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T65 losses 10.5K to 105 K: inc. 90K prisoners and 2K trucks captured. Air an excellent 48 to 153. G OOB static, R down 5K from last turn. 3 tank xxx, 1 gd rifle xxx, 2 gd cav xxx, 5 inf xx (2 gd), 1 mtn xx, 13 regts and 3 tk bns destroyed, but still Brian fights on. The bad news is that I've now run out of arms pts for the first time: not that I expect much sympathy from my readers [:(].

Sukhimi in the Caucasus falls ( 250th VP) and all points west of it now cleared of Bolsheviks. Baku surrounded so I hope it falls next turn though it's a supply source which makes it a much harder nut to crack. S'grad should be mine in 2 weeks as I need to isolate it first. 4th Pz xxx rails up from the far south and is now 120 miles south of Rostov, ready to join the wrecking ball next turn.

Have just sent T67 back so here's a bit of T66



The wrecking ball heads north on both sides of the Volga whilst S'grad and a few stay-behind brigades are securely pocketed. To the west, the Battle of the Donets Bulge winds down as 2 tank xxx and I cav xxx are destroyed.The last remaining tank xxx is surrounded by allied units as the cowardly Bolsheviks retreat back north. NB picture shows factory locations in red -all captured cities have full garrisons [8D]

Strategic overview

losses



An added bonus is a clear picture of the last soviet'survivor'of the battle of the Donbass bulge.

Thoughts on T66

The bad news was the defenders of Baku failing to see reason despite 2 attacks which completely destroyed all the fortifications. G losses only totaled about 1100 men which seems very low. R losses a bit higher but I can't remember the figures. Oh well, it's only a matter of time and I'm just glad Brian doesn't have 3 gd inf corps in a L4 fort.

In the S'grad area I have the choice of a big westwards push to try to surround the defenders in the Boguchar area and then I would only need to take Engels, once I've cleared the Caucasus, or to keep heading north to take Engels and Saratov. Latter would give me enough VPs assuming I get Baku without needing the last 3 Caucasus cities.

T67. Baku falls at the 4th attempt (the 1st 2 being last turn) as I finally win the battle of the die roll. His regiments seem to be showing remarkably high cvs: 2 sapper regts apparently being stronger than SS Wiking. Anyone know why?



Although the defending units surrender (presumably because the port is in ruins from the earlier attacks) most of the defenders escape with their heavy equipment in a performance that beats the escape from Dunkirk. I will leave only minimal forces to take the rest of the Caucasus. 2 mtn xx and one FBD on each axis. The rest will head up to the S'grad area though most won't get there before mud hits.

I think that's the first time I have ever seen Baku fall. Well done [&o]

ORIGINAL: sillyflower

T67. Baku falls at the 4th attempt (the 1st 2 being last turn) as I finally win the battle of the die roll. His regiments seem to be showing remarkably high cvs: 2 sapper regts apparently being stronger than SS Wiking. Anyone know why?

Could it be to do with the modifiers for an urban hex?

BTW Congratulations on actually capturing the place

Manstein63

Thanks both of you but most of the credit should go to Brian for hanging on to let me take it, and for not leaving me having to face 3 rifle corps in a L5 fort...................

@ Manstein: Re sappers' CV I don't know but does seem excessive to have an uplift of perhaps x20 in light urban with level 1 fort. Hopefully someone who understands the game mechanics' detail better will read this and solve the mystery.

S'grad



250 thousand German and allied troops are awarded medals for taking S'grad at the 1st attempt. Credit also to the LW which put up a great show over the city. Turned out to be less of an overkill than I had expected. The Fuhrer has renamed it Goebblesville -presumably because it is a rather grotty little place, and has announced plans to turn it into a garden city to attract good Aryan settlers. Fair enough; after all, the Aryans did originate from not too far south of here before migrating south to Persia and India, but don't tell Adolf that.

Further progress north was limited due to this and other mopping-up operations as we continue to focus on clearing the rough terrain, plus the need for the infantry to catch up. 2 panzer xxx from 1 Pz Army feint west to make Soviets defend in that direction, and to snaffle up a juicy pocket in the process.

Thanks both of you but most of the credit should go to Brian for hanging on to let me take it, and for not leaving me having to face 3 rifle corps in a L5 fort...................

I'm baffled. Who uses a Tank Corps to defend an Urban hex? That's just giving it away.

It was presumably that or nothing after he lost so many units on the retreat to Baku.

EDIT - APOLOGIES: THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN POSTED BEFORE T67 PICS

Thoughts on T66

Losses 6.7K to 84K, but air a dreadful 88 to 44. G OOB 3.92, R 5.32 - down 220K in the last 4 turns.
Destroyed units 2 tk xxx, 1 rifle xxx, 1 cav xxx, 5 inf xx (1 gd) 1 inf x, 9 regts and 2 tk bns

Terrorists were active again near Rostov, but multiple rail lines rendered their efforts pointless, and repairs have been effected.

The only issue is still IMHO how long Brian can hold on. He's tried everything, but just doesn't have the strength to stop me going where I need to go.I hope to put him out of his misery in '42: not least because I'm now only 50 miles from Saratov, and Baku just needs me to win the die roll for it to fall.

ORIGINAL: Michael T

I think that's the first time I have ever seen Baku fall. Well done [&o]

I already did it as german but against a far less experienced player
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ORIGINAL: sillyflower

It was presumably that or nothing after he lost so many units on the retreat to Baku.

+1 as russian, sometimes, your gather what you can to create a defence

Thoughts on T67

Losses 7.5K to 55K. Air 41 to 83. Units destroyed 2 tank xxx, 1 gd rifle xxx, 2 rifle xx, 1 mtn xx,3 rifle x, 13 regts and 1 tk bn.

9 arms and 9 HI factories destroyed in Baku , making the totals 94 and 49 respectively, though that's a bit academic now. Of course, I could just not take Saratov and cause the game to go on, but that would be rather unkind.

Terrorists were pretty quiet this turn, but I've now completed the rail loop at Goebblelsville so I'm much less vulnerable now.

T68 -the penultimaate clear turn

Brian started a mini offensive here, but it has been dealt with by local forces from 4th Army ans 3 Pz Army which in fact is a pure infantry army. I will not be distracted..............

Caucasus



Not a lot of action but there seem to be quite a lot of comunists to mop up.

Goebbelsgrad front



Pushing on northwards to get as close to Saratov and Engels as we can before mud hits. Broadening the front as the infantry join up to the front line. This is to avoid getting boxed in between the rivers which run north-south and to minimise Brian's chances of squeezing my supply lines. Continuing the policy of surrounding strongholds before eliminating them next turn.