Russian AAR to 1946, with pics!

[wie201]

I am starting a new thread to finish off my Russian AAR. This time I will add screenshots.

The time frame in this thread will be from 1945 till June of 1946.

One of the last things I said in my first post (end of 1945) “by the end of the year I should be back to my start line.” Well, I was wrong. Which way? Berlin, France, or the Ural Mountains? Well, let’s just see. We pick up the European War in March of 1945.

I had been on the offensive with very limited surgical strikes. I ignored everything except the big three Russian cities (Leningrad, Moscow and Stalingrad). I hoped by taking back all three I would be given some huge morale benefit and have the Axis armies withdraw en masse some distance, allowing me to regroup and re-form the entire line more properly. I saw no other way to whittle them down.

Given my method of attack, my hold on the three cities was tenuous. In the North, I had driven down the Kareltan Isthmus to Leningrad, which was not secured properly. Germany sent the 19th German Heavy Panzer tanks to re-take Leningrad from the South, which they did. Attacking my thin lines from North were the Finnish and Swedish troops. Leningrad fell, but I slipped in the Russian 14th Inf Corps into half, which is holding to this date. Before losing my entire force, I retired everyone (save the 14th Inf) back up the Isthmus to re-group. The German Army in the north went back to their drive onto Cherepovits.

Will try to get better at posting screenshots. New for me.

[wie201]

Army Group Center focused on Moscow, taking it for the third time. My theory of a morale boost and Axis withdrawal has proven incorrect. I pull back to re-group and re-arm.

[wie201]

In the South, my path to take back Stalingrad is obvious and outlined. The Russian troops were quickly overwhelmed when I could not support them. I thought it was a good idea, but clearly I must move forward on a more broad front. It was a nice try, and I did not lose too much in the endeavor, but I am disappointed that there was no morale help.

[wie201]

Meanwhile, in the West the Allies break free. But an entire German Army awaits them at the border.

AND I solved my screenshot issue (put in Microsoft Paint, resize to 50%, save as *.jpg).

[wie201]

And in the Med, the Allied Navy of the Med consists of a single BB. The Allies in Sicily have been eliminated, but still hold a city in the toe of Italy. The best hope is Africa, where they steadily advance.

[wie201]

APRIL OF 1945

Battle of the Atlantic – German subs are causing havoc for supply, while the German/Swedish Navy fight for control of the North Sea.

[wie201]

France – No change. Canadians still stuck outside of Brest. German West Wall just waiting. No need for a screenshot here.

Africa and the Med – Western Allies add more ships to the fight for the med. While Italian troops re-take Sicily, a large Allied army drives forward and liberates Egypt. American airpower also assisting Greek partisans. Things are looking up for this sector.

[wie201]

Russian Front – Moscow – The German Army is using the 10th Corps and the 6th Army to hold Moscow. Because I cannot use subterfuge to recapture Moscow, I must surround it first and reduce it via siege. I start to bring up Rocket Brigades, Shock Armies and more airpower for what might be an extended fight.

The pocket I made trapping the German heavy tanks failed. I could not reduce the pocket, and the German tanks simply broke out on their own.

[wie201]

May/June of 1945

Battle of the Atlantic – Western Allies suffering horrendous casualties in the fight for the North Sea. Germany now has four battleships.

Along with the Bismarck and the Tirpitz are the GrossDeutschland and the Hindenburg. The Allies have lost the Duke of York, the Malaya, the Arkansas, and the Hood.

The Germans also have 7 subs at tech 5, now openly engaging surface warships, and winning.

For reinforcements, the Americans are pouring in battleships to attempt to wrest control from the Axis powers.

[wie201]

France – The Germans finally tire of the Canadians outside of Brest, and assign the 18th Inf. Army to destroy it which, over time, it does.

The Allies’ “right hook” from Normandy makes little progress. Failing to protect their lines, Germany counters attacks toward Nantes and splits the Allied armies in two by the end of June.

The Easternmost pocket is firmly anchored in La Rochelle, so not much chance of being threatened.

[wie201]

Strategic Bombing Campaign – The Germans launched the London Blitz and after a few months have all but eliminated London’s war capacity.

The Med and the Mid-East – The Axis powers now control all of Sicily and Italy.

Indian and Polish troops start advancing from Basra north into the heart of Iraq.

In the west the Allies are in the Sinai with a clear path open to Syria.

Axis sends Finnish fighters to Persia.

[wie201]

Battle for Moscow – first I surround it.

Germany still fight hard for Cherepovets.

Russian 14th Inf. Still holding outside Leningrad.

[wie201]

Eastern Front – I surround Moscow and start banging away, determined to take it back no matter the cost. It falls, but the German 6th Army holds out in urban area next to Moscow.

In the North, Germany takes Cherepovets, and I try to create a huge pocket of 16 Axis units.

