Russian AAR to 1946, with pics!
RE: Russian AAR to 1946, with pics!
For example, please look at the Honors for the 14th Panzer – a dozen units have met their fate at the hands of this unit.
- Attachments
-
- 14thPanzerV2.jpg (145.34 KiB) Viewed 306 times
RE: Russian AAR to 1946, with pics!
OVERALL – Japan surrenders in August, and I hope Allied troops will show up, in time, in greater force. Not sure that will happen given the distances. More importantly I will watch my MPP assistance from the West to see (I hope) if I get a significant increase in production capacity.
The cauldron around Moscow feels critical to me. If I can both save Moscow and eliminate the massive German force morale (at least mine) should improve.
German total morale is now way over 100 percent. Russia needs a big victory, and I mean to give it to them.
Lastly, will the West drop an A-bomb on Germany? Have not seen the capability for one, but as casualties amass, the excuse the USA gave for using such a weapon remains. We’ll see.
NOTE - Let us please not start a philosophical discussion here - THX!
The cauldron around Moscow feels critical to me. If I can both save Moscow and eliminate the massive German force morale (at least mine) should improve.
German total morale is now way over 100 percent. Russia needs a big victory, and I mean to give it to them.
Lastly, will the West drop an A-bomb on Germany? Have not seen the capability for one, but as casualties amass, the excuse the USA gave for using such a weapon remains. We’ll see.
NOTE - Let us please not start a philosophical discussion here - THX!
RE: Russian AAR to 1946, with pics!
Forgot the Russian Southern Front. By the end of August my “land-grab” strategy is in effect. I try to create pockets and then keep going deeper into enemy lines to completely choke-off their ability to reinforce. I have troops left to reduce the isolated units, but need not only their supply but their morale to drop. Then I can bag em’.
- Attachments
-
- South2.jpg (511.91 KiB) Viewed 306 times
RE: Russian AAR to 1946, with pics!
September/October of 1945
Leningrad - after 7 months of being isolated and besieged, the Russian 14th Infantry finally succumbs.
The massive "Cherepovets Pocket" is still in the making. German counter-attacks slow down progress, but the battle goes on relentlessly.
Leningrad - after 7 months of being isolated and besieged, the Russian 14th Infantry finally succumbs.
The massive "Cherepovets Pocket" is still in the making. German counter-attacks slow down progress, but the battle goes on relentlessly.
- Attachments
-
- Lenin3.jpg (594.98 KiB) Viewed 306 times
RE: Russian AAR to 1946, with pics!
Moscow - Big victory outside of Moscow - 2 German Heavy Tank units are destroyed. Great victory for the reasons I stated earlier.
Russian troops now drive on Rzhev in force, hopefully causing the havoc on the Axis side that I have been praying for.
The resilient German 6th Army has been isolated for almost every minute of the last 6 months, and yet here they are - Both Readiness and Morale still at 40%.
Russia throwing in more and more airpower and arty to finish them off (and the third German Heavy Tank).
Russian troops now drive on Rzhev in force, hopefully causing the havoc on the Axis side that I have been praying for.
The resilient German 6th Army has been isolated for almost every minute of the last 6 months, and yet here they are - Both Readiness and Morale still at 40%.
Russia throwing in more and more airpower and arty to finish them off (and the third German Heavy Tank).
- Attachments
-
- Moscow4.jpg (609.24 KiB) Viewed 306 times
RE: Russian AAR to 1946, with pics!
Southern Front - October of 1945
Russian troops advance deeper creating more Axis pockets and space between the combat forces and their HQs. Reducing them is still difficult, but better them trapped than running free.
Axis powers have an excess of HQs in the South, but few troops left to command. Let's hope it stays this way.
The drive to the Black Sea continues.
Russian troops advance deeper creating more Axis pockets and space between the combat forces and their HQs. Reducing them is still difficult, but better them trapped than running free.
Axis powers have an excess of HQs in the South, but few troops left to command. Let's hope it stays this way.
The drive to the Black Sea continues.
- Attachments
-
- South3.jpg (604.3 KiB) Viewed 306 times
RE: Russian AAR to 1946, with pics!
Interesting AAR! Could you give some information about your setup (do you only play the Russians? Setup? Advantages...). Maybe I overlooked this.
RE: Russian AAR to 1946, with pics!
