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And the results:

I rolled a '7' at Pskov. I really would have preferred a '6' or an '8', either of which would not have forced me to destroy a unit. The Munich Militia is too far from home to do any good as a reinforcement, so the Minsk Militia gets destroyed. It's a Victory city changing hands, so I'm happy. [:)]

In the attacks near Kursk, I won both Fractional Odds rolls, but then rolled a '3' in the northern attack, and a '4' in the southern attack. These were modified to '4' and '6', respectively. That means I only killed off 1 unit up north, gaining no ground, and merely Shattered the disorganized Motorized Army in the south, though I at least got the Breakthrough.


Picture taken at Land Combat Resolution, Advance after Combat, of Axis impulse #3, Sep/Oct 1941 (Turn 3 of 5)

And, finally, that dreaded Krasnodar attack . . .

. . . is where I finally did get the dice on my side, rolling an '8' and keeping both attackers alive! I guess the spoils do go to the daring. [;)]


Picture taken at Land Combat Resolution, Advance after Combat, of Axis impulse #3, Sep/Oct 1941 (Turn 3 of 5)

Before ending the impulse, it was time for some housekeeping. I rebased 2 more bombers to the front lines (I intended to rebase a fighter, but with no enemy bombers left right now, I'll get by without it).

I'm starting to worry about Partisans, with all of those units disorganized in that botched attack at the center, so I had Mannerheim reorganize the SS Mechanized Corps that just took Pskov. In the south I took a slight risk, using up Rundstedt. He reorganized the XLI Armor Corps in I railed to Kharkov earlier, and also a nearby stack, hopefully adding some flexibility to future plans.


Picture taken at HQ Reorganization of Axis impulse #3, Sep/Oct 1941 (Turn 3 of 5)

Up near Murmansk, I took advantage of the good weather this impulse to advance toward the city. Yes, behind those factories is a city -- this has been reported as a visual bug. I figure that I might not get to Murmansk, but Orm will have to place a defending reinforcement with the Helsinki Militia nearby. That's one less unit on the main battle lines down south.


Picture taken at end of Axis impulse #3, Sep/Oct 1941 (Turn 3 of 5)

I actually pulled back a little on the Northern Front. With my back-side now secured, it's time to focus on getting just a few more Victory cities. That is going to happen in the south, not here.


Picture taken at end of Axis impulse #3, Sep/Oct 1941 (Turn 3 of 5)

Here is what the battle lines look like in that area.


Picture taken at end of Axis impulse #3, Sep/Oct 1941 (Turn 3 of 5)

And possibly the heroes of the entire game, here in Krasnodar. Because of these guys, I now need only 1 more Victory city for a draw (22-20, currently), with a lot of space in front of them.

Let's change that trophy to "Luckiest Corps on Earth" shall we?


Picture taken at end of Axis impulse #3, Sep/Oct 1941 (Turn 3 of 5)

Timoshenko decides to reorganice some bombers if the fine summer weather continues I need at least some available air power.

In an effort to keep more cities from enemy control the crumbling Soviet front has been reduced to hero cities. If only there were heroes and hold out in the cities...


The Kalinin and Moscow defence.


Picture taken at end of Allied impulse #4, Sep/Oct 1941 (Turn 3 of 5)

Bryansk area.


Picture taken at end of Allied impulse #4, Sep/Oct 1941 (Turn 3 of 5)

Kursk, Voronezh, Rostov triangle.


Picture taken at end of Allied impulse #4, Sep/Oct 1941 (Turn 3 of 5)

Sevastapol, Rosrov area.


Picture taken at end of Allied impulse #4, Sep/Oct 1941 (Turn 3 of 5)

To start off the 5th Impulse, Orm caught a break with the weather:


Picture taken at start of Axis impulse #5, Sep/Oct 1941 (Turn 3 of 5)

In spite of the rain, I'm making a bid for Kursk this impulse. I didn't make any Ground Strikes, and I don't expect the weather to get any better. This started as a 63:13 attack, but it's one of those strange situations where 2 Factors of defensive Ground Support can make a big difference. That's because I lose an Odds Column to the rain. Realizing this, I added my own Ground Support, but even after adding a total of 5 Factors of my own, this still gets shifted down into 3:1 territory, though with about a 50/50 chance at 4:1. The difference between a 3:1 Assault and a 4:1 Assault is huge, really, especially if there are bonuses, and I'm pretty sure this is going to be a +2 attack.


Picture taken at Ground Support of Axis impulse #5, Sep/Oct 1941 (Turn 3 of 5)

But I'm mistaken about that +2. Now I have to figure out why. [:@]
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Edit: And here's the 'why' of it: I wasn't paying enough attention to the Blitz Bonus optional rule explanation. I tell you, there's just too much to keep track of your first time out. [&:] I double-damned myself. I'm attacking a city, and I'm not attacking in Fine weather, both of which are items that prevent me from getting the bonus.

I'll bet you I pay for this mistake. I'll be praying that I win the Fractional Odds roll and manage to Shatter the enemy.

As soon as I lost the Fractional Odds roll, I thought I was doomed to have another 12 units disorganized. I groaned audibly. But you can probably guess that luck was with me, can't you? The next thing to happen was a roll of '10' on the 3:1 CRT, the only result that leaves my units organized.

Isn't there some saying about fortune favoring fools? Or something like that? (I almost wish I was cheating, since I've had lucky rolls on key attacks 2 impulses in a row -- attacks that I probably shouldn't have even made in the first place!)


Picture taken during Land Combat Resolution of Axis impulse #5, Sep/Oct 1941 (Turn 3 of 5)

After moving into Kursk, it was time to rebase some aircraft. I had all 4 missions available, so I moved 2 fighters into better positions, brought in yet another bomber (my last German LND not near the front), and stacked my ATR with my Paratrooper.


Picture taken during Air Rebas of Axis impulse #5, Sep/Oct 1941 (Turn 3 of 5)

Here we are, at the end of the impulse, in the Moscow region:


Picture taken at end of Axis impulse #5, Sep/Oct 1941 (Turn 3 of 5)

Between the cities of Bryansk and Kharkov:


Picture taken at end of Axis impulse #5, Sep/Oct 1941 (Turn 3 of 5)

Around the Sea of Azov, I had to move the X Infantry Corps out of supply intentionally. If I hadn't, the LXIII Infantry would have been a sitting duck for nearby Soviet forces. I didn't want to just hand Stalino back to the enemy. Because I had to commit so many units to taking Kursk, I didn't squeeze by any defenders here in the south. I think it might just be trench warfare from here on out.


Picture taken at end of Axis impulse #5, Sep/Oct 1941 (Turn 3 of 5)