Stalin's fired, I'm in charge! III 1/2- Tullius (Soviet) vs Marquo (Axis)

[TulliusDetritus]

But of course I have been putting the credit card to good use!

The support units I had created last turn were spreaded among the rifle corps. And I have created MORE rifle corps.

[TulliusDetritus]

I had said some nasty bullies were sent to the north. I am talking about the three airborne divisions... Don't let the numbers fool you Mud, but the real offensive CVs are 4. Yes, these units are highly trained and have very high morale.

I'm also bringing three artillery brigades to convince the stubborn enemies that refuse to leave the area I'm planning to swallow!

So let Operation Crazy Dmitri commence!

[TulliusDetritus]

[center]Turn 102[/center]
[center]27 May 1943[/center]

ORIGINAL: TulliusDetritus
Oh, and up north I definitely send three scary bullies... Enough is enough

Yes, "enough is enough"...! And that's exactly what Marquo was thinking [:D]

He's finally sent REAL bullies to protect the Finns. Four panzer divisions, one motorized division and one motorized brigade appeared from nowhere and basically trashed the 23rd Army.

But if I am not mistaken these are good news he he he...

[TulliusDetritus]

Dispositions. First of all, the army in the northern tip (the 7th) withdraws some hexes. They are really far from railheads anyway.

I had in this area the three Guards Airborne Divisions (that in theory should have scared him. They possibly did that [:D]). I had also said that I was keeping a tank army to support the fronts in the north, in case of enemy agressive moves, which I did not expect by the way, as there is nothing interesting here: forests and then more forests.

Therefore I am dispatching these armored hordes to the north: the 2nd Tank Army that is: 3 x Tank Corps + 1 x Mechanized Corps (overloaded I know).

And finally a Stavka Reserve Army has been dispatched too: the 39th (1 x Rifle Corps + 5 x Rifle Divisions).

I will try the same (or maybe not [:D]) to reach the Volkhov hex and thus cut him in two, his armored hordes more or less "trapped" in the north.

[TulliusDetritus]

And these are good news (I think) because -along with other events- it shows Marquo won't be conducting any offensive apparently. So this will be Scenario #5 = [Axis] do nothing, defend [8D]

These other events: in the offensive area (aka Operation Crazy Ivan) some broken panzer regiments have shown up in some battles, as reserves. Yes, there is a small carpet of German units behind the frontline.

That makes me think he plans to use the armored units as a defensive tool.

And first direct consequence: in this scenario I could be able to use some tank armies in the offensive area (they were waiting for hypothetical offensive enemy moves), to fully recreate the soviet doctrine: 1st echelon strikes -> 2nd echelon advances and strikes -> armored hordes advance and strike.

In fact I have already done this this turn. The 1st Tank Army appeared, trashing a German division. Die pigs die!

[Klydon]

Wow. He basically sent up two panzer corps. That is some serious bully action, but if he wants to party with armor in that terrain and at the extreme end of the line, more power to him.

I wonder how long he will hang out there, because I do like the idea of making the short drive to the lake to cut those armored units off up there. He can get them back through or around, but it will take some time.

[TulliusDetritus]

I suspect he simply wants a solid line everywhere [8D]

He has clearly understood the Finns have nothing to do here (the poor things [:D]) so he is trying to strenghten this weak spot. To have a "solid" line everywhere that is.

That's how I see it. Because an offensive really up north does not make any sense. Or I am missing something.

[TulliusDetritus]

As I had said some moons ago here is the whole front, close view.

Part I

[TulliusDetritus]

Part II

[TulliusDetritus]

And finally Part III

[CowboyRonin]

In the series of screenshots above, I noticed a pocket of Volkhov Front mobile units behind a line of Northwest Front infantry. Are those there as reserves, and, if so, does the chain of command issue hurt reserve activation?

[randallw]

I notice that sometimes my guys facing the Finns suffer attrition without getting much in replacements....probably terrain eats up the range from the railhead. I recently noticed that sometimes my northernmost HQ runs out of supplies; how is your 7th ( Independent ) Army HQ doing? ( if it's empty, that's trouble! )

[TulliusDetritus]

ORIGINAL: CowboyRonin
In the series of screenshots above, I noticed a pocket of Volkhov Front mobile units behind a line of Northwest Front infantry. Are those there as reserves, and, if so, does the chain of command issue hurt reserve activation?

