So another natural break point.
Main features were appalling weather with 3 turns of heavy rain followed by a blizzard. Only the last 2 saw ground conditions that allowed for any combat.
The result was whatever fantasies I had about making some VP gains in November didn't happen.
Operational Issues
Finished off the last of the pockets, took Kharkov and 2 probably pointless offensives. AGN tried to clear more of the Ladoga ports but sheer numbers plus poor terrain meant this needed entire Pzr Corps to take a single hex. AGS tried to push towards Stalino but a lack of armoured support (1 PG mostly tied up in the Kharkov battles) and strong defensive lines reduced that to very little. Guess the best that can be said for both, is they gained some space I can easily give up.
AGN mostly set up as a regimental defense. On the good side is a decent depot structure and mostly I can readily cede ground.
AGC is stronger but strung out. Rzhev is vulnerable, as you can see VP locations like Kursk and Orel might as well be on the moon.
Have decided to use the mot divisions as a reserve here, most of the Pzrs pulled off the line, my intention is only to use 2 or 3 divisions in the worst weather in an attempt to preserve something for 1942.
AGS, as above its just taken Kharkov and PG1 is weak as a result. This could get ugly quickly given the terrain and a lack of reserves.
Not shown but the Rumanian 3A has a small bridgehead on the Taman peninsula.
Context
Lets start with the VP situation. Well I won't lose on 1 Jan 42, but I will pretty soon once the initiative changes. Whatever happens the Soviets will now sit on a net +6 time bonus (ie I won't get any and they will get the maximum) for Orel, Kursk, Stalino, Rostov and Kalinin- so that is -30 even before the values of the cities.
Managed to remove over 3 million Soviets and over 2.5 permanent. As we'll see, makes no difference.
Air losses high but not worried about LW losses in the second part of 1941. They will have the winter off and a lot of new planes become available.
I'd say my hunt for secondary pockets paid off. In total that is almost 150 Soviet divisions destroyed. I've been disbanding a few of the more exotic artillery battalions to concentrate the very heavy guns into a few remaining units.
OOB, so I've removed 3 million Soviets and they have 4.3 million on the map (and have just had the +500k). Any views on how to avoid this outcome greatfully received.
On my side, some care in tank management means the Pzr divisions are still mostly powerful.
And there we are, another 500,000 so that means inevitably a Red Army well over 5.5m come March 1942.
Logistics
I've substantially changed my approach to something closer to Carlkay's model of prioritise rail repair and depot creation. I've also set more depots to priority 4 than I have in the past.
Reasonably content with that situation.
Spreadsheet. Again, fairly content with the amount I am pushing into the USSR. Presume it will drop as the blizzard/deep snow malus hits.
Trucks. I have 90% of unit need (297k/322k) and 46k of these are off gaining supplies. I've lost 65k and Soviets 90k (39k of these have been captured).
Balance
What really worries me is I can't see anyway I could have reached the historical lines. AGN has actually come closest but the rest are out of reach. I know I opted to go for pockets not geography but there was never any sense that the AI was off balance (& this is not the line forming issue, its the sheer strength of the defensive stacks and having multiple lines).
