DQ2004's AAR #2 - "Ouch. ...that hurt"

[DQ2004]

All too quickly however, Stavka discovers just how complacent they have been. Rundstedt was railed to the front at the end of April. He quickly launches an attack into the Ukraine, despite a sudden freakish burst of snow across the frontlines;

[DQ2004]

In Egypt, the destruction of Wavell's force at Alexandria has doomed Egypt. The sole surviving Commonwealth force is soon overwhelmed. Nonetheless Wavell cost the Italians two motorized corps.

[DQ2004]

In China, the Japanese sieze Chang-sha.
The Nationalists retreat to new defensive lines.

I might add, that I can't understand why Umezu is out of supply here - he has a clear path to a railway line (well, he's ON a railway line), there are no Chinese units which have a ZOC across those lines. I think there is a bug related to the mountain hex he is on - after I moved him off that hex, although annoyingly disrupted, he was back in supply.

[DQ2004]

In Russia, Stavka's complacence is becoming fatal. They retreat, but more and more German (and some others) units continue to arrive. Rundstedt drives them back and finds a hole in the line at Kiev. The panzercorps race through the gap, creating a bulge near Smolensk and causing the Soviets a huge problem. Meanwhile Guderian has shoved them eastwards and sprung the trap.

[DQ2004]

The turn mercifully ends but there is still two months of good weather for the Germans to enjoy. At the start of July 1940, OKH decides its time to throw their second offensive chit into the mix, to finally destroy the Russians in the south, who are trying to retreat in good order. The result is devastating;
(this shot taken after the 'advance after combat' phase)
If any moment can be said to be an 'Ouch, that hurt', this was it.

[DQ2004]

At the beginning of the Allies first impulse in July 1940, global control was as here:

[DQ2004]

In the Med, the Royal Navy continued to try to cut Italian supply lines to Libya and Egypt. But more Italian NAV's had arrived and they caught the battleships Nelson and Rodney without fighter cover, sinking HMS Nelson;


A 20% chance only of destroying the ship and...
...ouch, that hurt.

[DQ2004]

On the Axis' second impulse of the turn, they finish off Odessa and Stalino, plus another straggler left in the Ukraine. Only Timoshenko is left to stop the advancing Wehrmacht hordes. He has been on the frontline the entire time, and his army has been destroyed around him. Now there is nothing he can do except wait for the inevitable end.

[Klydon]

Well, besides the fact it won't really matter, if I were Timoshenko, I would be calling for the trains to rail my counter out of there to a nice place on the Caspian Sea. [:D]

[DQ2004]

Well, Timoshenko could not retreat, as it happens, as there were factories that needed moving. A much higher priority.
With the panzercorps looming from the south, the Russian forces near Smolensk also retreated - but because the strongest units were trapped in enemy ZOC, they could only move one hex. Which meant that all the other forces could only move one hex if they were to help the others escape. In hindsight, Stavka should have abandoned the two western-most units (a 7-4 INF & a 7-6 ARM).

[DQ2004]

In the following impulse the Germans raced up to the bulge, and prepared to make sure that the retreating armies could never escape...

[DQ2004]

The Russians lost their flanks at Bryansk and the Cavalry unit, and retreated again, hoping for a miracle.
Timoshenko, with hordes of panzers on his tail, also retreated. Hindsight suggests he should have knuckled down in Rostov, but the truth is he would simply have been destroyed one turn earlier.
With the way clear, the panzercorps raced across the steppe, and arrived on the banks of the Volga, to the bemusement , surprise and dismay of the local commissars.

[DQ2004]

In the Middle East, Graziani overran Palestine and Transjordan, and went for Syria.

[DQ2004]

Back to the Russian Front, where Guderian and Von Leeb were preparing to put the smack down on the Soviets once and for all...

[DQ2004]

The losses at the end of Jul-Aug 1940 tell the story...
...and yes, that did hurt

[wolf14455]

Wow, barbarossa so early and so efficient. Bravo.

[Centuur]

I think this is a case of the USSR not paying attention at the border garrison rates. Never, ever should Germany be able to DoW the USSR in 1940. Wrong builds strategy by the USSR...

[markb50k]

DQ, gotta admit, the speed at which your attacks are destroying the Russian lines, either you are helping out the dice, or man you're Axis attacks are getting some seriously high rolls.

[Astyreal]

I dunno this seems a bit distorted somehow

[Zorachus99]

A smart USSSR can prevent a '40 barb if they see France going down the tubes.

The garrison ratios (on average tension chit pulls) require a 4:1 advantage in garrison units to break the pact in 1940. Distances are so great in the USSR, the key to stuffing fast is getting those aircraft re-based to the front, and railing units in as fast as possible.

I've seen the USSR declare war on Japan several times, just to become an active Major Power before the Germans attacked.