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ahh suicide airdrops...usually those are house/gentlemen ruled out....as they are game breaking more or less.

AGC limits itself to a thrust toward Rhzev, but does not create any new pockets.
Velikie Luki is being outflanked, and the position must be abandoned to not provide an easy pocket. Enemy recon indicates interest in this move.



Reserves are railed into this sector and new lines are constructed to try and slow any pincers. We're extremely nervous about this area. In another turn or two we'll have more units from SW Front and we'll feel better. Since we're still out of range of the German infantry Generalrisky seems content to not attempt any panzer/motorized only pockets.

Overall strategic picture at the end of turn 6.

Turn 7

Extreme disappointment at STAVKA as the Germans have breached defenses on both the rivers lines in the north and the south. We had hoped these would hold for another week or two.

But the real interest still lies in Estonia.

The Germans have advanced, and Vatutin is faced with a critical decision:



Vatutin recieves recon reports that the German L Corps left flank is 'in the air.'
Word is sent to STAVKA that Operation Unicorn is ready to launch.
Operation Pegasus additional phases will be to support the Unicorn breakout.
4th Cav division moves to block the retreat of the 285th SD to the south.
107th TD, 16th RD, 3rd RB, 1st Naval Inf Bde, 9th Arb Bde engage in the deliberate attack and force the Germans back into the Polizei SS Div's sector.




Vatutin now orders the remaining cavalary to exploit the breakthrough.
29th CD moves into the swamps to take up a blocking position to the south of the Polizei SS.
45th & 54th move farther south into Latvia, threatening the existing rail lines to support AGN.
55th and 31st CD take up blocking positions between the advance and the units holding the Germans in the pocket.

On the northern banks of the Emajogi river Vatutin lines up the next critical attack.
The 204th & 211th Arb Bde are dropped behind the 2/281st SR trying to maintain LOC for the Germans 86th ID
166th RD, supported by the 2nd & Cadet Naval Inf Bdes assault the regiment and the unit shatters.



25th CD, regrouping in Tallinn is ordered to exploit the breech and link up on the southern shores of Lake Vorstjarv.
133rd RD takes up a blocking position south of the Germany 86th ID on the northern banks of the Emajogi.
Vatutin requests an additional para drop to trip wire the approach through the swamps between Lake Peipus and Lake Pskov. German infantry relief is expected this direction next week and we want to maintain the pocket if at all possible.



Operation Unicorn is off to an excellent start. AGN's L Corps is completely isolated, and their left flank and LOC to the spearhead are laid bare.

Very nice, I love it when Soviets are given the opportunity for an Estonian offensive like that! [&o]

On the Luga River line the Germans have made a 20 mile wide bridgehead and pushed our forces from the swamps just north. Extremely probable that next week they can break the rail line into the Baltics. I expect this will force beachhead supply for the Baltics when it happens, and will be trying to pull the units back through the port(s) when this finally happens. I do not intend to write them off.

We reinforce the area that protects the rail lines to the west.

A closer look at the combat values in the Leningrad sector:



In the south the Germans batter their way over the river. Soviets burned again by poor leadership.
STAVKA decides to put two divisions and a corps HQ in Kiev to hold as long as possible, but otherwise abandon the Dnepr north of the German bridgehead.



Overall strategic picture at the end of turn 7:

Great game! I hope the Players will continue such an interesting game. IMHO all parties should go with a +1 bonus to the Soviet attack, the game immediately looks more dynamic, and the Wehrmacht player should be more careful.
Airborne assault forces should be allowed, but perhaps it would be correct to limit them to 3-5? cells behind the front line ...
Good game!

The game does continue, I’m just a terribly slow player and my gaming window often gets pre-empted by real life.

I just got back turn 17 this morning (haven’t got to see it yet) and will post the next AAR update after I send back that turn. My intention is to run the AAR about 10 turns behind the action so I can be as open as possible without giving away anything to my opponent.

