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Mon Dieu!!

You see, I already learn more French!!!

A turn has cycled, the General has surprises in store for me, I think!

I am afraid to open the move, but ... Press On, you Reds!!
For the Motherland!!!! Queue Glorious Patriotic songs, and MARCH!!!

LoL, will try to post screens of more procedures I use,
This time, using the Battle Flag things to look at key combat areas!!!

AFFIX BAYONETS!!!
AFFIX БАЙОНЕЦ!

Well, I have worked up the courage to commence again, at a good point in time, to time my move.
begin: 1700 hours, roll playback
<puts on Stalin mustache and funky Pez hat from the Siberia>

Here, I have paused the playback of the General's move:
noting, with my trusty pencil, that the Florian Geyer is making stabbing noises at this gap in my lines.
I *think* that is SSE of Smolensk, not sure exact area,
but this is going to need reinforce, too. Florian Geyer is not friendly German AT ALL, they are very unfriendly.

The black and green units are SS, too. Fearsome, they are. Need Tanks here <noting w/ pencil>
Need to see what battles are here at end of playback. And at the Dvina, too.

@fter playback, Soviet turn 147 (November 15th, 1942)
time elapsed: 45 minutes and I still have not moved a piece, just looking at map.

Here we see my pressing point,
the ad hoc bridges I have established over the Dvina.

This approx. 200 or so KM SSE of Riga, a supply depot for AGN.
I also want the bridges at Plavinas and Jekabpils, for maximum river crossing ability.

You see, the RAIL head for Soviets, already near Rokiskis.
A most excellent railroad is in service now from Moscow to there.

I will see now, how many more tanks I can push through here,
secondary is railing the next Army to the southern Line of Defense.

These folks will fight forward, while Southern Front
awaits the reinforcement trains.

ok, wow, this game can take a LOT of time for a move,
I now (after ciggy) begin the effort to more cross the Dvina.

I know that a lot I say, check Engineers and Disembark / Air Units first,
but as we are getting into nitty gritty,
I recall most / many Engineer etc.

So, in this turn, I will do combats first for Dvina etc.

an untimely mouse slip
= failed force check!!!!

@approx. 2.5 hours of Stavka

No J'adoube here, back to the General <cry>

OMG. C'est la Guerre!!!! I could have used a few more hours on this one,
easy to take 4-5 hours per turn or more.

Recovered from mouse slip,
am now crossing River Dvina,
Pskov is retaken.

Soviet turn 150
Nov. 1942

Push across the Dvina continues,
turning NW toward Riga....
attempting to cut off AGN

@Soviet 155 (december 1942)

The push across the Dvina River continues...
Soviets approaching Riga
farther north, a Soviet Army has crossed frozen Lake Peipus,
AGN is retreating to Riga it seems, also shifting some of AGC to stem the tide.

In South, AGS is pressing Stalino
reinforcements for Soviets continue building in Far East,
awaiting trains to the front.


Soon will be bitter cold again, and of course, more MUD!!!
trying to advance and gain as much territory west of Dvina River,
before muddy time of '43

@Soviets turn 157 (December 20, 1942)

Under a nearly cloudless, starry sky west of Vitebsk,
the snow-shrouded silence is suddenly filled with the deafening roar
of nearly 200 Soviet howitzers,
pulverizing Germans sleeping on the west bank of the Dvina River!

The 31st Army, commanded by Vitaly Polenov, spearheads another river crossing across the Dvina!
(ps I photoshopped his picture in there. Not part of the game ....)

In the south, Chernyakhovsky's 65th Army shreds some Panzer wagons!

Stalino remains to fight on! Fight on, Ivan!

@Soviets turn 158 (Dec. 23, 1942)

Not nearly Christmas yet ....
Russian Orthodox call it "Nativity" and use old Byzantine Calendar,
so Russia "Christmas" until a few more weeks. So, fight on! No respite!
AGN is in critical situation....
If swinging gate can "shut" b/w Pskov / Riga / Davgapils,
most of AGN will then be captured!!!! Huzzah!!!

Jan. 1, 1943

Estonia liberated, NKVD declares Tallin : Nazi Free in 1943!

The Red Army continues its relentless advance!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps7PA_qZRMY

edit: Jan. 10, 1943: NKVD / MPs declare Estonia completely free of Nazis!

nice to see that the originals web site is still active @

http://www.ac-smolf.dk/fite/

If you look at that page, you will see credits to Daniel McBride for some map etc.
and credits to his Drang nach Osten scenario, which I still seek ... anyway,

I just happened to have a copy of DNO and you can either get it here:
http://www.filedropper.com/drangnachosten40

or you can send me an email and I'll send it to you directly.
larryfulkerson2(at)gmail(dot)com

friends,
larry

Thanks a lot, Larry! I've been trying to find that one for years .... You da MAN!

Soviet turn 162 (January 6, 1943)

Dvina River ESE of Daugavpils is now bridged,
allowing FIVE Soviet Armies the opportunity to encircle
Wehrmacht 1st Panzer Armee.
The scowling Nazi pictured is 1st Pz Armee General von Mackensen.

After his capture (IRL) he was tried for war crimes and sentenced to death.
His death sentence was commuted. He served five years in prison,
then lived in seclusion until his death in 1969.

Almost forgot the most important part ....
where the Russians got to that last two turns.....

Archangelsk liberated!!!!
Murmansk ...liberated!!!!

Cue glorious Soviet Marching Songs!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFxLqT-PLEE

Always loved Soviet war propaganda.

Oh yes, I can spend all day looking at it, and also I like to read old American magazines from the time frame. The uni library near me has extensive collection of media from WWII era. I can spend all day AND all night there, but they throw me out at midnight LoL. Well, here is next report: Soviet turn 168 (January 27, 1943)

MYSTERY SOLVED!!
A captured prisoner has been broken
by ruthless torture of Babushka Lady, 58th Armored Babushkas.
HE IS SWEDISH!!!!!!

"Keep him away from the Field Mess!!!!" says she,
"THIS COOK IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!!!!!!!!!!"

So, the yellow uniforms in the North are in fact SWEDISH!!
This casts a troublesome light on Murmansk area.
hmmmmm.......

ONWARD COMRADES! TO BERLIN!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y4_2Qa0QQs

Soviets turn 171 (Feb. 7, 1943)

South of Riga, the German line is SMASHED.

Five Soviet armies race through
to complete the liberation of Lithuania.

The grim looking Nazi about to be captured
is Georg Keppler. He spent a quiet life in
Hamburg after the war; spent only a few years in prison IRL.

He was only following orders.