RE: SHOCK-ing developments (Full Version)

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Speedysteve -> RE: SHOCK-ing developments (6/24/2011 2:15:09 PM)

Q-ball this is very interesting. In my on going tester game with James I averaged 30-40 attacks per turn as SU. I'm intrigued and amazed you can make so many attacks per turn. This seems to be the 'norm' with the current versions. As such the feeling you may have about blizzard being overpowered may well be down to the amount of successful attacks you can launch per turn. I'd be intrigued to know more about the reasons how and why you can do this - is it because the Axis didn't prepare well enough for blizzard and therefore have lower CV's allowing you to make more attacks? Did you manage to create many well stocked reserve forces prior to blizzard etc?

Interesting.....



TulliusDetritus -> RE: SHOCK-ing developments (6/24/2011 2:37:14 PM)

Q-Ball, maybe you plan to stop the steamroller during the snow turns. Be aware of this: I am pretty certain you CAN trash fascists during these turns (as opposed to the classic German post-blizzard offensives). The enemies are being utterly smashed. You should have the upper hand. In any case that's what I saw -to my surprise, I was expecting German agressive moves- on my game [:)]



Flaviusx -> RE: SHOCK-ing developments (6/24/2011 2:55:57 PM)

Q-ball has brilliantly exploited the potentialities of his cavalry and it is paying off in a big way; combined with the severely stretched German front, and that's why he's making so many attacks. The Crimean salient practically negates the advantages the German gains from bringing in the Finns. This was a serious blunder on the part of Tarhunnas.

But I remain wary of pushing this past February. His unreadiness rates are starting to climb alarmingly.



Pawlock -> RE: SHOCK-ing developments (6/24/2011 3:04:12 PM)

Q-Ball

Im curious to know how many extra cavalry units did you build? and have you converted them all to corps yet? I have built around 18-20 extra and wondering is that enough or should I build more at next opportunity?




paullus99 -> RE: SHOCK-ing developments (6/24/2011 3:44:16 PM)

Prepping for snow & the subsequent mud turns is definitely a good idea. Although, given the losses to the German Panzer force, it will be difficult for any sort of major offensive operation on the Axis part, at least until track numbers increase significantly.



Q-Ball -> RE: SHOCK-ing developments (6/24/2011 4:21:42 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Speedy

Q-ball this is very interesting. In my on going tester game with James I averaged 30-40 attacks per turn as SU. I'm intrigued and amazed you can make so many attacks per turn. This seems to be the 'norm' with the current versions. As such the feeling you may have about blizzard being overpowered may well be down to the amount of successful attacks you can launch per turn. I'd be intrigued to know more about the reasons how and why you can do this - is it because the Axis didn't prepare well enough for blizzard and therefore have lower CV's allowing you to make more attacks? Did you manage to create many well stocked reserve forces prior to blizzard etc?

Interesting.....



Why so many attacks? It is alot. I think there are several factors.

I don't think there is a big difference in skill level between myself and Tarhunnas. I think we both get all the basics, and sometimes make mistakes, and also good moves. He killed me in the summer campaign, and has shown he knows what he is doing in general, so maybe that's why this is a good test case. He's a good opponent, which is why I am worried about 1942, watching what he is doing to gids.....

To prepare for winter, here is what I did:

1. ARMAMENTS: I really tried to stretch my armaments, because I wanted as many Rifles in the line as possible on December 1. I didn't run out of armaments in the pool until the last turn in December. I wonder if this really helped. What I did in a nutshell:
-Only built Construction Bdes, nothing else
-Disbanded certain Armament-Hogging units for replacements; Mot Regts, 203mm Howitzer Bns, AT Bdes. I cannibalized units for replacements
2. CAVALRY: I kept my Cavalry out of harm's way all summer; I never put them in the front, and usually in the 3rd or 4th row. I only lost 10 Cavalry Divisions in the summer campaign; probably half of those are "doomed" turn 1, so I lost very little. I have not built any new Cav units, just used the ones I got. I had 10 or 12 divisions sitting in REFIT mode for weeks, digging trenches and building morale/experience.
3. RESERVES: I don't think I did anything special here. I did pick-out about 20 of my best Rifle Divisions starting turn 16-17, and sat them on REFIT in the rear to build morale/experience. Most of the "Reserves" have been new Rifle units that show up more or less at full-strength.

