WEGO World War II: Stalingrad - Scenario AAR

[bcgames]

AXIS PLANNING PHASE: GAME TURN 7



SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES

1. Italian 9.ID continues to defend Rubezhinskii (4,20).

2. German 113.ID digs in behind 79.ID.

3. German 79.ID and Italian 2.ID defend against the eastern portion of the Soviet bridgehead. Elements of 3.Celere move to backstop 79.ID defense line.

4. Elements of 3.Celere continue to defend Serafimovich (28,21).

5. 22.PzD continues movement to assembly area vicinity of Fomikhin-Karagichev.

6. Elements of 113.ID and 22.PzD continue to patrol along the Don River to detect any bridging engineer activity.

7. Three air assets have been allocated to Interdiction to destroy Soviet re-supply.

8. Italian 3.ID of II Corps has arrived as reinforcement on the west edge of the map. They will move to tie in on the right flank of 9.ID. To get them there as soon as possible, I allocate Move+ supply and move them forward using Road Movement (blue movement arrows).

[Saint Ruth]

ALLIED PLANNING PHASE: GAME TURN 7

The Italians have been found! Push forward!

[MrLongleg]

I really like the WEGO concept. How long do you need for a turn?

[bcgames]

I really like the WEGO concept. How long do you need for a turn?

Small scenario: ~15 minutes
Medium Scenario: ~30 minutes
Large Scenario: ~45-60 minutes

[Saint Ruth]

ALLIED EXECUTION PHASE: GAME TURN 7

None of the allied attacks made much headway.

(NOTE below, this is the patch version, so you'll see BOMBARD attacks for attacks without
ground units)



ALLIED PLANNING PHASE: GAME TURN 8

This is the counter air and interdiction results.
Even though I had 2 counter air missions, the axis had 3 interdiction missions so I failed at stopping interdiction,
and the result was a drastic reduction in my incoming supply.



Here's the current state of supply. Not much fuel, but some Ammo, but that'll won't last long.



So, well, I'll only 1 squadron available this turn, so counter air won't do much, so will try interdicting Axis supply
(the Axis had no counter air missions last turn, so perhaps none next turn).



I did at least manage to get a pontoon bridge over the river and will push units across (this should have happened earlier but the Axis found my bridging unit and it would have been an opposed crossing so I had to change location)

[MrLongleg]

I really like the WEGO concept. How long do you need for a turn?

Small scenario: ~15 minutes
Medium Scenario: ~30 minutes
Large Scenario: ~45-60 minutes

Thanks, I am enjoying this AAR...

[bcgames]

ALLIED PLANNING & EXECUTION PHASES: GAME TURN 8

We had a storm and power outage so I lost my game turn 8 hypersnap. Sooo...this a reconstruction of what I recall of that turn. I used game turn 7 snap for the basis of GT8 AAR:



SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES:

1. The Italian 3.ID moved into the line on the right flank of Italian 9.ID.

2. I pulled Italian 2.ID out of the line and began moving them into an assembly area south of 3.ID. Here they will act as 8th Army reserve and rest/refit.

3. 22.PzD continued to move to its assembly area.

4. Rumor has it there was a crossing of the Don by the Soviets in this area. I didn't detect it.

[Saint Ruth]

ALLIED PLANNING TURN 9
My counter air missions to stop Axis interdiction were constantly failing so Offense being the best form of Defense, I tried interdiction and has some success against Axis supply (I can see in the results the amount of interdiction losses the Axis suffered, but due to Fog Of War, I do not see Axis totals):


Still trying to enlarge my bridgehead. The Green units below are in Combat+ supply. The units are shown at their destination hexes (I have the move arrows turned off).


On my eastern bridgehead, I am trying to get as many units over the pontoons as possible. The blue units are in Move+ supply. This allows units to use Road Movement (requires much less move points to move along roads), and also doubles move points of units, so it is beneficial to use Move+ even when one isn't using road movement.

[bcgames]

AXIS PLANNING PHASE: GAME TURN 9



SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES:

1. Italian 3.ID settles into defensive positions.

2. Italian 2.ID continues to move out of the line into army reserve assembly area.

3. 22.PzD(-) continues to concentrate in its designated assembly area.

4. A Soviet river crossing has been detected to the south of Serafimovich.

5. A small kampfgruppe from 22.PzD is organized to conduct a reconnaissance-in-force to discover the extent of the Soviet river crossing of the Don River.

[Saint Ruth]

AXIS EXECUTION PHASE: GAME TURN 9
Making slow painful progress here. Push the Axis forces back in a few hexes, but making minor gains.


Making better progress in the east. Forces over the river. Situation at end of movement phase:


AXIS PLANNING PHASE: GAME TURN 10
No Air or any sort of assets available this turn. So will be moving blind (with no intel next turn other than that detected by ground units).


It's night turn so should rest, but will press on and try to get those Axis units (elements of 3 Cav Div and 113. ID out of supply next turn). Will also continue pushing Soviet 124 and 278 Rifle Divisions over the river.
Positions shown below are planned move targets of units. Units in Blue are in Move+ supply.

[bcgames]

AXIS PLANNING PHASE: GAME TURN 10



SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES:

1 & 2. I send forces from 3.Celere and 22.PzD to discover the extent of the Soviet bridgehead.

German 62.ID enters the map on the west edge as a reinforcement.

AXIS EXECUTION PHASE: GAME TURN 10



SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES:

1 & 2. Both 3.Celere and the 22.PzD Kampfgruppe encounter Soviet forces in their movement to contact. The bridgehead is bigger than I thought! This appears to be the enemy's main effort at this point.

