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

[TulliusDetritus]

[center]Turn 113[/center]
[center]12 August 1943[/center]

Ok [8D]

Up north I should be unleashing some hell and capture the hexes I need. Then I might repair the rail hexes and keep trashing the Finns that cowardly escaped towards the north. And this we can't have it!

Two armies (the 7th and 23rd) are waiting without anything better to do. And they smell blood, as only mere 1:1 [terrorized] ants await up north!

Near Tula Marquo keeps retreating, leaving buffer hexes behind. And finally in the south the scummy Axis forces are leaving the wrong side of the river and plan (I guess) to hide behind this aforementioned river near Rostov.

A screenshot is worth a thousand words so here you have it. Pre Soviet moves but recon planes already used.

[TulliusDetritus]

ORIGINAL: Wuffer

like you additional mech corps as long as you could spare the trucks. The result of the unlucky 5th Tank army would have been quite different if there had been two mech XXX
btw, someone advocates somewhere (I forget) to simply rout German units, particularly panzers, instead of mostly unsuccessful pockets - which has proved very effectice in my humple experience.

I don't think I can't spare the trucks, but the Red Army is basically short on trucks so... [:)]

Yes, I guess routing them panzers is better given that so far he's always pushed me back (I mean, no annihilation as yet). And a routed panzer thing has to be a good thing, indeed. I will try to remember that [:)]

Anyway I will follow this rule of thumb: each Tank Army will only get 2 x Tank Corps + 1 x Mechanized Corps. As per history and CPs available.

In fact some if not all the Tank Armies are overloaded, have more than 3 corps. When I can afford it I will fix that, reassigning the excess of corps to Stavka, which thus be sent to wherever they might be needed (always attached to Fronts though).

[TulliusDetritus]

And along with the Rifle Corps I keep harvesting Tank and Mechanized Corps... Now I have five of each (I mean recently harvested, refitting in the rear).

To have the eleven historical mechanized corps I have to "merge" 9 mechanized brigades and that's it: 60 APs that is and we're done.

As for Tank Corps I currently have 21.

[TulliusDetritus]

Ok, first round up north. Five rifle corps + some divisional units, the lot of them backed by 7 Artillery brigades striked... er... a fiasco [:D]

But I brought the armoured hordes aka the 2nd Tank Army (3 corps) and along with some infantry units and artillery brigades with MPs left striked again. The enemy chickens ran away this time! One more hex and we are done

Losses, basically Red Army: 3.000 men; Wehrmacht & friends: 2.000 [8D]

[TulliusDetritus]

Ok... I have sent Marquo the resignation letter [:)]

I see no point in continuing. As I see it, Marquo had his two years of fun: the two summer offensives (1941-1942).

But all I will have is pushing my not-so strong army to... Warsaw? Not really my cup of tea as each turn would be a sort of torture. And we play for fun.

I will NOT mention / blame the game. Marquo has simply won fair and square. Period [:)]

Thank you everyone for all the kind advices, comments, etc. [8D]

[hfarrish]

Just out of curiosity, any chance you could post a full shot of the situation and OOBs as of the end?

No shame in playing through the really hard part and ending things now. I'm sure Marquo would agree.

[Klydon]

Still a very entertaining read as always TD. I really appreciate the amount of work you put into these. Makes them "must read" to me. [:)]

[TulliusDetritus]

ORIGINAL: hfarrish
Just out of curiosity, any chance you could post a full shot of the situation and OOBs as of the end?

Of course [:)]

[TulliusDetritus]

And the map.

[mmarquo]

I have with regret and some pangs of remorse accepted TD's terms of peace. Remorse because he is a true gentleman and I will miss his witty email correspondance. He is the epitome of the perfect opponent.

From my POV I attempted a "southern" approach to the game: capture as many manpower producing locals as possible. Stalingrad and other places east fell in the spring of 1942. This, coupled with a relentless "grinding"strategy seems to have paid off. While Berlin will not fall, I am sure that the game was going to end in a draw, perhaps minor Axis victory.

A public tip of the tip and expression of gratitute to mon cher ami, TD. [&o]

Marquo

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

Thanks for nice game and AAR guys! [:)]


Leo "Apollo11"

[hfarrish]

ORIGINAL: TulliusDetritus

Of course [:)]

Spaseebo Bolshoi!

[cpt flam]

Many thanks for an interesting game.
Hope to see you later make another one.