GERMAN PREPARATIONS:
One difference is that these were lacking. Tarhunnas did not shorten his line enough, and this was fatal. In particular, that Crimean bulge added 16 hexes to the front more than he needed; that could have been a nice reserve.

Once I cleared the initial 2-3 hexes, there are no more trenches.

TACTICS:
I have also managed the whole offensive to maximize successful attacks, and retreated German units.

Typically, the turn starts with 2 rows of stacks, because you have so many units. I carefully move up the 2nd Row to places they can make a Deliberate attack; I want to use the FIRST row, as much as possible, to move one hex, THEN attack. I carefully use my MPs to make sure I use them all up. Most HASTY attacks are on units that have already retreated, because they are easy pickings for the most part. I use CAV almost always on follow-on attacks on units that have already retreated.

The only other thing is that I have MERGED about a dozen Naval Bdes into front-line units to keep them ready. I am "borrowing" a bit from the future doing that. I am limiting this to Naval Infantry only, which I can't later form into divisions.

Other than that, it's not rocket science, just moving units up, picking enough CV that looks like it will do the trick, and hit "Attack".

Probably the biggest factor is the length of the line itself. I said at the beginning that Long Lines = Soviet Advantage in Blizzard, and the longer, the better. My whole push toward Bryansk has nothing to do with Bryansk, and everything to do with just making the overall defense lines longer and longer as I push that bulge west. Of course, the shoe is on the other foot come summer, so if that bulge is still there, I'll need to pull out of it.





Mehring -> RE: SHOCK-ing developments (6/24/2011 6:30:22 PM)

quote:

Of course, the shoe is on the other foot come summer, so if that bulge is still there, I'll need to pull out of it.
Not necessarily. If the Germans are that beat up come summer, extended line length continues to be a Russian advantage.



BletchleyGeek -> RE: SHOCK-ing developments (6/24/2011 6:33:25 PM)

Congratulations Q-Ball, that has been a great victory!

PS: Tarhunnas needs to get real very fast.



Peltonx -> RE: SHOCK-ing developments (6/24/2011 7:20:17 PM)

So the claim that Flaviusx made that you should just quit was "wrong" when you lost Moscow?

Now your on your way to a major victory after losing Leningrad/Moscow to Stalion?

I am asking myself what was the point of Tarhunnas taking all those locations during the summer if there is zero penality as far as productions goes? There are no penailtys at all for the run for the hills tactic most Russain players are using now as can be seen in this an my AAR.

I clearly see Tarhunnas made some mistakes, but again why is it so easy for the Russian to recover from such huge losses? I know Q-Ball lost allot of air factorys, but with the plane exploit it have little effect on Q-Balls wiping out the German air forse by 43.

When if ever, does the Russian player take a hit for losing all the manpower centers he lost in this game and the 140 arm and 57hvy in my game? Its seems no matter what the Russian losses they end up with close to 6 million men and units fully equipped with pts to spare as long as the Russian player has a basic understanding of game mechanics.

I am myself tring to find an answer to this question and welcome anyone that has one.

Good job Q-ball so far. It will be interesting to see what the summer brings

Pelton



hfarrish -> RE: SHOCK-ing developments (6/24/2011 7:31:31 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Pelton

When if ever, does the Russian player take a hit for losing all the manpower centers he lost in this game and the 140 arm and 57hvy in my game? Its seems no matter what the Russian losses they end up with close to 6 million men and units fully equipped with pts to spare as long as the Russian player has a basic understanding of game mechanics.

I am myself tring to find an answer to this question and welcome anyone that has one.

Pelton


I'll take a (limited) bite - given that he has burned down his existing armament pool, it's going to be mighty difficult with his reduced armaments production to field and equip the artillery divisions he will need to really make the Red Army a monster...others more knowledgeable than I would have to speak to the broader consequences of the HVY and population losses.



Peltonx -> RE: SHOCK-ing developments (6/24/2011 7:38:34 PM)

Thks Hfarrish for input and sorry Q-ball for taking up space on your thread.

