SOVIET UNION 1941 EARLY VARIANT AAR

[Curtis Lemay]

The attached screenshot shows the situation on the southern front at the end of turn 14. Sevastopol has been captured. That means that the Odessa supply point will be removed next turn – as will the Black Sea Fleet. Meanwhile, the Ukraine defenses are crumbling. The pressure on Moscow is starving this defense of meaningful reinforcements.

[Curtis Lemay]

The attached screenshot shows the situation on the central front at the end of turn 15. No new ground was gained in the direct drive toward Moscow. I chose to delay the start till all the HQs were in place. But the drive from the north continues to make progress. Note that some of the Soviet armies in the forward defenses were subdivided and those corps moved east to deal with that northern drive.

[Curtis Lemay]

The attached screenshot shows the situation on the southern front at the end of turn 15. A huge pocket has been formed around the last real defenses in the area. Much of the Ukraine has fallen anyway, including Stalino. From the Crimea, small forces have crossed the Kerch Strait against no resistance.

[Curtis Lemay]

The attached screenshot shows the situation on the Finnish front at the end of turn 16. I’m just showing this area to show how the link up with the Finns has allowed this defense to be rolled up in both directions, potentially placing defenders into cutoff situations.

[Curtis Lemay]

The attached screenshot shows the situation on the central front at the end of turn 16. One of the fortified line hexes around Moscow has been captured, along with a few others south of it. Meanwhile the northern drive has had some progress as well.

Note that this would have been the final clear weather turn in the original. Here there are five more turns of clear weather. This is where the early start pays off.

[Curtis Lemay]

The attached screenshot shows the situation on the southern front at the end of turn 16. The pocketed army needs a bit more withering before it can be destroyed. Meanwhile, the Rostov defenders were destroyed, but the blown bridge prevented its capture. Very little remains of the Ukraine defenders other than the pocket. Odessa is being degraded by lack of supply, but needs a lot more before it will be weak enough for the Romanians to take it. By house rule, only they can do so.

[Curtis Lemay]

The attached screenshot shows the situation on the Finnish front at the end of turn 17. Note that the defender at Cerepovec has now been cutoff.

[Curtis Lemay]

The attached screenshot shows the supply situation on the central front at the end of turn 17. Another one of the fortified line hexes around Moscow has been captured. There are now two German held hexes next to Moscow. The northern drive has captured Kalinin.

[Curtis Lemay]

The attached screenshot shows the situation on the southern front at the end of turn 17. The pocketed force still needs more time to wither, as does Odessa. Rostov has been captured. The entire Ukraine is now either captured or pocketed.

[Curtis Lemay]

The attached screenshot shows the situation on the Finnish front at the end of turn 18. A Finnish unit approaches Archangel to cut the rail line to Murmansk.

[Curtis Lemay]

The attached screenshot shows the situation on the central front at the end of turn 18. Another one of the fortified line hexes around Moscow has been captured. There are now three German held hexes next to Moscow. The northern drive is now close to pinching off a huge pocket.

[Curtis Lemay]

The attached screenshot shows the situation on the southern front at the end of turn 18. The pocketed force still needs more time to wither, as does Odessa. Other pockets have been reduced. On the northern edge of this area, a drive towards Voronezh is making progress. There is also a limited drive towards Stalingrad that can only succeed against trivial opposition – but that may be just what it encounters.

[Curtis Lemay]

The attached screenshot shows the situation on the Finnish front at the end of turn 19. That Finnish unit still approaches Archangel to cut the rail line to Murmansk. Meanwhile a Soviet unit has been rushed to that path to try to prevent that.

Note that this is the turn that the Leningrad supply point was removed. Leningrad forces will now start to wither. That will take some time since they are at full excess unit-supply.

[Curtis Lemay]

The attached screenshot shows the situation on the central front at the end of turn 19. Moscow has been captured! The wealth of HQ units in the area will make it almost impossible for the Soviet player to take it back. Note that I forgot to release Stalin before this attack took place. As a result, his unit was destroyed. That will hit the Soviets with a 100 VP penalty. Had he been released and moved to a secure location, the penalty would only have been 10 VPs – a 90 VP mistake.

[Curtis Lemay]

The attached screenshot shows the situation on the southern front at the end of turn 19. The pocketed forces near Stalino and in Odessa have been eliminated. The drive on Voronezh continues as does the one on Stalingrad.

[Curtis Lemay]

The attached screenshot shows the situation on the Finnish front at the end of turn 20. A couple of pocketed defenders have been eliminated on both ends of the breach. Leningrad continues to wither. The defenders sent to protect the rail line to Murmansk have succeeded to hold it – so far.

Note that the Finnish rail repair continues to advance. Ever since the linkup between the Finnish and Main fronts, that rail head has been supplying most of the northern and central Main front units. It’s one of the extra benefits of linking up with the Finns.

[Curtis Lemay]

The attached screenshot shows the situation on the central front at the end of turn 20. The northern drive has almost linked up with the Moscow drive to pinch off the supply to a huge pocket. Anticipating that, the last Soviet army in the fortified line terrain around Moscow was moved east to try to escape falling into that pocket.

[Curtis Lemay]

The attached screenshot shows the situation on the southern front at the end of turn 20. Voronezh has been captured, as has Kursk. The drive toward Stalingrad continues.

[Curtis Lemay]

The attached screenshot shows the situation on the Finnish front at the end of turn 21. The defenses continue to be rolled up. Leningrad continues to wither. And the battle for the rail line to Murmansk continues.

[Curtis Lemay]

The attached screenshot shows the situation on the central front at the end of turn 21. This is the final turn of clear weather. The mud phase will begin next turn. Note that the anticipated huge pocket has been formed, capturing one more fortified line terrain hex around Moscow. The two drives have linked up.