Once more into the Breech with D21

[larryfulkerson]

In the top part of this image, the northern part, I'm just holding on, holding back
the Soviet units. But in the southern part of the image I'm dominant and it looks
good for some progress IF I can get across the river and further into Russia. The
idea is to cut off Leningrad from the rest of Russia and start the seige.

[larryfulkerson]

This image is from the Veliky Luki area and it established how ad hoc the front lines
are right now. I'm uncomfortable with the way things are turning out. I've got way
too many irons in the fire for the few units that are here. Engineers are trying to
hold back Soviet divisions and crazy things like that. This area is due for some
changes brought about by the Soviets I think.

[larryfulkerson]

This is a view of the supply situation in the Bryansk area right now. It's just barely doable. The force hovers
around the low supply areas predominately it seems.

[larryfulkerson]

This image is from the Smolensk area right now. I'm going to unleash the recon units
and trace a line of friendly hexes around the Soviet positions and cut them off from
their supply source and then start the bombardment by the arty and some heavy probes
to see how goes the enemy stack. The problem is that the Soviets try to re-establish
the LOC's to their cut off units and that means I need units to hold them off while
the mop up goes down and those units aren't available so it's an ad hoc sort of
front line I have planned for this area. This is the area in front of Moscow and is
rather important so I need to monitor this area closely.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's what it looks like around Kiev right now. The tidal wave of Axis units is sweeping
south clearing the territories. The front line just got a lot longer as the Soviets don't
have the river to hide behind any more and the few units that I had at the start for this
operation are having to do double duty as there too few units to cover everything all at
the same time. It's not so bad right now but it's going to get sparse soon.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's that same spot when you zoom up a bit. The front line is bending to make the turn from heading east to one
heading southsoutheast. I hope to see it straighten out in the near future.

[larryfulkerson]

This is an area just west of Orel and it's really really sparse unit-wise and so far
I've been able to make it work but I feel outnumbered here and I've been playing
half offensively and half defensively. I'd like to be able to put up a light screen
at the very least.

[larryfulkerson]

I have debated with myself whether or not to attack something with one of my recon
units. I lean toward the non-attacking-usage mode. I look at the recon units as
my eyes and ears and not as something that would stand in the front lines normally.
I'd rather they save their supply and strength for those occassions when relief can't
get to them right away and they have to defend themselves against a much larger force
for a time. Usually I can get somebody to their hex within one move but sometimes,
I get "victory disease" and allow the recon units to get too far out in front and
invariably they end up having to defend. I like to park them in forested areas for
the defensive effect it affords. I have to remember to rest them when they turn
orange. Red is not combat ready, orange rest is due, yellow is move to higher supply
prior to resting, and green is go for it.

[larryfulkerson]

The Finns have fought their way down to the stop line just north of Leningrad and now they need to depend on the
Germans to capture the city.

[larryfulkerson]

I copied this over from my FITE2 thread to here so I can
refer to it easier:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Turn 6 these 3 cities must be in Axis control:
Riga (184,266), Vilnius (194,309). Lvov (174,397)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Turn 12 these 3 cities must be in Axis control:
Pskov (228,253), Mogilev (248,325), Zhitomir (229,392)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Turn 18 these 3 cities must be in Axis control:
Tallinn (194,221)
Smolensk (267,308)
Kherson (278,457)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Turn 24 these 3 cities must be in Axis control:
Luga (243,236)
Roslav (277,323)
Kiev (252,388)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the front lines in T24 before I have moved anybody.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the northern front lines right now. I haven't made much progress up here in quite a while now. Lot's of
resistance from the Soviets. And when I destroy a Soviet unit it seems there's another to take it's place. Elmer
has been railing units up here so the going is going to be even slower for a while.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's what's going on around Smolensk right now. I've made a hole and I've started
driving units through it and progress is being made. I've surrounded a small group
of Soviet units and I'm mopping them up as we speak. I expect a Soviet defense in
depth however so this isn't quite a breakthrough yet.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's a tablo showing the area just east of Smolensk south toward Orel. The front is fragmented and fluid. Dynamicly
changing PRN ( pro roata normalla, "make it normal" ).

[larryfulkerson]

This is the Bryansk area right now. The follow on forces will be through with their mopping up operations soon so I have
the recon units out to the east looking for Soviets. They are being held close to the vest at first because it is a
known situation that there are Soviet units out there, I just don't have a good fix for them.

[larryfulkerson]

Down south in the corner of the rivers near D-town and Z-town are I'm forcing the river crossings and streaming across.
The Rumanians are indespensible.

Edit: I'm thinking of swinging north at D-town and isolating all the Soviet units adjacent to
the river, giving time for the rail repair guys to get the railhead to D-town so that operations
can proceed to the east of there. Russia seems to swell near D-thwn and there's lots of rail to
repair and I'm not at all sure that there's going to be enough supply for the troops for any
winter operations and that the advance will probably stll not too far from where it is now.
The supply level is too low for much to happen too far away from D-town.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's what I mean about the supply levels near D-town and Z-town.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's what's happening down near Odessa right now. Some of the Soviet units are ferry engineers and they have loaded
up their folding boats and have taken to the water. So I guess I'll have to blast them with arty and strike them from
the air.

[cpt flam]

I'm actually having the same problem at Odessa
The last hex as been taken, they retreat to shallow water

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: cpt flam
I'm actually having the same problem at Odessa
The last hex as been taken, they retreat to shallow water

I've tried blocking their path to the water with the riverine units but they just
move the boats with an attack and move into my hex. The riverine unit isn't the
equipment we need for this mission. I'm thinking of a DD or CL or something like
that. It's not like I'm asking for a BB or anything. I've tried to sink them in
the water with the Stuka's and it's going pretty well.