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Well a day after I started this AAR this game just got very interesting. Pelton is trying to take advantage of the alternate clear/mud turns and advanced deep into my lines in 3 areas.

Northeast of Smolensk
Pelton pushes 4 tank corps south and forces the surrender of three of my fortified units (the risk I take with building these things - I had planned to disband them as he moves west). I move two panzer corps in to respond. I want to stay aggressive and force him to think long and hard before he ventures this deep again. If he moves the three rifle corps south next turn I don't think I'll be able to cut all these units off however I will be able to rout his tank corps and that should minimze their impact the next clear turn.

In the center Pelton advanced to deep with the 9th and 14th tank corps and the II SS panzer corps responds by cutting them off. Tank corps alone in clear terrain are easy picking for my panzers at this stage in the war even in mud.

West of Tambov Pelton makes a huge push with 7 tank corps and one cavalry corps. Again I don't believe I'll have the strength here to close and hold a pocket during the next clear weather turn so my plan will be to use the 48th and 39th panzer corps (which includes the 30+ CV GD division) to rout his tank corps and minimize their use the next clear turn.

I'll consider trying to close a pocket but I don't think even my best panzers can hold out in clear terrain agains rifle corps backed up with artillery.

One thing I have not seen yet are any guards rifle or cavalry corps (just one guards mountain division). I'm not sure if that means Pelton doesn't have any or he is saving them for another surprise. He had a pretty good blizzard offensive so he's bound to have some guards units lurking around.

What turn # are you on? Do you see many guards units on his side?

ORIGINAL: M60A3TTS

What turn # are you on? Do you see many guards units on his side?

I forget the turn (server game) but it is late May 1943. I only see the one guards mountain division. I'm not sure what he is up to with his guards units (I'm not sure how many he has).

ORIGINAL: smokindave34

My game with you and Sean is one turn behind this one with Pelton. You have been very aggressive and Pelton has not (yet). Your style of play had put a much heavier strain on my army. Even though my OOB is still around 3.6 million in our game the Wehrmacht seems much much weaker.

you had a much better summer offensive vs P and I suspect your morale is much better for it as you wrote. A lot of combat power lies in the artillery and a significant difference there will make a big difference in your fortunes

ORIGINAL: Belphegor

If I flew recon over his lines my pilots would get shot down. If Stavka would provide better cameras you'd see more from where we take our photos

Report to Gulag 1463B immediately.

First week of June '43

A very good turn for the axis. In the north I'm able to push back Pelton's advance and isolate 3 Soviet tank corps. I don't expect he'll be able to free them next turn so this should be a pretty good bag of men/AFV. I lose 49AFV to Pelton's 283 here and that doesn't count the isolated units.

Near Tambov I determine I'm not strong enough to hold a pocket through next turn and decide to rout these stacks of tank corps instead. I rout a total of 8 tank corps, 1 cavalry corps, and 2 rifle corps. All told this turn I lose 10K men and 143 AFV to Pelton's 45K men and 1,000AFV.

I'm not sure what Pelton was thinking pushing all those corps so deep behind my lines. Maybe he underestimated how strong the Wehrmacht still is in June '43 (actually I'll never be stronger - it's downhill from here on) but he should know as well as anyone the capabilities of the axis. Maybe he became mesmerized by Red army 2.0?

It did look daft but full marks for squishing him so effectively.

Not leaving retreat paths for your front units is not wise if they are in a vulnerable position as it causes unnecessary routs ( especially as such units become a more tempting target) and extra losses especially morale.

I am not tempted to do the same.

Ouch! I like it.

He is doing it wrong >.<