Bish Bash Boche - A 41 GC JB (A) & Veterin (S)

[jasonbroomer]

T6 Axis AGN

Plenty to do in the north with objective Leningrad. Sadly, our weather forecast was wrong and it is raining. Thankfully, the scattered light mud has no significant impact on our plans

t6 AGN has plenty to occupy itself with.png (2.84 MiB) Viewed 1528 times

so we grind forward, tidying up last week's encirclement

t6 AGN advance 10 miles.png (3.94 MiB) Viewed 1528 times

On the right flank of the drive to Leningrad, we launch a small local operation designed primarily to widened the flanks and spread the defences.

t6 AGN broaden front.png (2.52 MiB) Viewed 1528 times

As it happens, this innocuous looking move will have very important consequences...

[jasonbroomer]

T6 Axis AGC

I'm a bit unsure what to do now that we have taken Smolensk. I guess it is just a matter of battering our way up the road

t6 AGC grind on.png (3.3 MiB) Viewed 1526 times

Gomel as we expected was abandoned

t6 Gomel area abandoned.png (3.05 MiB) Viewed 1526 times

But we press ahead an encircle the region though the bag is limited

t6 secure path for central railway.png (3.33 MiB) Viewed 1526 times

This advance will at least keep our FDB busy

[jasonbroomer]

T6 AGS Axis

2nd Panzer probes for soft spots

t6 2nd Pz find a soft spot.png (2.92 MiB) Viewed 1520 times

Kiev falls

t6 Kiev falls.png (3.04 MiB) Viewed 1520 times

Embarrassingly, our armoured spearhead gets itself cut off, well they were due a rest so this rather enforces one on them

t6 Das Reich needed a rest.png (2.36 MiB) Viewed 1520 times

and there is enough blocking our way across the Dneper so we just tidy up the ports in the area

t6 wont get over Dneper this turn.png (1.8 MiB) Viewed 1520 times

d Pz

[jasonbroomer]

T6

Destroyed units

t6 destroyed units.png (981.62 KiB) Viewed 1519 times

Air losses update as the air fleets begin to return to the action, the Soviets having licked their wounds, the Axis as the advance slows and supply lines catch up.

t6 air losses.png (892.98 KiB) Viewed 1519 times

[Veterin]

t6 AGN broaden front.png

As it happens, this innocuous looking move will have very important consequences...

Curse this motorised regiment for all of eternity!

[Veterin]

T6 - Soviet Perspective

1

1.png (2.19 MiB) Viewed 1450 times

The Leningrad front remains in a precarious state. Only a few attacks this turn but I can see the panzers behind the front like no doubt resting for a deeper push next turn. I only have 5 hexes of favourable defensive territory until the double rails so this section must hold.

2

2.png (757.28 KiB) Viewed 1450 times

Last turn I deployed a number of understrength units from the Reserve as well as many Corps HQ. I need as many favourable dice roll as possible so I will be adding them to my command structure in Leningrad this turn. Similarly, the mass of engineer battalions have been deployed to the map this turn so I will allocate them out to Army HQs

On turn 6, soviets receive 2 additional fronts that will help alleviate some of the command capacity issues experienced so far. I have shifted my NorthWest front further towards Leningrad and will allow the new central/reserve fronts to pick up some of the other armies closer to AGC.

3

3.png (2.37 MiB) Viewed 1450 times

This is my defence after I have reorganised all my divisions into corp/army structure as well as the new units deployed this turn. I have done my best to utilise defensive terrain were possible with added depth to start entrenching units not on the front.

[Veterin]

T6 - Soviet Perspective Cont..

4

4.png (734.08 KiB) Viewed 1449 times

A huge battle was fought just north east of Smolensk. 150k soviet troops across 12 divisions (3 of them tank divisions) attack the 2 panzer divisions and 1 mortised division. Heavily outnumbered, the axis inflicts a 4-1 kill ratio on men and tanks however quantity is a quality of its own and the Soviets can afford it so I’m happy with the trade. I made the rookie mistake of having my air GS switched off when I made this attack but luckily it still succeeded. In the event my air did join the party, I am sure axis air would have also been there to intercept in any event.

5

5.png (271.3 KiB) Viewed 1449 times

The majority of axis units lost was on retreat rather than the battle itself with further losses expected over the next logistic phase as some damaged elements are destroyed. Interestingly, a number of axis guns were also destroyed including 150mm howitzers.

