A tale of three cities (hooooper vs Bomazz)

[hooooper_slith]

Leningrad is holding for now, but if he really wants to take it he can, but it'll have to be the hard way. An AP crunch, huh? I'll check out the game you mention ...

[Peltonx]

Is it me or has most of the better players not even hardly played past March 42?

Personally I like to kick Bomazz around when hes done with you. I think I can kick his ass.

AP crunch explained



tm.asp?m=3203444

MT probably to chicken to play him

[hooooper_slith]

Turn 16

Disaster on the Leningrad Front. The backdoor is blown open by repeated attacks by German infantry, despite heroic resistance by the men of 23rd Army and the Voyenno-Vozdushnye Sily. Fortunately we had the foresight to construct strong last ditch defences at Osinovets, which can only be attacked from a restricted front. Stavka orders an immediate counter attack to restore the situations.

[hooooper_slith]

In the Valdai-north Moscow sector, third and fourth panzer groups continue their outflanking drive, which is, however, contained for the present.

[hooooper_slith]

Moscow-Tula front. This sector is once again the focus of the German effort. The combined forces of first and second panzer groups drives 60 miles through weak forces on the southern flank. The situation of the capital, and the greater part of three fronts, is now critical.

[hooooper_slith]

In Tula itself, the end is approaching ...

[hooooper_slith]

As Leningrad and the defenders of Moscow stand on the very brink of the abyss, the three southern fronts have an relatively quiet life. The pressure continues in the Kharkov sector, but it's a gentle pressure, such as might be used to usher a goose up a ramp, compared with what is happening between Moscow and Tula.

[hooooper_slith]

The counter move at Leningrad begins with a six or seven wearing down attacks launched by cavalry and brigade-strength infantry. These are then shipped across Lake Lagoda to refit while a five division assault is launched, resulting in the closing of the back door.

[hooooper_slith]

Although this is the cause of much celebration, it is apparent to the more experienced officers that the victory is fleeting: the defences of the north bank have been wrecked in the fighting, and a renewed assault by the enemy must surely retake the ground. As the city's chances of survival into 1942 stand at one chance in three, the decision is taken to shorten the front line, so as to have as few troops as possible in the Karelian isthmus if it falls to the Germans and the perfidious Finn.

Nevertheless, Stavka takes some satisfaction in the struggle, in particular the damage suffered by the Luftwaffe in the fighting.

[hooooper_slith]

And

[hooooper_slith]

North of Moscow, the defences are put in place for the final push before the rasputitsa: a three-unit-thick carpet with the main line of resistance on the Moscow-Volga canal, manned largely by 4th Army: if they can hold then Moscow will hold, at least until the snow comes.

South of Moscow, the situation is more serious: the main line of resistance, on the Moscow river, is held by weak and inexperienced troops. The gamble is that the southern pincer, immensely strong though it is (look at those five fully gassed-up mech units waiting to exploit the inevitable breakthrough), will not be able to seal the city on its own ...

[hooooper_slith]

At Tula, the pocket is once again opened. Now it may survive throughout the mud, which may be a mixed blessing. Unfortunately, it proved impossible to gather forces to attack the cavalry division on the northern edge of the pocket: victory there may have influenced the outcome of the battle of Moscow.

[hooooper_slith]

South

[hooooper_slith]

And

[hooooper_slith]

To pass the time while we wait for the climactic Axis assualt to begin, we will have a brief prize giving ceremony before the walls of the Kremlin.

Firstly, the prize for the best air unit. It's no surprise that it comes from Leningrad, but I'm not sure how they managed to all become aces flying Great War planes ...

[hooooper_slith]

Now the generals. Out of a shortlist of Georgi Zhukov, Konstantin Rokossovsky, Nikolai Vatutin and Ivan Koniev the winner is ...

Ivan Stepanovich Konev! Despite his role in the Valdai pocket, Ivan has a victory ratio of almost 38%, and must take some of the credit for keeping the perfidious Finn in Finland.

[hooooper_slith]

Finally, let us remember the fallen .... Unfortunately General Pavlov continues to be executed, no matter how many times we replay history ...

[hooooper_slith]

Turn 17
The final assaults of Operation Barbarossa ...

In the north, a shattering blow puts the Germans through the backdoor and into the kitchen.

[hooooper_slith]

But the real action is here: as predicted, the southern pincer has pierced the Moscow river line and curled around the city to sever the eastern rail line.

[hooooper_slith]

However, this is is not as bad as it may look. Disaster has been averted by the resolute defence of the Moscow Volga canal line by the 361st and 77th rifle divisions, which stopped the northern attack cold.