Now on with the campiagn [:)]

Pelton



Flaviusx -> RE: SHOCK-ing developments (6/24/2011 8:11:39 PM)

Pelton, Q-ball is having an exceptionally good winter counteroffensive. But that's a passing thing. It's a long ways to Berlin, and in the long run, the replacement and production situation is decisive. He's got a month left to go in this counteroffensive. Then it's a long hard road to turning the Red Army into something that can actually win the war.

The Germans made some serious blunders here and are paying for it. But they can recover and bleed the Sovs to death in 42. The Germans have a definite edge in the replacement situation as things stand.




Q-Ball -> RE: SHOCK-ing developments (6/24/2011 9:00:24 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Flaviusx

Pelton, Q-ball is having an exceptionally good winter counteroffensive. But that's a passing thing. It's a long ways to Berlin, and in the long run, the replacement and production situation is decisive. He's got a month left to go in this counteroffensive. Then it's a long hard road to turning the Red Army into something that can actually win the war.

The Germans made some serious blunders here and are paying for it. But they can recover and bleed the Sovs to death in 42. The Germans have a definite edge in the replacement situation as things stand.




I am cognizant of these production issues, and I'm not ready to give myself the Order of Lenin and rename a Soviet City Q-Ballgrad. It's been a solid couple months, nothing more. I probably got myself back in the game.

Long-term, where I forsee issues are in Bomber production, and Manpower. The Bombers I can't do anything about at this point; I may have to look at using Fighter Bombers in ground support role, because I do have plenty of those. I'm OK in Fighters. But I lost roughly 1/2 of my IL-2, IL-4, and Pe-2 production, which takes a bite out of the bomber force. That means that in 1942, I am going to be parsimonious with deploying them, though I will put out lots and lots of fighters to at least play defence. I didn't lose any fighters at all, that's why I have plenty.

With Manpower, it's hard to see where I stand. Currently, I produce about 2450 per turn. I have captured a whole bunch, but who knows how much I can hold for any reasonable time. Probably only a few places around Moscow or here and there, like Ryazan. But overall, I will have a continuous manpower problem.

RE: Vehicles, I only lost 20 factories; that's only 110 vehicles a turn, or 5,500 per year; I don't see that as being decisive at all.

RE: TANKS, I didn't lose anything

RE: Armaments, I have 306 factories, and shouldn't lose more. I am already accumulating a surplus in the pool, so I don't see this as an issue right now. I probably won't think that when I start to build Artillery Divisions, but for the moment, we seem OK.

PELTON, maybe the difference is in Artillery Divisions. The Russians have enough Armaments to give everyone a Rifle or PPsh, but it takes lots more to build Artillery Divisions. Those are critical for causing German Casualties. They are also Armament Hogs to the extreme. If you can't build them, you can only be a defensive army.



Erik Rutins -> RE: SHOCK-ing developments (6/24/2011 9:07:56 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Pelton
I clearly see Tarhunnas made some mistakes, but again why is it so easy for the Russian to recover from such huge losses? I know Q-Ball lost allot of air factorys, but with the plane exploit it have little effect on Q-Balls wiping out the German air forse by 43.


I believe the answer here really comes down to the fact that Tarhunnas made some serious mistakes and Q-Ball was very prepared to exploit them and has executed his plan very well. Had Tarhunnas gotten rid of the Crimean bulge and consolidated and entrenched earlier, I think he would have gone into 1942 in much better shape and with a better chance to wear down the Soviet forces as he has been doing to Gids.

quote:

When if ever, does the Russian player take a hit for losing all the manpower centers he lost in this game and the 140 arm and 57hvy in my game? Its seems no matter what the Russian losses they end up with close to 6 million men and units fully equipped with pts to spare as long as the Russian player has a basic understanding of game mechanics.


It takes a while for that damage to be felt. I think it has little impact in 1942, but increasing impact on how the war goes in 1943-1945.

Regards,

- Erik



Flaviusx -> RE: SHOCK-ing developments (6/24/2011 9:19:06 PM)

Q-ball, it's more than just the arty divisions. (Although that's a lot of it.)

Take a look at the later TOE of rifle divisions and corps. There's a huge expansion in firepower as the war goes on. And that goes through a lot of armament points. It's easy enough to top these formations off early on when they've got political officers and rifles and not much else. This changes over time and they become incredibly beefy with a huge array of supporting firepower.



Speedysteve -> RE: SHOCK-ing developments (6/24/2011 10:45:33 PM)

Agreed Flavio.

