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So, Topolm saw my plea for an opponent and a wish to make it to 1943.

I agreed to play alt CV which gives greater info on units cv.

Historical weather, harsh winter, and no soviet plus 1.

Topolm took the Germans.

I did not start taking games pictures until December 1941.

So here goes:

Germans start on turn 1 was pretty good.

Not great so I was able to cut off units near Kovel and the north side of the marshes ( If memory holds)

Now Topolm was new to war in east 1.

So turn 2 and 3 he hesitated. I don't think he liked getting units cut off. Inexperience?

The German hesitation turned into pressure at points but otherwise there was an orderly retreat of Russian units and methodical evacuation of all the industry. So by mid 1941 offensive, i was confident my Army was going to be very large. Perhaps Topolm was going to play a 'don't lose any German units' strategy and fight it out as so.

I was not objecting just wanting to get in the game action.

I had units cut off but never was threatened with a big encirclement. By the snow and winter we were basically slugging it out.

Stalin released this info:

It seems Russians automatic rr repair is iffy elsewhere on the map (as coded for 1941) but Topolm retreated from the Russia/Finnish hold line.

The Russians raced north to follow.

Lo and behold the RR repair found its way up north. Good coding!!

I thought it odd that Azov sea would freeze over.

Guess, i never noticed before as it has many ports on the north bank.

Did it actually freeze in 1941?

You can also see the furthest reach of Topolm's forces. Not deep.

The Germans will do regular bomber missions. Usually with success and mild or no air interdiction.

Here they are retreating during the blizzard. Taking lumps but Germans set up sufficient for next turn.

Note the large CV values.

They will fluctuate as the weather changes.

My view of ALT CV is that it gives too much info on yours and the enemies Cv. It was probable helpful to Topolm as he was new. He handles his units with skill.

Thus, less FOG. And I like FOG.

Giving me more info was probable to my advantage in this campaign.

I have pushed north. I want to get on the west side of the river up there.

I took a photo so i must have been happy with this attack on the Fin unit.

You can see I lost Leningrad.

So, I lose a Zhukov and gain a Kulik.

That is what you get for winning a war.

Zhukov will get a week off with the Vodka mobile and be back better than ever.

Note the Guards upgrades. Many.

At some point I realized the Topolm was going to keep playing on. More photos!

Here are 3 juicy GUARDS airborne brigades all stacked nicely.

We will combine them.

You can see the battle line which is west of Kharkiv. Germans are recovering from a brutal winter of smash mouth football.

The combined unit is a Guards infantry division with morale of 60, above the then normal 55.

I already have 10 Guards armies.

That takes many battles and wins.

I am very interested in remembering the battles again.Especially from the opponent's perspective.
In 1941, the Germans' strategic goal was to capture Leningrad, so large forces were concentrated there.On other fronts, because of this, the Germans' successes were small.

nice v mud switch. I have been pushing trying to get to Chernigov and splitting Germans in half.

My partisans are slicing up the rr nicely.

Did the Germans forgot to read the rules on garrisons. I will end up with many partisan units.
Or was it intentional?

Here are my first Guards air groups.

100 kills gets you guards status. either air kill and/or ground damage

and my about to be Guards air groups.

I've switched the Hurricanes to bomber mode as they will drop a 500 pound bomb.

Up north i attack the Fins

I push thru a hole looking to split German armies at Pskov.

While i attack up north, I need to rescue 6 units trapped trying to reach Chernigov.


That Russian offensive is over.

after mud/clear and back in forth bashing, major Guards units are cut off and corralled.

The far north rr to German Leningrad has been cut.

Here are my lost units spring 42 awaiting reinforcement.