Case blue, Isokron(axis) vs Bonners

[Isokron]

Second game against Bonners, this time with me as axis. Case blue long with free air setup and no advance in the north.

I start of with some reorganization, Mackensen -> 4pza, von Arnim -> XXXX (4 command 30% combat, why haven't I noted this guy in previous games?), Hoth -> LVII (40% combat means he is wasted in army command), Raus -> XVII, and lots of units transferred from army to corps command.

Overall loses for first turn is 27k for 3.5k, not good but I'm more aiming to encircle units at the moment. Air loses is 70 fighters for 55 which will be rather catastrophic in the long run. I played a fighter card (seem like you get one extra turn of prestige from free setup) but only got 20 extra.

Sevastopol is proceeding as usual, took one hex. Rest of the front at the end of the turn

[Isokron]

My megalomaniac master plan for the summer is to assemble most of my armor in two spearheads and try to create a huge encirclement in the middle of the map. The southern one will go in two slightly different directions depending on how he seems to be placing his troops.

[olivier34]

Really nice Isokron and I can't wait to see how your plan will turn. Moving two panzer corps (XIV and III) south is audacious. I was scared to do that because of the relief of this part of the map. Your opponent should be abble to hold your panzers with all those mountains. You will have to take Voroshilovgrad quickly and it can be tough... Maybe you should have kept a force to push a little in the center too...we will see [:)] Good luck !

[Isokron]

Turn2:

The turn proceeds mostly as planned although he manages to destroy a regiment of 3rd motorized in the north due to it retreating into enemy territory instead of back to friendly line. At least he has to commit his new tank corps to do it which means its not around Nowyoskol. This leaves a hole only guarded by a single artillery units that I quickly cuts through leaving most of 21st army surrounded. He will probably be able to break out of it though hopefully not damaging my units too badly in the process and I should be able to cut them of again next turn which should leave them stranded (having used up their supply store this turn).

It seems like he uses his rail capacity to move forward the swf reserve units instead of moving up stuff from the Caucasus which will make him stronger in the short term but weaken him a bit in the medium term.

In the center he starts drawing back without me having pressured him and I slowly follows.

Around Voroshilovgrad my five motorized divisions start ploughing through the front and with some speed cards should break cleanly through next turn unless he manages to move in lots of reinforcements.

Sevastopol and Rostov areas moves forward more or less according to plan.

Total loses is 59k vs 10k which should hopefully improve when I start eliminating pockets. In the air the rng gods really hates the luftwaffe losing 20 fighters for zero kills and losing lots of bombers to 'accidents'.

[LiquidSky]

If you click on the leaders portrait, it will give you a brief bio, and more importantly, a list of all the cards he has available.

Some leaders may have very good strategic cards, and are better suited for army command..for example: Raus. He has Freedom and Gamble, like Manstein.

[Isokron]

LiquidSky: I don't particularly care what cards my army commanders have since I will in 95% of cases just play the personnel card anyway in a long campaign. Take Manstein and gamble as an example.

Gamble cost 20 points while personnel cost 8 so you get 2.5 personnel cards for one gamble. Gamble (if it succeeds) give something like 40% (?) bonus on attack and defence for one turn. 2.5 personnel cards give +20% hq experience, which translates to between ~10-25% combat bonus (depending on leader combat bonus and previous hq experience) for the rest of the campaign. Sure it is better to have the bonus early and some turns are more important but really the difference is so big that I don't care.

[Isokron]

Turn 3:

Mud turn prevents much from happening and despite my opponent retreating in the north I cant fully close the pocket again although the mud will prevent him from retreating or getting in much supply.

At Sevastopol he evacuate most if his forces and I kill most of the reminders, just a few small holdouts left.

Total losses stands at 80k to 14k

(I will start not embedding the maps from now on, unless you prefer them that way?)

[stonestriker]

I would prefer pictures to remain embedded. Less clicking for me

[Isokron]

Turn 4:

Not much happening in the north and center, the main point is that 5th tank army is completely mia which leaves me a bit worried.

In the south the return of fair weather brings the panzer breakthrough promised for last turn. It becomes quite successful although I really which the southern spearhead could have reached one hex longer so he couldn't bring units into Kamensky (forgot to check if I could have played forced march instead of speed). I'm slightly worried about him being able to close the neck of the breakthrough, but if he tries to attack it and fails I should be able to surround and destroy him. Due to the peculiarity of the game engine that attacks against weak units are easier then to move in the open all except one of my regiments stay above 70% readiness despite the speed cards so they should be ready to go full steam next turn as well.