6

6.png (2.15 MiB) Viewed 1449 times

I expected a push towards Orel or Tula before moving for an encirclement around Moscow but it appears that the push will be further south towards Kursk. Whilst I have sent some reinforcements towards Bryansk and Kharkov over the last few turns, I am yet to reinforce Kursk which I’m sure JB picked up on.

[Veterin]

T6 Soviet Perspective - Cont...

OOB and Losses as at the end of turn 6

8

8.png (210.53 KiB) Viewed 1448 times

9

9.png (163.02 KiB) Viewed 1448 times

[jasonbroomer]

T7 Axis AGN

t7 AGN defenses around Lenningrad thicken.png (1.51 MiB) Viewed 1348 times

On the thrust to Leningrad, we can also capitalise on our advance to the east of Lake Peipus last turn and send Manstein's LVI corps to join up with 16th Army

T7 AGN isolating the Narva line and crossing the upper Luga .png (4.24 MiB) Viewed 1348 times

This cuts off a handful of naval brigades. In the main thrust of 4th Pz we gain a further 3 hexes of difficult terrain although we are forced to go off road, which will be expensive in trucks. But at least we are getting north of the Luga.

[jasonbroomer]

T7 Axis AGN - the interesting bit

Last week we investigated this area:

t7 AGN can I do a sneaky raid on his rail line.png (1.39 MiB) Viewed 1327 times

Sensing an opportunity we brought up the fresh 20th Panzer Division (highlighted) and positioned the 2/20th Motorised regiment as it had good MPs and fuel reserves. I'm reckoning that there may be a path to the crucial double railway to the north east. Doubtless, there would be a soviet division as marked, though our air recon didn't pick up on this, ideally this will have to be removed, as will the 260th Rifle division.

The 20th Pz sends in a regiment, aided by a motorised regiment to shift the 260th. It fails We seem to have been unlucky, looking at the battle report (not saved sadly) I see the operation was conducted by General Fehn - who the hell is he? Anyway, he has reasonable mech abilities and morale.

We send up 3/14th motorised regiment to scout whether there is a division as we suspect in the woods. Indeed there is, the 260th RD Fehn, having blown the first attack, now doesn't have the resources to have a hope of dislodging the 260th RD. Now what to do?

Option 2 was to try to encircle the soviets south of lake Ilmen but clearly this isn't possible. However, we might just have enough MPs for the 2/20th Motorised (it had around 45) to push through a single double ZOC and thread its way through the light woods to hit the rail line. This would be almost certain suicide, but it would block the rail line for a month or so. Hmm.

Okay, lets go for it. The first job is to remove the 260th RD without incurring any further combat delays (gulp!). The 3/14th motorised is nicely positioned to ensure that the soviet division doesn't retreat anywhere useful. So up 2 regiments of the 20th Pz (sadly the 20th Pz had poor MPs) and allocated them each a FRSS SU - the best the Axis has.

T7 AGN both RFSS Brigaes thrown in the avoid the combat delay after first attack failed.png (3.47 MiB) Viewed 1327 times

Wallop, the attack succeeds with no further combat delay. Now for the 2/20th to make its way, if any other soviet is encountered, there is no way back...

T7 AGN Just had legs to get to the rails .png (3.9 MiB) Viewed 1327 times

Phew, we made it with a single MP remaining. I hope this will be worth the loss of a motorised regiment and its 500 trucks.

[jasonbroomer]

T7 Axis AGN

A Soviet rifle division was found lurking with intent in a block of rough ground west of VL, last turn, so we isolated it. A soviet cavalry division broke the isolation, so this turn we helped that into the pocket where it was locked up nice and tight

AGN .png (3.35 MiB) Viewed 1323 times

AGC


Defenses east of Smolensk appear to be dissipating

t7 AGC this seems to be thinner defences.png (1.57 MiB) Viewed 1323 times

However, we are not thick on the ground here, as resources are being sent north

T7 AGCS as does 2Pz.png (2.23 MiB) Viewed 1323 times

But the north must remain our main commitment, the centre will have to do what it can

[jasonbroomer]

T7 AXis AGS

T7 AGS worrying about outrunning supply lines.png (2.25 MiB) Viewed 1317 times

Air recon indicates that the soviets continue to withdraw in the south. The advance of some infantry corps are slowed to reduce pressure on supply lines and regain CPP

T7 AGS Soviets abandon Nikoleav to harrass Ochakov .png (2.08 MiB) Viewed 1317 times

The soviets decide to abandon Nikoleav to recapture Ochakov. I'm not unhappy about this, th eport at Ochakov is toast anyway and it allows me to pick up Nikoleav with only a modestly damaged port

