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T3 PG2
Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2022 1:54 am
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 (151.25 KiB) Viewed 1336 times
T3 AGS pockets
Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2022 1:58 am
by K62_
All the AGS pockets have held, here's a look at the potential haul:

- AGS_pockets.JPG (239.36 KiB) Viewed 1332 times
T3 Kiev area
Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2022 2:02 am
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 (156.69 KiB) Viewed 1329 times
T3 Kirovograd area
Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2022 2:07 am
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 (138.53 KiB) Viewed 1326 times
Re: Thunder in the East - GC41 NEE K62 (A) vs AtAtack (S)
Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2022 2:09 am
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.
T3 AGA
Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2022 2:15 am
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 (88.71 KiB) Viewed 1322 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 (126.32 KiB) Viewed 1322 times
T3 losses and OOB
Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2022 2:19 am
by K62_

- Ground losses - support.JPG (125.7 KiB) Viewed 1320 times

- air losses.JPG (128.59 KiB) Viewed 1320 times

- OOB.JPG (51.06 KiB) Viewed 1320 times
Re: Thunder in the East - GC41 NEE K62 (A) vs AtAtack (S)
Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2022 1:48 pm
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?
Re: Thunder in the East - GC41 NEE K62 (A) vs AtAtack (S)
Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2022 1:57 pm
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.
Re: Thunder in the East - GC41 NEE K62 (A) vs AtAtack (S)
Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2022 1:59 pm
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!
Re: Thunder in the East - GC41 NEE K62 (A) vs AtAtack (S)
Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2022 7:38 pm
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.
T4 AGS
Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2022 7:30 pm
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 (180.74 KiB) Viewed 1134 times

- battle Nikolaev.JPG (116.31 KiB) Viewed 1134 times
T4 Kiev
Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2022 7:34 pm
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 (151.75 KiB) Viewed 1132 times
T4 Guderian
Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2022 7:39 pm
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 (111.25 KiB) Viewed 1130 times
SS Wiking moves into the gap and finds Bryansk itself lightly defended.

- battle Bryansk.JPG (111.97 KiB) Viewed 1130 times
T4 AGC
Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2022 7:40 pm
by K62_
Hoth's PG3 steps sideways to link up with Guderian in the Bryansk area.

- map Bryansk Gomel.JPG (172.67 KiB) Viewed 1128 times
T4 Smolensk
Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2022 7:42 pm
by K62_
The Smolensk area is rather quiet, aside from pocketing three Soviet divisions around Vitebsk.

- map VL Smolensk.JPG (173.39 KiB) Viewed 1125 times
T4 AGN
Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2022 7:44 pm
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 (197.85 KiB) Viewed 1119 times
T5 weather
Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2022 3:19 am
by K62_
Starting to get some serious rain:

- weather current.JPG (96.11 KiB) Viewed 1008 times
There should be light mud across the entire front next turn:

- weather estimated.JPG (98.96 KiB) Viewed 1008 times
T5 Tallinn
Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2022 3:23 am
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 (101 KiB) Viewed 1003 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 (156.62 KiB) Viewed 1003 times