Thanks Peter! It really helps to get thanks as this is a much more time-consuming project than I originally thought! But I am determined get to the end, one way or another.
As the war progresses, I will try out different strategies as some decisions simply fall flat.
In response to your posting, it is just easier if I post my original thread (I think others are wondering the same thing about how I got here). It's only 1 page long.
NOTE - PLEASE REMEMBER THIS IS MY ENTIRE POSTING UNDER "AAR - RUSSIAN ONLY AAR." THEN THE BEGINNING AND REMAINDER OF THIS THREAD SHOULD MAKE MORE SENCE.
I really enjoy AARs such as Warspite1's latest (great!), but do not have time right now to do the same. So I will do a quick and dirty AAR on my game as of the start of the war (September, 1939) to 1945.
Playing Russia only, I selected the historical options as they were presented to me. Germany did the same (as far as I know) on the Eastern Front. The easy stuff first.
Poland fell in 4 turns
The Western Allies were attacked in early 1940, with the typical results. Vichy France declared.
Now for the fun stuff.
Africa – literally no action on either side until the arrival of Rommel a few hexes from Tobruk. The Germans immediately attack eastwards entering Egypt and, once a few hexes from El Alamein, a Second German HQ (Schoemer) shows up in Libya with 7th Panzer, an Inf. Corps, 2nd FSJ (paratroops) and more planes. Uh oh. The British gave little effort to defend El Alamein, satisfied that Bomber Command and another air unit could stop Rommel and the advancing nightmare. The next turn Rommel is in Alexandria (the British only have an HQ and two Inf. Corps). Cairo falls soon thereafter. Next was Port Said and Suez a few turns later. The British fell back into the Sinai, but fell back too far, not defending the Suez Canal. Germany crossed, and on to Palestine. For whatever reason, the British were not giving North Africa a good go. The Italian Navy more than held their own. Curious.
The Balkans – again, the typical fighting in Yugoslavia and Greece. The British sent one unit to assist Greece.
Russia – I was getting very nervous about the lack of Soviet troops, and hoping that the German effort in North Africa and still being tied up in the Balkans would afford me some time to get comfortable. No such luck. Germany launched its offensive in May 1941. One thing that frustrated me was that all these Russian units all of a sudden appeared (where were they when I needed to set them up) almost all right into the teeth of the German onslaught. My strategy was to build both garrisons and armies to hole up in cities. An army in a city can last a long time, even when surrounded for many turns.
The strategy was working, as the German advance slowed to a crawl, as they would not penetrate too deep without first covering their rear. No jokes guys. But momentum was starting to build, and Russia’s production could not keep up with the casualties.
August 1941 – Greece falls. Yugoslavia fell weeks earlier. The British navy quits the Med., and moves out to the Atlantic. Finland is still neutral, and Russia has Odessa and Minsk. Army Group North is just past Riga.
October 1941 – Finland enters the war. Army Group North is at Tartu, 10 hexes from Leningrad and only 14 from their starting point, five months after the invasion. Army Group Center is advancing slowly, not much more progress than Army Group North. Army Group South is making the most progress with Kiev and heading for Kharkov. Meanwhile Rommel now has Jerusalem, and now I worry about my Southern Front. German subs seem to be having an impact.
November 1941 – Army Group North has barely moved. Finland the same. Army Group Center has just taken Smolensk, six months after the launching of Operation Barbarossa. Army Group South had Kharkov. Germany had Iraq – the Allies Persia. The British also seemed to be getting the upper hand on the submarine issue.
March 1942 – skipping ahead here. Army Group North still not at Leningrad. Army Group Center at Vyazma. Army Group South is still 6 hexes from Rostov, but the Crimea is holding. Germany takes Syria, and here they come.
May 1942 – Army Group North now four hexes from Leningrad. Army Group Center six from Moscow. Army Group South at Rostov. Crimea holding. The bad news is that Schoemer cuts thru the Caucasus with Rommel heading to Basra. Russian production appears to me to be very low, and my lines are thinning fast.
End of 1942 – By the end of 1942, Rommel shifted north and he and Schoemer linked up with Army Group South. Leningrad finally fell, but the Crimea was now advancing. More bad news however, a ton of German heavy tanks appear.