Turn 8

AGN presses hard north, trying to sever the rail line feeding the Baltics, but is unable to make much headway. Further west the Luftwaffe drops supplies and hunts for Russian units. Fortification values tip that German units are just beyond the existing ZOC in the Baltics.



Vatutin maneuvers his forces to block any avenues of retreat before initiating the final engagements.



The Estonian Front and Leningrad sector after combat:
Vatutin urges his cavalry forward to break the rail line to Pskov, but it is clear that German reinforcements are sufficient to prevent any further exploitation. The remaining hope for the operation is to capture the remaining isolated units, and escape without any significant losses for 28th Army.



Ground losses for the turn:

AGC continues the push toward Moscow with a series of attacks pushing through Vyazma and further east.
Recon checks the Kremlin Line flanking Moscow itself.



Reinforcements are now being flooded to confront AGC. From Southwestern Front several quality formations are being railed to help dig in west of Moscow.



The Bryansk Front is relatively quiet as the screening forces here give ground. STAVKA feels comfortable there is no mechanized threat in this sector and constructs the line accordingly.



Kiev is encircled, with the defenders (two rifle divisions and a corps HQ) told to hold out as long as possible.
The Germans make slight pressure over the Psel river.



The German mechanized forces threat in this area compel a continued withdrawal.



On the lower Dnepr the Rumanians and a few Germans continue to make steady progress, threatening Nikolaev and Krivoi Rog with encirclement.



STAVKA orders a pull back to the Dnepr and defenses are organized under two armies reporting directly to STAVKA.



Stitching together the strategic picture at the end of turn 8:

interesting, why the fortified zones in the small port cities on the Azov sea ?

Initial thought was to create strong points that would be supplied and could potentially threaten AGS flank unless forces were diverted to deal with them.
I had hoped an early fort zone with construction SUs could make a decent fort value that two rifle divisions and a cavalry division could hold against the Rumanians and require German assistance.
It was hoped the strongpoints could slow the advance on Stalino/Rostov, and provide a potential thorn in the side for the winter offensive.

The new retreat rules in the beta make this a worse idea than it was at the outset. As things develop I don’t really have the unit density to afford leaving over half a dozen units behind enemy lines , so it is largely wasted AP.

End of turn 8 strategic map:

Turn 9

Totenkopf SS rescues the trapped Polizei.



28th and 31st Army exfil and 5th Airborne Corps is left in charge of remaining screen. Will complete evacuation next turn to the fullest extent possible.
Germans have committed 4 Inf Div, 1 Sec Div and the SS Mot to rescue the SS Polizei and a Sec Div.
Russians have 3 Cav Div and 3 Arb Bde remain behind to be removed next week.



German armored spearhead pushes their bridgehead over the Luga farther north, but infantry are unable to make their own bridgehead farther west.
Zhukov rallies the available forces to beseige the 20th PD in the swamps and force them back across the river.
136209 men, 1715 art, 270 AFVs vs 16775 men, 207 art, 213 AFVs

The Germans are put on notice. The easy going is over.



German infantry break down the fortifications east of Novgorod, but do not try to follow up with a bridgehead over the Luga. They have made some effort to recon north of Novgorod for a possible right hook north of lake Ilmen.
The long, clear/light woods strip west of the Volkhov is a natural axis of attack and must be reinforced now to avoid undoing the Leningrad sector campaign to date.

General pressure along the swamps west of Valdaii Hills. We would like to continue to resist this and not give up the hills.

South of Rhzev the Germans push a 20 mile wide thrust 50 miles deep.
30 miles south a 30 mile wide attack is pushed 20 miles deep threatening Kaluga.



STAVKA orders the Russians to pull back from the jaws of the German pincer and setup another deep layer defense to force the German armored spearheads to bull forward.



The Bryansk Front continues to screen the Axis advance with a minimum of units.



Kiev falls this week.

South of Kharkov 1st Panzer Group pushes 40 miles farther east in a narrowing spearhead, but does not break the Soviet lines.



