The Thrilla on the Dnepr - a '41 GC

[jasonbroomer]

Well after two epic games against Vet, we once again cross swords however on this occasion I shall be playing Soviets.

I don't pretend to know the Soviet side well, having played only two games against relatively inexperienced players. I think the current meta is significantly favouring the Axis when it is managed by a player who has a strong grounding of the game. However, from playing the Axis I have come across/dreamt up various stratagems that may slowdown the Axis juggernaut.

The Axis opening is solid as I would expect from a good player

T1 Centre solid scripted.png (2.9 MiB) Viewed 2212 times

The centre and north pockets offer no chance of escape or delay. AGS's actions will be a helpful indication of Vet's intentions

T1 South,solid Rovono.png (2.88 MiB) Viewed 2212 times

An intermediate Rovono, lighter than HLYAs full Rovno but heavier than my preferred approach. This indicates a fairly heavy presence in the south, so my intended strategy is to demonstrate defence in the south thus ensuring that plenty of the Axis are committed to the sector but I won't actually make a stand and lose manpower.

In fact I could breach this southern pocket

T1 South pocket not worth breaking.png (3.3 MiB) Viewed 2212 times

but it's really not worth attempting as this is rather a good tank division and is one of the few divisions that I will be able to salvage from the southwestern front. All the pocketed divisions are doomed anyway and the benefits of breaking the pocket are negligible.

[jasonbroomer]

T1 Soviet Air

I don't have a high regard for the VVS, so I may as well try to do something useful with it early on. I try two bombing runs with the long range bombing group, in the north I will interdict this hex:

T1 AD 1.png (2.83 MiB) Viewed 2201 times

Looking back I am not sure how I convinced myself that this was a good hex to interdict, especially as the Axis fighters will be surely be covering Riga. Perhaps I was too eager to thin down the number of useless units at my disposal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5YW4qK ... gandpeach1

In the south I target this panzer regiment highlighted in blue which I need to remove to reopen my rail links

T1 AD 2 and 3.png (3.17 MiB) Viewed 2201 times

I shall also recon the hex detailed in red to see if the FBD is heading east to Minsk or south towards Kovel and Rovno. If the latter, not capturing Kovel on turn 1 will slow the rail repair programme. Slowing the Axis juggernaut doesn't really matter much unless you can slow the critical rail repair units and much of my opening few turns has this in mind.

The results from this air activity were pretty grisly, even worse than anticipated as fighter escorts failed to fly

T1 AD outcome.png (476.69 KiB) Viewed 2201 times

It would seem that poor Perkins didn't get back. Very few German casualties were caused but I do think that the tone of this war was successfully set.

More useful was my recon in the south, which confirmed that the FBD is indeed heading south towards Kovel/Rovno. This proves to be very helpful intelligence.

T1 South, this can't be shifted.png (2.52 MiB) Viewed 2201 times

Ah, a quick hasty reveals the presence of the RFSS regiment and this explains the lack of AA guns on that panzer regiment. I won't be able to shift that!

[jasonbroomer]

T1 continued from somewhere in the south

T1 EoT In the south.png (3.43 MiB) Viewed 2199 times

So instead we opt for plan B, extract what we can and use doomed units such as the unit highlighted in red to pinch the Axis supply system as best we can. This may burn a few Axis trucks and restrict fuel to his forward panzer units.

We cannot prevent a T2 Galician pocket from forming (dark blue). We might have a chance to prevent a more easterly pocket forming (light blue) by employing doomed units to block this avenue. Fingers crossed the line we have set up in the pink zone cannot be reached and may prevent Axis incursions too far east and more importantly protect the troops that have legged it from Galicia.

We have also infiltrated a couple of spam units in the south. This is a bit sneaky as most Axis players will assume that they know the dispositions of the Soviet positions. A couple of additional units, however small and feeble, may disrupt the trapping of the southern front on T2.

The the centre, we display strength on the Land Bridge

T1 EoT Blob on Land Bridge.png (3.23 MiB) Viewed 2199 times

Actually these are largely trash and phantom units (HQs etc) demonstrating in the hope that Vet won't spear through too far east. It doesn't really matter but it might give me a chance to dig-in deeper around Smolensk.

