Matrix Games Forums

The north.
Quiet again. I just prepare my powerful offensive.
Want to have a complete success and since the defense is very strong
and the terrain bad for attacks i decided to prepare VERY good.

A really strange situation.
Germany has full focus at the south while i prepare to attack in the north.
BUT, that doesn´t mean i don´t fight for the south. Most of my fresh troops go to Maikop and
Stalingrad. Problem is they die too fast against the german units.

Germany, Turn 29, January 4, 1943

The new year has arrived and looking at the current situation, the campaign has failed to achieve its goals at the indicated time. Nonetheless, the goals seem within reach, so despite misgivings about the strategic situation, OKW orders the continuation of the offensives towards Stalingrad and the Caucasus. There is really no other option than to continue...

This turn's events show 2 expected and one unexpected, however very welcome.

The following shot shows the "passive" areas of the front (at least from my point of view). Not much going on except for the arrival of the SS Panzer Corps. The stupid thing: I don't know where to employ it.

Sending it to the "hotspots" on the map such as Stalingrad or Maikop means gambling a little longer on Seille's passiveness and might mean I get cut off completely if things go wrong.

So I opt for the "conservative" solution and keep the SS in the area between Kiev and Kharkov to either throw it against any offensive Seille might launch towards Kharkov or else exert some pressure on the Russians around Gomel, the closest targets.

The battle for Stalingrad has now reached the outskirts of the city proper and it seems as though nothing can save the city from falling. Resistance is crumbling all along the Don river and there seems to be no coherent defense. Despite the temptation, AG South decides against a surprise attack on the city, instead focusing to destroy the troops defending it.

Near Maikop, the balance of power is shifting as more and more artillery and reinforcements arrive and the Luftwaffe can deploy its complete strength against the Russian defenders. In what turns out to be one of the bloodiest days for the Red Army since the summer of 1941, their front before Maikop is bent to the breaking point. Although the Russian commander does not realize it yet, his forces here are defeated.

russian turn 29

The north

The south....the pure disaster.

Germany, Turn 30, January 23, 1943

After 17 months of war, still no decision. Little did we know the war was going to last another 17 months. The big unpleasant surprise this turn was the start of the Leningrad Operation by the Russians. I had feared it, but not expected it. Since this time the Russians had brought ample artillery and were supported by its huge air force, there was not much I could do except retreat and wait for a chance to strike at the main prize: if I could take out the Russian artillery while keeping my own safe, I could perhaps fight this offensive to a standstill sometime in the future.

With Stalingrad and Maikop within reach, the loss of Leningrad would not be such a big deal, especially not if I could take Baku as well. But I would have to move quickly, since the '43 Production was now on-line and the Russian industrial capacity now far outclassed my own.

This turn I decided to spend some production on additional PP's so I could give my existing troops a qualitative edge in the future battles, I expected they would need it.

Near Leningrad the Russians made their move and scared my forces away. I tried my artillery tactic on the Russian artillery, but they were covered by so many infantry, my gunners were unable to do any significant damage.

The Russian are now also moving towards Kharkov, threatening to cut the artery of AG South. Luckily the winter weather is slowing them down.

In the South, Stalingrad falls and German troops throw themselves across the Volga. Maikop is not yet taken but its defenders are nearly bled dry...

Turn 30....New turn new pain.....

Did i tell you guy´s that i hate the german artillery?
At this point of the game i was really pessimistic and continued just to see
how my Leningrad offensive would roll and if the additional production could turn
the situation.

The production.

The northern front.
At this time the front i looked at first after opening the new turn.....

The south looks not promising.....
The damn Wehrmacht can do what they want here.

The strategic screen shows the actual (strange) frontline and it shows some obvious chances
i didn´t use. Looking at from this perspective shows i made a mistake to put so much effort
in Stalingrad and Maikop defense. A offensive out of Kursl and Voronezh against Kharkov
and more south would have had good chances.

Really a fantastic AAR, great job!

Thanks Eric.
AT is fantastic and the game we played was fantastic.
I had masses of good russia 1941 games, but this was definitely a highlight, the hardest fight i
ever had here.
 
Worth to make this AAR and share it with you.

Two artillery pieces in Sevastopol? Being smart in retrospect is easy, but coupled with a bit of mobilization on the Crimea and pushing south from Kharkov this war might have ended quicker.

May I ask why you decided to stay put and cautious? The SS reinforcements perhaps?

ORIGINAL: TheArchduke

Two artillery pieces in Sevastopol? Being smart in retrospect is easy, but coupled with a bit of mobilization on the Crimea and pushing south from Kharkov this war might have ended quicker.

May I ask why you decided to stay put and cautious? The SS reinforcements perhaps?

Sevastopol was weak. The artillery was not really for beeing offensive. More for a active defense [:D]
Sevastopol was the ONLY source to feed and reenforce the crimea forces.

Why i did not attack from Kursk ? As i said earlier i feared things that hasn´t been there.
Artillery, backland lines and more important planes. The total german air superiority in the
south prevented me from beeing offensive. George could react very fast sending some artillery
and planes into that area. My forces there aren´t mobile enough for a fast success.
All in all with the same informations i had i would have done the same again. Based on what i know yet
i would have attacked and tried to cut of AG south and romania.
I´m too careful for any do or die strategies. I plan long term.