Withstanding the red horde: a (newbie's) FITE AAR - turn 50 onwards

[Singleton Mosby]

Some words on this AAR

I have started this game during the summer against my Scottish opponent, this being my first TOAW campaign against a human opponent and the third campaign I would play. Thus, my experience was rather limited and I decided to learn the game 'on-the-go'.
Not surprisingly I made many a mistake during the early part of the game, and still I haven't quite grasped parts of this immense war simulation.

- I don't know how to preserve the Luftwaffe and at the same time use them to full effect
- I have no experience on the defense. During the Soviet winter offensive I will have to learn it 'the hard way'
- I have no idea what to do with the corps and armee command units

For the first few updates I will give you an overview of the different parts of the front. Army Group South will be first, then AGC and AGN with the Finnish front closing this overview. At the same time I will post on the turns played, two or three a week.
All updates will be accompanied by screenprints and I will try to map the recent developments in the overview posts.

The turn at which I start is turn 50, the first turn of the Soviet winter offensive. Date is 10 December 1941. Most FITE-games have by now ended because the Germans have little chance of victory if not either Leningrad or Moscow have been captured. As stated before this is my first game and thus I wasn't quite able to achieve this success against my veteran opponent. Still I will fight on and make this game more special by carrying on the fight into 1942 and hopefully for the long haul to Berlin (...or victory!)

The news on our first turn (turn 50) as the Soviet winter offensive starts:

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Damage is light. In some areas where our frontline was sparsely defended, some ground was lost. Nothing critical and more about it in the coming updates.

A view of the complete front as of turn 50.

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And the legenda for upcomming maps:

[Singleton Mosby]

A situation overview as of the late December 1941 frontlines:

Army Group South

Since the mud the German emphasis has been on the Southern-front. A small bridgehead won by Rumanian troops over a weak Soviet defence was consolidated during the mud. Instead of a head-on offensive as expected by the Soviet high-command screening Donetsk, Army Group South (AGS) launched an offensive to the north, parallel to the Dnjepr river and the Soviet front on the Dnejpr.
The success and surprise was complete although the snow impeded quick movement and execution of a proper surrounding of the red armies on the river in their rear. Still the point units moved some 150 kilometers in less then a week, something not seen since the establishment of the Dnjepr-Desna-Lovat front. Only last week (the second week of December), where the numerous Germany divisions able to close the steel ring, thus creating the 'Dnjepr Kessel'.

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So far for the success story on this part of the Southern front. In order to facilitate it AGS had to withdraw many forces from the Crimea front, leaving the present troops barely able to defend lest go on the offensive and fight their way to Sebastopole, an offensive postponed till the spring of 1942. During the last week of November a minor offensive in the swamps of the Crimean-neck botched, high casualty returns and weakened troops where the consequence. And as expected the Reds took advantage and pushed our lines back some 25 kilometers leaving it in shambles. Thus, as much as five divisions are now diverted to this spot in order to 'hold the line' and regained the ground lost.

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Particulairy bloody have been the battles around Dnipropetrovsk Just to the northwest of the city a shallow bridgehead had been gained just before the mud-season set in. As near the mouth of the Dnjepr division after division was moved in for a massive offensive once the mud froze over.
The battles have been furious and casualties on both sides grievous. Some thirty kilometers have been gained at best but at what cost. For every square kilometer hundreds, if not thousands of German soldiers died in the snow and mud. This chapter has been a sad, sad one. During the six weeks of fighting on this fifty kilometers wide part of the front as many troops where as in the entire summer campaign south of the Pripet-Marshes.
By mid-November the offensive petered out but not before a new one was started south of Dnipropetrovsk. This offensive was conducted with more caution. Pointless battles where avoided and only during the first week of December where full-front offensives authorized. With success as this offensive, albeit slowly, turned into the northern pincer which enclosed the Dnjepr Kessel by early December.

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Thus, not much was to be feared for Army Group South during the expected December and January Soviet winter-offensive. Except for a weak part just north of the hard fought Dnjepr bridgehead around the city of Poltava the entire front was secure. And, as long as the ring surrounding the Dnjepr Kessel can be kept unbroken the demise of more then three dozen Soviet division was guarantied. In order to achieve this a small scale offensive is proposed, aimed at the almost sealed-off corridor near Senilnikovo.
A second major offensive by seven divisions is prepared in the Dnjepr bridgehead aimed at relieving the crumbling frontline along the river Vorskla. Two panzerdivision are send in to strengthen the defence.

[loveman2]

I like the idea of those two panzer divisions I look forward to grinding them to dust. [:D]

[Karri]

ORIGINAL: Singleton Mosby
- I don't know how to preserve the Luftwaffe and at the same time use them to full effect

Not possible. You can preserve it, but that means you'll withdraw it out of the range of Soviet air force, or at least out of the range of soviet fighters. As for using to to full effect: that is only possible in '41. After that the Soviets will dominate the skies no matter what you do.

- I have no experience on the defense. During the Soviet winter offensive I will have to learn it 'the hard way'

Roll back...at least that's what I do. Counter-offensives simply lead to attrition matches...

- I have no idea what to do with the corps and armee command units

I use them to increase supply and to repair bridges...no other use really. Well, in case of emergency to block the frontlines and to surround guerillas.

Most FITE-games have by now ended because the Germans have little chance of victory if not either Leningrad or Moscow have been captured.

The victory lies in South. Axis must take both Leningrad and Stalingrad in '41 and they have a chance of winning. I once lost both Moscow and Leningrad and still won...