Pelton/Q-Ball open up the 43 or 44 campaign and check out the sheer size and armament heavy red army. That's what these armaments are needed for. Having said that, this good winter offensive could help narrow the potential effect of this. Will be interesting.

Will post more tomorrow morning!



Q-Ball -> RE: SHOCK-ing developments (6/25/2011 12:14:11 AM)

Flavius/Speedy: If that's the case that there is long-term damage to Soviet capability, please let Tarhunnas know. He isn't one to quit, but I don't want him to think the ship is sunk because he is having a bad Blizzard. I think his morale is fine, but best make sure. I don't know what he is saying in his AAR, so hopefully his morale is fine.

It's a long way to Berlin, one hex at a time......



Speedysteve -> RE: SHOCK-ing developments (6/25/2011 9:54:38 AM)

Thanks for the above reply to my Q's Q-Ball.

Helps to get the bigger picture. By not building ART support units that would largely negate an ARM hit now anyhow. The other key to your successful winter offensive seems to be the hoarding of and corps creation of cavalry. Nicely done on that part. These are your strongest units at this stage of the war. Even better that they aren't ARM hogs right now either!



gids -> RE: SHOCK-ing developments (6/25/2011 12:20:02 PM)

hes fine Q dont worry ,tarhunnas isnt much of a quiter,he will still be able to give out some serious slaps



Mehring -> RE: SHOCK-ing developments (6/25/2011 2:15:56 PM)

From what I can see from the T 30 stats, the currently concievable brakes on your continuing offensive in the summer are a lack of guns and a poor co-relation of airpower. If increased 1942 armaments production kicks in to the extent you can kit our your healthy manpower levels with equipment, you should be able to swamp the Axis as soon as the weather turns dry.

Even if the Axis can concentrate enough power to launch an offensive or two, you'll have sufficient to absorb the shock while launching your own simultaneously, along extensive stretches of front. Gamey? Sure, logistics is as fudged as the air war, as the game stands, allowing historically impossible unending offensives by both sides. But will you forego the opportunity on a point of principle?



Q-Ball -> RE: SHOCK-ing developments (6/25/2011 2:58:04 PM)

Turn 31: 1/15/42

Attacks and Losses:

This turn, I launched 96 attacks; 72 wins, and 26 losses. I foresee this tempo dropping-off shortly, as several of my units are reaching the end of their rope.

The Germans suffered 60K battle losses, and 139 Tanks. I suffered 78K, and 239 tanks.

German tank strength is down to 955 total (638 Ready). That is pretty serious. My tank losses are no joke though; I am down to 2,300 total, and my Tank Pools are basically empty of anything decent. My production is OK, I am just losing 200-300 a turn. The tanks are rolling out of the factory and off the boat, and right into battle.

February, I think there will be a drop-off. I am now starting to arrange certain units to get wins for Guards status, like a certain Mountain Division, and some Cavalry. One Cav Corps is now 21-0, but no guards status....have to be patient I suppose.

North:
I finally sent Northern Front a few reinforcements, and the Finnish offensive is griding to a halt.

The Finns are good troops, but extremely brittle; they only have 74 Manpower centers, so they produce something like 650 replacements a turn. There just aren't enough Finns in Finland to sustain a campaign. I plan at some point to attack them, just to wear them down more, and force the Germans to prop-up the Finnish Army. I think you have to be very careful with the Finnish troops.

In front of MOSCOW, our troops have reached the outskirts. I am finally committing some reinforcement units, including 4th Shock Army, and some fresh divisions. I don't think I can hold Moscow, but I think Stalin demands that I re-take the place, so I am making an effort. If I do get it, it won't be with much space on the other side.

I am rolling South of Moscow though; TULA was abandoned by the Germans, and I am rolling the formations around there, as I attack north/northwest.

Center:
More attacks out of the bulge; I had to pull-off most of my Cavalry, because they are spent forces, but some fresh infantry are keeping up the attack.

1st Shock Army, way down by Sumy, is out of gas. I sent a couple fresh divisions their way to resume advance, and set some units on REFIT to get moving next turn for one last push on Sumy.

South:
I am in the best shape from Zaporozhye through Kharkov; these troops are in decent shape, and still attacking. I am approaching D-Town, and have a shot at actually crossing the Dnepr again, where I will quickly retreat from once snow hits.

