Through the looking glass: the Soviet side of my mirror match

[Seminole]

A word of advice I've learned with the unit rail movement cap, don't wait to start shifting southern forces to the center and north.

I found myself easily overweight in the south, and the high concentration of mech means they are expensive to transport.

You have amazing looking lines in the lower Dnepr, but I expect it will come at the expense of not making him fight for as much defensible terrain as you have in the north and center.
Only place good to be on the defensive in clear terrain is behind rivers, which you are, but the force concentration isn't necessary because youre only trying to slow him down at this point any way.

[redrum68]

I'd say generally its better to put Zhukov in an Army rather than Front command. His 9 Inf rating makes much more impact there.

[CapAndGown]

ORIGINAL: Seminole

A word of advice I've learned with the unit rail movement cap, don't wait to start shifting southern forces to the center and north.

I found myself easily overweight in the south, and the high concentration of mech means they are expensive to transport.

You have amazing looking lines in the lower Dnepr, but I expect it will come at the expense of not making him fight for as much defensible terrain as you have in the north and center.
Only place good to be on the defensive in clear terrain is behind rivers, which you are, but the force concentration isn't necessary because youre only trying to slow him down at this point any way.

In his opening move the germans diverted 2 panzer corps from PzG 2 to the south. That makes his southern force much more powerful. Instead of 3 panzer corps, there are currently 5 panzer corp operating in the south. This also means there are only 3 panzer corps in the center, rather than 5. As such, I have focused my reinforcements more heavily in the south.

I am also not interested, right now, in shifting forces around. Instead, reinforcements to each sector are coming from newly created units, not already existing units. I have not planned any big offensive in the Baltic states like you have. Which, by the way, I would like to see your AAR updated to see how that is playing out.

[CapAndGown]

I would appreciate the feedback of the community on a question I have about my defense of Leningrad in particular, but more generally about the value of fortified regions in combat.

But first an update on the Lvov pocket. Only one division is left now. There were two when I opened the turn, but I merged the two remaining mountain divisions. Combat reports indicate 3 OKH reserve divisions, the Slovakian mobile brigade, and the Hungarian mobile corps were all involved in eliminating my forces along the Dnestr. Meanwhile, as can be seen, the VIII Hungarian corp and the Slovakian corps are facing off against the 44 mountain division.



I am well pleased with tying down this group of German forces for over a month.

[CapAndGown]

Now for the question:
On turn one I created two fortified zones to start building fortifications in the swamps north of Novgorod. On turn two I create two more. I assigned various construction assets to these zones, such as sappers, construction battalion, RR brigades, etc. With their primary job now done, and with the enemy at the gate ([;)]), should I disband these zones and replace them with infantry divisions? Or should I keep them? How much can they contribute to the defense? I would hate to waste the manpower and equipment.

[timmyab]

Best to disband FZs on or near the front line. They always shatter and you lose everything including the SUs.

[redrum68]

Disband fort zones if they are under threat of being attacked.

[Telemecus]

+1 disband

[CapAndGown]

Survey says: Disband! [:D]

Thanks to everyone for your feedback.[&o]

[CapAndGown]

My screen in front of Leningrad is gone. It is now time to see how well the MLR holds up. Unfortunately, I don't have much depth here yet. I hope that will change shortly.

[CapAndGown]

The Germans did not head south as I had thought they might, but kept going east.

The reserve front army directly between them and Moscow, unfortunately, is led by a incompetent. I might change him next turn. Southern Front Armies, however, are in even bigger need of leadership changes. Fortunately, with Zhukov in charge of the Front, those changes will not take as many AP. With that in mind, I should have put Zhukov in charge of Kharkov M.D. and Timoshenko in charge of Southern Front. Leadership changes would have cost even less.

As to leadership changes: Stalin finally had one of my generals shot this turn: Kopets from Western Air Command. I also changed the leader of 4 Army (Western Front) and put Govorov in charge there. That was the only change I had contemplated this turn, but then I looked at 20 Army (also Western Front) and decided Remezov had to go. It is too bad Stalin has not yet seen fit to have Pavlov shot. These changes would have cost SOOOO much less. At any rate, Vasilevsky is now in charge of 20 Army.

I am still holding the Dnepr this turn, although it is starting to lengthen my front. I do need to put more troops into the Vyazma/Rzhev region. Although I have some depth here, I have no real strength. Almost all of my reinforcements this turn went to this sector, with a few others going north to Leningrad. Next turn will see the same allocation of forces.

[CapAndGown]

I was able to pull back from the Ingul. 3 German infantry divisions have reached the Dnepr. Odessa survived its first two assaults. Unfortunately, the forts are down to 3.00 and the divisions there are low on ammo. They are also led by a poor general. I don't think they will survive the upcoming turn. If they do, and the port situation allows, I am going to pull them out of there. Should have done it this turn. Oh well.

