Gen. Goofy Does Barbarossa vs DicedT (No Diced T)

[warspite1]

5th August 1941
Turn 12
Army Group North/Finland

Nothing happening in Finland still.

16th Army are finally ready to move - but spend the turn just getting in contact with the enemy.

In a fit of frustration at the position I order 4th Panzergruppe to head north for Tallinn and see what happens.

18th Army can only edge forward. The Soviets are entrenched in the marshland.

[warspite1]

5th August 1941
Turn 12
Army Group Centre

There are obviously units in the marshes because supply continues to be disrupted. 2nd Army continues to march west as a result.

9th Army and 3rd Panzergruppe make some small gains but its heavy going without 2nd Panzergruppe - I am hoping they will be back next turn....

[warspite1]

5th August 1941
Turn 12
Army Group South

In the south Kirovgrad and Cherkassy falls but the Soviet presence around Kiev is ominous. I also have fuel problems of some description in the south. Not sure how or why.

[warspite1]

9th August 1941
Turn 13

We had a visit from The Fuhrer today [I said Heil, Heil, Siggety Heil] and what is the result? CHAOS!

He has decided he hasn't issued a new directive in a while so has made up for it by issuing this humdinger:

I mean, thanks a bunch - you've just turned months of planning and direction on its head. Leningrad has been relegated to third place! Moscow is now the priority.

I need a lie down.

[warspite1]

9th August 1941
Turn 13

I have only 36pp. I spend 5pp on giving command focus to the 1st Panzergruppe.
I spend 13pp on a truck refit for AGN.
That moron von Brauchitsch is causing problems for me. I am not sure what I was supposed to choose to get the best outcome here and so decided to fall into line in order to save on pp.
I spend 4pp on oil production issues.
All other decision are chosen to save pp.
Relations with Wagner and von Brauchitsch are poor.


Not much to report on the previous turn. There was an attack on the panzers of 3rd Panzergruppe but these stood firm.

[warspite1]

9th August 1941
Turn 13
Army Group North

More poor play from me in the north. I have 4th Panzergruppe and 18th Army with units from each chasing different goals. I need to decide what to do with each army! The Soviets are so well entrenched unfortunately.

[warspite1]

9th August 1941
Turn 13
Army Group Centre

In the western marshes I think I have got rid of any threat at least - looks like it wasn't an army down there!

With 2nd Army freed up, I send them in the direction of Gomel to take up station on the right flank of 6th Army.

In the north 9th Army and 3rd Panzergruppe continue to slowly push the Soviets back but there are no breakthroughs.

The opportunity for these is east of Mogilev but the panzers seem to easily run out of steam - even against badly shot up units. 2nd Panzergruppe, operating with 4th Army barely make any headway. If there is any consolation - it's that the fuel situation is okay!

[warspite1]

9th August 1941
Turn 13
Army Group South

In the south the Soviets continue to hold out in Pervomaisk which is greatly delaying far too many Axis units. 1st Panzergruppe continue to push south and also threaten to cross the Dneipr. However, a lack of reconaissance means I have no idea where the Soviet main defence line is. I shall have to bide my time here.

[warspite1]

13th August 1941
Turn 14

I really need to read the manual - problem is time. I am trying to read When Titans Clashed at night plus End This Depression Now on my way to work, and that leaves no time for the manual.

Trouble is, I am not sure what is happening in some situations...

A look at the Aide de Camp summary states:

Superb relations with von Bock and von Runstedt and a good relationship with von Leeb gives bonuses. But over the last few turns I do not seem to have had any AP's! Edit - see below

Focus is with the panzergruppen - tick
Theatre Artillery is with three of the armies - tick
The Luftwaffe is assisting the three panzergruppen - tick

The panzers need a rest and refit. Especially in the north but I thought I had put 4th Panzergruppe on R+R in July?? EDIT - See below.

Oil looks good in the centre and south but not so great in the north.

Oh crap... and its mud everywhere in the centre.

I have only 41pp's but loads of decisions. I need to get me a plan...

[warspite1]

13th August 1941
Turn 14
Finland

In Finland I smack a Soviet division that decided to stick its nose into Finnish business - but otherwise the front remains quiet.

[warspite1]

13th August 1941
Turn 14
Army Group North

Re-reading the Aide de Camp and the panzergruppe log it looks like this is correct. All the panzers are in a bad way, but 4th panzergruppe is better than the other three and its average mileage is lower - reflecting the previous R+R.