May 1943 – Moscow falls, is re-taken, but falls again. The Capital is moved to Kuybyshev. Army Group North is just past Leningrad, and Stalingrad is holding. The only help Russia gets (and has all game long) is from the Pacific. I never lost Murmansk, but I assume the Western Allies chose not to ship there.
Fall of 1943 – First the Western Allies invade North Africa and start moving East. Then they invade Normandy in force, along with the Canadian 1st Tank Corps just outside of Brest. Hope at last for some relief. Army Group North moves eastward but then just holds in place. Army Group Center is a few hexes east of Moscow, while Army Group South captures Stalingrad.
Winter of 1943 – Sweden joins the Axis. What next! The new Russian capital is threatened, but that I am confident will hold.
NOTE – I cannot fathom how many German troops there are. As I desperately try to build up an effective counter-offensive army, they just show up in ever increasing numbers.
Start of 1944 – Western Allies land in Sicily. They are bogged down in Normandy, and the Canadians are STILL just outside of Brest, all by themselves.
Mid-1944 – Russia is finally able to make limited attacks, and drive inexorably towards Moscow. As time goes by, I am cutting off swaths of Germans, but even isolated they take time to reduce. Leningrad should soon be in my hands again. Fortress Crimea pressures the German Southern Front. Can do nothing in the Caucasus except for annoying them with Partisans. The West is still stuck in Sicily, although they have reached Tobruk. Very little progress is made in Normandy, and the poor Canadians still wallow outside of Brest. A new wrinkle, German subs are at tech four and are very hard to pin down.
From then to 1945 – I have recaptured Moscow, Leningrad and Stalingrad. But there is too little time to push very far. Casualties are horrendous. German tanks are at tech 4 and are almost indestructible. Bury one in a city and woe be unto him who approaches.
The Western Allies have gained a few more hexes in France (Canadians remain where they are), but have not taken Sicily and have but one city at the toe of Italy. They are going nowhere. None of them. German subs are at tech five and virtually unsinkable.
British production is at 250, the Americans at 2,300+, and the Russians are still under 500. The paltry help received by the West has cost us. Fighting Germany from the Artic to Turkey, while being vastly outproduced and technically inferior, left too many gaps. Their decision not to defend North Africa was bizarre.
I may continue till the end of 1945 and if so, will update this AAR. By the end of the year I should be back to my start line. I am sure that the 1st Canadian Tank Corps will be sitting where they have been since September of 1943.
As the war progresses, I will try out different strategies as some decisions simply fall flat.
In response to your posting, it is just easier if I post my original thread (I think others are wondering the same thing about how I got here). It's only 1 page long.
NOTE - PLEASE REMEMBER THIS IS MY ENTIRE POSTING UNDER "AAR - RUSSIAN ONLY AAR." THEN THE BEGINNING AND REMAINDER OF THIS THREAD SHOULD MAKE MORE SENCE.
I really enjoy AARs such as Warspite1's latest (great!), but do not have time right now to do the same. So I will do a quick and dirty AAR on my game as of the start of the war (September, 1939) to 1945.
Playing Russia only, I selected the historical options as they were presented to me. Germany did the same (as far as I know) on the Eastern Front. The easy stuff first.
Poland fell in 4 turns
The Western Allies were attacked in early 1940, with the typical results. Vichy France declared.
Now for the fun stuff.
Africa – literally no action on either side until the arrival of Rommel a few hexes from Tobruk. The Germans immediately attack eastwards entering Egypt and, once a few hexes from El Alamein, a Second German HQ (Schoemer) shows up in Libya with 7th Panzer, an Inf. Corps, 2nd FSJ (paratroops) and more planes. Uh oh. The British gave little effort to defend El Alamein, satisfied that Bomber Command and another air unit could stop Rommel and the advancing nightmare. The next turn Rommel is in Alexandria (the British only have an HQ and two Inf. Corps). Cairo falls soon thereafter. Next was Port Said and Suez a few turns later. The British fell back into the Sinai, but fell back too far, not defending the Suez Canal. Germany crossed, and on to Palestine. For whatever reason, the British were not giving North Africa a good go. The Italian Navy more than held their own. Curious.
The Balkans – again, the typical fighting in Yugoslavia and Greece. The British sent one unit to assist Greece.
