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T74 south (start)


Big surprise. I didn't expect there will be any survivors of Orel pocket.

T74 Crimea (start)


Trading space for time enabled me to create considerable strike-force. Refitted and carefully positioned panzers waited for snow.

To my great surprise and happiness Mike haven't noticed the danger.

T74 south (finish)


Thanks to quality C&C and good fortune I managed to break pocket despite attacking using inferior numbers.

T74 Crimea (finish)

Success in the south exceeded my expectations.

I achieved two goals - destruction of Soviet troops (11 inf div, 1 tank corps, 1 cav corps) and removal of danger to AGS right flank.

75 south (finish)


I got overexcited with prospect of capturing Sevastopol and deployed plenty of my panzers there. 2,5 divisions were encircled (1,5 inf, 1 mtn) but overcommitment in Crimean peninsula will haunt me in future.


In the mean time I reassemble strike-force near Kharkov and west of Stalino. I plan to lure Mike into trap ...

T76 south (start)


Mike is pushing hard, losses are high so I will have to make my move soon.

T76 south (finish)


Withdrawal and reorganisation.


Fortunately blizzard starts next turn so Mike mighty inf coprs will have greatly limited impact.

T77 south (start)


The die is cast.


Mike moved into "Kharkov-Stalino gap" in force. His spearhead is strong but lacks support of infantry. On the other hand my panzer-blob is not fully assembled and quite weak (majority of armament points had to be spent on rebuilding units).

I easily might end up being encircled myself, but I will attack anyway, temptation is just too strong.

T77 south (finish)


(I didn't use arrows to avoid covering strength of my troops)



Not all worked as I planned, but decisive factor was overcommitment to Sevastopol raid few turns ago. I think pocket will be broken and not being able to use all of my AGS panzers will be reasons of my failure.

that was an impressive sequence of blow and counterblow ...

T78 south (start)


Despite my prayers god of dices didn't smile to me [:(] and Mike's attack was successful.

T78 south (finish)


I decided to be cautious and taken safe approach by reducing size of pocket using herding technique. Unfortunately majority of Soviet units routed so at the end of operation only 4 inf div and 1 tank corp were encircled.

Fast forward to T80 (last one presented by Mike)


Pocket re-established at T78 held.

During my next two moves I continued to fall-back west impatiently waiting for armament production increase.

Thank you very much Kamil for posting screens of these two epic operations, they were really interesting. The reason of Crimea disaster was I just forgot to employ recons the turn before (they were in reserve) so I haven't seen your panzers there. Regarding Kharkov I was too careless and underestimated your mobility. I was really lucky that 4 tank corps could escape from the pocket.

Why are so many of the Soviet divisions so weak? It's late 1942, they ought to be up to some decent level of experience, and a CV of 3 or 4...not this 1 or 2 stuff.

Other divisions already corps or corpses

randallw

Why are so many of the Soviet divisions so weak? It's late 1942, they ought to be up to some decent level of experience, and a CV of 3 or 4...not this 1 or 2 stuff.

I think theses are new divisions - Mike has numerous and strong elite but as well plenty of relatively weak and fresh units (replacing destroyed during spring and summer of '42).

T85. 28.01.1943. North. Heavy positional battles for two bridgeheads on river Dvina, pushing towards Borisov-Minsk. German defense very very tight. I feel we are not ready for decisive offense yet.

T85. 28.01.1943. North (detailed screen)

T85. 28.01.1943. Minsk direction.