War Reports from the Eastern Front: Carnage vs Redmarkus

[MrLongleg]

I think the biggest threat for the German is a downward spiral in moral and combat value. You are still in the early stages, but as soon as the front breaks expect those divisions to be down to 5K to 7K men and no fighting power left. If you still try (or have to) fight with those divisions they get kicked around the map like cans on the road. Moreover if you have no fortifications in the back (you do have some) even fresh reserves have zero combat value.

[Flaviusx]

Needs more cavalry!

Carnage, you are so lucky he threw that away.

[CarnageINC]

ORIGINAL: Haudrauf1962

I think the biggest threat for the German is a downward spiral in moral and combat value. You are still in the early stages, but as soon as the front breaks expect those divisions to be down to 5K to 7K men and no fighting power left. If you still try (or have to) fight with those divisions they get kicked around the map like cans on the road. Moreover if you have no fortifications in the back (you do have some) even fresh reserves have zero combat value.

I'll keep this in mind. I can do only what I can do with what i have. At least I do have some defensive positions to fall back to for awhile. I'm finding his offensive...so far...not that hard to counter. I'm getting some seams opening up but so far I have plenty of reserves to counter them...so far. [&:]

ORIGINAL: Flaviusx

Needs more cavalry!

Carnage, you are so lucky he threw that away.

This is coming to a end. I'm got the turn back and I notice a dramatic increase in his cav numbers on the front. I don't think he knows how to use them yet and I pray he doesn't catch on to. Otherwise my reserves will dwindle to nothing. I hate using my panzer's for such actions...hate it! [:@]

[randallw]

It seems like you are concentrating your mountain divisions instead of spacing them out a teeny bit for ZOC value.

[CarnageINC]

ORIGINAL: randallw

It seems like you are concentrating your mountain divisions instead of spacing them out a teeny bit for ZOC value.

I've already noted this on the new map I'm making. I'm looking for ways to withdraw them from the front so they can be used as fire brigade units again.

[CarnageINC]

This a quick turn around for both of us, a few hours apeice I believe. It seems that General Kreysing... I mean Generaloberst Kreysing was promoted 2 times in as many weeks. Should this be looked at it seems kind of odd to me. Some major dismissals, I guess they were can'd because of piss poor planning! [:'(]

[CarnageINC]

I did my best to analyze Reds intentions for the increase of mobile units I see are appearing. I hope this does not signify some increase in his offensive capabilities. Also I did a more detail scaled map this time. Got 99% of the front in one concise map! A whole lot of 1 defensive CV down south [:(]. I'm almost to their defensive line so that should help along with the January drop in his offensive capability or is that a increase in my defensive capability?

Major thing I need to try and do is get my mountain divisions off line and back to fire brigade duties where they will be needed in the future I'm foreseeing. 9 more turns to go! Come on...get here quickly!

Oh...by the way...Merry Christmas to my troopers, they need some visits from Santa Clause [:'(]

[randallw]

ORIGINAL: CarnageINC

This a quick turn around for both of us, a few hours apeice I believe. It seems that General Kreysing... I mean Generaloberst Kreysing was promoted 2 times in as many weeks. Should this be looked at it seems kind of odd to me. Some major dismissals, I guess they were can'd because of piss poor planning! [:'(]

It is probably a coincidence that Kreysing owns a Mercedes Benz dealership, and a few people in OKH have been seen driving new cars.

[CarnageINC]

Here is the lastest SITREP map for the entire front. I'm staring to burn through my reserves at a higher rate than I wanted to. 4th and 3rd Panzer groups must go out to the front. 16th Armee is starting to fall apart. I have 6 out of 8 divisions unready along the front. More and more divisions along the entire theater are becoming unready. When I played my AI winter game I don't think I had this many.

I have reached a crises point in the north. The south is slowly getting there. Next turn is turn 30 with 8 full turns of offensive for Red to punish me more. I'm starting to think that holding the front is going to be impossible. I'm going to have to start to run in the north I think. I have 4 new divisions coming to the rescue in the next few weeks so that will help relieve the north somewhat. If it does then I will focus on the 6th Armee AO for new reinforcements.

[Flaviusx]

He still really isn't using his cavalry as well as he could.

I knew the area south of Lake Illmen was going to be a problem child from the getgo. No forts.

You may need to go on a fort shopping spree up north. Don't know what your AP situation looks like.

If the south continues to stabilize you might want to pull some mountain units from there and send them to AGN. This is really your weak spot right now.

Note that the area northeast of Velukie Luki is a supply vacuum. If you can keep it together for another month and drag him into this area, he's going to run out of gas in February.