Russia – I was getting very nervous about the lack of Soviet troops, and hoping that the German effort in North Africa and still being tied up in the Balkans would afford me some time to get comfortable. No such luck. Germany launched its offensive in May 1941. One thing that frustrated me was that all these Russian units all of a sudden appeared (where were they when I needed to set them up) almost all right into the teeth of the German onslaught. My strategy was to build both garrisons and armies to hole up in cities. An army in a city can last a long time, even when surrounded for many turns.
The strategy was working, as the German advance slowed to a crawl, as they would not penetrate too deep without first covering their rear. No jokes guys. But momentum was starting to build, and Russia’s production could not keep up with the casualties.
August 1941 – Greece falls. Yugoslavia fell weeks earlier. The British navy quits the Med., and moves out to the Atlantic. Finland is still neutral, and Russia has Odessa and Minsk. Army Group North is just past Riga.
October 1941 – Finland enters the war. Army Group North is at Tartu, 10 hexes from Leningrad and only 14 from their starting point, five months after the invasion. Army Group Center is advancing slowly, not much more progress than Army Group North. Army Group South is making the most progress with Kiev and heading for Kharkov. Meanwhile Rommel now has Jerusalem, and now I worry about my Southern Front. German subs seem to be having an impact.
November 1941 – Army Group North has barely moved. Finland the same. Army Group Center has just taken Smolensk, six months after the launching of Operation Barbarossa. Army Group South had Kharkov. Germany had Iraq – the Allies Persia. The British also seemed to be getting the upper hand on the submarine issue.
March 1942 – skipping ahead here. Army Group North still not at Leningrad. Army Group Center at Vyazma. Army Group South is still 6 hexes from Rostov, but the Crimea is holding. Germany takes Syria, and here they come.
May 1942 – Army Group North now four hexes from Leningrad. Army Group Center six from Moscow. Army Group South at Rostov. Crimea holding. The bad news is that Schoemer cuts thru the Caucasus with Rommel heading to Basra. Russian production appears to me to be very low, and my lines are thinning fast.
End of 1942 – By the end of 1942, Rommel shifted north and he and Schoemer linked up with Army Group South. Leningrad finally fell, but the Crimea was now advancing. More bad news however, a ton of German heavy tanks appear.
May 1943 – Moscow falls, is re-taken, but falls again. The Capital is moved to Kuybyshev. Army Group North is just past Leningrad, and Stalingrad is holding. The only help Russia gets (and has all game long) is from the Pacific. I never lost Murmansk, but I assume the Western Allies chose not to ship there.
Fall of 1943 – First the Western Allies invade North Africa and start moving East. Then they invade Normandy in force, along with the Canadian 1st Tank Corps just outside of Brest. Hope at last for some relief. Army Group North moves eastward but then just holds in place. Army Group Center is a few hexes east of Moscow, while Army Group South captures Stalingrad.
Winter of 1943 – Sweden joins the Axis. What next! The new Russian capital is threatened, but that I am confident will hold.
NOTE – I cannot fathom how many German troops there are. As I desperately try to build up an effective counter-offensive army, they just show up in ever increasing numbers.
Start of 1944 – Western Allies land in Sicily. They are bogged down in Normandy, and the Canadians are STILL just outside of Brest, all by themselves.
Mid-1944 – Russia is finally able to make limited attacks, and drive inexorably towards Moscow. As time goes by, I am cutting off swaths of Germans, but even isolated they take time to reduce. Leningrad should soon be in my hands again. Fortress Crimea pressures the German Southern Front. Can do nothing in the Caucasus except for annoying them with Partisans. The West is still stuck in Sicily, although they have reached Tobruk. Very little progress is made in Normandy, and the poor Canadians still wallow outside of Brest. A new wrinkle, German subs are at tech four and are very hard to pin down.
From then to 1945 – I have recaptured Moscow, Leningrad and Stalingrad. But there is too little time to push very far. Casualties are horrendous. German tanks are at tech 4 and are almost indestructible. Bury one in a city and woe be unto him who approaches.
The Western Allies have gained a few more hexes in France (Canadians remain where they are), but have not taken Sicily and have but one city at the toe of Italy. They are going nowhere. None of them. German subs are at tech five and virtually unsinkable.