Southwestern and Southern Fronts pull back 10 miles and again organize in depth to try and prevent a breakthrough.



On the Lower Dnepr the Soviet cavalry are organized under two armies and take up positions on the eastern banks in the swamps, but not before delivering a lesson to the Rumanians cav who are caught in the open steppe.



Overall strategic map at end of the turn 9:

ORIGINAL: Seminole

snip

STAVKA orders a pull back to the Dnepr and defenses are organized under two armies reporting directly to STAVKA.

Oh boo, hiss. General Marshal Cap and Gown believes in brightly colored armies! It is a great boost the men's morale. We also employ buglers, drummers, and flag carriers. You should hear the men shouting "Green Army Rulz!" as they charge across the steppe.

Turn 10
August 21, 1941

AGN continues to slowly clear the Baltics.
A few failed attempts to push north near Leningrad, but there are a significant number of attacks on either side of Lake Ilmen.



The forces remaining in the Baltics are removed without a trace. Germans still have Totenkopf MD and five other divisions in this area. Coupled with the three captured divisions this has been an effective distraction from the main Leningrad effort since the operation began on turn 4.
Pull forces off of the Narva river line and strengthen the Luga river line.
Vatutin's 28th Army is rotated in position to bolster the defense of Novgorod. No desire to let the Germans 'right hook' the Leningrad defenses. 1st Panzer Division and 36th Motorized Division are the forces leading this probe.



In the Moscow sector AGC continues a broad push toward the capital.
Two rifle divisions are encircled.



Eremenko leads the counter-attack to free the trapped units:



The Red Army retakes some the ground it was just dislodged from and the Moscow defenses begin to stiffen.
Each time the Germans can be compelled to pay for terrain twice I'll try to force it.
I am worried I'm leaving the garrison in Rhzev too long.



Farther south AGS achieves a near breakthrough of the Soviet lines in a plunge toward Kharkov, but pulls back the spearheads instead of holding the ground they just fought over.



Southwestern Front and Southern Front try to reconstitute the line with some depth, but ZOC locks mean not all the forces SW of Poltava can be pulled back.



Trying to keep our finger on where the threats lie:

Mech Tracking
AGN
Totenkopf SS Mot Div is wandering around Estonia
20th PD
3rd MD
8th PD
6th PD
1st PD
36th MD

AGC
North
20th MD
7th PD
19th PD
29th MD
18th MD
12th PD
17th PD
18th PD
South
10th MD
3rd PD
4th PD
?? PD - air lifted fuel - not on the line
?? MD - air lifted fuel - not on the line
?? MD - reserve threatens Tula

AGS
16th PD
14th PD
10th PD
13th PD
GD Mot Rgt
25th MD
Das Reich SS MD
60th MD
LAH SS MD
16th MD
11th PD

Farther south along the lower Dnepr the Crimean defenses surge to take up the river line alongside the cavalry. We will make the Axis allies fight their way into Crimea, but try to evac most of the cavalry to the east instead of Crimea.



Here's a snapshot of the recent factory relocations. So far we're doing a good job of staying ahead of the panzers with our evac. The yellow highlights are when we couldn't afford to move the entire productive capacity.



Overall strategic map at the end of turn 10:

Turn 11
August 28, 1941

In the Leningrad sector only Zhukov is successful in repelling the German assaults.
The panzers of 20th PD and 3rd MD move into the swamps after participating in the assault on the northern side of the Leningrad salient.



At Novgorod counter attack is organized to force back the Novgorod salient. Vatutin contributes two reserve cavalry divisions to the fray, and Berzarin leads over 112k men in successfully dislodging the 36th MD.



Germans are still shaking the bushes in the Baltics.
STAVKA orders a pull back in the northwestern end of the line in order to economize forces and shift divisions into reserve as well as sending several rifle divisions to the Moscow sector.
Freshly raised brigades are moved forward to maintain contact with the enemy.



