Brian can't run any more and if he stands still he gets chopped up. I now have 17K more HIWI volunteers than the Wehrmacht seems capable of absorbing. Air losses 61 to 117, OOB 3.91M to 5.25M. Units destroyed 2 cav xxx (1 gd) 7 inf xx (2 gd) 2 rifle x 4 regts and 2 tk bns.
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Post: I am always fearful that when I put this game down on the table and people see the box-art they will think I am some kind of neo-Nazi
Reply: They already know you're a gamer. What other shame can possibly compare?
The rest of the forces from Baku are making there way up north of Goebbelsgrad for the denoument. Apart from a few axis allies guarding the Baku rail line from Bolshevik units still hiding out in the Caucasus mountains, all that is staying is 1 corps either end of the Baku-Batumi rail line. Each consists of 2 mtn divs and is supported by 1 FBS. The mtn divs at Sukhimi will need to refit during the mud as they are badly battered after prolonged fighting in the mountains. A corps of 2 Romanian inf xx is moving in from the west to take over city garrison duties.
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Post: I am always fearful that when I put this game down on the table and people see the box-art they will think I am some kind of neo-Nazi
Reply: They already know you're a gamer. What other shame can possibly compare?
Having said last turn that Brian can't run, he did. Strong axis forces are now in a position ti assault the remaining VP cities so this game will end in November.
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Post: I am always fearful that when I put this game down on the table and people see the box-art they will think I am some kind of neo-Nazi
Reply: They already know you're a gamer. What other shame can possibly compare?
Improving jump-off positions though it doesn't look v. impressive without any combat markers. No sign of any real effort to defend the last 2 cities, but that is very understandable.
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Post: I am always fearful that when I put this game down on the table and people see the box-art they will think I am some kind of neo-Nazi
Reply: They already know you're a gamer. What other shame can possibly compare?
First and foremost, Brian is a great opponent to have in every respect. [&o] [&o] [&o]
The start is crucial for the Germans and I think I managed to keep Brian off-balance throughout the summer. This meant that his was too weak to mount a useful winter O - it didn't have the numbers at the start and he'd lost too many factories to build a stronger one. In turn, this meant that, come the summer of '42, he was facing a Wehrmacht that he could not stop. However, he made the most of the free unit returns to cause some real problems down south in June and July, though that wasn't enough to save the day. With hindsight, if he had prepared better defence lines in the Baku/Malalakacha area, it would have been much harder and possibly nigh on impossible to get through. I would have had to get more VPs elsewhere. That would have been doable because the Red Army was so week, but would very probably have meant the game going into '43.
I now have time for another game unless Brian wants to swap sides.......................
Last but not least, thank you all for reading and contributing to this AAR. I hope that it has been helpful to to the less-experienced players and entertaining to all.
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Post: I am always fearful that when I put this game down on the table and people see the box-art they will think I am some kind of neo-Nazi
Reply: They already know you're a gamer. What other shame can possibly compare?
Great game thanks.
Brian is a very dangerous opponent, but I think this game shows that even talented Soviet players need to restrain their aggresive instincts in the early stages of the game (verses a strong Axis player).
If you play again and Brian adopts a defensive doctrine during Summer 41 you'll have a very different sort of game on your hands come 1942 I think.
Thanks for sharing the AAR SF. Although it ended early this was a very interesting game and Brian made it exciting right up to the end. Great game on your part - not bad for a Frenchman [:D]
Brian has told me he thought the VPs needed had changed to 290. That does explain his moves in the mud turns. I had that he just wanted me to put him out of his misery.
I've said I'm happy to carry on provided I have my last turn back.
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Post: I am always fearful that when I put this game down on the table and people see the box-art they will think I am some kind of neo-Nazi
Reply: They already know you're a gamer. What other shame can possibly compare?
Ya I read his post as well...the scenario says 260 tho......and if you looks at the map....to get to 290....you would basically have to take the whole map from the soviets, that doesnt make much sense to me.
You can tell by his army numbers the situation should only be getting worse as he continues to lose manpower centers, I would guess his manpower/armaments are gone every turn, and as weak as his army looks will take a full year or more with no major losses to get to near full strength.
Also the free units is the only reason the game is going on......Almost 40 Corps lost on top of everything else...normally would be no recovering from that as the Soviets period.
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