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I am starting a new game with the beta and will report on the goings-on. Rolypoly has the T1 save and should have it back shortly.

[font=calibri]The overall Soviet strategic plan will involve accomplishing several key objectives for 1941.  Ideally all of these would be done.[/font]

[font=calibri]Hold Moscow[/font]
[font=calibri]Preserve the Red Army[/font]
[font=calibri]Evacuate industry[/font]
[font=calibri]Hold Leningrad[/font]
[font=calibri]Hold the Donbas Region[/font]

[font=calibri]I am going to concentrate efforts on accomplishing only the first 3.  Briefly this is how I plan to go about doing this.[/font]

[font=calibri]Hold Moscow[/font]

[font=calibri]After June ’41, AP costs for fortified regions drops from 16 to 8.  On turn 3, I will invest sufficient APs to build a series of FRs along a line from Rzhev to Kaluga.   This will insure a line of forts up to Level 3 and will be in depth.  The FR hexes themselves will allow up to Level 4, but the regions will be spaced out in a FxxFxxF pattern to minimize AP spends.  The Moscow MD will receive two shell armies that will be kept in an unready state until the enemy closes on the area.  Support units for these two armies will initially be limited to 4 RR brigades and a sapper regiment.  The Reserve Front with 4 armies will be committed to defending Moscow along with the two armies of the MDD, so there will be over half a million men defending the approaches to the city assuming things go as planned.   Reserve Front will go to Zhukov and his 4 armies will get the best of the ground commanders available.[/font]

[font=calibri]Preserve the Red Army[/font]
[font=calibri]Avoid big pockets where possible and keep casualties to between 3-3.5m by end of 1941[/font]

[font=calibri]Evacuate industry[/font]
[font=calibri]Although a tankophile, I recognize that the Red Army can’t survive without bullets and shells, so armaments will get top priority on the evacuation list.  Assuming Moscow is successfully held, I figure if 150 arms points can be evacuated the first year, that will mean the enemy captures between 50-70.  Hopefully that leaves 300-320 and will be enough going into 1942.  If that's not enough, there’s a real problem with 1.05.  [/font]

[font=calibri]All this assumes then that the Axis will occupy most of the Donbas then come blizzard.  But with the needed factories out, and Moscow under control, that will be a somewhat historical outcome and I can focus on how to fight the campaign in 1942.[/font]

[font=calibri]My Admin Points usage in the past went for a number of things like air upgrades, but now things like that will likely be curtailed so I can build FRs where needed.  [/font]

The War in the East has begun. 
 
[font=calibri]Opening air attacks destroyed 3,933 Soviet airframes to 233 Axis.  Over 1,000 Soviet losses were of the I-153 and I-15 types and almost 1,200 I-16s.  730 were MiG-3 and Yak-1.[/font]
[font=calibri]Ground unit losses in the initial attack were 13 fortified regions and 4 PVO AA regiments.[/font]
[font=calibri]The initial Axis attacks in the north were successful in cutting off all the Baltic ports.[/font]
[font=calibri]The Bialystok pocket in the center cannot be broken[/font]
The southern drive by Axis troops created a series of 3 pockets in the Lvov area. 

Advance of AGN



AGC Advances


AGS Advances

Your Lvov pocket is leaky and the Sov can reestablish supply.

Edit: NM, I thought this was the German turn showing, not the Soviet.

ORIGINAL: Flaviusx

Your Lvov pocket is leaky and the Sov can reestablish supply.

Edit: NM, I thought this was the German turn showing, not the Soviet.

Flavio, your initial thoughts were correct. Judging by the movement indicators on the Soviet units, at least. The Lvov pocket is very leaky and the Germans are way too thinly spread. PG 1 is in for a beat down, if the Soviets get aggressive.

Best of luck Ed, will be following with interest.

I agree with the other posters, lots of opportunities but beware of the rebound.

1.05 is very different for Soviets. These AARs are informative. Holding Crimea with the Fort Rules will be instructive. Leningrad vs Armaments is an interesting nuance.

In the north, isolated units of the Northwest Front were able to re-establish contact.  In turn, lead German panzers found themselves isolated.



