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Same themes. not much to report new.

Germany had greater than expected success and cuts first Caucuses rail line. That said, the enemy is expose to a flank attack from the west.

German themes continue, with very limited success.

Russia pushes up the southwestern approaches to Rostov
Russia begins to test enemy MLR with some success
Russia continues its AP plan of building brigades to facilitate building more guard corps44

Russian trucks steadily rising since 43 started. Currently at 119 (137) and gaining about 3K per turn.

Here is the updated map.

Of interest is the Soviet Attack NE towards Rostov enveloping the German thrust SE into the Caucuses. It will be one to watch for sure.

I am still somewhat confused why the enemy has dispersed his strength as such. Perhaps he is preparing defenses points west for the turning tide?

AS discussed previously, My goal is to launch a concerted strategic counterattack with the summer season in a TBD location. Here is what I am doing to prepare.

1. I have 37 armored corps (5 Guard) - no immediate plans to build anymore. Putting heavy armor SU regiment, anti tank, and Sapper regiment in each corps, but probably wont be complete by summer.
2. I have 82 Guard infantry divisions, enough for 41 more guard infantry corps! BUT - I need to build units to replace the density (which is what I am doing now). Each of these guard infantry corps units will have regular armor regiment SU - anti tank - and sapper. Keep in mind 41 corps will take 82 units off the map. SO I cant just do that. Also - the unit mix limit for guard units may work to my favor as I will reduce the number of guard units relative to the number of total units. Or so the theory goes.
3. As previously stated, I FUBAR'd my army sizes and had to right size them. 10 new armies are on the field, and this also is a priority.
4. As a gauge, I have 250k pooled manpower, so I am not worried about building a few units.
5. I am still concerned about my vehicles / trucks. I am up to 119K (137). Note the second number does vary over time and has been as low as (120).
6. I have no plans to build mech or motorize units this year, which might be a big mistake. But my assumption is that I need those guard corps in action so I can make progress against the enemy. time will tell if I need to make mech or convert to motorized. But I have no trucks to execute the plan this year anyway. Finlly, the units I am building are very low truck consumers...I know that creating corps will gobble up trucks...


Please advise, but I see no other way to make progress. The guard infantry (and later motorized) corps seem to be the vehicle...

Major themes continue.

1. Germany pulls back from the SE push from Rostov to bolster defenses on extreme western part of Caucuses where Russians were having material success. This move effectively ends the Russian opportunity, but the objective was achieved - the SW-NE railroad is back in Russian hands
2. heavy attritional fighting on the Don opposing Stalingrad
3. Germans moving to forces to attempt again to take last hex of Moscow. Russian forces attack north of the city against heavy resistance and take a few hexes.
4. Russian trucks up to 122K
5. Russia continues on AP plan

Not sure I will build all the units lost in building the 41 new guard infantry corps.

note the plan is through June 3...anyway this is how I am thinking of preparing for summer offensive. Location TBD

So what will I have for the summer offensive - - - -

52 guard infantry corps in 12 armies
37 armor corps (9 guard) in 10 armies

Hope that is enough because ------
NO Mechanized units
NO Motorized units

here is a view of the fighting

Men are fighting for inches on both sides.

Russian attack yielded desired results!

ORIGINAL: topeverest

Not sure I will build all the units lost in building the 41 new guard infantry corps.

note the plan is through June 3...anyway this is how I am thinking of preparing for summer offensive. Location TBD

+125AP on 20 May for arrival of Steppe Front.

Carefull you probably know that but the Bryansk front will dissapear somewhere in 1942, maybe in autumn, leaving tons of troops without front.

ORIGINAL: Stelteck
somewhere in 1942

Bryansk front is disbanded on 7 october 1943.

ORIGINAL: RforRush

ORIGINAL: Stelteck
somewhere in 1942

Bryansk front is disbanded on 7 october 1943.

Ha yes sorry i knew it !!! damn 1943. (Terrible gamedesign to have a front disbanded mid war whatsoever, even if it is historical).

It's actually not historical, Bryansk front was disbanded and formed again 3 times and then finally transformed into Pribaltiyskiy front on 10 October 1943 (renamed into 2nd Pribaltiyskiy front on 20 October). (In the game "Baltic" = "Pribaltiyskiy".)

Thanks for the advice. As this is my first time into mid war as a player on either side, I appreciate the words of concern.

I am trying to put my arms around build limits, and I am feeling out how dense I need to make the MLR as I attempt to wrest initiative with the planned counterattack. My math suggested that it could work, but your concern is troubling.

ORIGINAL: Stelteck

ORIGINAL: RforRush

ORIGINAL: Stelteck
somewhere in 1942

Bryansk front is disbanded on 7 october 1943.

Ha yes sorry i knew it !!! damn 1943. (Terrible gamedesign to have a front disbanded mid war whatsoever, even if it is historical).

This was a turn of two epiphanies...

Two more turns of blizzard.
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National morale Update -



Germany -1 this month down to 68 and Russia up to 52 on its way to 65 [+1 / month]

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1. Germany conducts minimal offensive operations, taking 10 total hexes (9 in the south). My esteemed opponent commented that his army is fatiguing out
2. Russia continues its AP build program, but I have doubts if I need as many new units to backfill the density loss
3. Russia also continues its 'testing the enemy MLR' program - retake 6 hexes largely overlapping with the ones Germany took
4. Russia found the Luftwaffe divisions on the defensive across the Don east of Boguchar, and a limited attack was broadly successful. I learned that concentrating attacks on weak enemy units can be wildly successful. Yeah - I should have known that already!

I worry that he learned the same thing, and will be blending those troops with other higher morale units in the future. Generally speaking, this seems to be a big missed opportunity on my part. Had I waited or used my brain cells I would have had follow on troops available. yet another missed opportunity I let through my fingers.

but I will retain the learning and try to use that in the summer offensive - a pincer against poorly held territory.


CORRECTION - Germany still has effectively cut the Stalingrad Krasnodar rail

This is greenhorn play here by me. I should have known the outcome and had breakthrough in mind...

Here is a look at that fatigue the enemy is talking about. Also he is at the end of a long supply line and cannot draw from rail as I have cut the supply out of Rostov

Do the Germans really only have two million men vs your 6.7 million or so?

This is one aspect I haven't been tracking - so I started.
Soviet 8.0M vs Axis 5.6M

I don't really have a good idea if this is high or low.

some details below

ORIGINAL: M60A3TTS

Do the Germans really only have two million men vs your 6.7 million or so?