Thunder in the East - GC41 NEE K62 (A) vs AtAtack (S)

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K62_
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T3 PG2

Post by K62_ »

This leaves Guderian's PG2 free to focus on the Gomel direction. There is a good number of Soviet units here but they are not very strong and they get routed out of the way. Gomel falls but I can't advance much past it because of the Soviet defense being very deep. Totenkopf is redirected here for what is quickly becoming the German schwerpunkt.
guderian.JPG
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T3 AGS pockets

Post by K62_ »

All the AGS pockets have held, here's a look at the potential haul:
AGS_pockets.JPG
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T3 Kiev area

Post by K62_ »

In the Kiev area Kleist's PG1 advances to the river on both sides of the city. There is a defensive line forming on the Dnepr here.
AGS_Kiev.JPG
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T3 Kirovograd area

Post by K62_ »

The other half of Kleist's PG1 advances very aggressively in the Kirovograd direction. There are hopefully few strong Soviet divisions left under Southwestern Front currently, so the advance is conducted at regimental strength as the risk of counter-attacks is deemed minor.
AGS_Kirovograd.JPG
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Re: Thunder in the East - GC41 NEE K62 (A) vs AtAtack (S)

Post by M60A3TTS »

K62 wrote: Sat Oct 29, 2022 2:04 pm

1. Limits on temporary motorization
I think unlimited temporary motorization is too much of an advantage for Axis in '41. You can deploy an extra motorized korps at a moment's notice on any section of the front. This is unhistorical (for multiple reasons) and makes the game very different in 1941. So I am following these two restrictions instead:
1. No temporary motorization for units smaller than regiments, Axis Allies or security troops.
2. At most one division equivalent (i.e. three regiments) can be temporarily motorized at any given time.
Even with these restrictions we should still see a noticeable impact. Overall I would prefer if this feature were not used at all, but since my opponent is completely unrestricted during future Soviet offensives I think it is only fair for me to take a bit of advantage of it as well.
Temporary motorization? Not in any game that I'll ever play. To this day I don't understand how anyone ever thought that this was a good idea.
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T3 AGA

Post by K62_ »

In the Army Group Antonescu area, the Bessarabskaya pocket has been broken and a cavalry division made it out, aiming for the safety of a defensive line forming on the Dnestr.
recon_targets_AGA.JPG
recon_targets_AGA.JPG (88.71 KiB) Viewed 1181 times
However this line is not very strong yet. German infantry makes a breach in the Tiraspol area and the Romanian tank division drives through, only to find Odessa lightly defended. The Romanians take the city with help from a strong German SU, pocketing a good number of the remaining Southern Front units.
AGA.JPG
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T3 losses and OOB

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Ground losses - support.JPG
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air losses.JPG
air losses.JPG (128.59 KiB) Viewed 1179 times
OOB.JPG
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Re: Thunder in the East - GC41 NEE K62 (A) vs AtAtack (S)

Post by K62_ »

M60A3TTS wrote: Mon Nov 07, 2022 2:09 am Temporary motorization? Not in any game that I'll ever play. To this day I don't understand how anyone ever thought that this was a good idea.
Just curious, do you make it a habit of mentioning this on all AARs that use some form of temporary motorization, or is this one somehow special?
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Re: Thunder in the East - GC41 NEE K62 (A) vs AtAtack (S)

Post by K62_ »

EwaldvonKleist wrote: Tue Nov 01, 2022 2:36 pm Looking forward to your AAR, well done! Strong if at points risky opening, especially curious how it will play out in the South. Is the open pocket formed by PG1 intended to be open? With no house rules, it will be a challenge for you for sure.

Re T1 air losses: While 1:20 pilot losses, 1:16 aircraft losses are good overall, I would presume that your marginal loss ratios at the end of the T1 air effortare much worse and it may be worth to stop the air efforts sooner.
Thank you! My take is that the opening has gone quite well, especially in the South where the Soviets have lost additional forces by trying to keep the Rovno pocket open a little longer. If it was closed, they had no reason to stick around, I believe.

