1942 - The year of victory? (SOV AI)

[Jukipo]

This is my WITE2 learning game. I have played some WITE1 years ago and other East Front games as well. I started this scenario when the game was released. I am now on turn 43. The first winter is over. On this AAR I am going to cover battles starting spring 1942 to the final victory or defeat.

Settings
- Soviet AI on 110% advantage
- Full FOW
- Lock HQ support

First, I am going to cover briefly the battles and other incidents prior turn 43.

[Jukipo]

AGN (turn 8)

Pskov was captured on July 13th. By Aug. 10th we managed to get a major breakthrough near Luga. XXXXI Mot. Corps advanced all the way to the Gulf of Finland. Estimated 300000 Soviet troops were isolated near Narva.

[Jukipo]

AGC (turn 8)

This campaign has been a complete success so far. We have formed two major pockets. One near Bialystock and other near Orsha. The enemy losses are huge. Over million men captured. Smolensk was captured by July 20th. After hard fights around Smolensk both Panzer Groups were resupplied. Our advance continued early August. Both Panzer Groups broke though enemy lines isolating several tank divisions.

[Jukipo]

AGS (turn 8)

There were some hard battles on the first weeks of the campaign. The enemy has suffered enormous casualties and is now retreating. Kiew and Odessa were captured by the end of July. Walther Model was appointed as a commander of 11th Army.

[Jukipo]

AGN (turn 16)

It took weeks to clear that large pocket near Narva. However, all the troops we captured were missing from Leningrad defenses. On Oct. 5th 1st PzD captured Volkhov. The enemy had no more rail line to the Ladoga harbors. Leningrad supply line was cut out. 18th Army had crossed Neva river.

[Jukipo]

AGC (turn 16)

In mid August we had some bad news. One of our best generals 2nd PzG commander Heinz Guderian was killed by car accident. He was replaced by GenLt Job Obrecht. Obrecht has good relations to Führer but he is not great commander. He was soon replaced by General Gotthard Heinrici. In August and early September we made good progress. Rzhev, Vyazma, Bryansk and Orel were captured. By the end of September 3rd PzG had captured Kalinin cutting vital Moscow-Leningrad railroad. Meanwhile 2nd PzG captured Tula. Only one month of good weather and Moscow would have fallen. Unfortunately, Autumn rains made it impossible to continue much further.

[Jukipo]

AGS (turn 16)

Rapid advance through Ukraine. Stalino fell on Oct 5th. 6th Army was closing Kharkov. 11th Army captured Sevastopol and was moving towards Rostov.

[Jukipo]

I think our ground losses were on reasonable level after turn 16. We were losing a bit too much fighter planes. Soviet On Map Forces were under 3 million men.

[Jukipo]

Turn 24
Nov. 30th 1941

Autumn rains made it impossible to continue towards Moscow. In November when the ground was frozen the enemy was already too strong. It was decided to dig in and wait for the spring. It proved to be the right decision as the enemy counterattack was about to begin. In the beginning of December most of our line was well supplied, rested and on level 1 or 2 fortifications.

Leningrad was captured on November 30th. Axis High Watermark was now 672 points.

Kharkov was captured late October. There was not enough time to take Kursk or Rostov. General von Manstein was appointed as a commander of 17th Army.

[Jukipo]

AGN (turns 24-35)

Our strategy for the winter was to hold the fortified line as long as reasonably possible. The enemy should pay high price for every hex captured. If you are going to retreat, there is no way to stop. You are on the open ground without forts. On the AGN sector this strategy proved successful. By February 15th the enemy offensive was out of steam. We had to give some ground, but it had no strategical meaning. Three Finnish divisions arrived as reinforcements.

Finnish Divisions arrived in Germany and I had to ship them back to Leningrad. Maybe it would be more realistic if those divisions would arrive on Karelian Isthmus? One ship got hit on the way and I lost 1000 men. Maybe it hit on mine as there should be no enemy vessels two months after they lost the last port on the Baltic Sea.

[Jukipo]

AGC (turns 24-35)

The enemy assaulted from the north towards Rzhev. We had to give Torzhok in December and Kalinin Early January. The frontline was stabilized with the help of fresh reinforcements. Super depot at Rzhev was essential to keep our troops supplied.

Our other super depot was in Orel. Feldmarschall von Kluge was personally at Orel to supervise the defense of the city. On January Kluge was appointed as the commander of OKH. GenLt Ferdinand Schoerner took command of the 4th Army.

Early Febryary there was a grave danger our troops at Tula would be surrounded. There was much discussion should we withdraw or not. Führer demanded we should give not one inch back. Feldmarschall von Bock demanded withdrawal. There was some heated discussion. Bock was relieved of his command of AGC. Wilhelm Keitel became the new commander of AGC. We managed to hold our lines and Tula was not surrounded.

Most of the reinforcement divisions were sent to the AGC sector. With the help of reinforcements and improving weather the frontline was stabilized by mid February.

[Jukipo]

AGS (turns 24-35)

Kharkov area was well supplied during the winter. Super depot really keeps the supply moving.

Near Stalino our forces suffered severe ammunition shortages. 11th Army took severe losses. It looked like we would lose Stalino. Then the weather improved and with the help of Luftwaffe we managed to stabilize the front again. Supply situation was difficult here during the whole winter.

[Jukipo]

Losses on turn 35

Our losses are 1 million men, 650000 disabled. We have lost 4000 panzers and 3000 aircrafts.

The enemy has lost 4.7 million men, 20000 tanks and 20000 aircrafts.

We lost 9 VP during the winter and we have now 663 VP.

[Jukipo]

AGN (turn 43)
April 12, 1942

Here is the situation at the beginning of this AAR. It is raining. The first winter is over. XXXXI Mot. Corps was redeployed near Kharkov.

[Jukipo]

AGC (turn 43)
April 12, 1942

Torzhok was recaptured. We’ll try to isolate some enemy units before ground becomes muddy.

Tula is no longer under threat. We have pushed the flanks back.

General Heinrici replaced Keitel as AGC commander. Model took the command of 2nd PzA.

[Jukipo]

AGS (turn 43)
April 12, 1942

We’ll try to capture Kursk before mud. 4th PzA divisions are arriving by train from the Leningrad front.

Gen.Lt. Karl Hollidt is the new commander of 11th Army.

[Jukipo]

Turn 43
April 12, 1942

Total success near Kursk! At least 15 enemy divisions are isolated.

[Jango32]

Decided to comment to let you know you have at least one reader for the AAR.

It's just that there hasn't been much to comment on so far.

[RomanUK]

Kursk in April 1942 instead of Belgorod.

Thank you for the AAR.

[Jukipo]

ORIGINAL: Jango32

Decided to comment to let you know you have at least one reader for the AAR.

First, I surround Kursk. Then, I get my first reader. What a great day! [:D]