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Overview of the southern end of the line.

I realised rather late that the Romanians holding the entrances to the Crimea have been suffering really badly and I belatedly send a German light division to shore them up.

TOE settings:

Almost all infantry divisions are set to 70%, to preserve manpower during the next logistics phase.

The objective is to make sure I can direct manpower next turn to the areas where the Soviets direct the axis' of their blizzard offensive.

Turn 25, blizzard is here.

This turn an overview of the different sectors so you can see my defensive setup. I should have highlighted unit mode so you can see reserve setups.

I have spent most AP this turn to do the first replacements of Infantry Corps commanders in sectors that I suspect will be pressured.

Going North to South.

Moscow AO:

Tula AO:

Voronezh AO:

Kharkov AO:

Stalino AO:

Turn 26

Darbymcd launched his Blizzard attacks.
He is probing for weak spots in many areas and some breaks have occurred, but nothing too serious. Actually, when I check the battles when opening the turn, I see a lot of Holds:

Note that in some areas he received very high AFV losses.

Next 3 screenshots show an overview of the front. Small Red Arrows are offensives that I judge to be limited in scope or of a diversionary nature. The big red arrows are offensives that he has committed significant weight to, with Calvary Corps in the vanguard and tank brigades/divisions ready to exploit.

Karelia-Oka:

Note that I have railed 3 Inf Corps South. I Corps is staying put on rail, as the only real OKH reserve to respond to any real crises.

Oka-Kharkov

Some breaks at Tula. But because I expected a push here, I am not yet willing to withdraw. I counter attack the units that moved into the contested hex, reinforce the shoulders, and occupy the 2 hexes behind it with strong units to dig.

I think counter attacking certain hexes, with as much force as possible, is important. It denies easy follow up attacks next turn, inflicts damage to men, materiel, morale and fatigue, and in the best case routs units out. I do have a hold here and there, but these holds teach me valuable lessons on the initial CV ratios I need during blizzard for a comfortable attack.

Sea of Azov

Quite some pressure at Stalino. But I finally was able to rail my reserve Corps across Russia, and I have 2 arriving here.

I think I can get them into the line before it breaks.

At the Crimea I was 1 MP short of moving the last light regiment into the line
Defensive value at Perekop is 7 CV =/
Because I assume a break out by Soviet forces there I have moved the Pz Div that was refitting at Z-town down here.

A close up of the critical sectors:

Tula:

These lvl2 forts are a real pain for the Russians and I want to keep them.

Stalino:

Here I do occupy a contested hex north of Stalino to give reinforcements time to arrive.

4 hexes North-West of Stalino there was a critical break in the line and the Elite 1st Mountain Div. and a Pz regiment are moved in to plug it and dig.

Finally production.

Vehicle attrition is real.

Oh, one more for this turn.

A testament to how hard I have been hitting the Red Army in the summer: Very brittle units are committed by STAVKA this winter:

A word of warning...early January the Romanians are very brittle.

The soviets are to weak to do much damaged----you can look at the counter strength numbers and see how weak his units are.

The German 1942 offensive should be brutal.

What would be the counter strength you'd expect for Soviet units in this time in an average game Chaos?

I would say an "average" Soviet division would have a CV of 2. So you would be seeing CV's of around 6 for a stack of 3 divisions.

Turn 27 (Darbymcd has turn 33)

When I open the turn I see the joys of blizzard attrition (and this is mild winter rules):

Most of my casualties are from the elements. Soviet casualties are from combat.