I notice that the three armies of AGN are set to the Defensive and the Finnish South East Army is set to Blitzkrieg [8|]. I amend to Sustained and Defensive accordingly but this has cost in terms of pp... [:@] If I had a brain I would be dangerous.

Anyway.... to the war.

16th Army make a push to the south and east of Ostrov, while 18th Army double back and attack from the west. 4th Panzergruppe continue their attack on Tallinn and this time make it stick.

I will need to move the FSB next turn..

[warspite1]

13th August 1941
Turn 14
Army Group Centre

The entire army group is on a Sustained posture which is what I want.

9th Army continue to push against the Soviet forces north of Smolensk, but for 3rd Panzergruppe, its a case of licking wounds.

South of the city the mud puts paid to any major movement by 2nd Panzergruppe, but Guderian and his 'infantry buddy' von Kluge. Meanwhile von Weichs and his 2nd Army trudge their way slowly through the mud toward Gomel.

[warspite1]

13th August 1941
Turn 14
Army Group South

NO!!!!!!!!!!!

How to lose the game in one turn

I started the turn knowing I had to do something urgently about the fuel situation in AGS sector. I then got so wrapped up in the turn I lost sight of the fuel guage. Almost all of Kleist's armour is now stranded on the north bank of the Dnepr!!! I ordered the Luftwaffe to provide an emergency fuel drop and I get this from the POMPOUS PORCINE PRICK that is Herman Goering....



And where the hell is my Siege Artillery??? To hell with Odessa - I and ordering it to Smolensk instead.

[warspite1]

13th August 1941
Turn 14
Army Group South

I want to save my pp but I would also like to put Kleist's panzers on defensive or Sustained, but that would make them vulnerable to attack and use up precious pp.

I decide to take a chance and hope the Soviets are not in a position to counter - and they won't necessarily know about my fuel issues either...

[warspite1]

17th August 1941
Turn 15
Army Group North

One place to go immediately is to AGS. There is no fuel for the panzers at all. I play the refuel card again.... and get the same answer. Oh dear....

Anyway. Back to the front, and AGN appear to have a dramatic reduction in AP's. As a result I cannot attack with 18th Army and can only make one attack with the 16th.

I spend 1pp on getting von Hoepner to inspire his troops...

[warspite1]

17th August 1941
Turn 15
Army Group Centre

9th Army split the Soviet defence in half in the north, but this is where its so difficult. The Soviets in the northern half cannot be left, but I cannot spare 9th Army's units to go chasing after them. These units are needed for the attack on Smolensk - assuming my Siege Artillery ever bothers turning up...

2nd Panzergruppe have made a breach in the Soviet defences in the south - but cannot exploit the gap. I am hoping that a combination of 2nd and 4th Armies will be too strong for the defenders of Gomel.

[warspite1]

17th August 1941
Turn 15
Army Group South

With the Luftwaffe failing again I do not know how to rectify the situation. In a desperate move I have played the 'High Octane' card, but suspect this fuel allowance will still rely upon appropriate transport and so won't be delivered - but I have to try something, anything to save the panzers. If my opponent didn't realise there was a fuel issue before, he must do by now.

[warspite1]

21st August 1941
Turn 16
Army Group North + Finland

Nothing happening in Finland but 16th and 18th Armies have done well this turn, taking Ostrov and incurring heavy loss on the Soviets. 18th Army is now just south of Pskov. Fuel reserve in hand so FSB moving to Tallinn and work on rail conversion to reflect this underway.

[warspite1]

21st August 1941
Turn 16
Army Group Centre

The 2nd and 6th Armies make reasonable progress in advancing on Gomel, while to the north, 2nd Panzergruppe eats into Soviet defences on their way to Bryansk. Things looks a little shaky north of Smolensk and 9th Army is being stretched and much of 3rd Panzergruppe was used to take Smolensk.

[warspite1]

21st August 1941
Turn 16
Army Group South

Guess what? Yep no surprises there. For the third time running the Luftwaffe fail to re-supply the 1st Panzergruppe. This is just rubbish...

A decision card comes up that allows me to take trucks from the infantry and give to the panzers. No idea if it will work but let's see.

Meanwhile attacks by 6th Army on Kiev and 3rd Romanian on Odessa were failures - as were much of 11th Army's attempts to pressure Nikolayev.

I manage to get some infantry units over the water to assist the panzers which remain stuck...