D21 - A different approach

[larryfulkerson]

what does the Axis supply situation look like down there?

[Abnormalmind]

Turn 200

Supply is 27 on the rail lines. It's good in the spring/summer/fall.

[desert]

Ha, Utorrent. I just noticed that.

[Abnormalmind]

Turn 207: 13 Jun 1943

It's been harder than expected. Operation Citadel isn't a great theater option, but it gives the Axis 120 shock for 4-5 turns. However... there's about 10 turns of 80 shock afterwards. In any event, Axis command fired up Operation Citadel for the big push into the Caucuses. The 120 shock helped the Romanians break through the Perekop Isthmus defenses. The Romanians are now on the door step of Sevastopol, and that's where they are going to stay for the next 10 turns....

The Hungarians re-entered the fray during Operation Citadel on the Axis far left and were pushing towards the Kerch Straight.

The only rail lines available are along the eastern and western sides of the Caucuses. The map displays turn 200 front lines in yellow and turn 207 front lines in cyan. The underlying map is from the start of turn 207. The Axis have huge reserves on both sides of the front.

Maikop fell turn 206... which was great news for the Axis. The +5 supply (and -5 supply for the Soviets) will greatly aid this final drive.

Grozny was out of reach. The Soviets are in a strong defensive mode. Many of the Soviet units are fortified, in excellent supply, and putting up a heck of a fight. They are also blowing bridges anytime the Axis get too close. It's going to be a tough grind-fest to the end.

I have decided the only way I can win the air war is to capture Soviet airbases, which I have been doing, with reckless abandonment. Hopefully soon, the Axis bombers will start flying again and this struggle for domination will come to an end. After all this, the Axis can easily rail 40+ divisions to France for a little R&R...

[Panama]

ORIGINAL: Abnormalmind

After all this, the Axis can easily rail 40+ divisions to France for a little R&R...

Just in time for Sicily. [:D]

[sPzAbt653]

At turn 236 Mr. Abnormalmind (Patrick) sent me the save file and I concurred that poor Elmer had no shot at a recovery (I had been holding out hope) and there was no game left. Patrick had overrun almost all reconstitution hexes and almost all reinforcement hexes and had inflicted severe losses on the Soviets. In Rifle squads alone, the Soviets had lost almost 310,000, which at the current replacement rate of a little over 500 per turn would take over 600 turns to replace. Ouch!

Looking at the replacements and losses from this one isn't a very good gauge, as Patrick didn't have to experience an offensive failure followed by violent Soviet counterattacks that pushed him back to Germany. But I don't think it was a wealth of equipment that caused Patrick to have such success, probably it can be attributed to proper planning and execution.

As this was our first experience with these far reaches of the map, we have made a few changes that are reasonable and accurate. The Urals were tightened up a little and a few areas were added where Elmer might get some reconstituted units, some reinforcement hexes were relocated, and some 'off map' airbases were added for the Soviets.

Congratulations to Mr. Abnormalmind for puttin' a whoopin' on Elmer! Thanks for all the time and effort you've put in so far.

[fulcrum28]

very interesting AAR. was it played using 3.4?

[sPzAbt653]

No, it was not using 3.4.

[fulcrum28]

thank you for your reply. did you use some graphics mod? The graphics look very different. Im using 3.2, just from CD. no graphics mods added. Maybe Do graphics quality for maps and icons depend on the scenario?

[sPzAbt653]

Yes, custom graphics. Be sure to follow the 'File Install' instructions.