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In heavy fighting the city is almost captured.

The pocket is firmly reastablished and the outer ring around Kiew broken.

Air war

In the air the German losses are not sustainable in the long run. Of course this doesn't matter, as the war will be over before christmas.

OOB

Finally Generalmajor Gehlen was able to deliver what is believed to be a very accurate account of Soviet troop strength. It is known not to be comparable with prewar wargames, as the Soviets for unknown reasons reduced the supply staff of their HQs considerably.

The Manpower screen is interesting (edited as I was just a little slow posting)
In 2x3 the Germans pushed the Soviets to Yaro.. and now winter +1 the Germans are paying a price. The Soviets ... They can retreat further and fight battles at the very end of your supply lines.

Losses

Finally the losses so far.

Turn 9 North

Finally the attack on Leningrad is about to begin. Von Leebs plan is rather simple and everything is prepared well.

The fighting is heavy and not every battle goes according to plan.

To make a comparison of games:
2x3 Soviets were at 3.9M end of turn 8 this game is at 3.4. I might propose the Soviets are in much more trouble in this game from a manpower standpoint. The difference of 500,000 men is about 70 divisions less to get in the way of the German onslaught. About equal number of Germans between games.

In the end it proves impossible to capture Shlisselburg, but the rail line is broken and the Volkov only guarded by week units. Many a Soviet unit will have to retreat into Leningrad.

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

To make a comparison of games:
2x3 Soviets were at 3.9M end of turn 8 this game is at 3.4. I might propose the Soviets are in much more trouble in this game from a manpower standpoint. The difference of 500,000 men is about 70 divisions less to get in the way of the German onslaught. About equal number of Germans between games.

There's been quite some changes since 2by3 was started and alot of the nominal quotas in manpower, OOB, losses etc seem to have changed since then
Building OOB currently as Soviets is abit of a struggle and you need to sacrifice other advantages to do so easily

Any turn I get more than 30 German fighters I think of as a good turn in the air.

Blubel was doing very well on the ground though. I have generally been too aggressive throughout this game and he has made me pay for it.

ORIGINAL: thedoctorking
Any turn I get more than 30 German fighters I think of as a good turn in the air.

Definitely - and indeed probably the one true metric of Axis/German air war performance. They have lots of level bombers and recon - they can be scattered like confetti or you can even live without many. When the fighters go low - you are at the end.

ORIGINAL: Telemecus

ORIGINAL: thedoctorking
Any turn I get more than 30 German fighters I think of as a good turn in the air.

Definitely - and indeed probably the one true metric of Axis/German air war performance. They have lots of level bombers and recon - they can be scattered like confetti or you can even live without many. When the fighters go low - you are at the end.

I will give you one of my turns in 41 (99% of those are Germans) But yeah keep up the pressure on those German fighters

ORIGINAL: HardLuckYetAgain

ORIGINAL: Telemecus

ORIGINAL: thedoctorking
Any turn I get more than 30 German fighters I think of as a good turn in the air.

Definitely - and indeed probably the one true metric of Axis/German air war performance. They have lots of level bombers and recon - they can be scattered like confetti or you can even live without many. When the fighters go low - you are at the end.

I will give you one of my turns in 41 But yeah keep up the pressure on those German fighters

Ouch!

ORIGINAL: Telemecus

ORIGINAL: HardLuckYetAgain

ORIGINAL: Telemecus



Definitely - and indeed probably the one true metric of Axis/German air war performance. They have lots of level bombers and recon - they can be scattered like confetti or you can even live without many. When the fighters go low - you are at the end.

I will give you one of my turns in 41 But yeah keep up the pressure on those German fighters

Ouch!

German fighters is the key that must be turned. Wrote about it in my other AAR. The quicker they are gone the better the Soviets will be. I can already see the difference in the next turn. But yeah TheDoctorKing is on the right track and that is GREAT

Yeah, but he's killed 3.5 million of my guys more or less. I think 1942 will be rough. Turn 19 deployed totals are 5,195,457 Axis (3,530,531 Germans) to 3,639,210 Soviet. Not good.

Do some maths about what manpower you want to be at come 42 and plan offensives based around those projections once you offensives slow down just stop and fort up ready for 42
You can always just fight in two fronts in December then stop and fort up the second you start slowing down and prep for 42
Without knowing your manpower centres you should gain 500-700k from all the mud turns in between now and 42 too!

Bottom line just take it easy in winter and use it as prepping time for defensive lines and manpower gains over an all out offensive time and manpower drain

ORIGINAL: thedoctorking

Yeah, but he's killed 3.5 million of my guys more or less. I think 1942 will be rough. Turn 19 deployed totals are 5,195,457 Axis (3,530,531 Germans) to 3,639,210 Soviet. Not good.

Turn 15 I am at 3,800,000 men Army myself with yet another pocket and a crap load of divisions that have been "hasty attacked" to an oblivion morale of the high 20's. Basically making these division worthless. I have lost close to 3,000,000 men too. So our two games are running pretty much in parallel.

Thanks for the comments, guys.