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ORIGINAL: STEF78

Year after year, german openings are more and more terrific!

Nice to see Sillyflower again [:)]

And Bozo is truly the master in using paratroops, but also a fair player.

I will follow this AAR

Ya, Eskuche should have an interesting time with Sillyflower. Sillyflower is an excellent player.

Couldn't agree more with more about Bozo Stef Always loved Bozo's writings and views but never have played Bozo...

Let’s just say there were probably some records set in turn 3 and 4 already. What kind of records will remain to be seen.

North start: Soviet sets up minor blockades, but not nearly enough to count as a fully Pskov defense. Three paths are identified for armor to puncture.
1. Unsure of retreat rules, spotty supply, and possible flank cut means this should only be taken if other (2) fails.
2. Standard two units on the level 2 fort. Can push back but unit will retreat across the river if there is no combat unit on Pskov.
3. Doable, but strong unit (turns out to be tank division on level 2 fort. Neither retreat option is great and involves a ZOC to ZOC move.

Green are nice plane targets.

Easy double envelopment for two full panzer corps here. (Turns out to be not so easy). Air targets not worth bringing serious firepower. IAD interceptors can be brought down with ground support if it is on.

Pockets are secure. I did not do a super Lvov, so there is a Zhitomir line. It may be possible to form an encirclement here of about 15 units, but this would hugely delay any push to the south. I choose to make a minor pocket and sweep south with additional fuel from Rumania.

Air: black hexagons represent enemy air patrol range. 60 level bombers and 40 recon are vulnerable to escorted bombing.

Turn 2 North:
Straightforward two-way to trap some units for pocketing next turn while maintaining open line for infantry. ~10 infantry over the Daugava.

Edit: how did I forget. This one man held up this entire front with some ridiculous rolls at the fort in front of Pskov. Manstein really dropped the ball on this one. Took 4 attacks to get through, else the pocket would have been tight.

Cute pocket with 7 units + an HQ. One additional straggler taken for next turn. Lack of infantry and full scouting into hard terrain means I have to make a very tight wall, with MP keeping the outside secure.

3.5 divisions are used to grab four very strong divisions usually nabbed by the super Lvov. Meanwhile, huge amounts of terrain are converted and a loose pocket formed around the Dnestr. Units can be picked up next turn easily. Note clearing of four hexes for rail repair next turn north from the border wasn't 100% successful.
The main strategic goals were 1. to form a a clear line for movement next turn, including low morale Rumanian divisions (only two were set to clear Bessarabia, while others are waiting), 2) getting PzG 1 closer to rails.
5 armored divisions are railed down (courtesy of Model1950 vs. Bitburger game, though taken to the extreme). These divisions have 180-200% fuel, which should catch Russia unawares on turn 4-5. They would not have achieved any strategic goal from their starting point in Poland besides getting stranded west of Kiev for 3 turns.

Turn 3 start:
North is hugged but a line is open for infantry. I can grab a few motley, weak units in a pocket but will prioritize advancing infantry.

Center: pocket holds. One tank divisiion donated to block of scout, and the 5=9 rifle division down south will be kept for next turn. Plan is just to advance. Center turn 3 is usually quiet. Minsk is unmanned for now, as nothing was available, and no rail coming through anyhow.

South: Small (late) super lvov pocket holds with the nice units. Full retreat mode from Russia. This should allow us to claim huge swathes of land. Corridor for infantry is roughly open. Easy recon targets in blue.

North: a daring thrust, while keeping infantry lines open in the rear. Should have routed the divisions near Pskov but got greedy. The spearhead mot unit is under PzG4 HQ, allowing it 30-50 MP next turn to cause havoc. Both motorized are unmovable this turn and force either a retreat to make new lines (fine) or severe hugging (better, as this prevents fort buildup).

Center uneventful.

South: large amount of auto converted territory gained. Kirovograd is poked out and loses the industry there, while Krivoi Rog is ZOCd from removing industry cheaply.
Circled panzers still will have 100% fuel next turn, as they were the ones railed in on turn 2 to the Rumanian border. Infantry corridor kept open as well.
Note the teal 29-3 panzer which was placed to prevent circled panzers from getting isolated by cav (though the southern front cavalry have high initial morale so this may still happen).

Turn 4: tragedy on the Luga!
Hoepner's spearhead is suddenly surrounded by the barbarians springing from the Teutoburg! A daring rescue mission will be attempted to stage a rescue. Either way, however, this extreme hugging has put off any semblance of a Soviet line. Even if the 14th motor sacrifices itself, an open channel forward will be had.

Center is quiet. A move up to the Dnepr with armor posturing for better fuel.

South: Opportunity abounds. Note the cut off armor has 30-50 MP due to being railed down to Rumania. Unfortunately, being isolated also means you fail your rolls so only LAH manages almost full MP. Initial light recon indicates the swampy Dnepr is entirely open to being taken advantage of...

Manstein is court-marshalled for sleeping on the job after OKH authorized release of multiple armored assets (~15 AP for total reorg) to relieve the beleaguered motor formation. I Corps force marches (notice 71 CV infantry stack) to assist in the relief force. 3rd motorized will take a nice long vacation in the gulags. Center proceeds to landbridge with no action.

Edit: bomber command was also sleeping on the job at "300% ground support"

In the South, unguarded swamps allow LAH and a few other units to cut off and surround the bulk of the lagging Southern front along with all of its command apparati. Krivoi Rog, Nikolaev, Odessa, and Kirovograd industry are all gone. The Crimea has a minor garrison at the Ishun crossing but will be threatened, as is the southern reach bystepping Zaporozhye.

Start of turn 5. Many Soviet forces have already conglomerated into single stacks along the north, so the only real option is to start the grind. This must mean forces are thinner elsewhere.

Center similarly sees a wall of units. Velikie Luki seems unapproachable, while the land bridge looks invitingly for a funnel of soon-to-be-surrounded krauts. We instead force a retreat by breaching the Dnepr once at the MLR and one far below. Offscreen is a panzer division ready to exploit the denuded defensive lines (which explains why there are so many units elsewhere!). Note the river crossing battle: instant 2/3 CV cut from ~120 starting versus apparent CV of 8, though I had already expected reserve activations given fights in the north and the lack of stacking on the river front. The artillery ALONE brought enough power to dismantle the fort (need 79 engineer/artillery to destroy a 2.10 fort), decreasing the 41.1 initial CV to 13.2, which Kreysing would have won even if rolls did not go our way in either direction.