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And again, my bomber was only 50% effective. What ever happened to going above and beyond the call of duty?


Picture taken during Axis Ground Strike, impulse #1, Jul/Aug 1941 (Turn 2 of 5)

It took me a loooooooong time to figure out how to reposition my troops. More on that later. For now, "say goodbye to my little friend!" 36:2 Blitz here (Automatic). No other attacks for the time being.


Picture taken during Axis Combat Declaration, impulse #1, Jul/Aug 1941 (Turn 2 of 5)

At the end of the impulse, I brought 3 more LND onto the front lines. Two down south, and one in the center.

Here's how thing look up North: Novgorod will be mine, one way or another. If he chooses to interrupt my supply from Mannerheim, it can only be done by skirting past my Ski division with his (I think). That leaves Novgorod open. If he doesn't, I'll pound those skiers into mush. Either way, I should soon have a northern route to bring some troops around the main battle lines to the south.


Picture taken at end of Axis impulse #1, Jul/Aug 1941 (Turn 2 of 5)

In the Vitebsk region, I've got my HQs back on the rail lines, and I might be able to surround the city. I don't have a lot of force to bring to bear, but it might be enough to inch forward (once I've got everybody to the front).


Picture taken at end of Axis impulse #1, Jul/Aug 1941 (Turn 2 of 5)

And finally, in the south, I've regrouped a little bit. I'm still not in a great position to threaten his tanks, but I'm okay. The transfer of Panzers is almost complete, and I'm in position to tame that wild CAV if it should get too bold.


Picture taken at end of Axis impulse #1, Jul/Aug 1941 (Turn 2 of 5)

I think I might have made one big mistake. We'll see if it comes back to bite me.

ORIGINAL: Red Prince

I think I might have made one big mistake. We'll see if it comes back to bite me.

Probably not, since I do not see any mistake.

I'll run and hide like a scared rabbit. [;)]

I've looked at the front a long, long time. I can't find you're mistake...

In the north Leningrad is left to its own defences and Novgorod is abandoned altogether. 1st Ski Division advance towards Mannerheim


Picture taken at end of Allied impulse #2, Jul/Aug 1941 (Turn 2 of 5)

Maybe I didn't. I thought I left 2 tasty stacks of ARM and MECH in range of his LND (Tac of 4 each), and without fighter support. As it turns out, one is an ARM, MOT, and LND. The other is a MECH and INF, I think. Had they both been Armor, it might have been worth a 40% chance to Ground Strike in order to slow me down.

USSR continues the long retreat towards Smolensk. Abandoning yet another city without a fight. [:(]


Picture taken at end of Allied impulse #2, Jul/Aug 1941 (Turn 2 of 5)

And at the south front the retreat continues as well. All Soviet air actions were used to withdraw its fighter protection. So the bomber command was grounded for the impulse.

Edit: After much pondering the Kiev militia was retreated out from Kiev. Thereby dooming the 5th Army and Kiev.

Picture taken at end of Allied impulse #2, Jul/Aug 1941 (Turn 2 of 5)

Orm is playing a very good defense, as I see it. I might have a few surprises for him, though. Here's one I decided to try. Unorthodox, perhaps, but I moved Mannerheim into the swamp to allow my Northern Panzer Group to regain supply. If this doesn't force a bit of thinking, I don't know what will. This 7:1 attack should clear my path.


Picture taken during Axis Combat Declaration, impulse #3, Jul/Aug 1941 (Turn 2 of 5)

This is a "Kitchen Sink" attack on Kiev (58:5)


Picture taken during Axis Combat Declaration, impulse #3, Jul/Aug 1941 (Turn 2 of 5)

Not much happening. Just a lot of dancing so far, no? On the North and Central fronts, you can see the lines in the center and several Panzers in the north. I wonder if I can get to Moscow while it is still undefended [:)]


Picture taken at end of Axis impulse #3, Jul/Aug 1941 (Turn 2 of 5)

And here is surprise #2. If I can't get through the center here, I'll do the same as I did in the North -- make an end run around him in the Crimea. Eventually, something is going to have to give (I hope) and /i'll get a chance at a decent attack somewhere.

Also, you can see here that I used all 4 of my Air Missions to rebase. I brought 3 more bombers and my best fighter into this theatre, and I see a lot of clear terrain in front of me. [;)]


Picture taken at end of Axis impulse #3, Jul/Aug 1941 (Turn 2 of 5)

The right defence in Russia is: don't give the German the opportunity to attack units which are needed for a counterattack. However, in the Barbarossa game, there comes a point when retreating means that Russia will lose the game. In global war, I wouldn't care about loosing cities, providing I got the factory out of there, save on the way to the Urals.
But I don't like the southern front now. The Russian needs to defend the kerch hex, since it is a strait road to the Caucasus and the oilfields. There isn't anyone there at the moment. I see German Armor and Rumanian CAV and MOT around, just waiting to follow the INF which will cross the strait next impulse, capturing Krasnodar. This isn't good.
The north... Well, the German Mech is alone and OOS, so it is stalled at the moment. Moving it would mean an disrupted OOS Mech in Moscow. Well, that's a bait which the Russian can remove in a 10-1 attack. Mannerheim and a German HQ can't move, so the front is stalled there for at least two impulses.

Actually, I can't reach Moscow from there. I'd rather have Yaroslavl, anyway, as that will mean only 2 of the 5 Allied RP can be used (in Murmansk). Plus, there are other options. My main hope here is to force some frontline units to pull back from where he'd like them to be.

I decided to groundstrinke the German HQ Rundstedt and some FW-190. Rather than risk having his fighters disorganized on the ground without a fight he decided to intercept my bombers.

My bomber got aborted but I am happy anyway. That annoying FW190 is now disorganized and my bomber survived. Preferably to fight another day. I did not really count on disorganizing Rundstedt but would have been extremely glad if I did.

Now with my first ground strike taken care of it is time for my first land attack of the game.