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ORIGINAL: Stelteck

Troops defending the lower volga are mostly young trainee with no experience [:(]

I assume if you lose the port they would all become isolated? There is not a rail line for a long way elsewhere?

There is no rail but the port.

There is a rail available ... to the west

One rail to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.

Turn 75, 19th november 1942

Our offensive on the lower Volga is meeting a weak resistance The only strong units in this area are the 2 cavalry corps. Our advance is signficant and russian supply is only arriving through the port of Astrakhan.



Near Saratov, some fights. Nothing noticable.

I noticed that i'am now lacking firepower in battle to do real tank kill. I only damage the enemy tanks most the time.
Even the T-34 are lacking firepower. I need bigger guns.

From the start of the war i wanted to attrit the enemy panzer divisions by killing tanks. I do not think it ever worked.

Lots of Pzd are far from 100% TOE but I set 3 support units to each of them.

I will post a picture once I get the turn back.

Turn 76, 26th november 1942

Overall situation of the lower Volga. Russian units in the South are in bad shape and Stelteck did a desesperate attempt to cut the rail. It a success at the cost of a tank corps



Very surprised to see a rifle brigade surrender without being surrounded... usually they are only routed. 1st Pz Army cross the Volga north of Astrakhan. Another tank corps trapped



Closer view of the area east of Stalingrad.



Usual fights west of Saratov

a view of the OOB of my PzD



I'm short of light tanks and CS tanks. Some units are using new models, not efficient if I believe Stelteck [:D]

The 79th Rifle Brigade was under an Army command led by some guy named Smirnov .. Vodka was involved with this clash

Light tanks shortage looks universal. I'am always lacking light tanks since the beginning of the game.

Currently my T-60 production stopped to be retooled as SU-76, and i only have a 90 T-70 production and 24 M3 Stuart as lend lease to equip all tank corps that still need 60 light tanks each + all tank support regiments.

I will still need tons of light tanks until november 1943 where they are all replaced by T-34.

So all light tanks are used, even old T-26 and BT-7 are still active.



I have 8000 unused medium tanks and a production of more than 300 each turn [:@] I'am not sûre staline would have allowed such a waste [8|]

To all soviet players in 1941, saving more than one point of T-34 factories (such as karkov) is not very usefull.

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

The 79th Rifle Brigade was under an Army command led by some guy named Smirnov .. Vodka was involved with this clash

Look out for General oven in the Axis side - there are a few more like that if you look too!

ORIGINAL: Telemecus

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

The 79th Rifle Brigade was under an Army command led by some guy named Smirnov .. Vodka was involved with this clash

Look out for General oven in the Axis side - there are a few more like that if you look too!

That would be Karl von Oven .. from a long line of Oven's

Turn 77, 3rd december 1942

Most of the fights are now occuring between lake Elton and Astrakhan. Stelteck is really strong north of Stalingrad. A surrounded tank corps earn an extra week of life.



AFV losses are 10/1 but it's useless as russians have a tremendous pool of medium tanks. Note a rifle div shattered in the South. Very rare at this stage of the war. Troops defending Astrakhan are doomed.

Turn 78, 10th december 1942

Operational view of the lower Volga theater. We will clean the Astrakhan area and try to drive north on the eastern bank of the Volga



Closer view on the Elton's area. More Pzd will gather here in the next weeks.



Last russian troops are now surrounded in Astrakhan

Turn 79, 17th december 1942

We are now in the middle of the river. Axis army is still stronger than the russian one but not enough to achieve major goals. It's not the most interesting part of the game. few fights, limited objectives and for the german player nothing good to come...

Some cautious progress near lake Elton,



Last organized russian defence is broken near Astrakhan

Turn 80, 24th december 1942

The end of 1942 is close. Some fights near Astrakhan.

Very surprised with the result of this battle. What happened to the 24 000 men, 300 guns and 60 AFV left?

They might have formed a STRONG partisan unit [:D]

ORIGINAL: STEF78


Very surprised with the result of this battle. What happened to the 24 000 men, 300 guns and 60 AFV left?

I was very surprised too and checked my looses count. It looks like i did not loose them but they were added to the transfert pool. Somewhat these men managed to escape, maybe by sea using the port.
I do not know if there is a special mecanism like that.

But they did not surrendered. It looks more like a shatter.

Perhaps surrendering on a beachhead allows them to swim away?

EDIT: Just seen it was the port hex - still maybe?

you may check your Hiwi pool. there are plenty of Jobs available at the Wehrmacht and your "Headhunters" are going strong.