Stalin's fired, I'm in charge! - Tullius (Soviet) vs SireChaos (Axis)

[TulliusDetritus]

In the southwest his panzers are pushing in the middle. His southern spearhead retreated though (Operation There's a Cookie Monster Under Your Bed was not that bad after all [:D])

[TulliusDetritus]

And finally the south.

[TulliusDetritus]

Turn 8 - 7 August 1941

In the Northwest Front aka close to Leningrad [8D]

Here I don't understand my opponent [&:] It's like he wanted to bypass the many units between the Ilmen and Peipus lakes... but he is heading with his Panzers towards the SWAMPS (N and NE of Novgorod) [8D] I have prepared a [possibly half ars**] nasty operation. I hope I will be able to terrorise him (see next post) [:)]

[TulliusDetritus]

Well, I will call this operation "Now For Real, There Are Many Monsters Under Your Bed, Beware"!

[TulliusDetritus]

In the Western Front. Well, he finally crossed the Dnieper. His north Panzer Group was in the corridor between Vitebsk and Smolensk (clear hexes all the way). Either he's lost his patience (I had placed here many reserves: 20th and 24th armies) or he wants to take Smolensk from the south. Or he wants to trap my units close to the river, south of Smolensk [8D] Either way, I'm prepared (I hope! ). Moscow shall not surrender!

[CarnageINC]

Nice pinch, he should learn from that one.  He was way to over extended for as many units that where in the region.  Good job.

[TulliusDetritus]

In the Southwest and South. His panzers pushed hard this time, so I have retreated the whole front. On the other side of the [major] river, many [STAVKA] units have digging during the 3 or 4 last turns so I am waiting [8D] There is a big mass of defenders in Kiev (and around it), they will stay there as long as my opponent does not try to encircle them [:)]

[TulliusDetritus]

ORIGINAL: CarnageINC

Nice pinch, he should learn from that one.  He was way to over extended for as many units that where in the region.  Good job.

Well, if that saves Leningrad, it should be ok [:)]

Oh, and needless to say, the area was reconned to death. I was surprised. No enemy units there. The AGN does not have a lot of units, ok, but maybe his move was too risky. I'm still a noob so I don't know if that can really hurt him.

[TulliusDetritus]

And now the losses. Well, my prioritary objective was (and still is) to save Moscow. Then Leningrad was number two priority. Another important objective I had in mind: do NOT let my opponent to swallow almost all of my army. Except the inevitable pockets of the first turn in the west and northwest front (I managed to evacuate all the units almost trapped in the southwest front near Lvov) he hasn't been able to swallow lots of my units. Not even close... One division here another one there, etc. (mostly units left behind in some important cities) [:)]

[TulliusDetritus]

And Soviet equipment, etc.

[cookie monster]

[:@]Stop taking the mick outta cookie monster!

He's my hero!!!

Back to the AAR. Try to stick some infantry in the swamps around Leningrad they can build at least level 4 forts there and will be difficult to remove.

[randallw]

To isolate his forward units you might want to use cavs to cut the ZOCs, since they have better MP totals.

[TulliusDetritus]

ORIGINAL: cookie monster

[:@]Stop taking the mick outta cookie monster!

He's my hero!!!

Alright, no more Cookie Monster things [:D]

ORIGINAL: cookie monster
Back to the AAR. Try to stick some infantry in the swamps around Leningrad they can build at least level 4 forts there and will be difficult to remove.

Yes, I know, thank you [:)] Before I clicked on the end turn button I have created like 4 or 5 fortified regions on these swamps. Most of my forces (8th, 11st, 27th Armies and STAVKA reserves) were mostly facing the enemy or digging around Leningrad itself. The swamps are excellent places for the infantry and horrible places for tanks (therefore I don't understand my opponent, unless he plans another move... but which one? [:)])

[TulliusDetritus]

ORIGINAL: randallw
To isolate his forward units you might want to use cavs to cut the ZOCs, since they have better MP totals.

Yep, I brought some cavalry by train before clicking on the end turn button. Thank you [:)]

[randallw]

Don't forget the little hills ( aka rough ) around Leningrad; good to defend from.

[TulliusDetritus]

ORIGINAL: randallw

Don't forget the little hills ( aka rough ) around Leningrad; good to defend from.

All of them rough hexes are already occupied by my forces. Building forts. If Sire Chaos wants it, he will get it! [8D]

[BletchleyGeek]

Congratulations for that maneuver SW of the Lake Ilmen. He got a bit careless and the bear came out of the forest with vengeance.

That concentration on your Smolensk - Gomel line is very worrisome. Your deployment there is not nearly as deep as the one you have north of Smolensk (and naturally so, I guess you reacted to his initial advances with AGC panzers). If he pushes hard with infantry and then uses the panzers he can create quite of a situation for you: he'll have opened the door to the Eastern Ukraine and Central Russia. That region features very bad terrain (that is, good for panzers).

Any ideas on how to alleviate or handle such a situation?

[TulliusDetritus]

ORIGINAL: Bletchley_Geek
That concentration on your Smolensk - Gomel line is very worrisome. Your deployment there is not nearly as deep as the one you have north of Smolensk (and naturally so, I guess you reacted to his initial advances with AGC panzers). If he pushes hard with infantry and then uses the panzers he can create quite of a situation for you: he'll have opened the door to the Eastern Ukraine and Central Russia. That region features very bad terrain (that is, good for panzers).

Any ideas on how to alleviate or handle such a situation?

Well, outside of Moscow and Leningrad he can do whatever he wants [:)] I will not win the war on 1941 so my biggest priority is to survive. I placed most of my strategic reserves in front of the most important enemy units: Army Group Center and between him and Moscow [:)] My strategy will be simple (until mud season): most of my forces --among them, like the 80% of the STAVKA strategic reserves-- will always face and try to block his most aforementioned dangerous units. Now I don't know what he's planning. If he sends part of the AGC Panzers to Ukraine or South Russia... OH YEAAAAH!!!! I wish he did that! [:D]

I mean, I will not divert my strategic reserves from this vital mission: whatever happens, do survive (in the Center that is, I don't care at all about Kiev or Kursk, I mean in 1941).

In fact in my Southwest Front I have many many divisions (in this front he could NOT trap my forces), and I've been thinking about sending maybe 15 or 20 divisions from there to my essential front (Moscow). But I don't think my situation is desperate so maybe I don't need these divisions. But they are there and I could call them if necessary. This, along with the STAVKA reserves (on the next 3 or 4 turns I will get like 30 divisions) makes a huge force [:)]

In a nutshell my plan is really simple. It's not even mine. It's what the Soviets did [8D]

EDITED: now you see his Panzers south of that big mass of troops. But on previous turns they were in front of them. He has changed the direction of his attack, which is good for me.

[randallw]

You may want to back up the southern defense with units on the yet undefended part of the Dnepr.

[TulliusDetritus]

You mean this part of the river I guess. Yes, excellent idea, thank you again [:)] I will try to send some reserves there [8D]