In the center, those Western Front units outside the Bialystok pocket fall back behind the Dnepr.  An advanced screen force is on the Drut River to the West.  Minsk is abandoned.


In the south, the pocket there is broken[font=calibri] by the 7th Motorized Div advancing 10 miles northeast of Zolochev.  The 44th and 192nd Mountain divisions also move unopposed to reestablish contact across all 3 pockets. [/font]
One counterattack by a cavalry and rifle division failed to dislodge a panzer regiment. Soviet losses are 1,204 men vs 188 for the panzer unit.  Since the AI battle algorithm considers the Russians as inept cannon fodder at this stage, it should be no surprise.  I'll use three divisions next time.  [;)]



5 enemy divisons are isolated in the south, so that's something.  Meanwhile multiple defensive lines go up to slow the rapid enemy advance.  That's the plan anyways. 

In the administrative area, [font=calibri]23 fortified regions were disbanded along with the Baltic and Black Sea Fleet Air Commands and all associated airbases.  [/font]
[font=calibri]All available air units headed for the National Reserve.[/font]
[font=calibri]STAVKA ordered 8 new RR Construction Brigades mobilized.  [/font]
[font=calibri]9 AP remained at the end.  All used were for disbanding or ordering up the RR units.  Next week the great industrial migration eastwards begins.[/font]

Ouch. German is in trouble here.

Its very risky to try that big a pocket in the south without help from 2nd PZ. Roly will learn that lesson the hard way.

yep.

Same with all the overcommitment to the bialystok pocket, not enough left over to ensure security going towards riga.

How are those panzer units on the northern Romanian start line getting there and having enough MP's to attack?  Are you railing them through Romania, or do they have enough MP's to move there and still do 1 attack to dislodge that unit off the rail?

Week 2 for the Axis sees the Bialystok Pocket in the center mostly liquidated and the Lvov Pocket in the south reformed and solidified.  Recon by both land and air indicates that ArmeeGruppe Nord is being supported by XXXIX and LVII PanzerKorps from Hoth's 3. PanzerGruppe.  ArmeeGruppe Sud has no additional panzer support as Guderian's panzertruppen are spread out along the western side of the Drut, approaching the Dnepr.

Casualties


Advance of AGN


Advance of AGC


Advance of AGS


Soviet Southern Front

[font=calibri]Northern Front [/font]
[font=calibri]28th Army (Kachalov) is assigned to Northern Front.  No units are assigned to it, they will pick up the Leningrad divisions that will mobilize next week.[/font]
[font=calibri]Northwest Front[/font]
[font=calibri]22nd Army (Vostrukhov) is assigned to NW Front and is located in the Vitebsk region.[/font]
[font=calibri]18th Motorized and 19th Panzer of Hoth’s 57 PzKps spotted 50 miles SW of Pskov.  An unknown armor unit, presumably 12th Panzer is trailing 19th Panzer.  Also a regiment from 14th Motorized, assigned to Hoth’s 39 PzKps is over the Daugava.  In this case, with two PanzerKorps from 3. PanzerGruppe active in the north, it appears Leningrad is being made a high priority.[/font]
[font=calibri]The front is very spread out this week while awaiting the expansion of Northern Front next week.[/font]
[font=calibri]Western Front[/font]
[font=calibri]Dimitri Pavlov has been executed and replaced by Filipp Golikov.  Guderian’s 2. PanzerGruppe is rather spread out and on the west side of the Drut River.  The infantry following behind appear to be two weeks away from being in a position to cross over.  The main body of the front settles in on the east bank of the Dnepr while a combination of NKVD regiments and 4th Airborne Corps remain forward along the Drut.  STAVKA assigns 20th Army to cover the land bridge at Smolensk.  Orel MD and elements of 21st Army (Efremov) have committed forces in the Gomel sector on the southern flank of Western Front.[/font]
[font=calibri]Southwestern Front[/font]
[font=calibri]All panzer divisions of 1. PanzerGruppe are accounted for with no evidence of supporting units from 2. PanzerGruppe.  This will be a positive factor for industrial evacuation of the Donbas.[/font]
[font=calibri]I spent some time trying to find a way to break the Lvov pocket without over committing to a relief effort.  Finding none, the men of the pocket have been resigned to their fate.  Next week the front will see a reorganization as the three front HQs trapped in the pocket are ejected.  STAVKA 16th Army (Lukin) has reinforced the front.    [/font]
[font=calibri]Southern Front[/font]
[font=calibri]A gradual pullback is conducted over the Dnestr River.   [/font]
[font=calibri]18th Army (Smirnov) is assigned to Southern Front.  No units are assigned to this army, they will be next week as Southwestern Front reorganizes.[/font]
[font=calibri]19th Army (Boldin) is assigned to Southern Front.  It is taking up a position along the Dnepr at Cherkassy.[/font]
[font=calibri]Factory Evacuations: [/font]
[font=calibri]moved 3 arms (18k railcap)Mogilev to Molotov[/font]
[font=calibri]moved 6/7 T-50 factories (4.3k railcap) from Leningrad[/font]
[font=calibri]moved 1 vehicle factory(6k railcap) from Leningrad[/font]
[font=calibri]Air Forces:[/font]
[font=calibri]Two airbases on each front were re-equipped with a combination of fighters and bombers.[/font]
[font=calibri]Railcap:  Start: 72074 End: 289[/font]
[font=calibri]Admin Points:  Start: 60  End: 23[/font]
[font=calibri][/font] 
[font=calibri]Northern USSR[/font]

