Thriumph or Tragedy? (D21)

[Jukipo]

Turn 92, 5/6/42, AGS

Stalino

The frontline is moving slowly towards Voroshilovgrad.

Slovianohirsk was captured.

[Jukipo]

Turn 93, 5/10/42, AGC

Our divisions are facing stiff resistance when attacking the pocket. We have lost in these battles about 400 HRS this turn. I hope we can finish them off in a week. I don’t want to postpone Case Blue too much.

Zagorsk was captured again.

There was an initiative shift this turn, I got two turns in a row.

[Jukipo]

Turn 93, 5/10/42, AGS

Kursk

OKH is sending reinforcements for Case Blue, three infantry divisions arrive by train.

We are pushing the southern flank forward.

I noticed Bautruppen are not receiving any replacements when embarked. Units had suffered over 30% pestilence losses during the winter. I disembarked all units this turn.

[Jukipo]

Turn 93, 5/10/42, AGS

Stalino

The enemy frontline shatters near Voroshilovgrad. There is an 80 km wide gap in the frontline. SS Wiking division captures a bridge over Donets River.

Meanwhile 13th PzD attacks over Donets and captures Krasny Liman. We have now three bridgeheads over Donets. We have enveloped 5 rifle divisions and 5 tank brigades near Kramatorsk.

[Jukipo]

Turn 94, 5/13/42, AGC

Initiative shifts again, two turns for Elmer. The picture shows Soviet counterattacks around Moscow on turns 93 and 94. 330th ID took over 50% losses this week.

[Jukipo]

Turn 94, 5/13/42, AGC

Tula

The enemy is attacking south of Tula. 1st GD went berserk. They penetrated our lines and drove all the way to the rear of 2nd Panzer Armee. Let’s see what happens when full strength 7th PzD counterattacks…

The enemy took heavy losses, several units evaporated. Now it’s time for our counterattack.

[Jukipo]

Turn 94, 5/13/42, AGS

Kursk

The enemy is attacking hard against Kastornoye on out north flank. Hungarians can’t hold the line.

At the same time 16th Motorized division comes under attack from Voronezh.

Meanwhile there is another attack near Novy Oskol. Our infantry withdraws.

[Jukipo]

Turn 95, 5/17/42, AGC

The pocket near Moscow was divided in two parts. The end is near, we expect to destroy remaining units in next few days. 8th PzD is waiting for train to Kursk.

Meanwhile the enemy is taking heavy losses near Tula. Our counterattack is about to begin. We are going to attack south towards Plavsk.

[Jukipo]

Turn 95, 5/17/42, AGS

Kursk

The enemy is weak on the southern flank. Now it would be a perfect time to start Case Blue. The only problem is we don’t have enough panzer divisions on hand. We’ll have to move troops fast from Moscow before the opportunity goes away. 4th Panzer Armee HQ arrived by train.

[Jukipo]

Turn 95, 5/17/42, AGS

Stalino

There is a 100 km wide gap in the front. We could move to the enemy rear. The problem is our northern pincer is not ready. We’ll have to wait.

[Jukipo]

Situation on 5/17/42 after 95 turns.

The pocket near Moscow is almost destroyed. We are going to transfer several panzer units to the south. Case Blue is going to begin by the end of the month.

Losses in the first 95 turns: (last 5 turns in parenthesis) [replacements in 5 turns]

56560 (+2989) Heavy Rifle Squads [repl 2155]
6637 (+355) Rifle Squad – Rum [repl 280]
2131 (+433) Rifle Squad – Hun [repl 155]
5054 (+63) Rifle Squad – Fin [repl 125]
934 (+155) Rifle Squad – Ita [repl 90]
8220 (+320) Engineer Squads [repl 225]
1647 (+194) Panzers (all types) [repl 350]
2351 (+92) Fighters (all types) [repl 295]
356 (+57) Stukas & Hs-129 [repl 75]
2518 (+27) Bombers (all types) [repl 105]

Railroads are on the map in cyan.

[Jukipo]

Turn 95, 5/17/42, AGC

The last remaining enemy pockets near Moscow are destroyed. 41st Panzer Korps is going to transfer near Kursk soon.

We have captured Plavsk on the southern flank.

[Jukipo]

Turn 95, 5/17/42, AGS

Kursk

25th Motorized Division crossed the Voronezh River. We are trying to surround the city.
More reinforcements arrived by train.

[Jukipo]

Turn 95, 5/17/42, AGS

Stalino

40th Panzer Korps captured Voroshilovgrad.

We enveloped several enemy divisions near Izium.

Our troops have moved to the east bank of Donets. We are resupplying our units. The summer offensive is about to begin soon.

[Jukipo]

Turn 97, 5/24/42, AGC

Yelets bulge

Here is the area between Tula and Voronezh. Our objective is to straighten the frontline. 2nd Panzer Armee is going to attack from north. Panzer divisions are going to attack to the flank of the enemy line and roll defenses all the way to Yelets.

We have managed to encircle Voronezh.

[Jukipo]

Turn 97, 5/24/42, AGS

Case Blue

Our summer offensive is about to begin. The first objective is to surround and destroy the enemy forces in front of 6th Armee.

Northern pincer, 4th Panzer Armee. Objectives are Valuyki, Rossosh and Novaya Pokrovka.

Southern pincer, 1st Panzer Armee. Objectives are Kupyansk, Valuyki, Rossosh and Boguchar.

Infantry is going to follow behind. It’s important to secure Oskol river line before the enemy units near Kharkov escape to East.

[Jukipo]

Turn 98, 5/17/42, AGS

Case Blue

We have managed to surround several enemy armies between Kharkov and Oskol River. Panzer divisions advanced to the rear of the enemy. 2nd FJ regiment jumped near Rossosh and captured the town.

The enemy made some counterattacks. Rossosh was lost, but the pocket is still sealed.

Now we have to secure Oskol River line and move to Don River.

6th Armee is going to attack the pocket from West.

[piotre]

I had been missing your AAR.
Thanks for sharing [:)]

[Nicholas Bell]

That's one huge pocket you're forming Jukipo! You're making this look too easy. Can't see how the Soviet Union can survive the year. Thanks for your updates.

[DanNeely]

ORIGINAL: Nicholas Bell

That's one huge pocket you're forming Jukipo! You're making this look too easy. Can't see how the Soviet Union can survive the year. Thanks for your updates.

Elmer never gives up. Assuming he doesn't declare the war not worth prosecuting farther first, even assuming Case Blue is a complete success I'd expect it'd take the entire 43 campaign season at a minimum to overrun the steppes beyond the Voronezh-Don river line, and to attack northeast out of Moscow to Vologda cutting the rail linkages to the armies to the east leaving them largely unsupplied and ready to be destroyed in the largest pocket of the game.

The biggest largely unknown value is what remaining soviet production will look like at that point. Baseline Soviet production is high enough to keep feeding huge numbers of cannon fodder into an axis mincing machine.