Za Rodinu Soviet AAR (No Axis)

[Tarhunnas]

Turn 9 Stavka Orders from acting head honcho subcommandante Pavlov:

I moved the T-34 factory from Kharkov. We must them at least one hex away from Kharkov for another turn to get the other industry out. I also evacuated the heavy industry from Ordzhonikidzegrad (the suburb to Bryansk).

Not much reinforcements coming in this turn. The few there are, I've put some to digging in front of Moscow and garrisoned places like Rzhev, and parceled out the rest. You can take command of the STAVKA units that are behind your fronts.

NORTH:
Leningrad is not threatened, but they are moving east in the Demyansk area. We should move some forces south to cover Vyshni Volochek and establish a better defence on the line Vyshni Volochek - Novgorod. They only seem to have infantry there, but you never know. We don't want to invite a right hook for Leningrad.

In the Velike Luki area not much appears to have happened. I guess they are revving the panzers up for next turn, but I suspect they will aim them southeast.

CENTER: They are expanding their breakout east of the Dnepr no real problems here. I will continue to fall back.

SOUTH:
You need to cover Kharkov. Establish a good defence in front of Kharkov, a two deep line at least would be preferrable. In other areas, continue ro fall back and delay, using river lines wherever possible. There might be some possibilities for counterattack in the Poltava area, some of his units have low CVs, but if you attack, make sure you can attack and still establish a sufficient defence. A counterattack now and then is good to keep them cautious.

[Q-Ball]

Looks good, I wasn't quite gone yet, (leaving for vacation), but no worries.....that's about right. Those orders are fine!!!!!

RE: FORTIFICATIONS, we haven't dug much, this is true, other than Leningrad and the Crimean bottlenecks. Those have had diggers since turn 1. The Neva line is all size-4 forts. The Crimea is all size-3 and still going.

We did dig along the Dnepr, but that line is breached. We don't really have reserves to dig around Kharkov, etc, but we do have a couple units digging and training around Kharkov and the Donbas.

They are getting closer to Kharkov, so evacuating the pile of industry there is important, but I don't see how they can take it within the next couple turns. The nearest railhead is way back by Zhitomir, the Panzers there are low on fuel and show very low CVs. I also didn't notice earlier, but one of the Hungarian Brigades did surrender to us after getting cut off; that was nice!

That advance through V-L toward Vyazma.....I just don't get it. I suppose they are trying a grand encirclement between that and the penetration near Bryansk, but we have plenty of time to get out of that pincer. And in the meantime, they still aren't near Smolensk, not that that is really all that important either. It seems like they ditched Leningrad in order to go for Moscow, but they won't get Moscow. Not a chance.

I foresee them taking Kharkov and Bryansk, but I think we can evacuated all the industry first. Everything else even remotely threatened is evacuated already, including D-Town/Z-Town, which took awhile to move. In hindsight, I suppose we could have left Leningrad, but I think it doesn't produce if the Germans get in an adjacent hex, which they did......so we had to move it.

Anyway, keep going, we're fine. Our biggest problem is a complete lack of armaments, but they have the same issue.

[Tarhunnas]

Big withdrawals on the western front this turn. The bulge in front of Smolensk is indefensible and has been evacuated. A few divisions of volounteers have voted to stay and delay the invaders.

The same in the south with the Gomel bulge. Instead the fronts have been strengthened at the points were the enemy will likely aim his next thrust.

Map of Western Front after Soviet movement turn 10.

[Aussiematto]

ORIGINAL: Tarhunnas

Big withdrawals on the western front this turn. The bulge in front of Smolensk is indefensible and has been evacuated. A few divisions of volounteers have voted to stay and delay the invaders.

That seems cheerfully democratic *laughing*. More likely, for historical accuracy, they were penal battalions made up of exactly the sort of people who believe in such bourgeois niceties as voting.

Lovely comment, Tarhunnas... ranks with PDH's refusal to listen to the whining of little pixel soldiers!!

[cpt flam]

fellows comrads
I just take a look at our turn.
for me there is some "problems" with our use of aviation
you are giving ennemy many victories by using U2VS in day these are night bombers for harassment (don't expect too much at the begining)
I'm alone to have TR & bombers on night mission for our partisans (so no flys over Kiev)
hope this will not gie me a way toward Siberia [&o]

[Tarhunnas]

Turn 11.

We had a nasty situation at the western front. 10 units surrounded west of Smolensk. The RKKA is not daunted however. We do a very judicius counterattack, retreat a CV 7 motorized div and push a Soviet cavalry division in to restore supply to the surrounded comrades west of Smolensk. It is always good to have a cav div in resrve for such things, they are the Soviet unit that can penetrate zoc the farthest.

Western front after Soviet moves.

[Tarhunnas]

At Staraja Russa, there is a suspicius concentration of enemy armor. Might a right hook be in the pipeline? Soviet forces are deployed in depth to counter the threat.

[Tarhunnas]

At Kharkov, we have a really nasty situation. A panzer division has penetrated and is adjacent to the city! And the industry is still there! The only option is a furious counterattack followed by evacuation. More to come in the next installment in an AAR near you...

[cpt flam]

no possibility to counter-attack (we are full of unready units)
but I find a gap to insert a Cav and reduce their supply

[cpt flam]

another view to see a bit more (after my moves)
began to evacuate Stalino

[Tarhunnas]

ORIGINAL: cpt flam

no possibility to counter-attack (we are full of unready units)

Not possible to attack! Unready units! Now what kind of explanation is that! Lack of proper socialist fighting spirit seems more like it! Perhaps a visit from the NKVD can improve the offensive spirit? [;)]

[cpt flam]

allready turn 12
picture in the north

[cpt flam]

again some units isolated

[cpt flam]

fighting withdrawal
kharkov falled

[cpt flam]

checkerboard to gain time

[cpt flam]

made an attack against HUN X
2 Panzer HQ were stacked with

[Tarhunnas]

Turn 13.

This proved to be a real bad luck turn for the Soviets. Well, to be honest, some really good moves by the Axis team. Giant pocket in the center-south and all the Donbass lost in one stroke! Overview of front before Soviet moves but after recon.

[cpt flam]

not much made in the north

[cpt flam]

center part of the front

[cpt flam]

we are able to send some supply to our "pocketted" troops
even some germans in the same situation