On the road to Pskov, we line with disposable units

T1 EoT Protecting road to Pskov.png (3.29 MiB) Viewed 2199 times

More actually, the rails to Pskov. By forcing battles on each of these hexes it guarantees rail breakage, however, it is important to remember that once committed to this strategy that it is maintained through the Baltics on this dual line. If given the chance, RADs working north and south can still swiftly repair rails. I suspect that Vet wants to send 2 FBDs towards Smolensk and I want him to force him to commit one to the north.

North of Riga, we spare a few units to slow the capture of the Baltics. I want as many damaged rail hexes as possible, however with the strength of 'modern' openings, Soviets are constantly scratching around for viable and even unviable units.

[jasonbroomer]

T2

Even if there were two of him, it still won't be enough to make a moron

T2 Leaders.png (296.06 KiB) Viewed 2115 times

Yet I have clowns like this all over the map. Sadly, since the Soviet AP nerf, APs are in extremely short supply and there expenditure needs to be carefully considered. Such is fighting quality of Soviet troops and the dispersed nature of the fighting, changing leaders immediately cannot be a priority. Instead I build a couple of depots and start to build fortifications. Over the first few turns these are built around the Crimea, Kharkov and Stalino with a scattering around Luga.

I am looking to hamper Axis supply where I can (the Ubermensch appear largely immune to bullets for at least the first 18 months of the war, so I don't intend to bother shooting at them). One stratagem I have devised is to fortify the island of Saaremaa and operate a fighter base its port Kuresaare.

I know from experience that a useful amount of Axis supply (10-15k per week) can be delivered to Riga and Parnu (I never managed to get supply to Tallinn for some reason). Kuresaare naturally provides a little interdiction, with which I plan to augment with naval patrol. Oddly enough I would rather not block supply to Riga entirely, merely slow it and sink as many merchant ships as possible (they seem to die like flies in contested water).

Secondly, happily Saaremaa is a pain in the ass place which is difficult to get to and from. By fortifying the crossing point I may be able to force the Axis to deploy 2 or 3 divisions to an area difficult to supply. This should distract several Axis divisions for a few weeks.

T2 Air battles to secure Irbe Straights.png (2.07 MiB) Viewed 2115 times

Sadly this plan starts badly as my fighter escorts don't fly and my NP gets mauled for modest effect. In subsequent turns it just gets worse. Irritatingly Vet just managed to cut off Kuresaare from T3 with NP which somehow means that I cannot replenish the fighter base with new planes as it is isolated. This seems a strange rule (I haven't bothered to investigate whether it is documented). On the first turn I stockpiled a shed load of supply so that this is not an issue but somehow Axis naval patrol stops my fighters from relocating from the mainland. I haven't played WitW, but how on earth do the British maintain a hold on Malta with rules like this? Or is this just a bug?

Anyway, I spend several futile turns trying to break the Axis isolation of Kuressare until eventually conceding defeat and evacuating the division and brigade that I had defending the island. Unlike flyers, these landlubbers had little trouble dodging in or out through the NP isolation

[jasonbroomer]

T2

As expected the Axis chomped through my 'defences' on the Pskov road

T2 North Sot.png (3.17 MiB) Viewed 2112 times

Some such as this border guard unit met a grisly fate, whereas surprisingly some where only lightly bounced. Don't worry though, they were kamikazed on a later turn Sadly a division was cut off in the marshes by a SS division but sadly it did not have the MPs last turn to get away.

In the centre, my apparent defence of the land bridge was enough to deter a serious attempt to breach it

T2 Centre Sot.png (3.14 MiB) Viewed 2112 times

Interestingly, the junk division holding the rough terrain got trashed by a panzer division (panzers seem to work just as well in difficult terrain as not). At this stage, I am still on a steep learning curve. It is pointless sending fully manned inexperienced divisions into the front line. The Soviets do not have the manpower to sustain many battle like this. A unit a few thousand strong would have been much better to sacrifice than one of 11k.

In the south

T2 South Sot.png (2.51 MiB) Viewed 2112 times

Sadly Vet managed to make the large Galician encirclement (the blue circle attack in last turn's planning explanation). I shouldn't be surprised as I always manage to doing it when playing Axis. This is trapping one or two quality units that I don't really want to lose. However, I can't do anything about it. Thankfully my troops in the pink zone (Vinnitsa and south) were unmolested.

Most of the units from the southern front were also trapped by the Roms.

Vet did make one mistake though

T2 Unusually scrappy if Rom FBD headed this way.png (250.17 KiB) Viewed 2112 times

By not securing this rail line properly, I will slow the Rom FBD by one or two hexes by retaking this rail hex. That's if the FBD is heading this way!