[Klydon]

In a word: ouch!

[Josh]

ORIGINAL: Klydon

In a word: ouch!

Well indeed. Here I was thinking Redmarkus was a goner a few turns back, and look at him now.... Just shows you how careful you have to prepare yourself for the winter, those armoured units should be in cities and not at the front where they'll burn up. Coming spring they'll be in bad shape. I'm very curious as to what '42 will bring.

[MrLongleg]

ORIGINAL: Josh

ORIGINAL: Klydon

In a word: ouch!

Well indeed. Here I was thinking Redmarkus was a goner a few turns back, and look at him now.... Just shows you how careful you have to prepare yourself for the winter, those armoured units should be in cities and not at the front where they'll burn up. Coming spring they'll be in bad shape. I'm very curious as to what '42 will bring.

For a preview just look at my AAR against Miller41 - not pretty at all. I still think Carnage will come out a bit better because he was able to kill more Russians before the winter.

[raizer]

He needs those cav units just 1 hex back instead of up on the line slugging it out. In a pbem I just sent a bunch of cav roaming around in the axis rear and they rolled up 2 airbases-not much but they cause the axis to deal with them, in the opposite direction

[CarnageINC]

ORIGINAL: Josh

Well indeed. Here I was thinking Redmarkus was a goner a few turns back, and look at him now.... Just shows you how careful you have to prepare yourself for the winter, those armoured units should be in cities and not at the front where they'll burn up. Coming spring they'll be in bad shape. I'm very curious as to what '42 will bring.

I really don't have a choice in the matter of using my panzer's up. Letting Red break through and encircling my units is not an option...repeat...not an option. I would rather burn them up then have the front break apart and have a full scale retreat. In addition I have yet to loose a division, but he's getting better at pinching them in.

So far I'm holding Red rather well I think. This latest turn he is getting better at breaking through my lines with his armor, since he doesn't use his cav well. Either he's learning or getting help from advice. That all well and good for him, bad for me [:D].

I've managed to stabilize the Leningrad front, but can't move anything yet because I...well...just can't...lol.
South of the lake by Novgorod I might save, I got 3rd Pz Armee in place and 6th Corps is arriving and will be in place in a week with more troops on the way. Moscow front is also starting to stabilize but he's pushing me back slowly. Bryansk front is starting to look like 16th Army by Novgorod and is coming apart at the seams. 2nd Panzer Armee is being dispatched to save that area. Kursk and Kharkov are also slowly unraveling. I still have some panzer reserves in the form of 1st Panzer Armee. Stalino Front is starting to stabilize mostly in part to the deeper defensive field I have in place. I'm still losing ground but not that bad. Crimean front is rock solid, he lost 6k in the last attack to my 500 men lost I believe. THIS IS SPARTA!!!

I should a have a map posted in a few hours when I find the time. Also on a good note 50% of my unready divisions have decided they want to fight for there fellow soldiers and are back on the front [:)].

[CarnageINC]

ORIGINAL: Haudrauf1962

ORIGINAL: Josh

ORIGINAL: Klydon

In a word: ouch!

Well indeed. Here I was thinking Redmarkus was a goner a few turns back, and look at him now.... Just shows you how careful you have to prepare yourself for the winter, those armoured units should be in cities and not at the front where they'll burn up. Coming spring they'll be in bad shape. I'm very curious as to what '42 will bring.

For a preview just look at my AAR against Miller41 - not pretty at all. I still think Carnage will come out a bit better because he was able to kill more Russians before the winter.

True, I believe I was 3.4 Million in total. Plus I hunkered down where you went all banzai on miller till the end....very gutsy.

[Klydon]

Yeah, the armor brigades are fairly underwhelming because they have to pay the penalty to move through enemy controlled territory and also do not convert enemy hexes around them like a cav division would do. Big difference.

It is sort of interesting in this AAR that the Soviet got mauled badly in the first part of the game and has recovered well enough to launch a good winter campaign and it is now the German's turn to get mauled pretty well. The Germans should still get a good recovery in the spring, but man the Soviets are going to be on some really good defensive terrain in the upper center and north.

[CarnageINC]

Here are turn 30 numbers of troops

[CarnageINC]

Casualties so far

[CarnageINC]

Here is the front line trace, not to bad but still worse than history. I really think that the first winter is a bit harsh so far. I prepared well in advance and I'm being pushed back on average about 70 miles in the first 5 weeks, that is way off from history where 100-120 miles in some locations was the max the Russians pushed back in all of their winter campaign. But maybe he is getting worn down...I hope so its becoming more and more difficult to keep the front together.