T7 AGS 1st Pz makes preperations.png (2.05 MiB) Viewed 1317 times

1st Pz makes its preparations to cross the Dneper

[jasonbroomer]

T7 Production

T7 Recon planes low, as are trucks .png (1.23 MiB) Viewed 1314 times

My Hs 126 Storch recon planes have taken a hammering. They always do, but losses this game have surpassed the last. I have experimented with flying them at 22,000 feet, I shall revert back to my normal 4,000ft. This is just below the AA minimum range (and above 3,000ft max range for ground troops), the skill of the German pilots should limit operational losses from flying so low. My strategic recon, which I husband more carefully, will remain at high altitude, which it is better suited to (I hope).

Trucks are not in plentiful supply, which is one of the disadvantages of a Leningrad push. The pool was around 9,000 at the beginning of the turn, whereas towards the end of the turn it had dwindled to 4,500. Actions such as manually resupplying airports draws trucks from the pool, which is kinda interesting.

[Veterin]

T7 - Soviet Perspective

1

1.png (214.55 KiB) Viewed 1260 times

2

2.png (170.74 KiB) Viewed 1260 times

On map units is finally above the 3m mark. To date JB hasn’t been using his air much so the LW is still in good order. I really need to continue growing my army over the next few turns so avoiding pockets will be essential. That being said, I need to keep my eye on the VP score as there is some risk of losing to a sudden victory VP score given the fast advances made across all sectors. I will likely lose Leningrad, Orel/Kursk and the usual VP south but I need to hold several VP around Moscow, Voronezh and hopefully Stalino.

I continue losing around ~100k units per turn which I need to lower to enable growth in my army. Last turn was a big loss for panzer elements between some big battles during my turn 6 as well as heavier use of panzer assets in JB’s turn. I’ll need to continue wearing down the mobile elements of the Axis army if I am to slow down their advance.

The weather continues to be clear across the entire front so I really hope that starts to change as I could certainly use some mud about now! Turn 7 for soviets involve some reorganisation of the VSS as the air group size drops from 62 down to 32. This results in a large number of planes being sent to the transit pool which will start to fill out empty shells over the next few turns. In advance of this, I overallocated air assets to the various TBs to ensure I had adequately levels of air support as the unit size halved. The VSS air group size reduces again to 20 at the start of Sep 41. Lastly, with 2 new fronts arriving last turn (central/reserve) I have reassigned all my Ground Support directives to ensure I have GS when I need it. I’m going to start being more aggressive with my VSS as I can now start relegating the i-series aircraft to reserve/TBs

3

3.png (2.5 MiB) Viewed 1260 times

A stronger than expected push from Estonia pushed my lightly defend units of the strong defensive terrain near the rivers. Further east, a ninja motorised regiment speeds through my line to cut the double rails between Moscow and Leningrad. It appears that the panzer armies I saw resting last turn were diverted east and west for these manoeuvres rather than going straight towards Lyuban (infantry still continuing through to Lyuban). I will need to pull back on the western flank to ensure I don’t get encircled.

[Veterin]

T7 - Soviet Perspective Cont...

4

4.png (2.78 MiB) Viewed 1258 times

This is my reorganised defence this turn. 27th army (light green) has been pulled back and I have created two strong points in heavy woods. If JB chooses to bypass rather than assault these strong points that will buy me more time. 8th army (blue) has shifted west and slightly north. This was to cover a gap in my far western defences as well as encourage axis forces to head in this direction. 38th (yellow) and LugaOp (dark green) have been reorganised to provide more depth and cover for the withdrawal of 22nd army (red). 22nd army has been redeployed east to cover the new advance through Valdai hills. The motorised regiment has been isolated and I have created some depth between that unit and the rest of the axis forces so hopefully I can destroy it next turn, a small consolidation prize for having my double rails cut.

5

5.png (241.15 KiB) Viewed 1258 times

With Smolensk fallen, JB continues to advance through the clear terrain following the river to Vyazma. It is difficult to defend this terrain so all I can do is slow him down and hug those forces from better defensive terrain to limit their MPs. I have a little surprise ready if his panzer elements rush ahead at Vyazma with 3 tank divisions and 1 mech divisions sitting on a deposit with refit for a number of turns. None of these units are full TOE yet however they have been gaining experience each turn increasing their CV power. I have noticed he’s being more cautious with his panzer elements pulling them back where he can. Along the front I continue to take back and then retreat from empty hexes to mitigate administrative movement.

