The Red Menace (Topeverest vs Admiral Kamikaze)

[topeverest]

The southern Front is ablaze with combat from Voronezh down to Taganrog Bay west of Rostov. Five separate army or double army attacks are underway. Admiral Zhukov released half of his reserves and began a general but gradual withdrawal. Kharkov was lost when the enemy nearly finished an encirclement with two panzer balls. Russian forces retreated out of the pocket successfully and two reserve armies have been brought up. At the southernmost point of contact, a reinforced German infantry army is slowly moving past the bottleneck above Sevastopol. I expect the siege to begin within two turns. The 51st undersized Infantry army commanded by Vasily Gordov has fought well to bottle up a superior force for so long. While there are two reserve armies east of the Kerch straight, I have chosen to make the major defense east of Kerch straight.

This past turn, an unlikely Mud turn slowed down combat in the central and north zones. Most combat was focused in the Europe zone near Stalino and Sevastopol. We are using a defense in depth strategy and pulsing in armor and or cavalry to sting exposed attacking units. Generally speaking this is effective in minimizing the advance.

A firm line of defense along the rivers east of Stalino is planned, but for now it is about gradual withdrawal and not giving away any breakthroughs.

[topeverest]

This turn saw the first use of several cavalry corps used in conjunction with existing infantry and air attacks to push back three separate armored thrusts around Stalino. Who could have known cavalry armies would be so effective.

[topeverest]

More than 100 enemy tanks of all types were destroy in counterattacks around Stalino. Considering only cavalry and infantry units were used, Zhukov considers this a great success.

[topeverest]

Viewing the northern front, it is mostly quiet except for minor bulge combats.

[topeverest]

Here is where I have massed Cavarly, armor, and guard unit reserves. We definitely will have a large series of fights here. I am to stop him before Rostov and flex further north.

[topeverest]

Not sure I did the right thing in keeping reserves east of Kerch, but it seems too strategically risky in the event I cannot stop him before Rostov to have a large force around Sevastopol

[topeverest]

Here is an example of the type of fighting going on around Stalino. Note enemy tried the surround Stalino tactic and I counterattacked. with forces in the area. I'd have to say that defense in depth is the only way to go.

[topeverest]

And the example. Trying to keep my weakest units adjacent to the enemy and pulse in counterattack forces. generally speaking I am losing about 2-3 hexes per day and taking back 1 to 2 per day.

Note that the enemy is doing some of the same...40+ troops on his attack and only 20+ troop on defense

[topeverest]

Question - In July 1942 if I build a corps out of three guard infantry divisions each at or near full strength, I get a guard corps at 155% of TOE. Should I build these with two divisions and a brigade instead, as I will be wasting the third division?

[M60A3TTS]

Do NOT build with 3 divisions. You want two guards rifle divisions and a brigade. That brigade converts to a 3rd division within the corps, so you pick up a 1/2 rifle division equivalent for free.

[Gabriel B.]

Once you go over to the ofensive (the main point of building corps ) you no longer need brigades (the cost of entering enemy hexes for start ) .
If you can build 155 % corps , go for them .

[Q-Ball]

ORIGINAL: topeverest

Question - In July 1942 if I build a corps out of three guard infantry divisions each at or near full strength, I get a guard corps at 155% of TOE. Should I build these with two divisions and a brigade instead, as I will be wasting the third division?

I've been away from the game for awhile, but in addition to what M60 said, build it with 2 Guards Divisions, and 1 Regular unit, NOT 3 Guards Divisions. You only need 2 out of 3 elements to make the whole Corps Guards. So only use 2, and spread it out to more units. 10 Guards divisions should make 5 Guards Corps, not 3.

M60 is right on using Brigades, as it is cheaper, but you may not have enough Brigades. If you build Corps with 3 divisions, it will be over TOE; over a few turns, the extra stuff gets destroyed and not replaced, or moved into the pool. Either way, it goes back to 100%. But the TOE for RIfle Corps expands a couple times in 1942 IIRC. You can also attach units; Sappers are a great addition.

Nice AAR, BTW

[Gabriel B.]