[jasonbroomer]

T2 Planning

In general, I disband prebuilt FZ unless I foresee them doing something worthwhile in slowing the Axis advance (you need 2 or 3 together to ensure a combat delay). Disbanding a few will save 10-15k of manpower. I also change the ToEs of city based AA to 50% and put them on refit. Most AA units cannot be reallocated from a city and will just auto die when the city is captured. Thus it makes sense to limit their size as much as you can. A few precious souls can be saved in this way which can be then used as cannon fodder later.

Usually T3 for the Axis is a relatively quiet one as the advance slows to allow units to catch their breath and allow supplies to be brought forward.

In the north I will continue to deploy spam units onto rail hexes to ensure that the rail lines are thoroughly trashed.

My centre defences are a bit sketchy

T2 Centre EoT defences are sketchy.png (3.12 MiB) Viewed 2106 times

I did the defences around the north of Smolensk first and then ran out of units for the south (doh!). Anyway my inexperience is really showing through. So the southern approaches were plugged as best I can. Note that HQ units are very useful as air recon may pick them up as units and not just HQs. In some ways these are the best Soviet units as they do the job of demonstrating a defence while just displacing for no loss. Better still if a leader dies as you may be gifted with a better one!

I know that 2 FBDs are operating in the south. Will Vet deploy on in the north and head for Leningrad or will both be deployed in the centre.

[jasonbroomer]

T3

As expected we see Axis activity across the front though with more modest advances than in the first two turns. Here's an example of why playing the Soviets is so hard under the current system. First we see an Axis hasty to dislodge a soviet division from solid cover

T3 Sot One.png (2.92 MiB) Viewed 2056 times

This gives the Soviet boys a chance to show off what their made of

T3 Sot Two.png (3.02 MiB) Viewed 2056 times

You wouldn't want to step onto it. Even a half decent Soviet leader can't stem the carnage.

Evidently I am going to have my work cut out this game

In the north, Vet starts to home in on Pskov

T3 Sot north homing in on Pskov.png (3.78 MiB) Viewed 2056 times

So we set up our defences with the limited troops that we have available.

T3 EoT hoping to hold Pskov.png (4.44 MiB) Viewed 2056 times

Will 55CV be enough to hold Pskov from the exhausted panzers before the infantry arrive?

[jasonbroomer]

T3 Centre

In the centre, we fly air recon and probe with armour to get an indication of the Axis intentions

T3 Sot armour and air recon indicates south Smolensk approach.png (2.64 MiB) Viewed 2054 times

It would appear that the Axis a deployed for a south Smolensk attack

T3 EoT fingers crossed in the centre.png (3.15 MiB) Viewed 2054 times

So we deploy our defences as a 'come on' in the hope that it will leave a counter attacking opportunity. We have deployed some of the better armoured formations from the south to the centre.

In the south we defend the banks of the Dnepr

T3 EoT trying to hold onto to upper Dnepr wth not very much.png (1.77 MiB) Viewed 2054 times

Though I am far from sure whether this will hold. The remains of the southern front sit on the banks of the Ingul. This should slow the Axis advance slightly while remaining far enough away not to suffer any damage.

In the south is it really worthwhile trying to slow the Axis advance. I am sure that Vet knows what he is doing with logistics and with a second German FBD operating in the south, supply is unlikely to be a problem for him. We have no option but to trade land for blood. Hopefully we can slow him down around Kharkov and Stalino where we are preparing a fort line.

[Veterin]

More useful was my recon in the south, which confirmed that the FBD is indeed heading south towards Kovel/Rovno. This proves to be very helpful intelligence.

Very smart play with the scouting possible FBD turn 1 locations! I think i'll borrow that going forward - thanks

[jasonbroomer]

T4 Air

Another Soviet balls up. I was tinkering with the CR and wondered what would happen if I pressed 'rotate depleted'. Who'd have guessed that depleted air formations would be sent to reserve and replaced by fresh ones.

T4 Rotated depleted and now having to disband.png (1.8 MiB) Viewed 2036 times

Unfortunately the air formations brought on are 100% travelled. 3 or 4 formations of fresh planes are stuck in air fields which are bound to be over run by the Axis this turn. I also find out that the loss of an aircraft costs 10 ground crew as casualties. Up to now I have been throwing away the VVS like confetti. I now see that I am losing appreciable manpower as well.