I am not confident that I can hold such a pocket, but it is mid-1945 and I am running out of time.

[wie201]

Fortress Crimea – June 1945

Germany caught its breath and tried again for the Crimea. With limited ability to reinforce same, I start to withdraw back to Sevastopol, and will try to hold it indefinitely.

The German Luftwaffe is just deadly – look at the Honors for the tactical bombers. The German medium bombers next to it has Honors for France (1940), one Army and two corps in Russia.

[wie201]

Production in June of 1945 – Soviet production ramps up, getting help from the UK and USA.

The US now has over 4,000 MPPs at the ready (after just starting mobilization in April of 1945 – WHAT! – why the wait! – I’m getting killed here!).

In working on this thread, I accidently loaded the wrong file and see the saved up German production.

As I cannot un-see it, here’s the number - it is in excess of 12,000 MPPs stored up. I’m doomed.

I concluded beforehand that I could never force the Axis out of Mother Russia before the end of 1945 anyway (despite my earlier prediction). I have already decided to focus less on killing units and go for more of a “land grab” campaign. Drive as deep as I can, while protecting my flanks, to see if they will fall back due to the threat of envelopment.

However, I must try to finish the pocket at Cherepovets, hoping that by causing enough havoc I can find opportunities not yet open to me.

[wie201]

July/August 1945

Hi all. I need to continue to break up my AAR reports into two-month segments because of (1) work, (2) wife, (3) age, and (4) medical stuff. I would love to do what Warspite! is doing (great admirer), but do not have the time.

I will add extra passages and maps as required to allow for a better understanding of the complete picture.

Hopefully this shorter, less detailed account than Warspite1’s is of some enjoyment.

We continue to the end of August 1945.

[wie201]

Battle of the Atlantic and Total Naval Losses – Germany launches two Aircraft Carriers (the Deutschland and the Peter Strasser). Their statistics are almost identical - 2 (naval weaponry) 5 (advanced aircraft) and 4 and 3 (long range aircraft).

The Americans send forth generic “Battleship” units, and the German “Fantastic Four” (Bismarck, Tirpitz, GrossDeutschland and the Hindenburg) eat them for breakfast. Between the North Sea and most of the Atlantic, the opposing side’s current fleets stack up as follows:

ACTIVE

Western Allies – ACTIVE

CV/CVL = 4

BB/BC = 11

CA/CL = 6

DD = 8

SS = 1

Axis – ACTIVE

CV = 2

BB = 4

CA/CL = 5

DD = 5

SS = 9 (Tech5)

LOSSES FROM DAY 1 – These are total losses for the entire game, Atlantic and the Med:

SUNK

Western Allies - SUNK

CV/CVL = 7

BB/BC = 8

CA/CL = 12

DD = 13

SS = 1

Axis - SUNK

BB = 8

CA/CL = 8

DD = 19

SS = 28

The Battle for the North Sea is a free-for-all, with Germany occupying the waters while the Allies need to protect its bridgehead in Normandy and adding reinforcements, while assisting incoming reinforcements from across the Atlantic.

[wie201]

Mediterranean – The Allies now have two BBs (one heavily damaged) and one DD (also heavily damaged). The Axis powers have two BBs, two DDs and two Subs.

One of those subs, the U-371, sinks the BB Warspite (Sorry Mate!).

Allied Partisans are very active in Yugoslavia and Greece. In Yugoslavia, they take a good portion of their country back.

[wie201]

In the Mid-East the Western Allies advance into Syria and conquer most of Iraq.

Most importantly, on the diplomatic front, the Allies work hard to get Turkey to join us. By the end of August, Turkey is favoring the Allies by 74 percent.

For what it's worth, Russia tries to convince Sweden to quit the War.

[wie201]

The Battle for Moscow – The months of July and August find the Axis Armies and Russia in a desperate fight for Moscow, yet again. Axis forces drive from the South and North to try to surround Moscow and relieve the embattled German 6th Army.

Led by Von Rundstedt, and backed by heavy artillery, Infantry, and the Decima MAS Special Forces Unit from Italy, three full strength German Heavy Tanks attack from North and South (14th Panzer from the North – 19th and 76th from the South). Germany re-opens the Moscow pocket, and supply flows again to the 6th Army.

I am very disappointed. Moscow cannot fall – not again. I will pull all I have in to save it – it will be a personal defeat for me if I lose it yet one more time.

I must pull troops from the attack to close the Cherepovets bulge in the North to attack Southwards. Further, I shift forces from troops based in Tambov, and destined to attempt to drive to Kantemirakova (over half-way to Rostov), to support Moscow from the South.

The result: Although the Italian Decima MAS Special Forces Unit escapes, Russian forces trap not one but all three Heavy Panzer formations. From experience I know that reducing these formations is very difficult, but I must get at least two out of three. I cannot allow them to escape again and re-arm. At full strength they are the devil himself to kill.