Re: The Grozny Gambit: RtC tournament final, K62 Axis
Posted: Wed May 24, 2023 8:40 pm
Congratulations to K62 for the convincing victory and clever gameplay.
I was the one at the mostly receiving end. It was a tough game for the Soviets. In the opening week, most of the front armies were cut off and destroyed. So I had little to start building defense lines with from start. The only resonable decision would be to focus on the defense of the primary victory places by the Black sea and of course Baku, and the other victory cities in the east.
Decided on a forward defense line, primarily along the Cherek Balkarskiy rivers covering the vic locations. Also to hopefully have little more time to build defenses up around the cities. Hoped for the Panzers to wait for the infantry to move up, but instead found the panzers soon on the steppes to the north threatening to by pass my defense lines. And instead of immediately order a withdraw of the forward lines, I calculated there might be some prospect to do some counter attacks. Looked promising, on paper, but was no so bright idea when the German panzers began infiltrating and isolate the forward armies. With low combat strength, and low supply my demoralized hungry troops would soon be marching off to prison camps.
On the Black Sea front, It was not looking much brighter. Due to the early loss of all the front armies, little was left for a possible defense along the Kuban river. So instead the defense of the vic cities at the coast was the main priority, The Axis crossing of the Kerch strait also given up for lack of forces.
With the looming collapse of the Caspian Front an new strategy was formed. First priority would be to halt the Axis onslaught before it reached Grozny and Makhachkala at the Caspian sea. Second goal was to create a striking force on the Black Sea Front, with the aim of taking or minimum threatening The German held vic places in the area. Thereby also hoping to force the The Germans to move reinforcements from other sectors and weakening them there.
The offensive was launched just in the beginning of the autumn rain season, initially making good progress. However It was soon discovered that there was significant forces in place behind the front lines to trash my plans (I had too few rec planes in the area). After some maneuvers and assaults to soften up and hoping to displace the Romanians and Germans, I halted the offensive and began going on the defense again. In the meantime the Germans broke through my defenses and managed to take the coastal city of Tuapse. Had expected the defense to hold but but it was not the case. No medals handed out there.
At the Caspian Sea front, my defense lines was penetrated and the panzers moving behind again. A failed city defense of Makhachkala. My last defense lines was also broken. Too little and too late. Another pocket. Desperate defense of baku. The Soviet troops just seems to have been given up to fight.
The end, Defeat, Gulag. But it was worth playing, very learning full for me. I learned something about infiltration movement in this game which I had not been aware before. Also if all the Soviet armies are destroyed/captured in the first weeks, better run and start digging far away!
In my mirror game with k62, with me playing German side, I made a sloppy first turn and allowed the Soviet armies, most of them, to get away. And instead of running away they turned around and just stood still. Decided to try move around them and race for the Caspian sea across the steppes, but The whole of 1st Panzer Armee was cut off from supplies, and they soon had to fight for survival. very clever played by K62. The whole thing was moving in a dramatic bad direction for me, and given the historical setting, possible a bit off the track, So i decided to resign that match.
But im glad I played this match to the end, interesting result. And again congrats to K62 for the victory!
Beamslam
I was the one at the mostly receiving end. It was a tough game for the Soviets. In the opening week, most of the front armies were cut off and destroyed. So I had little to start building defense lines with from start. The only resonable decision would be to focus on the defense of the primary victory places by the Black sea and of course Baku, and the other victory cities in the east.
Decided on a forward defense line, primarily along the Cherek Balkarskiy rivers covering the vic locations. Also to hopefully have little more time to build defenses up around the cities. Hoped for the Panzers to wait for the infantry to move up, but instead found the panzers soon on the steppes to the north threatening to by pass my defense lines. And instead of immediately order a withdraw of the forward lines, I calculated there might be some prospect to do some counter attacks. Looked promising, on paper, but was no so bright idea when the German panzers began infiltrating and isolate the forward armies. With low combat strength, and low supply my demoralized hungry troops would soon be marching off to prison camps.
On the Black Sea front, It was not looking much brighter. Due to the early loss of all the front armies, little was left for a possible defense along the Kuban river. So instead the defense of the vic cities at the coast was the main priority, The Axis crossing of the Kerch strait also given up for lack of forces.
With the looming collapse of the Caspian Front an new strategy was formed. First priority would be to halt the Axis onslaught before it reached Grozny and Makhachkala at the Caspian sea. Second goal was to create a striking force on the Black Sea Front, with the aim of taking or minimum threatening The German held vic places in the area. Thereby also hoping to force the The Germans to move reinforcements from other sectors and weakening them there.
The offensive was launched just in the beginning of the autumn rain season, initially making good progress. However It was soon discovered that there was significant forces in place behind the front lines to trash my plans (I had too few rec planes in the area). After some maneuvers and assaults to soften up and hoping to displace the Romanians and Germans, I halted the offensive and began going on the defense again. In the meantime the Germans broke through my defenses and managed to take the coastal city of Tuapse. Had expected the defense to hold but but it was not the case. No medals handed out there.
At the Caspian Sea front, my defense lines was penetrated and the panzers moving behind again. A failed city defense of Makhachkala. My last defense lines was also broken. Too little and too late. Another pocket. Desperate defense of baku. The Soviet troops just seems to have been given up to fight.
The end, Defeat, Gulag. But it was worth playing, very learning full for me. I learned something about infiltration movement in this game which I had not been aware before. Also if all the Soviet armies are destroyed/captured in the first weeks, better run and start digging far away!
In my mirror game with k62, with me playing German side, I made a sloppy first turn and allowed the Soviet armies, most of them, to get away. And instead of running away they turned around and just stood still. Decided to try move around them and race for the Caspian sea across the steppes, but The whole of 1st Panzer Armee was cut off from supplies, and they soon had to fight for survival. very clever played by K62. The whole thing was moving in a dramatic bad direction for me, and given the historical setting, possible a bit off the track, So i decided to resign that match.
But im glad I played this match to the end, interesting result. And again congrats to K62 for the victory!
Beamslam