Adding to my woes I get this message

T4 2VPs lost to RND.png (348.42 KiB) Viewed 2036 times

Well that sucks, 2 Vps down to random events outside of my control. The loss of 1 AP irks too, such is shortage of them.

Adding to my woes is that Pskov falls to a panzer attack. Bugger! Looking at the Axis dispositions and the weather forecast, I suspect that a northern push is unlikely but I send some reinforcements anyway. I wish my fort building would hurry up, so we plant some spam in front of the Luga line to help give us more time

T4 EoT north, not anticipating serious push here but some reserves are coming.png (2.34 MiB) Viewed 2036 times

Puzzling he has 2 mot units at VL. This is an area which is difficult for the Axis to run supply to. I wonder what they are up to?

T4 EoT north VL, two Geman mot divisions here which is odd.png (2.05 MiB) Viewed 2034 times

[jasonbroomer]

T4 Centre

I attempt to defend Smolensk for one more week. I had no counterattacking opportunities this week so my forces continue to build CPP.

T4 EoT Smolensk if it holds will have to be abandoned next turn, worries about Axis push SE.png (2.77 MiB) Viewed 2035 times

While an attack SE is unlikely to help his supply routes, the terrain is less easy to defend and ultimately an advance here can be used to outflank my preparing defences on the Smolensk-Vyazma road. So I must defend here too even if it stretches my lines thinner than I wish.

T4 EoT Bryansk front, this is where I hope he pushes SE.png (2.27 MiB) Viewed 2031 times

I won't mind too much if he does push toward Bryansk now that I have troops and reserves covering the sector. Sadly I screwed up the movement of one division which will now be turned into dog meat.

[jasonbroomer]

T4 South

The appearance of infantry on the Dnepr means that we abandon Kiev

T4 EoT Kiev abandoned, 1st Pz has at least one corps from 2nd Pz.png (3.01 MiB) Viewed 2030 times

1st Pz had at least one corps taken from 2nd Pz for his opening and I doubt that they have been re transferred. I cannot afford to bleed in this sector as well as in the north. However, I am planning to make a stand at Kherson

T4 EoT Preparing for stand at Kherson, bringing on reserves here so that green troops from Southern front can be trained.png (1.71 MiB) Viewed 2030 times

Rather late in the day, I realise that untrained troops just wilt in front of panzers, so some inexperienced troops are being pulled from the front line and replaced with fresh troops coming in from reserves. With hindsight I should have been more active in sending these green formations to TBs.

Some of my TBs are now above 90% so I start to bring in a handful of troops. I am unsure to which formations to be bringing to the map

T4 EoT TBs raided, lots of aircraft too. png.png (884.92 KiB) Viewed 2030 times

I hope artillery will bring bang for there buck. In hindsight I should be bringing on cavalry and the plethora of border guard units available in N and TC. Oh well, my inexperience of the Soviet side is beginning to weigh.

[EwaldvonKleist]

Good AAR, will follow.

[jasonbroomer]

Good AAR, will follow.

Delighted to hear that you are enjoying it

[jasonbroomer]

T5

Hmm, suddenly 4 panzer divisions launch an attack in the north

T5 north Opps 4 pz divisions note spam mot regi.png (1.38 MiB) Viewed 1794 times

This is both unexpected and unwelcome as my northern defences aren't as strong as they should have been. My early placement of fortifications have made painfully slow progress (I hadn't realised that Soviets can attach 3 SUs to FZs and of course I had no spare divisions to dig with).

This is going to be a problem, but thankfully the weather is going to turn in our favour as showers in the north spread across the front and light mud will develop in the north next turn as a consequence.

T5 Eot general weather coming to help.png (404.94 KiB) Viewed 1794 times

If Vet is attacking in the north, this means that he must have reassigned a FBD from the centre (I know 2 are in the south from my T1 air recon), so we can begin to rail troops from the centre and call for reinforcements to this sector.