 
Southern USSR

Week 3 advances by Axis forces are focused on the capture of Pskov in the north, while AGC is driving north of the Dnepr attempting to isolate Vitebsk and threaten to advance along the direct line to Moscow or flank the river line.  In the south there is a slow but concentrated push of Axis armor north of Proskurov.  The Lvov Pocket is being gradually reduced.
 
NORTH

 
CENTER

 
SOUTH

 
 

Northern Front
28th Army receives six understrength rifle divisions and establishes a line to defend Leningrad.

Northwest Front
[font=calibri]K Galitsky replaces P Sobennikov as commander 8th Army[/font]
[font=calibri]P Belov replaces V Morozov as commander 11th Army[/font]
Multiple lines established to slow the German advance on Leningrad.

[font=calibri]Western Front[/font]
[font=calibri]Units are shifted about along the Dnepr to better protect against a German flanking manuever over the land bridge west of Smolensk.[/font]

[font=calibri]Southwestern Front[/font]
[font=calibri]Multiple defensive lines are established.[/font]

Southern Front
The front line is maintained along the Dnestr.

STAVKA
29th, 30th and 31st Armies formed and allocated divisions.  They will be assigned to Reserve Front next week.

Factory Evacuations
[font=calibri]move 4 arms factories from Kiev to Molotov[/font]
[font=calibri]move 8 arms factories from Vsevolzhsky to Molotov[/font]
[font=calibri]move 3 arms factories from Odessa to Molotov[/font]
[font=calibri]move 1 Yak-6 factory from Leningrad to Serov[/font]

[font=calibri]Railcap:  Start: 132200  End: 402[/font]

[font=calibri]Admin Points:  Start: 72  End: 9[/font]


Northern Situation


Center

Southwestern Front

I'd considering relocating those HQ in the Lvov pocket. This will usually result in their commanders dying, a good thing, and possibly being replaced by someone much better. It's the Wehrmacht's generous contribution towards improving the Soviet officer corps, you can thank them later...

Good point, I dont see any of the three as Order of Lenin candidates.

ORIGINAL: Flaviusx

I'd considering relocating those HQ in the Lvov pocket. This will usually result in their commanders dying, a good thing, and possibly being replaced by someone much better. It's the Wehrmacht's generous contribution towards improving the Soviet officer corps, you can thank them later...

In the north, 4. PanzerGruppe advances out of Pskov on a narrow axis, and clears away the NKVD screening forces. 3. PanzerGruppe advances to the outskirts of Velikie Luki. In the center, Guderian is pushing almost the entire 2. PanzerGruppe north of the Dnepr. No sizable force at all west of the Dnepr it appears, although elements of 4. Armee is over the Berezina. In the south, 1. PanzerGruppe clears the first and second Southwestern Front defensive lines. All main advances are modest, moving the front lines no more than 50 miles, except perhaps slightly more by Hoth's forces.

North


Center


South