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There is no doubt that I will have to pull out from Caucasus at some point however Stef really need some big successful offensive in 43 otherwise he can't make it to the Berlin on time.

ORIGINAL: jwolf

That may be the last really significant use of the Italians in this game. Kudos to the Axis for a smart play here. But although this is painful or embarrassing, I don't think the cost is all that high. Those look like low value units and you will make up that lost manpower quickly. Once you crack the German lines in or near the Don Bend he will have to evacuate all the territory in the North Caucasus.

In fact, I'm not worried with the italians..[;)] but we are early 1943 and the germans have a strong line of defence with level 3 entrenchement backed on the Don in the South. Cracking the line won't be an easy task.

ORIGINAL: 821Bobo

There is no doubt that I will have to pull out from Caucasus at some point however Stef really need some big successful offensive in 43 otherwise he can't make it to the Berlin on time.

Due to my poor 1942 campaign (or your good one!), I'm behind the curve...

Hard to say where we will finish as we still have more than 100 turns of game.

Having played 1944 3 times as german, I know that this summer can be a killing.

Turn 92, 18th march 1943

Near Astrakhan, "ite missa est", Bobo clears the western bank of the Volga and even crosses it!



In 4 other parts of the front, I try to dig in the german lines, see below near Voronejh. With almost 4000 guns involved, german losses looks light...

Goring probably got little bit confused.

Or maybe he got such a report....

If I recall some groups have been pulled back to the Fatherland. My losses were not so bad but must admit that by few occasions my bombers have been slaughtered.

btw. my A/C pool is pretty full. Lack of groups is the problem, not aircrafts.

I had better repeat my apology to Bobo (sic) here as I had criticised him in my AAR for not bombing Baku's port to put Stef out of supply. Being silly, I had forgotten that Baku is a supply source [:-]

ORIGINAL: sillyflower

I had better repeat my apology to Bobo (sic) here as I had criticised him in my AAR for not bombing Baku's port to put Stef out of supply. Being silly, I had forgotten that Baku is a supply source [:-]

I accept you apology.
I am curious if you will make it to Baku. There is no place for maneuver therefore few rifle corps should make Baku pretty safe.

Baku is almost impossible to take if the russian wants to hold it.

There are a lot of natural defences and if needed, the russian can stack 3 rifle corps in Baku...

ORIGINAL: STEF78

Baku is almost impossible to take if the russian wants to hold it.

There are a lot of natural defences and if needed, the russian can stack 3 rifle corps in Baku...

Agreed. Best case for the Germans, I suppose, would be to block off all other areas from receiving any supply from Baku.

Turn 93, 25th march 1943

Last turn before mud.... I'm pretty unsatisfied with my winter campaign. We were in a WWI war style and the only mobile operation was done by the germans near Astrakhan.

I haven't yet russian army 2.0, I'm still 1.5 with a bulk of good russian corps, some art divs and some tank corps. The 240 AP of the mud period will allow some progress in the improvement of russian army.

I don' show it on the maps but I'm intensively using my air force I've built dozen of Shap and groundbomb methodically the german front line

Astrakhan
Bobo obviously wants to secure this flank and he is methodically cleaning the western bank



Don bend

Some heavy fights in this area



Center
An overview of the main area of fights. I'm currently hiitting 3 spots:
- north of Briansk
- South of Orel
- South of Voronejh

Turn 99, 6th may 1943

April proved to be a quiet month due to mud. Now some parts of the front benefit from clear weather. hammering is on again!

Bryansk

2 attacks and a 10/1 men ratio are required to expell germans defenders



Orel

2 pzd act as reserve but it's not enough



Voronejh

Same case and I intensively use tactical bombers. AFV losses looks low...



Don bend

I don' like these black german counters...

I forgot the situation on the lower Volga.

The germans are cleaning the western bank. A rifle corps is doomed.

Turn 100, 13th may 1943

Mud or clear weather in Russia this week. Spring is muddy this year...

Orel
I try a pincer on the city. The northern one fails but the southern one succeeds.



Voronejh
Bloodbath... Ground is gained with pain



Don bench
Strong german line of defence!

Turn 101, 20th may 1943

Mud on northern Russia! It covers the main part of the front....

Some successfull assaults.

Novgorod

We have discovered new german units. They are called Luftwaffe field divisions... Strange but inefficient



Bryansk

Another Luftwaffe field division... Inefficient too

The LW divisions are only digging behind the front. But still better on reserve than idle sitting.

It will be a long way to Berlin. German line is strong and depending on the terrain, leaders, forts.... I need a 8/1 ratio in men and 15/1 in artillery to achieve a win, except in case of multiple attacks.

Do I make something wrong?

I mostly attach art units to Stavka in order to avoid overloading HQ. I try to use same front units in attacks (not always, cf 1st sample) and have good leaders committed. Each hex attacked benfits from 2 air ground attacks and ennemy units behind are also air attacked.

See below some sample of recent fights in clear/city/forest

I assign the Soviet artillery units to Front HQ - you can't help but have most of them overloaded anyway. If the artillery unit is attached to the same Front as the attacking units you don't suffer a penalty for having different Front HQ's involved.

Also, don't be disappointed in your progress at this point in the game. The Wehrmacht is very strong (the panzers/mech units in particular) and you will lose a lot of battles. Keep attacking - this will slowly break down his forts as well as reducing his manpower pool.