British production is at 250, the Americans at 2,300+, and the Russians are still under 500. The paltry help received by the West has cost us. Fighting Germany from the Artic to Turkey, while being vastly outproduced and technically inferior, left too many gaps. Their decision not to defend North Africa was bizarre.
I may continue till the end of 1945 and if so, will update this AAR. By the end of the year I should be back to my start line. I am sure that the 1st Canadian Tank Corps will be sitting where they have been since September of 1943.
RE: Russian AAR to 1946, with pics!
Thanks for the old AAR, much better insight now! [:)] Definitely will buy this game as soon as I will have finished my current one (War in the east).
Cheers, Peter.
Cheers, Peter.
RE: Russian AAR to 1946, with pics!
Is that War in the East from Decision Games Peter?
RE: Russian AAR to 1946, with pics!
Still in October of 1945, the North Sea is essentially controlled by Germany. German U-Boats are becoming the "Kings of the Sea" at tech 5 dive away approximately 80% of the time, and more often than not do more damage than they take.
It is now very hard for the Allies to sink German subs, and when damaged, they simply go home and re-arm. They then come back, sink a ship or two, and return home once again. What you see in the screenshot below is the result of that long process.
In my earlier chart I showed you that the Allies sunk 28 Axis subs by August of 1945. In 2 months Germany loses 1 BB and 2 Subs, while the Allies lose 2 BBs, 3 DDs, and 1 SS. This can't go on.
It is now very hard for the Allies to sink German subs, and when damaged, they simply go home and re-arm. They then come back, sink a ship or two, and return home once again. What you see in the screenshot below is the result of that long process.
In my earlier chart I showed you that the Allies sunk 28 Axis subs by August of 1945. In 2 months Germany loses 1 BB and 2 Subs, while the Allies lose 2 BBs, 3 DDs, and 1 SS. This can't go on.
- Attachments
-
- NorthSea3.jpg (454.13 KiB) Viewed 307 times
RE: Russian AAR to 1946, with pics!
October 1945 - Not much movement in France. German West Wall is dug in and waiting . . . and waiting . . . and waiting
- Attachments
-
- France2.jpg (529.09 KiB) Viewed 306 times
RE: Russian AAR to 1946, with pics!
December 1945 - Leningrad Front
Have currently given up on attacking Leningrad. This area, particularly given the weather, is too difficult to reach and reinforce. If I do move South from Finland, Axis airpower will simply kill my units. So I wait.
The continuing battle to close the Cherepovets Bulge goes on. The Axis counter-attacks from the bulge, and I need to add more troops to the effort.
Have currently given up on attacking Leningrad. This area, particularly given the weather, is too difficult to reach and reinforce. If I do move South from Finland, Axis airpower will simply kill my units. So I wait.
The continuing battle to close the Cherepovets Bulge goes on. The Axis counter-attacks from the bulge, and I need to add more troops to the effort.
- Attachments
-
- Lenin4.jpg (734.36 KiB) Viewed 306 times
RE: Russian AAR to 1946, with pics!
December 1945 - Moscow Front
Advance on Rzhev is stopped by the Hungarians. Can't afford the airpower to kill them as the Germans are still outside of Moscow.
Speaking of Moscow, the German 6th Army enters its ninth month next to Moscow. I have two ideas on what is keeping them alive.
(1) the constant stream of reinforcements. How is this still possible? Are they Zombies now?
(2) German morale is off the charts. The German Army can have far fewer units but do not need more as they still survive to fight all war long. This is why it was so important to destroy the 2 Heavy German Tank units earlier outside of Moscow.
The drive from Tambov should start again with heavy reinforcements. Target - the Black Sea.
Advance on Rzhev is stopped by the Hungarians. Can't afford the airpower to kill them as the Germans are still outside of Moscow.
Speaking of Moscow, the German 6th Army enters its ninth month next to Moscow. I have two ideas on what is keeping them alive.
(1) the constant stream of reinforcements. How is this still possible? Are they Zombies now?
(2) German morale is off the charts. The German Army can have far fewer units but do not need more as they still survive to fight all war long. This is why it was so important to destroy the 2 Heavy German Tank units earlier outside of Moscow.
The drive from Tambov should start again with heavy reinforcements. Target - the Black Sea.
- Attachments
-
- Moscow5.jpg (736.83 KiB) Viewed 306 times
RE: Russian AAR to 1946, with pics!