Yes, marginal analysis is ultimately the right approach here, but it's a lot of effort if you end up looking at every single battle. It's also made more complicated by the fact that I've used a lot of air support during T1 and a significant proportion of the bomber losses have been incurred there, as the air groups were already fatigued. For me an average will have to do, along with the knowledge that the Luftwaffe recovered quite nicely in the subsequent turns.
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Re: Thunder in the East - GC41 NEE K62 (A) vs AtAtack (S)

Post by K62_ »

jasonbroomer wrote: Sat Oct 29, 2022 5:39 pm A great opening!
Thank you, I hope you enjoy the rest of the AAR as well!
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Re: Thunder in the East - GC41 NEE K62 (A) vs AtAtack (S)

Post by M60A3TTS »

K62 wrote: Mon Nov 07, 2022 1:48 pm
M60A3TTS wrote: Mon Nov 07, 2022 2:09 am Temporary motorization? Not in any game that I'll ever play. To this day I don't understand how anyone ever thought that this was a good idea.
Just curious, do you make it a habit of mentioning this on all AARs that use some form of temporary motorization, or is this one somehow special?
No, this one is not special. If I see it in a game, if commenting at all, I will say the same thing. But, have at it, it's just an opinion of one.
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T4 AGS

Post by K62_ »

A sneaky Soviet tank division cuts off three panzer regiments heading for Nikolaev. This was a totally avoidable mistake on my part which leaves me scrambling a bit in this area. Fortunately some motorized regiments got high MPs and I'm able to recover by committing GD, taking Nikolaev and advancing as far as Krivoi Rog.
map Krivoi Rog.JPG
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battle Nikolaev.JPG
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T4 Kiev

Post by K62_ »

In the Kiev area I take over the front with infantry. Kleist's PG1 is a bit overweight after the initial battles in the south and a motorized korps needs to be returned to Guderian. The link-up is achieved by taking Chernigov and cutting off the Pripyat marshes.
map Chernigov Kiev.JPG
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T4 Guderian

Post by K62_ »

Guderian's PG2 is headed for Bryansk this turn, but first it has to deal with the pesky 248th Rifle Division. After no less than 4 attacks the Soviet division finally retreats in good order.
battle 248RD 4th battle.JPG
battle 248RD 4th battle.JPG (111.25 KiB) Viewed 989 times
SS Wiking moves into the gap and finds Bryansk itself lightly defended.
battle Bryansk.JPG
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T4 AGC

Post by K62_ »

Hoth's PG3 steps sideways to link up with Guderian in the Bryansk area.
map Bryansk Gomel.JPG
map Bryansk Gomel.JPG (172.67 KiB) Viewed 987 times
Last edited by K62_ on Sun Nov 13, 2022 12:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
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T4 Smolensk

Post by K62_ »

The Smolensk area is rather quiet, aside from pocketing three Soviet divisions around Vitebsk.
map VL Smolensk.JPG
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T4 AGN

Post by K62_ »

AGN isolates Tallin by land and starts preparing for an assault. The Pskov line is very strong, I can't even cross the river yet.
map tallinn pskov.JPG
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T4 losses and OOB

Post by K62_ »

loss ground.JPG
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loss air.JPG
loss air.JPG (134.03 KiB) Viewed 976 times
loss units.JPG
loss units.JPG (72.69 KiB) Viewed 976 times
oob.JPG
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T5 weather

Post by K62_ »

Starting to get some serious rain:
weather current.JPG
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There should be light mud across the entire front next turn:
weather estimated.JPG
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T5 Tallinn

Post by K62_ »

Naval interdiction fails at Tallinn because the AI decides to send in Stukas with drop tanks instead of the patrol aircraft:
battle NI issues.JPG
battle NI issues.JPG (101 KiB) Viewed 862 times
So I attack without the city being isolated. The 600mm siege mortars do stellar work. The naval brigade routs away, but the infantry division retreats to the adjacent hex and will be bagged next turn:
battle Tallinn.JPG
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