Sadly the northern prong of my grand strategy is late so I wont be able to cut the raillines to his center for at least two more turns which probably leaves him plenty of time to do something about it.

Last pockets of resistance at Sevastopol destroyed.

(Embedded maps are back with 1 vote to 0)

[olivier34]

Embedded +1
Do you plan to reinforce the 2A with the IIL corps to take Voronezh ?
Bonners is in real trouble with your 16th and 14th panzers drives. He had not seen this coming. Two key bridges are in your hand now. Well done !

[Keunert]

very well played! there is a good chance of very huge pockets soon!

[Isokron]

Oliver34: My original plan was to have IIL corps going south with the northern prong of my pincer but it might be used to attack Voronezh from the south instead if the situation seems to warrant it.

[olivier34]

looking at the map, the IIL corps should follow your initial plan but maybe move toward Davidovkao. If you can cross the Don there within a week you could plan an attack toward Voronezh from there too.

[rominet]

I prefer maps too.
Easier to understand when you are french. [:D]

[Isokron]

Turn 5:

In the north he manages to drive back the 9pz division a step with heavy losses on both sides, in retatliation i destroy about two infantry divisions and surround a tank corps.

Further south I start breaking through his line, he might be able to destroy the front regiment (I play a bit greedy) but I have enough forces around that I should be able to surround or destroy everything involved in that.

In the south he does as I feared and teleports in lot of units(tank corp, inf div, tank reg) to Kamensk, which then proceeds to annihilate the front regiment of my southern spearhead. The northern spearhead turns back east in order to isolate the 12A and 18A. They sort of succeeds although I wish they could have driven back that mortar unit one step further which should have put 12A and 18A entirely out of supply, at least they should still be at >150 so no readiness recovery.

My bombers manage to destroy the bridge at Belovodsk which might allow me to win a race there next turn. This combined with taking control of the roads around Rowenku and cutting the Svoboda-Milerowo railroad at both ends should start putting some supply pressure at 9A and 37A.

With the last of the initial pockets destroyed the losses now stands at 161k to 23k although my losses have been disproportionally in my motorized divisions.

[Isokron]

Turn 6:

In front of voronezh the soviets try to extract their trapped tank corps but instead I end up encircling it and another tank corps plus destroying the 40A artillery.

South of the hills the IIL corps manages to cut of a few troops from the safety of the volga and will hopefully be able to force a crossing before he can move in too much reinforcements. The xxxx corps breakthrough proceeds more slowly though, but hopefully he will have to turn tail and run next turn.

In the south heavy soviet reinforcements slows down my eastward push although I finally manage to isolate the 12A and 18A.

With this turn I guess I have to finally give up my dreams of a large center encirclement, I guess I will have to aim for smaller safer ones in the future.

In the air he moves forward his entire fighter force but I manage to win the following fighter war with 130 kills to 50 which should buy me at least another week or two of air superiority.

[wallas]

Pretty grim the 37,28, and 38 army are about to lose there rail supply link. Being on the western side of the don is not a good position to be in without that North/South rail line. Are you guys using hardcore supply ?

[Keunert]

once you cut the rail between Chertkowo and Svoboda his center is toast. he has no means to pull back fast enough then. your position is brilliant!

[Isokron]

Turn 7:

In the north he pulls back to the don with the last of his forces, I manage to cut of some of his artillery units which should make future counter attacks harder for him. Somewhat behind the front I find a large blob of units that I can only assume is the missing 5th tank army.

In the south my units are starting to run low on supplies forcing several to stop and take a breather turn preventing much progress.

At least I have now cut the railway both north and south so no more reinforcements in the center for him although he has retreated long enough that its not likely to cause him any supply problems.

Total losses stands at 202k to 28k.

[Isokron]

Turn 8:

In the north I start crossing the Don at the bridges north and south of Voronezh. He doesnt seem to have moved 5TA forward so it should be fairly easy.

In the center my advance start to look more and more ragged as more units have to stop to resupply (I spent most of the turn in the detail view, would be nice if the icons could show when a unit is <0.2 supply stock)

III tank corps spend mostly just rebuild supply and take somewhat better positions to storm Milerowo next turn. After that I'm not quite where to go with it
-straight north to try to catch some divisions or at least fight them in favorable terrain
-north east, bad initial terrain but fastest way to Stalingrad
-south east, form a strong spearhead to advance along railroad to Stalingrad

I continue to take hexes around Rostow, now that I control the railroad through Shachty I think I will be able to crack it withouth having to resort to a long flanking maneuvre through the steppes, if he dont more in a lot more forces.