[CapAndGown]

My defense of Leningrad fell apart almost without a fight. I thought I had one more turn, but the Germans showed me otherwise. The panzers sliced through my defenses, reaching within 10 miles of the Neva. I wanted to attack the two flank guards (motorized divisions) but very, very heavy air interdiction prevented me from getting units into place with enough movement left to launch any attacks. With the rail line cut, I am going to lose 5 heavy industry and 10 armament factories. Fortunately, everything else has already been evaced. Now it is time to get the troops out of there is I can. I am going to lose the city, but I will try to save at least some of the troops.

[CapAndGown]

I am most worried about my position in the center. Reserve Front is especially weak and needs all the reinforcements I can get. Every reinforcing division I got this turn went to this sector. Next turn I may also pull in troops from other sectors as well.

The Germans crossed the Dnepr at Orsha (not unexpected) at two spots just west of Smolensk (also not unexpected). As a result, we are pulling back from the Dnepr since those defenses are now compromised and leave us in danger of encirclement. I also wanted to straighten and shorten the front. I did launch two counter-attacks to try to clear a path for one of the divisions on the north side of the Dnepr to retreat. The attack on the cavalry division succeeded, the one on the motorized division failed.

As to leadership changes, Vatutin is now in charge of 34 Army (Reserve Front) and Rokossovsky is now in charge of 9 Army (Southern Front).

[CapAndGown]

The Germans encircled two of my divisions on the Ingulets. I was hoping to form my own encirclement, but my attack the Das Reich division was not successful. Hopefully, however, we have lengthened his supply lines enough to have a noticeable effect next turn on the motorized formations here. Of course, I did sacrifice and additional cavalry division to achieve this "lengthening." Would have been better if we had achieve a full scale encirclement.

The factories at Dnepropetrovsk and Zaparozhe are all gone.

[Seminole]

In his opening move the germans diverted 2 panzer corps from PzG 2 to the south. That makes his southern force much more powerful. Instead of 3 panzer corps, there are currently 5 panzer corp operating in the south. This also means there are only 3 panzer corps in the center, rather than 5. As such, I have focused my reinforcements more heavily in the south.

Even though you're weak as a kitten you want to fight where he wants to fight?
In pure panzer country on the open steppe?
"He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight."

When I look at your Leningrad defense what I see is the surrender of a lot of non-panzer terrain bonuses that pioneers and artillery can't touch without a shit fired or extra MP spent. Make him burn the MP blasting you back as much as feasible (where you have natural bonuses). River lines are like the gods' AT brigades, ready to nullify a chunk of panzer attack power.
If he is going to understrength AGN and AGC all the more reason to fight him on those fronts and let him find his logistical tether in the south. Aside from aligning defenses to cost him MP crossing rivers, and cutting his strength to grant you the occasional hasty attack win, there's not much you can really do in the south. I would think if he's over strength by two panzer corps it's an even more Sisyphean task.

I am also not interested, right now, in shifting forces around. Instead, reinforcements to each sector are coming from newly created units, not already existing units. I have not planned any big offensive in the Baltic states like you have. Which, by the way, I would like to see your AAR updated to see how that is playing out.

"If he sends reinforcements everywhere, he will everywhere be weak.”
The rail limits definitely change the game for Soviet strategic movement, but if you look over your Southwestern Front survivors and early war units you have some real solid fighters. Don't let them be boat raced by panzers in the open. Get them in dugouts in the woods and rough terrain by Leningrad. They're as good as three freshly raised reserves in the critical first few months you're buying time.

The Baltic counter offensive was a unique opportunity owing to my opponent not being careful with his flanks, and inattentive to the potential risk.
The game fortunately continues, but I'm abysmally slow due to real life gaming window. Reorganizing the Red Army in the summer and fall is a slower exercise for me than Winter Offensive, and this game I'm trying to better incorporate the air war and SU management (which I've basically ignored in the past).
I just sent turn 13 back last night, so it continues and the AAR will get updates when it's 10 turns behind - now on with your defense of Rodina!

[CapAndGown]

Thanks for the advise.

[CapAndGown]

The evacuation of Leningrad continues.

This turn I got a bunch of admin points. I spent a goodly number of them changing leaders. Unfortunately, Stalin has not yet seen fit to have Pavlov shot, so the cost of changing leaders in Western Front is higher than it otherwise might be if I had a high political point front commander.

32 Army (Western Front) -> Lelyushenko
19 Army (Southern Front) -> Bobkin
43 Army (Reserve Front) -> Purkaev
23 Army (Northern Front) -> Malinovsky

I also spent a lot of AP upgrading fighter units to Mig's, Lagg's and Yak's. The Yak's are looking especially promising, wracking up a good number of kills.

[CapAndGown]

We pull back further from the western Dnepr, shifting forces in a northeasterly direction to reinforce the upper Dnepr east of Smolensk.

[CapAndGown]

The panzers were inactive this turn, either executing a HQBU, or simply sitting and gassing up. My encircled cavalry division was able to convert a number of hexes to soviet control.