December 1945 - Southern Front
Off screen the Germans attack the Crimea from the Caucasus. I am holed up in Sevastopol.
While I have killed 2 units I am still dealing with the same 3 pockets in Southern Russia. Really is killing me.
Decide on preparing for a new tactic - create AKPs - Airpower Killer Packs. A few air units dedicated to flying pocket to pocket from the Artic to Turkey. Will give them the best of everything - just eliminate those units.
Off screen the Germans attack the Crimea from the Caucasus. I am holed up in Sevastopol.
While I have killed 2 units I am still dealing with the same 3 pockets in Southern Russia. Really is killing me.
Decide on preparing for a new tactic - create AKPs - Airpower Killer Packs. A few air units dedicated to flying pocket to pocket from the Artic to Turkey. Will give them the best of everything - just eliminate those units.
- Attachments
-
- South4.jpg (690.39 KiB) Viewed 306 times
RE: Russian AAR to 1946, with pics!
December 1945 - Mid East
Turkey joins the Allies and move into Russia.
The Western Allies have almost all of the Mid East now, with Syria, Iraq and Persia being occupied.
The Americans are in Turkey and are clearly moving towards the Balkans.
Spotted a large Swedish Air unit in the middle of the Egyptian Desert. ????
Turkey joins the Allies and move into Russia.
The Western Allies have almost all of the Mid East now, with Syria, Iraq and Persia being occupied.
The Americans are in Turkey and are clearly moving towards the Balkans.
Spotted a large Swedish Air unit in the middle of the Egyptian Desert. ????
- Attachments
-
- Turkey2.jpg (607.64 KiB) Viewed 306 times
RE: Russian AAR to 1946, with pics!
December 1945 - France
The Western Allies are finally seriously on the move. They close the gap between armies and trap several high-powered Axis units in Brittany.
Further, they have 3 full Armies and 3 Tank units waiting to land. Will they go to Normandy or land further up the coast?
The Western Allies are finally seriously on the move. They close the gap between armies and trap several high-powered Axis units in Brittany.
Further, they have 3 full Armies and 3 Tank units waiting to land. Will they go to Normandy or land further up the coast?
- Attachments
-
- France3.jpg (573.25 KiB) Viewed 306 times
RE: Russian AAR to 1946, with pics!
End of 1945 - North Sea and Morale
No pictures needed - the situation is just as before (German Navy everywhere). But the casualties are getting worse for the Western Allies. In 3 months, a single German U-Boat is sunk. Just one.
German morale steadily goes up - now at 129%. The Italians are under 50%, but it doesn't matter with Germany so high.
British morale is at 63% and the USA at 78%. Both are trending lower. My Russians had a big spike when I destroyed the 2 German Heavy Tank units, but it is slowly going down now to 52%.
I think most of the morale trends right now (in the West) are due to the naval war, which is why I thought I should tie these 2 subjects together.
How much does morale effect unit survivability? The manual is not really clear on that, but from my observations it is significant. Which is good, if your on the right side of the equation.
No pictures needed - the situation is just as before (German Navy everywhere). But the casualties are getting worse for the Western Allies. In 3 months, a single German U-Boat is sunk. Just one.
German morale steadily goes up - now at 129%. The Italians are under 50%, but it doesn't matter with Germany so high.
British morale is at 63% and the USA at 78%. Both are trending lower. My Russians had a big spike when I destroyed the 2 German Heavy Tank units, but it is slowly going down now to 52%.
I think most of the morale trends right now (in the West) are due to the naval war, which is why I thought I should tie these 2 subjects together.
How much does morale effect unit survivability? The manual is not really clear on that, but from my observations it is significant. Which is good, if your on the right side of the equation.
RE: Russian AAR to 1946, with pics!
February 1946 - Leningrad Front
Reinforcements arrive North of Leningrad, and I try again for that great city.
I have built quite a force for the attack on the Cherepovets pocket from the South. Light Northern attack not designed to advance far, but hope it doesn't lose any ground.
Reinforcements arrive North of Leningrad, and I try again for that great city.
I have built quite a force for the attack on the Cherepovets pocket from the South. Light Northern attack not designed to advance far, but hope it doesn't lose any ground.
- Attachments
-
- Lenin5.jpg (715.98 KiB) Viewed 306 times