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Here was my northernmost attack in poor terrain but lightly defended. The result was good progress towards Smolensk.

I need to expect another big planned withdrawal soon.

If I didn't say it before, I am looking to bypass 1-3 enemy hexes per turn and either force the enemy to counterattack & risk more troops to release those trapped - or give up those troops to their fate.

This hopefully will thin the enemy MLR or force him to change to defense in depth - which in turn will make me change tactics again...

It looks like you are starting to take some ground now and I would definitely continue to do so as a priority

Nibbling at the giant with mini pockets is great if done nice and early but I think at this point you will do best by moving as quickly as you possibly can or you might end up wasting precious time if you get drawn into small death struggles and delayed because of it

Keep your FBD's running at full speed towards Berlin with as little delays as absolutely possible and make sure you have enough RR to fix the rest as you go

Godspeed comrade!

Turns out I got 300 enemy planes on the ground...

6 Russian losses to every 5 German excluding the ground losses

Thanks

I agree that going fast is the vital success quotient if I am to have any chance at Berlin. I am a big fan of using math.
It is an average of 85 hexes to berlin from where the MLR is now. Three combat seasons to accomplish = 30 hex requirement per season to get to Moscow.
But can I do it is the question.

The odds clearly are in Germany's favor, but I wont stop trying to be sure.

ORIGINAL: SparkleyTits

It looks like you are starting to take some ground now and I would definitely continue to do so as a priority

Nibbling at the giant with mini pockets is great if done nice and early but I think at this point you will do best by moving as quickly as you possibly can or you might end up wasting precious time if you get drawn into small death struggles and delayed because of it

Keep your FBD's running at full speed towards Berlin with as little delays as absolutely possible and make sure you have enough RR to fix the rest as you go

Godspeed comrade!

VP - 198 ---- Kalinin and Poltava crossed threshold to Axis Minor Victory (Satiristical golf claps in background)
Trucks - 175 / (190) ---- DRADT
AP build - 1 infantry corps and sapper regiments for infantry corps that don't yet have them


As expected Germany executed a planned withdrawal from Torzuk near Moscow to the Ingulets river at the gulf of Odessa. Retreats ranged from a few to a half dozen hexes and generally speaking was to behind rivers / the next defensive line. As a result, there was far less combat this turn than in prior turns.

1. Germany launches counterattacks to save most of the at risk units. Only 5 divisions will be captured. I thought I would get 12. Leave it to me to continue to underestimate my esteemed opponent.
2. At the Ingulets river, Russian forces pushed lingering Axis troops across the river and setup for an attack planned for next turn. near the headwaters of the Ingulets, Russian forces manage to push a toehold across the river.
3. At Sumy, Germany effectively uses its armor and breaks out most of the at risk units. Russians continue to push due west another 4-5 hexes in heavy combat along the rail to Kiew, which is around 12 hexes away now.
4. Between Yazma and Rzev, armor and cavalry elements again break the enemy line and push closer to Smolensk.
5. Heavy air to air combat over the major battlefields continue in attritional form. Russian tactics are ground attack and ground support concentrating on units after knocked out of forts / to include ground forces attack too.
6. Rail engineers pushed 4 hexes west but still I am negative on trucks, but I hope to get to Kiev before stopping. I put 2 of the four engineers on the line from Kharkov to Kiev. I also have 102 rail engineers attached to armies and fronts. I hope to shore up this problem in about 4 turns, which is about the time I hope to be across from Kiev.

Aside - it is foreseeable that the enemy will retreat behind the Dneper at Kiev soon. Not this turn, but probably within 3-4 turns. At that point, I will have to make a decision about how to concentrate / if to move south of the river or turn north for Minsc. That will be a good problem to have.

Not a whole lot can change in one turn. Here is a simplified view.

Looks good here

Note I have not spent anything on front commanders since 43

Here is a look at the commanders - a couple could be replaced if I can scrape up the points

Some winners here too...

The glacial pace continues and its may fault.

VP = 197 (+1 - Yazma falls)
Trucks = 162 / (167)
AP = built sapper regiments for most of remaining infantry corps without them. Take one more turn to complete.

Turn Results
men losses 97K German / 57K Soviet (4 Axis units captured)
AFV losses 287G / 1018R
Plane losses 523G / 576R

Germany executes another minor planned retreat 2-3 hexes to the next river system in the central and southern fronts. Germany falls behind the Desna east of Cherkassy. Fighting at the Psel west of Poltava.

1. Russians decide to idle the northernmost attack temporarily as a measure to keep trucks positive. 3 tank armies, three cavalry armies, and 2 infantry armies have moved back to rails and begun refitting. I hope to be able to use them again in July.
2. Russians attempt to surround Krivoi Rog and fail, then turn attention to finish crossing the Ingulets river
3. Russians push a five hex wide path 3-4 hexes closer to Kiev along the Kiev Kursk rail line. Major enemy armor presence there. Heavy air attacks

Here is the reason for my idling units - and my plan for rectification.

I will bring idled armies back on as trucks return to positive.

Here is a view of July Objectives and map of active sectors

You seem to have some good generals without a lot of battles fought, considering how late the game is. Not sure where you've exiled them to.

Bobkin 26
Chistyakov 61
Rokossovsky 64
Bagramyan 73
Zakharov 86

And please stop spending AP on more units. A new units takes months to be of use and you need to be making progress now. Spend APs on getting the right leaders where they need to be. The payoff there is immediate.

Just wanted to say this is a great read especially for a new player like me. I asked myself many of the same questions and run into the same challenges that you highlight throughout this AAR. Feel like some of the game concepts have some nice guides and are easier to pick up like land forces, combat, supply, etc but things like air forces, spending AP, truck management, support units, etc are much more difficult to get a good grasp on. Cheers to seeing this one to the end!

VP 196 (+1) Krivoi Rog falls (56% damaged)
Trucks 172 / (186)
APs - replace 3 air army and two armor army commanders. All air commanders air rating are at least 6. All armor commanders mech rating at least 5. Plan to work the infantry ratings next. Aside - will have to decide where commanders are great at both mech and infantry where to place them...more on that in ensuing turns

Turn results
Men 51K G / 60K R
AFV 183 G / 610 R (58 StugIII and 274 T34M1942 (mostly cavalry losses))
Air 435 G / 581 R

Germany continues to strategy of minimizing bulges in line and commences a couple minor retreats in the south. Ais now has the bulk of its armor forces committed to the defense of Kiev

Russians remain true to their advance paths as cited before / along certain rail paths

1. Soviets continue the push to Kiev driving 2-4 hexes towards Kiev on a 6 hex front.
2. Reds punch a small hole across Desna east of Chernigov
3. Reds push up to Krivograd but do not take the city in heavy fighting
4. At the Gulf of Odessa, Reds push to Nicolev but don't take the city. That said, 12 axis divisions are trapped against the gulf. Enemy will have to counterattack to get them out.

Here is the front as of 160

15 of the enemy mech / armor / SS divisions are in the Kiev defense

I don't believe there is more to do here. note the three changes...