Hmm, yes, I see the units you are talking about. If they had to fight, yes, there would be command penalties. Anyway, er, this "alcoholic mob" (as I had accurately described them), is not supposed to see any fight [8D]

Cavarly divisions and tank brigades that is. I had pulled them back in spring 42 IIRC. I was supposed to form cavalry and tank corps with them... But, I did not have APs left: I had to rebuild the Red Army. And now I am trying to upgrade to the v 2.0.

When I sent them there they were supposed to attract Marquo's attention, which I doubt they did by the way [:D] But in any case they would be doing something "useful", instead of sitting idle.

In the end it's the attack up north against the Finns that has finally attracted Marquo's hordes, so fair enough. And by the way, when I started trashing them Finns I was not thinking about that at all. I simply er, wanted to have a good laugh, that's all [:D]

In any case, sooner or later I will merge these alcoholic bast*rds and thus form some more cavarly and tank corps. On the next months I guess.

[TulliusDetritus]

Randall, not sure something is wrong with these 7th Army guys. There's no big difference between this army and many other armies.

I have to admit that I am not checking these numbers. I never do that, to be honest. Either they are ready to die for ME (as opposed to Mother Russia) or they can go screw themselves!

I'm here to win (or lose for that matter ) a war, the guys in the rear better send the vodka, potatoes and accordions. Because it's THEIR job.

[TulliusDetritus]

[center]Turn 104[/center]
[center]10 June 1943[/center]

Not a proper update as there is mud everywhere. But I am about to launch er, Operation Crazy Anatoly [:D]

Now just let's hope I won't be running out of names! [8|]

As Klydon had said -and it's common sense and in fact it's what the Stavka always did- you have to launch minor and yet somewhat powerful offensives in other parts of the front. To tie German reserves basically and therefore to make sure the main offensive (in my case, the infamous Operation Crazy Ivan) is more or less successful. In any case I can't allow Marquo to deploy all his reserves in the major offensive area.

Sooooooo... you better look at the screenshot as a picture is worth a thousand words.

If anything, I will say that if it works (and it should work as Marquo is rather busy elsewhere ) this would definitely protect the Caucasus. Then the Stalino area should be in my radar.

[TulliusDetritus]

To help in this operation I am dispatching the 1st Shock Army (two rifle Corps but three on next turn) and the 5th Tank Army.

And I am sending ALL the artillery divisions not already engaged in the main offensive... Only six artillery / breakthrough divisions that is, which goes to show I am really massing them artillery / rocket things in the major effort. As it should be [8D]

I think that all these forces could succeed but we will see. I still have two non committed Stavka Reserve Armies: the 32nd and 58th, with plenty of corps, especially Guards (the 58th). And not counting individual divisions I could divert from quiet fronts (but here I have to pay APs).

[TulliusDetritus]

As for up north or Operation Crazy Dmitri, I think Marquo thought he caught me off guard. This is what he wrote when he sent the turn 103:

"I am hoping that this turn may be a bit more challenging for you".

Not really [:)] I am pretty certain the reserves I brought should have stopped him cold. Let's hope I don't have to swallow these words later!

In any case, I reactivate the primitive plan for my artillery brigades. I send them up north (along with cavalry divisions) to terrorize the Finns. In theory I could be able to create a big mess if I manage to inflitrate the flanks of these weak, defenseless units

[Klydon]

The operation in the south should be interesting from the standpoint that you got a nice soft spot in the line there between a unfortified hex and then Luftwaffe troops to the north next to Hungarians.

Too bad he pulled his panzers a bit to the south, but they are still there and now accounted for.

Don't forget you can use a pile of recon in certain areas to sort of "stimulate" German interest in a given spot to keep him guessing further. [:D]

[TulliusDetritus]

[center]Turn 105[/center]
[center]17 June 1943[/center]

Ok, now everything is set up. We just need to find a good excuse, start the whole thing and bang... fast, treacherous kick in the groin!

[TulliusDetritus]

Anyway, as for excuses, I have plenty of them! He's dared to do some agressive moves!

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