Cheaper but not cost efective , those 150 + brigades are instant 75 divisions which can do something in 1942 instead
of keeping hordes of brigades trailing until 1943, when you finaly have the AP points to turn all them into rifle corps .

[Q-Ball]

ORIGINAL: Gabriel B.

Cheaper but not cost efective , those 150 + brigades are instant 75 divisions which can do something in 1942 instead
of keeping hordes of brigades trailing until 1943, when you finaly have the AP points to turn all them into rifle corps .

You don't keep Brigades as combat units; m60 was referring to the fact that Corps can be built with either 3 divisions, or 2 divisions + 1 brigade. Thus, using brigades for this is cheaper.

Brigades should be combined into Corps and/or Divisions as soon as you can, but primarily Corps

[topeverest]

Thanks everyone...I've been in the land of Winter this week, traveling to Milwaukee and the temperature got to -15F with 20-30 MPH winds. Not only do I get to play the Russian winter turns out I got to live it.

You can't pay for that kind of fun!

be back in Houston tonight and should post tomorrow.

[SBD]

[:D] Just think how bad it would have been if you were playing the Axis.

[topeverest]

With Siberia behind me, we marched on in the game.

Massive and mainly armored combats in the southern theaters rule the week and campaign. Despite my best efforts, those damn panzer balls are just so darn strong to stop! I throw entire armies at the balls, but I succeed only in dispersing the ball, which reforms with the same strength and continues the German onslaught. I am very impressed both with the staying power of the German war machine and the viability of the panzer ball tactic. And we are beating the hell out of each other. Casualties already have almost doubled since the end of the Winter offensive.

I credit my unit mass for preventing a major breakout. I know the consensus recommendation is to convert my existing brigades to divisions or all the way to corps, but those units, as small as the are, are the glue that keeps the Wehrmacht from gaining more than a maximum of three hexes per turn - usually only one or two. The brigades allow my stronger units to rest behind the lines unharrassed and in turn facilitates their use in counterattacks to take back some of the ground lost.

It makes sooooo much sense to me now what Pelton, Sigup, Loki100 and others have been saying - the Russians need to attack to survive. you cant survive by letting the German onslaught choose its battles. If I have learned anything I have learned that. I also never pass up an opportunity to give casualties to the Germans.

[topeverest]

The northern theater remains quiet, and the Germans have stripped all major reinforcements for campaigns in the south. The German maelstrom starts at Kusrk and the blood flows all the way to Rostov and Sevastopol. At least six major panzer balls are in use between Kusrk and Rostov, and I estimate another several strong infantry armies. This includes the Hungarian, Italian, and Slovakian armed forces concentrated between Stalino and Rostov. SS units are concentrated near Stalino.

Combat has been mostly on the plains, and no major city sieging has occurred. The German tactics to take Belgorod, Kharkov and Stalino have been to try to surround the city in massive armored combats. I in turn have tried to resist by counterattack. When the situation became useless, I fought my way out.

My esteemed opponent continues to be extremely thorough in his approach to movements and combat. He always finds the weakest point in the defense and attacks it if possible. Since the campaign started in May, some 10-12 turns ago, the Germans have gained some 50-120 miles / hexes, with the deepest penetrations where he is strongest going for Rostov. Germany is getting 20-30 miles per turn and I am getting back about half of it in counterattacks.

[topeverest]

It is a southern front summer campaign season.

[topeverest]

A note on strategic reserves before I go into the major combats.

Russians has dispersed the following forces in strategic reserve:
1. one full strength infantry guards army north of Moscow refitting
2. one unorganized oversized infantry army sized force in Moscow with some armored support
3. one full strength armored corps army refitting north of Moscow
4. one full strength infantry guards army in Tula refitting

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Russians have the following in-combat-theater reserves not in combat
1. one full-strength infantry army at Voroshilovgrad on the Donets dug in
2. two full-strength infantry armies on the Don defending Rostov (not yet in combat though doesn't show clearly on picture)
3. two infantry armies refitting around Krasnodar east of Kerch straight


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There also are about 10 infantry divisions refitting and building forts in critical cities in the southern theater