[jasonbroomer]

T8 Axis AGN

T8 AGN has a lot to do.png (3.39 MiB) Viewed 1208 times

Air recon indicates deep defences and we are into rough country so this will be a slow grind. There will be plenty of battles so let's call up our best infantry general, say hello General Model

T8 AGN nice start Model.png (3.69 MiB) Viewed 1208 times

Nice start! . The LfW is now coming back into operation as supply lines catch up in the north. The stukas were helpful in this battle

T8 AGN Stukas helped alot.png (3.29 MiB) Viewed 1208 times

[jasonbroomer]

T8 AGN cont

Despite the overwhelming victories, progress is slow is this terrible terrain

T8 AGN getting through this bad patch of terrain.png (3.85 MiB) Viewed 1204 times

A little south we consider a rescue mission for the noble 2/20th motorised, however, this looks impossible. Their sacrifice is for the fatherland! The 20th Panzer is withdrawn for the main thrust.

T8 AGN sacrifice for the fatherland.png (1.44 MiB) Viewed 1204 times

I had now done some research on the Soviet position, it seems that they are unable to build rail repair units before turn 15 or 16, so the 2/20th sacrifice will have deeper implications than I first estimated. T16 usually spells the arrival of heavy mud in the area, so we can campaign against a Soviet army facing rare supply issues. We must take advantage of this and throw everything we have at Leningrad. If we don't take it, we will face an early defeat.

Annoyingly, we have more rain forecasted next turn, this will be unhelpful. I was hoping that as we had rain in July, we would be spared it in August. Sadly not

T8 Rain and more rain.png (722.88 KiB) Viewed 1193 times

[jasonbroomer]

T8 Axis AGC

Its always nice to pick up an undamaged rail yard and here VL is abandoned

T8 AGCVL abandoned.png (3.92 MiB) Viewed 1198 times

However, the Soviets face a Hobon's choice, if they don't retreat they risk being isolated. Here we lock up a nice haul.

T8 AGC 3td Pz lockup 3-40k, advance 10 miles and threaten flanks of marshes RHS of Smolensk.png (3.02 MiB) Viewed 1198 times

2nd Pz pauses as it considers its options before once again venturing into a supply desert

T8 AGC 2nd Pz rest beofre setting out into supply desert.png (3.34 MiB) Viewed 1198 times

[jasonbroomer]

t8 Axis AGS

1st Pz presses forward facing light opposition

T8 AGS 1st Pz advances.png (1.69 MiB) Viewed 1196 times

Further south elements cross the Dneper, opening the way to the Crimea

T8 AGS 1st Pz breaks through and flanks Dneper line.png (1.47 MiB) Viewed 1196 times

[Veterin]

T8 - Soviet Perspective

1

1.png (2.27 MiB) Viewed 1167 times

This screenshot is taken before my recon but it looks like JB has pulled back motorised elements from Valdai Hills as the primary goal would have been to cut off the double rails. My defence is thinning in critical parts of the Leningrad defence so I need to reorganise and potentially pull back on the western flank to avoid being encircled.

2

2.png (1.59 MiB) Viewed 1167 times

In an unexpected move, AGC panzers have moved westward to encircle a number of units north of the land bridge. 5 divisions (2 full strength, 3 half strength) are encircled and will surely perish next turn. Whilst this does release some pressure on Vyazma this does open up another line of advance towards Rzhev which will come with VPs too. Across the various advances over the last two turns I’ve noticed JB being more conservative, happy to take less ground if it means not exposing his panzers. Supply is probably another factor given his quick advance so far.

3

3.png (486.82 KiB) Viewed 1167 times

Naturally my first movement of ground phase had to be to seek revenge on the motorised regiment that broke the double rails to Leningrad. It’s a small consolation prize but 4.8k manpower, 48 guns and 771 vehicles killed/captured is always nice to see.

4

4.png (213.23 KiB) Viewed 1167 times

I’ve started to attack infantry regiments where I am able to do so. JB is using infantry regiments to hold defensive terrain so that divisional strength units can be concentrated where he is pushing. Whilst not huge from a damage perspective, this does start to weaken out his infantry and in particular, their guns as they retreat as well as building up wins for guard conversions.

I am being relatively aggressive this turn as I really need to slow down the advance or I could lose by early VP thresholds. I identified an opportunity north east of Smolensk. I have a number of high CPP infantry nearby so I decided to do a limited offensive to push the frontline back.