TopEverest vs Admiral Kamikaze - the rematch

[sillyflower]

Extraordinary!

[topeverest]

Thanks for the comments and advice.

unfortunately, I had to do more counterattacking this turn more than I wanted to. I am quickly seeing the costs of these withering attacks. I can only hope that they don't cause a huge breakthrough. My goals in the attacks were to drive enemy morale, combat values, supply, movement points, and to save units. I did quite a bit of bombing of HQ's too.

Clearly, I don't want to do as much in the near future! Lets see if it really costs me.

Turn 7 -
1. Germans manage to pocket a couple dozen divisions near Smolensk. Reds launch withering counterattack and at least temporarily save half of the divisions, brushing aside the pincer. Still probably lose many of those divisions. The one upside is that the enemy army group is nearly all red morale now and I have pushed bac some of the units with units that on a coupon basis are vastly inferior. But I take the feedback seriously. I am - of course - curious how aggressive the enemy will be with an entire army group with low morale.
2. There was another large scrum on the Dnieper south of kiev. the ruskies and Germans played te same attrition game, and much or that enemy army group suffered from lower morales. Only time can tell how effective and if that is a win for the enemy or the Russians.
3. On the approaches to Leningrad the enemy pushed a couple hexes frther into the marsh and are about past the lake. I did not build forts early enough and expect to lose Leningrad. only a miracle can save her now.
4. I began building defenses at Moscow including spending APs on a bunch of forts. I also pushed up about 5 armies worth of reinforcements to the MLR to broaden the defense in depth.

[topeverest]

Pravda published this on page two!!!

[topeverest]

Loosely translated - stop running in front of moving cars!

[topeverest]

Enemy does a slog approach. I do a couple counterattacks which probably were a bad idea just to grind morale


The displayed Russian victory highlights an issue I have - why aren't my fighters supporting my bombers in these defensive situations

[topeverest]

Russians expended quite a bit of men and material this last turn around Smolensk, prompted by the pincer encirclement of a couple dozen divisions. I decided to counterattack and bring up reinforcements rather than let the several armies go. Only 10 divisions are still in the pocket - but of course his turn in next.

I also bombed every HQ for all it was worth to reduce effectiveness.

I would actually prefer a major battle in the pocket rather than pushing east. 9 more turns until mud!

[topeverest]

Germans have fought in the scrum for three turns and are effectively past kiev / moving east very slow under heavy resistance. Lots of moral grinding fighting. risks still exist because of the number of units the enemy has.

Note the lack of army integrity. Havent had the points to completely fix. hoping next turn.

[topeverest]

HERE is the grand view...

[topeverest]

Obviously Ruskies are way behind considering units doomed in first several turns.

[topeverest]

Germans engage in heavy combat across the line, with heavy casualties for Russians, creating the single largest turn of German casualties.
1. As expected the Axis blew a hole in the in the thin defenses on the south side of Lake Peipus and exploited east. The lead elements are four hexes from Leningrad. No pocket was created
2. Germans constrict the Smolensk pocket, trapping 13 divisions. 12 more get away. general eastward advance towards Moscow
3. Axis create a double pincer north and south of Cherkassey

Russian turn expended in withdrawing and straightening the line so that pocketing isn't easy. I also reorganized armies and fronts for a solid army structure with all units in command range.

[topeverest]

Here is a pictograph of that winning Germans bustthrough attack near Leningrad. Not much I could do. I ran out of unit density.

[topeverest]

Germnay pushed forward with general linear attack and finished closing the Smolensk pocket. Half of te pocketed divisions ended up getting away. The remainder will hold on as long as possible.

[topeverest]

Germans develop double pincer but do not close it. Russians withdrawal in good order and reorganize

[topeverest]

Turn 9 had the same basic themes of the prior 2 turns.
1. Leningrad isolated
2. continued push to Moscow
3. Continued SE push towards Rostov

The passive Russian status over the last few turns combined with the defense in depth is forcing the enemy for fight units in forts, materially slowing him down. But he continues to try to conduct pincer movements, which I have no meaningful answer other than retreat. The Russian air force has completely removed the biplanes and old fighters from its mix and begun the unit rotation as morale falls below 50. The building around Moscow and Sevastopol continues and should make for very slow progress. 6 more turns of good weather suggests I will have to take back Moscow in the winter counteroffensive. To date I have only lost factories in Minsc - all other threatened factories have been moved

[topeverest]

Here is the isolation picture. I noted the effectitve strength of the isolated units and supply. Which they are by far the strongest in the game. I am hoping it takes him 3- weeks to reduce.
Depends on if he pushes armor beyond the city or uses it to reduce it.

[topeverest]

Here is the current Moscow view. Looking more like Moscow goes down before the weather falls.

[topeverest]

Here is the 30,000 foot view of the main German actions.

[topeverest]

Same fiddle was played this last turn no new tactics by the enemy.

A little insight how I run my turn -
1. air units - move low morale units to the national reserve, and pull back in good units, do upgrades
2. strategic movement - units refitting are moved to staging areas - at present all are going to Moscow, note don't move them until their morale shows up green
3. factory evacuation - use remaining rail points to move as much as possible
4. move vacant army commands to staging areas
5 move troops - maintain defense in depth (3 hexes desired + where enemy is in pincer mode
6. counterattack distinct hexes only where it is likely I can win and leave token units behind where enemy has to attack hex
7. withdrawal slow enough that forts always in play
8. relocate airbases and HQs

[topeverest]

So I feel as good as I can about the isolated fortress - time will tell what enemy will do, as they don't have the forces amassed to take her head on.

[topeverest]

I figure the battle of Moscow begins with the first turn of September. Loo below for my current dispositions and plans. WIll be bringing all available troops to the sector throughout September. have already begun evacuating some industry in the event she falls.

I am hoping to hold out until the end of the good weather at the end of Sepember, and then plan from there.