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Turn 53

Position at the end of the last mud turn before the start of the Axis Summer 42 campaign.

As far as I can make out the entire German armored force is concentrated in the area East of Kursk. It's central location makes it especially dangerous.
It's an alarming sight and one I'm happy to back away from.
The advantage for me of so much German armor being concentrated in one area is that my lines North of Tula and South of Kharkov are not threatened by deep penetrations, nor am I at risk from a giant pincer attack.

The industry in Voronezh is moved East.

It's going to be a long Summer.

Dave is screwed

GG

timmyab

I'm inclined to agree with Mr P on this one. As I've found in my game vs Brian, the freebie unit return is a massive bonus for the Russians who can afford to throw away weak units to delay the Nazis. I'm surprised Smokin' gave up so much ground in the south as mild winters make offensives v. difficult for the Russians there.

However, you will have to dig Smokin' out of his bunker in Berlin before he gives up and a good summertime for Hitler and Germany which raises there morale and keep your numbers down will mean you shouldn't have an easy time

As I've found in my game vs Brian, the freebie unit return is a massive bonus for the Russians who can afford to throw away weak units to delay the Nazis.

I agree that the free units are a help for the Soviet player. They are good for nothing for several weeks after they return though.

I think the general principal of having destroyed units return at reduced cost is a good one.
I'd be happy with a compromise, like for instance, units would only return if there are sufficient APs left at the end of the Soviet turn to pay for them. Then if you suffer heavy losses the AP strain will be great without having the crippling cost of replacing divisions at 10 APs a shot.

I'm surprised Smokin' gave up so much ground in the south as mild winters make offensives v. difficult for the Russians there.

He made the decision to stop me dead in the North, which he did successfully. Whether that was the correct decision or not I wouldn't like to say. Certainly it's nice to have a big buffer in the South for Summer 1942.

However, you will have to dig Smokin' out of his bunker in Berlin before he gives up

He's a strong player. One false move from me and I can forget about Berlin forever because he'll be in Moscow before I know what's hit me.

Turn 54 (start of turn)

The Axis axe falls on most of 49th army at Kharkov and half of 29th army at Belgorod.
Lucky for me there is a weak link in the encirclement and the Red army now has enough mobility to make converted buffer hexes less effective at warding off counterattacks. General Purkaev is moved from his duties on the static Moscow front and put in charge of the operation.
Unfortunately this is probably a one way mission for 5th guards cavalry corps [:(] We salute them!

Turn 54 (end of turn)

On the whole I think the sacrifice of a cavalry corps and a tank corps is worth it to resuuply 49th and 29th armies for another week. The other advantage is that the Axis panzer divisions to the Southwest of the counterattack have had their SP numbers increased dramatically and should be practically immobile next week.

In spite of this the large number of panzer divisions heading South persuades me that it would be dangerous trying to hold the Oscel/Tikhaya river line so it's another week of pulling back right across the South.
Not so at Voronezh though where the defenders are ordered to hold fast on the Don.

This Southeast thrust by the Germans has done an excellent job of outflanking my extensive fortifications in the South.

Kursk still holds out.

ORIGINAL: timmyab

As I've found in my game vs Brian, the freebie unit return is a massive bonus for the Russians who can afford to throw away weak units to delay the Nazis.

I agree that the free units are a help for the Soviet player. They are good for nothing for several weeks after they return though.

I think the general principal of having destroyed units return at reduced cost is a good one.
I'd be happy with a compromise, like for instance, units would only return if there are sufficient APs left at the end of the Soviet turn to pay for them. Then if you suffer heavy losses the AP strain will be great without having the crippling cost of replacing divisions at 10 APs a shot.

Certainly makes for a better game (teeth grinding as I type [;)]) but I agree there should be some AP cost - currently free if R player spends his APs on each turn as I expect/assume Brian is

Turn 55

My epic retreat in the South continues. Natural defenses are few and far between and distance from the Axis railhead is all that can save us from annihilation.

Resistance in Kursk continues and is now causing a serious hold up to 17th army.

Turn 56

Amazingly the Kursk garrison repels three major assaults this week and is still under Soviet control [X(] All three divisions are rewarded with guards status and even the enemy commander suggests that we build a monument in their honor.

Most of the German armor continues to head SE and out of respect so do we.
The East bank of the Don South of Lipetsk is heavily defended by our strongest units.

Turn 57

My Southern armies reach the relative safety of the Don and start to dig in.

Kursk finally falls as do the other two cities under seige, Kharkov and Stalino.

Turn 57 (Tambov)

Tambov is a hive of activity.

Stavka HQ has moved here to be nearer to the Shock armies guarding the Don.

Also forming in the city are the first stirrings of red army 2 - 1st guards rifle corps and 1st tank army.

Turn 58

It's gone strangely quiet in the Don bend. A Soviet intelligence roll call of German armor finds there to be about 12-15 divisions missing.
Air recon can find no trace of them and this alarming news promps a general review of defenses right across the front.
It reports that the defenses to the West of Moscow have become dangerously depleated and recommends strengthening the whole front between Voronezh and the Valdai hills.
This advice is acted on immediately and the first divisions arrive West of Moscow this week.

1st tank army wastes no time getting into action. Local counterattacks are it's mission statement.

The Crimea remains quiet, but reasonably well defended just in case.

ORIGINAL: sillyflower

ORIGINAL: timmyab

As I've found in my game vs Brian, the freebie unit return is a massive bonus for the Russians who can afford to throw away weak units to delay the Nazis.

I agree that the free units are a help for the Soviet player. They are good for nothing for several weeks after they return though.

I think the general principal of having destroyed units return at reduced cost is a good one.
I'd be happy with a compromise, like for instance, units would only return if there are sufficient APs left at the end of the Soviet turn to pay for them. Then if you suffer heavy losses the AP strain will be great without having the crippling cost of replacing divisions at 10 APs a shot.

Certainly makes for a better game (teeth grinding as I type [;)]) but I agree there should be some AP cost - currently free if R player spends his APs on each turn as I expect/assume Brian is

What about the destroyed German units that come back for free the entire game? AFAIK, they don't cost APs, and there is no cut off unlike the Soviet units

Time is on russian side but summer isn't over...

How is the OOB?

It's been hovering around the 8M mark for a while now.
The German army is also in pretty good shape.

Turn 59

Amber alert issued for the area between Lipetsk and the Oka river. Western front (Pavlov) goes into shock absorber mode while 1st and 3rd shock armies are brought in to add strength and depth.

Turn 60

The amber alert at Tula turns out to be a false alarm.

However Soviet intelligence reports heavy enemy troop movements to the West of Rzhev so one is now issued for the area North of the Oka between Vyazma and lake Seliger.
1st shock army rails North to reinforce the already strengthened defenses East of Rzhev.

The location of the missing German mobile divisions is still not known for certain though so 3rd shock army remains at Tula.

Interesting situation in the South.

German infantry gain a bridgehead across the Don to the East of Rostov.

I can stand and fight if I choose (the Manych river makes that a safe option) but there's a panzer army North of Rostov and I want to encourage it to come South where it will not pose a significant threat (I hope [:D]).
Therefore I open the door to the South, but keep a strong hinge on it so as to block any attempt to roll up the Don defenses towards Stalingrad.
Cavalry patrol the open spaces to the South of Rostov to give any marauding panzers something to worry about.

43rd army draws the short straw of defending Rostov. It's not a total suicide mission though because the port of Azov gives some of the divisions an escape option.