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I am about to start two games vs Isokron. This one is me as the Germans. Playing with 1.02 and usual rules apply.

Pre-Start Turn

Decisions taken:

- Support The Fuhrer's plans
- Fully motorise the Eisenbahntruppen (3pp)
- I choose to help out where I can re resources for the Eisenbahntruppen (3pp)
- I keep the Eisenbahntruppen working (0pp). Haven't I helped them enough already?

- Romania and Finland maintain status quo as agreed with my opponent.

This leaves me with 74pp.

22nd June 1941

The Fuhrer has issued Directive No.21. The priorities are:

1. Leningrad
2. Destroy Army HQ's
3. Rostov
4. Moscow


Political Points = 84. Five decisions to attend to:

- Fuel Allocation. I steer a middle path for 0pp and keep the allocation as is.
- Air Offensive. I maintain for 12 more days 0pp. I want to keep Soviet activations low. Keeping the 'Fat One' happy seems sensible too.
- The security divisions for the three army group sectors. I keep on mopping up duty 0pp as this pleases the army group commanders.

This is all good news for relationhips [:)] What a happy bunch of Nazis we are [8|]

22nd June 1941

At a cost of 15pp I give command focus to PzG's 1, 3 and 4.

16th, 4th and 17th Armies receive artillery support (at a cost of 9pp).

22nd June 1941
Finland

Mannerheim is itching to get the lands lost as a result of the Winter War back. Four divisions of Southeast Army launch an attack against Viborg and eject the Soviets from the town.

On the Karelian Front the Soviet 237th Division repulses an opportunistic - but rather optimistic - attack by the only Finnish division capable of engaging.

22nd June 1941
Army Group North

The Soviets are set up quite aggressively.

First things first - I want 8th Army HQ destroyed (or at least separated from its subordinate divisions.

Two divisions of 18th Army push a Soviet tank division back and a follow-up attack pushes the tankers (and a rifle division back further). They are soon joined by a mechanised division and the 8th Army HQ.

This clears the way for 8th Panzer and the Totenkopf division to exploit the gap and drive northeast. Totenkopf destroys the 8th Army HQ in the process and then cuts the Kaunas-Riga road.

1st Panzer moves north and destroys another division, while 3rd Motorised and 6th Panzer head southeast, skirting the forest and continue to harry two 8th Army divisons.

Finally the remaining units of 18th Army and 16th Army engage the rifle divisions of 11th Army. It is vital that I stop these units from escaping east. Limited - but acceptable progress is made.

22nd June 1941
Army Group Centre (North)

Two divisions from 11th Army have crossed the army group border. This means three divisions in front of 3rd PzG's infantry. I decide (without conviction) to use 7th Panzer Division to try and hurt these Soviets units to the maximum. All three survive but are no longer capable of combat operations.

Attention is then turned south. Amazing what one division missing from the OOB makes. 12th Panzer and 20th Motorised clear a way for a panzer corps to take Grodno.

3 divisions from 9th Army help push two 10th Army divisions back.

The important thing now is to try and close a pocket around Bialystok.

22nd June 1941
Army Group Centre (South)

I use two corps of 4th Army and the bulk of 2nd PzG's infantry to cut a hole through the Soviet defences between Brest and Bialystok. Having done so I launch panzer and motorised units against Bialystok itself. his is risky but the city is only held by two tank divisions and the prize has to be worth it? The attack succeeds and I then order the remaining units of 4th and 9th Armies to try and eradicate as much of the remaining Soviet forces as possible. The Soviets are left with one stack of 5 divisions and an HQ. I can get an attack in but the odds are not great and I do not risk it.

The remainder of the turn is spent removing enemy forces around Brest - the city will have to wait another day - and clearing a path to Minsk.

The Bialystok pocket is not closed and I have not managed to touch the units of Western HQ. Much will depend on their activation status next turn.

22nd June 1941
Army Group South

The Soviet set up is very conservative with units set well back (although further south the 3rd Romanian Army are being pressed).

I use 6th Army to break the initial defences of 5th Army and then bring 1st PzG in to by pass the bulk of 6th Army. However the panzers quickly became unstuck without achieving anything of value....

17th Army - due to starting some way from the Soviets (I almost missed moving two of the divisions!) was also limited in what they could do to hurt 6th Army. One of the initial attacks failed which didn't help so we will have to see what activations the Soviets get...

Right then. Every game I get Western HQ lost (despite retreating as quickly as AP allows). Then when I'm German I cannot catch them. Time to throw caution to the wind me thinks.....

26th June 1941
Finland

I launch a numpty attack south of Viipuri and got what I deserved. [8|]

However, to the east, the attacks in Karelia are better and one division is removed from the map while two more are seriously weakened.

26th June 1941
Army Group North

I have taken a real chance - but then I said I was going to throw caution to the wind....

Three divisions of 4th PzG cross the Dvina north of Daugvapils.... let's hope 27th Army don't activate....

26th June 1941
Army Group Centre

I manage to catch the rearguard of Western HQ with 2nd PzG and force these back. Meanwhile 3rd PzG threatens Vilnius.

26th June 1941
Army Group South

Still not happy with progress here. I seek to bypass Lvov but it doesn't really happen....

Interestingly, Southwestern HQ are far forward.

30th June 1941

No pictures to show - just.too.depressing. The gulf in class between me and my opponent is huge.

In the north, if 27th Army activate then my panzers north of the Dvina are in real trouble - based on experience, I have to assume the army won't but....

In the centre the number of Soviet divisions - not only surviving - but in good order and able to retreat to Minsk and beyond is disappointing....

The less said about the south the better....how the attack - by 17th Army on Lvov failed - is beyond me. The Romanian 3rd Army are almost surrounded. The Soviets must be activating....

I need to get better at being able to attack - and in particular being able to destroy HQ! Too many attacks have failed this turn.

At least relations with most top brass is okay and the PP situation is good. Small mercies and all that [:D]

4th July 1941

You have to laugh... what are the chances of Soviet armies activating at this stage of the war?.....

Suffice to say my panzers got a kicking in AGN and AGS - and a Soviet unit from 9th Army in the south has the AP to get in behind 11th Army!!

Ho hum....at least everyone loves me - except von Brauchitsch of course [8|]

In the centre I decide to go for it and risk all in order to get amongst the enemy. I mean really? What are the chances of the Soviets activating again? [:D]

8th July 1941

Looks like this game too will reach an early end. The Soviet 9th and 12th Army units look like they have put the entire 11th Army out of supply.

There is no hope of any immediate fix (only weak Romanian forces to counter - and its mud!) so if, as expected, the entire German army in Romania and environs runs out of supply that will be game over.

Certainly been taught a lesson this game!

Well, Isokron should have sent over his resume before you took the game. He is an "A" class player and knows the DC games very well.

ORIGINAL: RCH

Well, Isokron should have sent over his resume before you took the game. He is an "A" class player and knows the DC games very well.

warspite1

Well, Isokron should have sent over his resume before you took the game

Why? Its only a game - and given the disappointing lack of response to my opponent request I was pleased that somebody wanted to play!

He is an "A" class player and knows the DC games very well.

He certainly is! And as much as being on the receiving end was painful, its great to experience that kind of gameplay excellence first hand. Makes me realise what is possible.

At least you've proven that version 1.02 is not "hopelessly" imbalanced in favor of the Germans. The USSR player can at least hope for warspite1-class play from his opponent[:'(].