The Great Patriotic War (STE78 vs 821bobo)

[STEF78]

Turn 39, 12th march 1942

Second week of german march offensive. Except in the South, Bobo didn't succeed to recover decisive momentum.

As shown below, he choosed to divide his mobile forces in 3 groups. This way I have to be strong in 3 areas but he also lacks of "Schwerpunkt".

Stavka is also pleased to announce the promotion of the 34th army to 5th guard army!



South west of Moscow, he made little progress but on the other side, I was unable to counterattack



Near Stalino, he is much stronger but I've built a decent major line of resistance. I will try to hold it till mud.

[STEF78]

Turn 40, 19th march 1942

Random weather.... I'm rather lucky as we have mud near the Black sea. German offensive is stoppped South of Stalino



Southwest of Moscow, the front is quiet but it won't last!



The only place where german offensive is still on: Sumy area. I"m always impressed with german MCV.

[STEF78]

Turn 41, 26th march 1942

Last week of march german offensive before mud. Russian army has given almost no ground except in the South and Stavka is proud to announce promotion of 47th army to 6th guard army!



Focus on the 3 german axes of attack. Nothing decisive

Kaluga

Heroic resistance of soviet soldiers!



Sumy

Our soldiers fought bravely but were outnumered by 600 german AFV



Stalino

German spearhead is too strong to be pulled back....

[STEF78]

Turn 43, 9th april 1942

Mud during the last 2 weeks.

Below the evolution of the OOB. Should I build more tank brigades? I have plenty of T34 in pool...

[loki100]

ORIGINAL: STEF78

Turn 43, 9th april 1942

Mud during the last 2 weeks.

Below the evolution of the OOB. Should I build more tank brigades? I have plenty of T34 in pool...

I wouldn't. Not so much the T-34s as the trucks, I tend to find I have enough tank brigades to fit out all the tank corps I want to build, but I guess it depends on how agressive you intend to be with the brigades?

[STEF78]

ORIGINAL: loki100
I wouldn't. Not so much the T-34s as the trucks, I tend to find I have enough tank brigades to fit out all the tank corps I want to build, but I guess it depends on how agressive you intend to be with the brigades?

We are currently entering may 1942. I use tank brigades in reserve mode and will not be on the offensive during the 2 next monthes.

Even divided, german Pzg are powerfull and with clear weather will recover a lot of mobility....

I'm always scary while opening my turns, looking at the front line hoping not to discover a hole or worse a strong encirclement.

[caliJP]

How many Tank Brigades do you have already?
I like to build some Tank Corps in 1942 and put them several hexes behind the front line in areas where Pz attack. They can be very helpful for counterattacking German spearheads, and that gives them good experience and morale to prep them for 1943 Red Army offensive, if you get there.

[STEF78]

ORIGINAL: caliJP

How many Tank Brigades do you have already?
I like to build some Tank Corps in 1942 and put them several hexes behind the front line in areas where Pz attack. They can be very helpful for counterattacking German spearheads, and that gives them good experience and morale to prep them for 1943 Red Army offensive, if you get there.

I have currently 100 Tk brigades and most of them are below their nominal %TOE despite the fact that I have plenty AFV available. They are mostly used in reserve mode as 3rd or 4th line of defence. Only one of them managed to get the guard status. They are too weak at the moment to counterattack efficiently.



And my pool

[STEF78]

Turn 44, 16th april 1944

Snow in central russia, mud in the other part of the front.

Stavka is pleased to announce promotion of the 38th army to 7th guard army!



Kaluga
Strong resistance of the 4th guard army.



Sumy
Some progress od the german Pzd. It becomes annoying...



Stalino

Bobo has changed his mind and moved a big part of his Pzg north of Stalino. Russian line holds!

[caliJP]

quote:

ORIGINAL: caliJP

How many Tank Brigades do you have already?
I like to build some Tank Corps in 1942 and put them several hexes behind the front line in areas where Pz attack. They can be very helpful for counterattacking German spearheads, and that gives them good experience and morale to prep them for 1943 Red Army offensive, if you get there.

I have currently 100 Tk brigades and most of them are below their nominal %TOE despite the fact that I have plenty AFV available. They are mostly used in reserve mode as 3rd or 4th line of defence. Only one of them managed to get the guard status. They are too weak at the moment to counterattack efficiently.

Yeah you need to turn them into Tank Corps. Brigades will never be strong enough. Then add a sapper reg, a heavy tank reg, and maybe some other fun SU . They will then be able to counter attack, although early on they aren't super strong so you'll have to pick easy battes to get their morale up. 100 brigades will get you 33 Corps, which is more than enough in 1942. Later in the war, I build some more to get around 40 Tank Corps which I find I need if I want to make two big pushes simultaneously. But that depends on your situation and strategy at the time.

[STEF78]

ORIGINAL: caliJP
100 brigades will get you 33 Corps, which is more than enough in 1942.

It's a good idea but would cost 660 AP....

We are currently end may 1942 and I spare AP to create rifle corps!

[STEF78]

Turn 45, 23th april 1942

Snow in central russia allows some progress for the german and a potential encirclement appears... I will give some ground around Kharkov

Near Kaluga, my line holds firmly. See however german MCV, we don't have the same leaders!

[caliJP]

STEF ok got it, we play different strategies then. I find Rifle Corps are not the right tool for defense in 1942 as you need more a defense in depth with a lot of units as opposed to concentrated manpower in Corps. So i don't build Rifle Corps until 1943, they are too expensive in 1942.
But that is just my opinion and strategy

[821Bobo]

I respectfully disagree. There is use for rifle corps in 42. You can use it to defend bottlenecks, vital areas or for counter attacks. I am not advocating en masse creating corps however dozen of them can be handy in 42.

[loki100]

ORIGINAL: 821Bobo

I respectfully disagree. There is use for rifle corps in 42. You can use it to defend bottlenecks, vital areas or for counter attacks. I am not advocating en masse creating corps however dozen of them can be handy in 42.

I'd agree with this, a couple of armies built around Gds Rifle Corps are incredibly useful, there are times when being able to stack 20+ attack cv in a hex is critical - and it makes a German player cautious about pockets held just by single divisions.

Only time I would build a lot in 42 is if I felt my opponent was really going for Moscow

[chaos45]

I don't think he has near the forces to pull off that pincer based on that screenshot. Much to ambitious.

[STEF78]

ORIGINAL: chaos45

I don't think he has near the forces to pull off that pincer based on that screenshot. Much to ambitious.

With clear weather all along the front, it can be done.

Clear the first 2 lines with inf and pzd/mot from Kaluga and South Stalino. And keep some units to achieve encirclement

[chaos45]

Well dont let him do that and checkerboard the area you think he wants to go to lol.

[STEF78]

I won't let him do that of course.[;)] But the question is always the same every turn:

Should I stay or should I go?

We are 5 turns ahead this AAR and I have currently a strong headache.... but I will tell you that later!

[STEF78]

Turn 46, 30th april 1942

Mud except in South Russia. Bobo is still digging in my lines, slowly but surely...



In the center, he widens his hole.



And the OOB: Stavka is above 7M men...