A snapshot AAR

[Tarhunnas]

Turn 32. This turn we suffered several rather bloody reverses in the Moscow area. It is quite apparent that the staying power of the invaders is increasing. In the south, the Germans appear to be marshalling forces for a desperate defense of Kharkov and Zaporozhye. On our side, Transcaucasus front is taking command of operations in the southern Ukraine.

Note also the bulge in the Orel area. In my experience, the winter offensive is often at its most successful in this area, but this can often be somewat ill-fated, as the advancing Soviet forces run a risk of being encircled come spring.

Edit: only 14 successful attacks this turn, of which 5 were helped by the dialectic (1:1 > 2:1).

[Tarhunnas]

Here is an interesting take on the Soviet Winter offensive...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... hXK5iD_ELs

[Tarhunnas]

Turn 33. The Germans are making successful attacks along wide stretches of the front, pushing back Soviet units and creating a "cordon sanitaire" in front of their units. Losses are roughly 1:3 and I think this will wear down the Germans in the long run. The empty hexes makes it difficult for me to attack though, as I often don't have the MP:s to move in and then do a prepared attack.

[jwolf]

ORIGINAL: Tarhunnas
Losses are roughly 1:3 and I think this will wear down the Germans in the long run. The empty hexes make it difficult for me to attack though, as I often don't have the MP:s to move in and then do a prepared attack.

If the Germans' strategy avoids or decreases additional losses by making your attacks rarer or less successful, that would further justify these tactics. It seems like a good strategy to me.

[timmyab]

The other factor is that successful counterattacks slightly improve morale, not enough to counter the blizzard effects, but worthwhile anyway.

[timmyab]

Turn 34
The front line twists and turns like a.....erm, twisty turny thing.

[loki100]

does seem as if the mild blizzard rules are producing far better (& more realistic) winter campaigns and front lines - no longer just a straight line down the map but now much more reflecting the balance of forces and where the terrain favours the attack or defense?

[Tarhunnas]

Enemy propaganda is focussing on the geometry of the frontline, conveniently neglecting to mention the liberation of Zaporozhye on turn 34. Here are OOB and losses after turn 34.

[SigUp]

That's an interesting frontline. I don't think I've seen that many games in which Moscow is cleanly in German hands while the Soviets are back in Zaporozhye.

[Tarhunnas]

ORIGINAL: loki100

does seem as if the mild blizzard rules are producing far better (& more realistic) winter campaigns and front lines - no longer just a straight line down the map but now much more reflecting the balance of forces and where the terrain favours the attack or defense?

I agree to some extent. I think it is good that the Germans can counterattack, but I think it is wholly unrealictic that they can attack over wide stretches of the front. German logistics during the winter of 41-42 were sufficient for local attacks in selected places but would never have been able to cope with army-wide offensives. IMHO this is another case where the lack of a realistic supply model in WITE makes itself felt. For that matter I also think the Soviet winter offensive should be more affected by supply that it is.

[Tarhunnas]

Here is a shot of the central part of the front Turn 34, showing German successful assaults over wide stretches of the front.

[timmyab]

A bit more detail
Turn 33 - 17th army
17th army has taken a beating in it's long retreat from well East of Tula. OKH decides that this disgraceful state of affairs has gone on long enough. Model is given command of 17th army and immediately sets about the task of stopping the Soviet offensive.
57th pz corps and 49th mtn corps occupy the good defensive terrain to the South of Kaluga and launch spoiling attacks against the advancing Soviet spearheads.
52nd and 4th corps are to continue to retreat into the good terrain around Bryansk. The planned arrival of 59th corps there in three weeks time should shore up the defense completely.

[timmyab]

Turn 33 - Kharkov
The Kharkov area was identified as early as the end of last Summer as the best place to defend against a possible Soviet winter offensive in the South. I made some effort to build fortifications to the North and South of the city but the work went more slowly than I'd anticipated. Some of these forts were completed though and combined with the odd bits of good terrain that there are has made the area quite strong.
Now that my armies have dug their heels in, this front has erupted into a huge battle zone with attack and counterattack. Some hexes have changed hands several times.
The hole between 11th corps and 11th army is now more or less filled with the Romanians given the job of holding Zaporozhye. Surely they can do that can't they?

[Tarhunnas]

This is the situation on turn 37, the last Blizzard turn, before Soviet moves.

During the glorius winter offensive Soviet forces have liberated the following cities:
Stalino
Makeevka
Gorlovka
Tula
Orel
Kursk
Belgorod
Zaporozhye

A final push to liberate Kharkov unfortunately faltered. The enemy appears to have reinforced the Kharkov sector. No problem really, we have plans for a spring offensive to relieve Kharkov.

[Tarhunnas]

After a forthright discussion in the state defense council, comrade Stalin grudgingly gave his permission to withdrawals in selected sectors of the front. This was because the STAVKA meteorological office couldn't really predict the effects of "March madness" with the new (and milder) blizzard rules, so to avoid embarrassing encirclements, exposed portions of the fronts have been pulled back. Here is a shot of the Orel-Kursk sector after Soviet moves.

[Tarhunnas]

Turn 38. Indeed, the Germans did launch an apparently attempted breakthrough attack in the Tula sector, but pulled back.

[jwolf]

ORIGINAL: Tarhunnas
No problem really, we have plans for a spring offensive to relieve Kharkov.

Let me guess: under the command of Timoshenko? That should work well! [;)]

[Tarhunnas]

Turn 40. Snow.

An apparent German attempt to cut off the Orel bulge is thwarted by the valiant forces of the Workers and Peasants Red Army.

[jwolf]

I'm assuming that is before your move, right? If he has more panzers in reserve that could get ... interesting.

Actually, next move is April and (most likely) mud, which would stop pretty much all advance on either side. So maybe that isn't as dangerous for you as I thought at first.

[loki100]

ORIGINAL: jwolf

I'm assuming that is before your move, right? If he has more panzers in reserve that could get ... interesting.

Actually, next move is April and (most likely) mud, which would stop pretty much all advance on either side. So maybe that isn't as dangerous for you as I thought at first.

would scare me witless, especially after seeing how STEF78 basically ate the Red Army in small morsels starting with this sort of localised offensives.

bit like in the horror film where you feel you should scream 'get out of there'?