T5 Eot North rushing reinforcements.png (3.82 MiB) Viewed 1794 times

Interestingly Vet had left 2 spam motorised regiments on the frontline as targets (blue circles in the first screen shot). I know from experience that it is difficult to cause much damage to these agile units regardless, such is my troop disposition, I can only comfortably hit the left hand one. With hindsight, I should have tried harder, as green Soviet need easy victories to bolster their pathetic staying power

[jasonbroomer]

T5 Centre

Rats, Smolensk fell

T5 centre coming south of Smolensk.png (2.61 MiB) Viewed 1786 times

I guess I shouldn't be surprised by this as I only dared leave 2 militia units as garrison. Really I should have had the courage to leave decent formations their but I was worried that the main thrust would appear in this sector and possibly cut them off.

Interestingly, Vet is also making a spearhead to the south. This is a nuisance as he is bypassing some decent defensive terrain, albeit, this is a harder sector to supply.

A scouting attack revealed a weakish panzer division led by a poor leader in the open. So we rush to battle stations and wallop it

T5 first counter attack v medicore general.png (1.23 MiB) Viewed 1786 times

Always nice to put a panzer division on the back foot, although Soviet losses were high.


We then rejig our defences to slow the Axis advance as best we can and refit damaged Soviet formations from the attack

T5 Eot Centre.png (2.93 MiB) Viewed 1786 times

[jasonbroomer]

T5 South

The Axis advance in the south as we expect

T5 south as expected.png (2.21 MiB) Viewed 1783 times

We decide to try to hang onto D'town for a further turn but it really doesn't matter as Vet will still pick up the 6 bonus VPs. Sadly we the troops that remain in the south following the turn 1 & 2 pockets, it is impossible to maintain a feasible defence here. All I am trying to do it keep Vet honest to prevent a hell for leather advance.

T5 Eot South intend to hold D'town this turn.png (2.3 MiB) Viewed 1783 times

Note how we use tank and cavalry to recapture land, this is a gam eof incremental advantages.


We do have a go at defending Kherson, which is a useful supply port for the Axis.

T5 EotKhersondefences.png (1.63 MiB) Viewed 1783 times

Most of the units of the southern front are lousy but it has one or two decent ones. The worst have been spared to refit (ie receive training) around Stalino, but I can only spare one or two.

[jasonbroomer]

T6

The Axis juggernaught seems to be taking a short breather while the weather hits. Light mud causes all sorts of supply issues for the Axis and 3300 trucks were lost, not helped by Vet's choice of advance.

T6 3300 truck losses, weather helps.png (2.85 MiB) Viewed 1679 times

Around T6 the Axis supply lines become really quite stretched. We are a bit concerned about the push south of Smolensk, so we throw in (away?) the VVS in a bombing raid designed to slow a couple of units. I am hoping that the LwFt fighters are not yet fully operational

T6 air attacks.png (1.5 MiB) Viewed 1679 times

It seems that they were!

However, we try a cheeky little flight in the Black Sea

T6 Sneaky blockade.png (1.53 MiB) Viewed 1679 times

Which blockades Constanta for the turn. Hat tip HLYA!

[jasonbroomer]

T6

We continue to ferry units to the north though I still feel very under manned

T6 North Eot.png (2.91 MiB) Viewed 1676 times

It appears that we may be overdefending the the western approaching to the Narva but I am desperately trying to dig in on the eastern banks. But entrenching takes forever at this stage of the war. This is one disadvantage of the light mud, as it slows these efforts. The blue cirlces map the area where I expect Vet to advance

In the centre,

T6 Centre Eot.png (2.78 MiB) Viewed 1676 times

I leave a division north of Smolensk, which I expect to get retreated to the west and duly mauled. (an opportunity which Vet subsequently grabbed). I highlight the line of approach that I most fear but if it is taken it should allow counter attacking opportunities.

Further south we deploy units in an attempt to slow the Axis tide

T6 Centre trying to buy time Eot.png (3.54 MiB) Viewed 1676 times

I subsequently discover that I've been using far too many high moral divisions to do this, and these where later sent north.

We also endeavour to hold the Dnepr line (and Kherson) for one more turn

T6 South one more turn Eot.png (1.54 MiB) Viewed 1676 times

[Beethoven1]

At some point (doesn't necessarily have to be now, could be at end of the game), can you post a screenshot of the manpower losses per turn graph and estimate how many of those are from pockets (probably close to 0 after turn 1/2/3)? Likewise I find it nice to see OOB screenshots at least sometimes.

Also, for anyone else reading along who is interested in the Axis point of view of this game, Vet did a discord AAR here - https://discord.com/channels/9438273612 ... 1627118612 . To view it you might need a server invite link here - https://discord.gg/BmmCbQQaMX