now cnanges to premonition of possible victory.