USSR Overwhelming Victory vs AI

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RAL
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 8:12 am

USSR Overwhelming Victory vs AI

Post by RAL »

Maybe not a big deal but it was the second game I played after being crushed in the first one so I earned a smile, kk? :-) I'm going to post a brief AAR if that is permissible in the hopes that other newbs can learn something from my mistakes.

All settings were default historic, including historic AOs.

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RAL
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 8:12 am

RE: USSR Overwhelming Victory vs AI

Post by RAL »

The end:  Northern area.  Early on I moved the sappers north to grab the bridge just SE of Belgorad and they sat there entrenched until turn 16.  The threat appeared to be enough to hold some German units in the area most of the time, reducing the forces they could apply to the south.  On the 16th turn I crossed the bridge and stood at the gates of the city (which I could not engage at even 1:1) with my sappers and sure enough, the Germans rushed 3 units including a full regiment in to protect it.
screen: sg_far_north.jpg

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RAL
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 8:12 am

RE: USSR Overwhelming Victory vs AI

Post by RAL »

I managed to take Liptsy about the 8th turn and hold it for 4-5 turns. Kharkov not even close.  I hope to play another game soon and see if I can at least threaten to take Kharkov.  My performance on the prime objective remains pathetic.  At least I exercised sufficient caution in the offensive that I didn't get my clock fully cleaned this time.  Early in the game I tried an offensive to the north and also to the south, driving on Chuguyev.  The
northern action ground to Liptsy, the southern drive was quickly crushed & most of the game was spent on the defensive in that area.  However the defensive line was often rewarded by elimination of German units falling under
artillery fire combined with short, sharp counterattacks.  The shoot and scoot approach is critical in this area.
screen: sg_kharkov_front.jpg

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RAL
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 8:12 am

RE: USSR Overwhelming Victory vs AI

Post by RAL »

The end: Izyum Area
The defense of Izyum started fairly well.  I left Barvenkovo completely undefended and entrenched just north of the E-W river with artillery behind the trench line (discussed in another thread).  This worked well to free up AO
constraints and delay the German schwerpunkt. However the defense suffered from two near catastrophic errors on my part.  

First, I somehow failed to take the second hex (to the west) required to free up the 21st & 23rd armor early in the game.  Just overlooked it.  By the time I figured it out the Axis had three hedgehogged units there and even though it was surrounded and I had artillery support it took forever to finally capture it. (Forever was about five turns!  It sure seemed like forever.)  The result of this near catastrophic error was that I was never able to take Lanaya, west of Krasnograd, which releases Alert forces vital to the defense of Izyum. This screwup had widespread ramifications in both East and West.  (Fortunately I was able to blame it on a lackey subordinate who was summarily shot by Comrade Stalin for his ineptitude, so it only cost me a year's supply of vodka bribes.)

The second error was feeling overconfident when I finally brought the 21st into the Izyum line.  I attempted a "brilliant and bold" counterattack on the advancing meat grinder in the river bend just west of Izyum.  Well, it looked good on paper.  Let's just say I lost a lot of forces for no real gains at all.

You can see the result of these errors on this end game map.  If the designer had decided to extend the scenario one more turn... I would be cut in half.  I'm glad I'm not the poor fellow responsible for taking over from me, lol.

On the other hand, taking Balakleya early in the game really paid off big time.  It only took a few 5th Army attached assets a few turns to work down from the bridge at 37,32 and one unit to hold the town for most of the game at 50 points/turn.  Easy money. I reinforced at about turn 14 and it was never taken back by the Germans. Recommended.

screen:  sg_izyum_front.jpg
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RAL
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 8:12 am

RE: USSR Overwhelming Victory vs AI

Post by RAL »

The End: Krasnograd & Lanaya
I already described my huge bungle in not taking the hex to free up the 21st & 23rd armor. This had serious consequences in delaying the taking of Krasnograd. I was never able to take Lanaya. Nor was I able to mount any significant threat from the south toward Kharkov itself. Not a happy state of affairs.

One thing I did that seemed to work out well was attack due south with Bobkin forces & some cavalry during the first few turns, pushing well into the river bend south of Mironovka (SE of Saknowschina) and eliminating some inferior forces there, including the machine gun unit. While this may have delayed taking Krasnograd by a turn at most, it kept this area quiet with minimal defensive committment all the way through to the end. Recommend considering this.

Krasnograv itself fell as somewhat of a gift, although I believe I would have taken it shortly anyway. I had the town nearly surrounded and the dumkopf German forces marched out of it, leaving it abandoned. I'm sure a human opponent would have defended it to the last and bought another turn or two of VPs.

One other tip: the town at 15,31 (Starov..) is the home of three artillery units both games I've played. Don't miss this easy kill in first few turns as it will alleviate indirect fire in the area for the entire game. Surround it with cavalry and go for the 'jugendular'.

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RAL
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 8:12 am

RE: USSR Overwhelming Victory vs AI

Post by RAL »

bonus - Izyum area KIAs
This is an interesting screen. You can see the carnage along the Barvenkovo River line; these units died delaying the tnrust north and although they took few with them, they caused a number of step losses in the schwerpunkt. Also note the results of my catastrophic counterattack into the river bend west of Izyum with the 21st. Oops.

Finally note the lack of KIAs on either side around Balakleya. Any step losses I suffered there were repaired over time so this was a definite win. It also facilitated supply of western forces until the final few turns.
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If you made it this far I hope you got something of interest from this AAR. I want to thank and give credit to the several posters who answered my questions so well and patiently on other threads. Without their support the outcome would have been a very different one. My mistakes, of course, are my own. (unless the KGB is listening ;-) that is.)

Constructive criticism & suggestions are always appreciated.

Now if I can just figure out how to actually take Kharkov itself!

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Gregor_SSG
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RE: USSR Overwhelming Victory vs AI

Post by Gregor_SSG »

Ral,

Nice AAR, its good to see that you've learnt from your mistakes in the first game and are enjoying the game so much. Now its on to Karkov! Don't forget, Comrade Stalin expects the city to fall!

Gregor
Vice President, Strategic Studies Group
See http://www.ssg.com.au and http://www.ssg.com.au/forums/
for info and free scenarios.
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