SCARZ (Axis) vs. AURELIAN (Soviet)

[Scarz]

Rules in effect: No temp motorization and locked TB

This will be my first game of WitE2 against a human opponent. The Soviet AI has been beating me pretty handily, so there is a chance this game may turn into an Axis disaster. That said, on to the game…

[Scarz]

TURN 1

AGN – Pretty standard opening for 4 Pz Grp. LVI Mot Corps takes Riga and isolates the port of Ventspils, while XXXXI Mot Corps takes Krustpils. The infantry move north and will reduce the few isolated Russian units as they follow Hoepner’s panzers.

[Scarz]

AGC – I will try to discuss AGC in two parts each turn, one focusing on Hoth’s 3 Pz Grp and the other on Guderian’s 2 Pz Grp. When playing against the AI I have kept the two panzer groups fairly close together while heading for Smolensk and usually achieve a reasonably large pocket around the land bridge. Against the AI, this strategy has also allowed me the option for a thrust toward Velikie Luki.

However, my plan at this stage is to try a different approach, against my first human opponent. I will direct Guderian south of the land bridge and force a crossing of the Dnepr around Bykhov. I am a little concerned that this will place too much on Hoth’s plate, as trying for both Velikie Luki and Smolensk may be too much to ask. I will play it by ear depending on how the Russians respond.

LVII Mot Corps takes Polotsk while XXXIX Mot Corps captures Minsk.

[Scarz]

Guderian’s panzers have sealed the initial AGC pocket and are prepared for a move northeast or east. The infantry of 4 and 9 Armies will reduce the pocket as quickly as possible and still try to send a corps or two behind the panzers.

[Scarz]

AGS – I am not sure my opening in the south will work against a human opponent. Against the AI, I use turn 1 to prepare to push past Tarnopol, then on turn two, swing southward and meet up with 11 Army and usually bag a large number of Russian divisions in a Lvov pocket. However, the move is telegraphed by the capture of Zborov, so I may face pretty strong Russian forces in and around Tarnopol. If that’s the case, I will continue in a more directly eastern direction and look for pocket opportunities.

[Scarz]

Air War – My day one bombing campaign seemed lackluster. I have sent all the FBs from ZG 26 and SKG 210 back to Germany for retraining as fighters. While I will lose their use for 8 turns, I feel like additional fighters later are more useful than the ground support they offer now. Finally Flieger Fuehrer Ostee flew naval interdiction at Ventspils with poor results.

[Scarz]

TURN 2

For the most part this turn consisted of clearing pockets and gaining more space toward the next series of objectives.

AGN – 4 Pz Grp pushed east toward Pskov while also clearing the rail line to Polotsk. 18 and 16 Armies cleared several isolated Russian divisions while flowing northward behind Hoepner’s panzers.

[Scarz]

AGC – Both the 9 and 4 Armies were primarily occupied with clearing the first turn Bialystok pocket. 4 Army has completed its part and should follow the panzers next turn, while two corps from 9 Army will continue clearing operations.

3 Pz Grp’s LVII Mot. Corps tried to rest this turn at Polotsk as XXXIX Mot Corps cleared the approach to the land bridge.

[Scarz]

2 Pz Grp pushed directly east from Minsk with two Mot Corps while the XXIV Mot Corps followed XXXIX Mot Corps (3 PG) towards the land bridge.

[Scarz]

AGS – The pocket around Lyuboml was reduced by 103 RHG and XVII Corps. In hindsight, I believe my first big mistake of the war was not pushing harder with 17 Army around Lvov. While 1 Pz Grp was able to capture Tarnpol and swing southeast to link up with the Rumanian Cavalry Corps east of Oknitsa, per the plan, it appears too many Soviet divisions were able to escape. A quick count shows approximately 18 divisions in the pocket along with a few security units, but the pocket is very porous as III Mot. Corps had to stretch to complete the encirclement. This will provide a good test of how aggressive my opponent may prove to be early in the game.

Also, the early attached photos turned out much to small, this should be fixed in turn 3 and going forward.

[Scarz]

Army Grp Anton supported 1 Pz Grp’s encirclement while pushing out aggressively to Kishinev. The 4 Rum Army moved units up to Russian river line but only as a light screen.

[Scarz]

Air War – I lost a significant number of planes this turn, as I flew a few deep recon missions on each front to try and identify Russian build ups and his line of defense. In return, the Russians flew a significant number of interdiction missions focused around Riga, Plavinas, Polotsk, and northwest of Molodechno. The Russians also flew interdiction missions in the south, but not as many or as focused as in the center and north. I’m not sure how effective these types of missions are, but the loss of Russian pilots and aircraft seems high.

[Scarz]

TURN 3

AGN – 4 Pz Grp bypassed the Russian river defense south of Pskov and made good progress north toward Dno. The 3 Mot Div formed a light screen and moved southward to link up with elements of 3 Pz Grp. 18 and 16 Armies are following as quickly as possible.

[Scarz]

AGC – LVII Mot Corps made a dash for Velikie Luki, and was able to capture the city, linking up with 4 Pz Grp. There is now a large group of Russian units isolated around Idritsa. It seemed a high risk thrust, but VI Corps arrived just south of Polotsk, so hopefully they will be able to reach LVII Mot Corps if they get into trouble.

[Scarz]

Air recon showed strong looking Russian forces at Vitebsk, Orsha and Mogilev. I had planned on trying to force through the land bridge this turn with XXXIX Mot Corps, as XXIV Mot Corps was close by in support, but both had low prep points and moderate fatigue, so against my better judgment I tried to rest both formations. In addition, I hoped for the possibility of a quick crossing of the Dnepr around Bykhov with 2 Pz Grp if the river was lightly defended, but the Russians seem to have a strong line. So 2 Pz Grp rested this turn.

[Scarz]

Finally, 2 Army has been formed and consists of three infantry corps and has been attached to AGC.

And my view of the Russians defense in the land bridge.

[Scarz]

AGS – The good news is that the Lvov Pocket held, and the Russians seem to have pulled back with one large concentration around Derazhnya and another a little to the north around Shepetovka. Also surprising, more Russian divisions than I thought were caught in the Lvov Pocket.

I decided to push east with XI Corps looking for the boundary between the Southwest and Southern Fronts. After sending a recon in force, consisting of the 1 Rum Arm, all the way to Teplik it seemed a large gap had opened up between the Russian Fronts. III Mot Corps followed and hooked northward past Kazatin.

XXXXIV Corps pushed into the gap between the two large concentrations and XIV Mot Corp exploited the gap. The Russian 6 Army, and ten divisions, is isolated in the Derazhnya Pocket. While the pocket isn’t very tight, I can’t image the Russian units to the north will do anything to help their comrades, especially with III Mot Corps threatening to cut their communications with Kiev.

[Scarz]

Air War – The German recon planes are really taking a hit. I am not sure if I am using them too much, or improperly, but I will need to rest them next turn, or maybe send some back to the reserve.

The Russians again flew lots of interdiction missions in the north, very heavy around Polotsk and west of Idritsa. None were flown in the center or south.

[SparkleyTits]

How are your ground losses/kills looking?

Keep up the great work

[Q-Ball]

Looks like you are doing pretty well....keep pocketing units.

I do think your AGS opening could've been better, particularly in that you didn't clear the double-track rail line to Lvov; clearing that makes your RR plan easier. But it looks like you are recovering nicely down there, couple big pockets.