Reserve Front continues to give ground slowly.
The Germans rest a bit, with the Luftwaffe bringing extra supplies.
On the southern side of the AGC salient the Germans slowly hammer toward Moscow.



The Front alignment in the Moscow sector is a real mess, but individual stacks are generally of the same Army to avoid penalties. This isn't liable to be sorted out until the rains and bonus AP from Front activation arrives.



Along the Bryansk to Kursk sector the Germans creep against a screen of rifle divisions.



Want to force the Wehrmacht to fight here. Bryansk won't be abandoned.
They have no mechanized support, so there is much less danger trying to fight here even with the open terrain at our backs.



The thinning line of Southwestern Front has finally cracked. Panzers flow around Poltava and trap several Soviet divisions. Should have pulled back more aggressively, but we're balancing getting out our factories and slowing/directing the German offensive.
The ZOC locks slowing redeployment the previous week and my decision to not abandon those units contributed as well.



The breakout attempt against the Slovakian Mobile Bde fails, and so the Red Army pulls back to try and screen Kharkov a little longer.



Southwestern Front continues screening west of Sumy. Pulling back 10-20 miles from the Landsers and forcing them to fight their way forward for any more gains each week.
Trying to keep some pressure on the Poltava Pocket perimeter to reduce their resupply and generate fatigue.
New defensive lines are setup slow the advance toward the Stalino factory complex while their 29 armament factories are relocated this week.



On the lower Dnepr the Germans, Italians and Rumanians expand their bridgehead.



With Southwestern Front shattered by AGS mechanized forces STAVKA orders a pull back from the lower Dnepr to help bolster the line between the German spearhead and the Stalino-Gorlovka factory complex.
North Caucasus MD is charge of defending the entrance to Crimea.



Lots of reinforcements and tank brigades coming next week.



Overall strategic map at the end of turn 11:

Turn 12

In the Leningrad sector AGN keeps up the pressure on both wings of the Soviet line, as well as an infantry only push south of Lake Ilmen.



West of Novgorod Sokolovsky's 8th Army and Vatutin's 28th Army launch successful counter attacks.



On the Baltic end of the line the Panzers look too strong to test at this time. We dig harder.

Reserve Front is now defending the south end of the Valdaii Hills while continuing to hold the river lines south of Lake Ilmen. I want to reinforce this area, but Moscow dominates.

Western Front holds the area around Rzhev. The Germans create a bridgehead on the northwest of the city, while armor probe the defenses farther east, where the river bends back north. They are halted by a mix of cavalry divisions and AT brigades defending in depth.



STAVKA demands counter attacks against both of these incursions. In the west the Landsers are forced back across the river. In the east the 20th Mot Div is also compelled to withdraw, and the 20 mile salient is erased.
Farther south of Moscow a lone infantry division on the line is also forced back.



Slow progress for the German infantry from Tula to Kursk. Bryansk Front gathers formations to a counterattack to satisfy STAVKA's demand for action.



South of Kursk SW Front continues to screen the German infantry advance from Kiev.
Poltava pocket is reduced, but not yet eliminated and the AGS mech create another small pocket on the way to Kharkov. This pocket includes a unit that is 5-0 so far in combat. We want to save this potential Guards division, and against our better judgement make a counter attack against LAH. This means the attackers won't have enough MP to pull back far, likely leading to another pocket. We take the risk, in part in hopes that continued focus toward Kharkov will preclude the Axis trying to create a larger pocket with the D-Z salient around the Stalino factory complex.



The pocket is opened in front of Kharkov, while farther south Soviet cavalry gather to deliver a harsh less to their Hungarian opposition.



The salient developing between Dnepropetrovsk and Zaporozhye requires us to abandon the latter while Germans and Italians approach Crimea.



Overall strategic map at the end of turn 12:

You already have two guard divisions on turn 12. Congrats.

ORIGINAL: CapAndGown
You already have two guard divisions on turn 12. Congrats.

The Guards units will be pulled from the line to refit their new TOE and hopefully build morale.