[Saint Ruth]

ALLIED EXECUTION PHASE: GAME TURN 10
Night time so rested, other than tightened the encirclement indicated.


ALLIED PLANNING PHASE: GAME TURN 11

From this is can be seen the Axis has 2 interdiction missions and 1 counter air mission.
As the Allies had no counter air, the Axis stopped all allied supply.

And as can been seen from the second image, that's not good as I'm running out of fuel.




I do have enough to put more units in Move+ and get them over the river. I also need to clear those axis units against the river before they are relieved.

I have a big problem now in that my pontoon is in the woods. I did that initially so that the axis would not notice it (that worked) but now it is slow work getting them through those woods. Not too bad with Move+ supply, but with fuel low, I won't be able to do that, and I fear the bridgehead is doomed.

Now that it's day time I can use my intel assets to see what's on the other side of the hill:

[bcgames]

AXIS PLANNING PHASE: GAME TURN 11



At this point, given the central position of 22.PzD to act in any direction, I will commit it fully to the rapid destruction of the Soviet bridgehead in the east...and then turn west...

German 62.ID moving in from the east will occupy attack positions south of the Italian 3.ID.

[bcgames]

Looks like the Soviet bridgehead in the east is small potatoes...recon and AT units threaten supply lines to 3.Celere at Serofimovich. Stronger (but slower) Soviet units are closer to the river crossing. It will be hard to close down this river given the wooded terrain but we'll give it a go.

[Saint Ruth]

ALLIED EXECUTION PHASE: GAME TURN 11

I pushed more units over the river but my intel from last turn reveals the 22nd Panzer division ready to pounce:


ALLIED PLANNING PHASE: GAME TURN 12
Last turn as I had so few Air Assets I only ordered Interdiction.
Result, Axis had enough Counter Air to counter this so no result. The Axis also had interdiction missions so supply further reduced - not good for trying to get units through those woods.

The pause before the 22nd Panzer's storm I fear:


To the west, Allied attacks have run out of steam:

[Saint Ruth]

ALLIED PLANNING PHASE: GAME TURN 13

The allied bridgehead is in trouble. Will so little fuel, it's proving very difficult to get reinforcement over the pontoon.


In other news, pushing the Italians back, but no breakthrough

[bcgames]

AXIS EXECUTION PHASE: GAME TURN 13

The Red Line represents the front line trace of the Axis forces:



SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES:

1. German 62.ID moves into the line between Italian 9th and 3rd Inf Divs.

2, 3, & 4. The Soviet Cavalry Corps attacks pushing Italian 8th Army units back in the vicinity of item 2. German 79.ID successfully holds against Soviet attacks at items 3 and 4.

5. German 22.PzD commences its attacks to destroy the Soviet bridgehead over the Don River.

6. A German kampfgruppe from 22.PzD is successful in re-opening lines of communication to the Italian 3.Celere units at Serafimovich.

7. German 113.ID attacks east to destroy the Soviet units cut-off from the bridgehead by 22.PzD's attacks.

[bcgames]

AXIS PLANNING PHASE: GAME TURN 14



SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES:

1. 62.ID will attack North in an effort to cut off the Soviet tank brigade on the South flank of the Italian 9.ID.

2. The mix of Italian units from Italian 8th Army and Italian XXXV Corps will fall back to occupy more defensible terrain.

3. German 79.ID re-positions its defenses to strengthen the approaches to Bol'shoy.

4 & 5. German 113.ID will continue is attacks to destroy the Soviet units cut of from the Don River bridgehead.

6. German 22.PzD kampfgruppe will attack to widen the supply corridor to Serafimovich.

7. German 22.PzD (-) will attack East to contain/destroy the Soviet bridgehead over the Don.

[Saint Ruth]

ALLIED EXECUTION PHASE: TURN 13
The Axis are crushing my bridgehead!


ALLIED PLANNING PHASE: TURN 14
This turn there was no axis interdiction, so got full supply increase, but too little too late to help my bridgehead.

[bcgames]

AXIS EXECUTION PHASE: TURN 14

Red line indicates Forward Line of Axis Troops.



SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES:

1. The attack by the Croation Legion of the Italian 3.ID was successful in cutting off the Soviet 828.Rifle Regt and 646.Tank Bn in this area. However, during the night, the Soviets moved an antitank battalion forward and re-established a line of communications to them.

2. Soviet forces in this area have been reduced significantly. What remains appears to be two reduced strength reconnaissance companies.

AXIS PLANNING & EXECUTION PHASEs: TURN 15

Rest is the priority for this Night turn. Only one movement of units was planned. Purpose was to reopen a line of communication to a German kampfgruppe of 22.PzD that advanced after combat and put itself out of supply in game turn 14 (because of the ZOCs of adjacent Soviet units). This movement was executed successfully.

FUTURE OPERATIONS:

With one day left in the game, the plan is to disengage 22.PzD and leave the fight for the Eastern Don crossing to the German 113.ID. 22.PzD will deploy in the AM to attack along one of three axes. An attack along AXIS NECK would target the actual crossing sites and bridging units along the DON. An attack along AXIS THROAT in conjunction with attacks by German 62.ID from the West would encircle and destroy the Soviet Guards Cavalry Corps. The purpose of an attack along Axis TEETH would be to split the large Soviet bridgehead in half while driving the Soviets away from the town of Bol'shoy (VP hex).

The results of the morning's reconnaissance efforts will determine the course of action.