[image]local://upfiles/6931/BC2C06E387C542D0BC6555ACB5603755.jpg[/image]



Klydon -> RE: SHOCK-ing developments (6/25/2011 3:16:03 PM)

Excellent job to rally like this Q-Ball. This is going to be an exciting game headed into 1942. 



Flaviusx -> RE: SHOCK-ing developments (6/25/2011 3:19:32 PM)

Q-ball, what is your AP situation like? You should be stockpiling right now in anticipation of April tank corps.




Q-Ball -> RE: SHOCK-ing developments (6/25/2011 6:36:48 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Flaviusx

Q-ball, what is your AP situation like? You should be stockpiling right now in anticipation of April tank corps.




I have over 400 every turn. I try not to use them too much. Switching armies between fronts is a huge expense, so I have done that only once. I do change out units fairly often, but my command structure could be slightly smoother if I spent the APs. But I like saving them.

I also haven't switched out the air leaders much, I need to start doing that. I have dismissed all the crappy Front/Army commanders though.

A couple turns I have figured out right at the end ways to use them, to get under 450 so I don't waste any

I need to brush-up on my combining dates; I didn't know Tank Corps were available in April, I thought it was July. Good to know, I would like to combine some of these quasi-useless Tank Brigades.

Tank Brigades cannot do anything by themselves in combat; they lose every time. They do seem to provide oomph to an infantry attack though. Once I get corps I may stop losing so many tanks each turn



TulliusDetritus -> RE: SHOCK-ing developments (6/25/2011 7:01:09 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball
Tank Brigades cannot do anything by themselves in combat; they lose every time. They do seem to provide oomph to an infantry attack though. Once I get corps I may stop losing so many tanks each turn


Not entirely true. On my game one of these tank brigades annihilated (during the Blizzard Massacres) the 9th Romanian Divsion caught in the open (shattered, ergo by bye). And another was attacked by a Panzer Division: they held. In both cases they were alone.

And don't forget the MPs, good as infiltrators.



Flaviusx -> RE: SHOCK-ing developments (6/25/2011 8:06:20 PM)

If you have 400 in the kitty, then you can afford to spend some on CC, that's plenty. I'd also start building some SUs, particularly sappers and tank battalions, enough to fill out your corps. Those won't put much strain on your armament point situation, too. You sound like you are OK on tank production.



Q-Ball -> RE: SHOCK-ing developments (6/26/2011 5:16:35 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Flaviusx

If you have 400 in the kitty, then you can afford to spend some on CC, that's plenty. I'd also start building some SUs, particularly sappers and tank battalions, enough to fill out your corps. Those won't put much strain on your armament point situation, too. You sound like you are OK on tank production.



I am starting to build SU's, all Sapper and Tank Bns. I have attached a Sapper Regt and a Tank Bn to every Cav Corps, but I am also starting to build ahead a bit for the Tank Corps. I have noticed that new Tank Bns have very low experience, so getting them created now allows them to train up somewhat.

In 1942, I plan to have the following:

ARMY: Each army gets 3 Artillery Units, and 1-2 Construction Bdes. Plus maybe a Sapper Regt.

CORPS: All CAV gets tanks and Sappers. Every Corps will get a Sapper Regt. I'll start there, maybe I'll attach additional infantry or some tank to Rifle Corps.

Long-term, the amount and type of SUs I build will depend heavily on my production situation. Sappers are very cheap and useful so I know I'll build lots of those, but beyond that, not sure. I don't really know, for example, how many Vehicles an SU-76 Regt is, or how useful that unit is, or how large the SU-76 pool gets. Looking at the numbers, it looks like you produce piles of that AFV, with not enough slot to use them. That's an example of what I'll have to consider.



Q-Ball -> Blizzard! (6/27/2011 7:26:31 PM)

T-32: January 22, 1942:

Another turn of attacks up and down the line; this turn, the tally:

62 Successful
28 Holds
90 Total Attacks

The number of attacks is dropping off, more from the exhaustion of my troops than the strength of the Germans. A couple new Panzer Divisions are in the line, I think all his reserves are now present.

German losses were approx. 55K and 100 Tanks during the Battle Phases; I lost another 75K, and 220 Tanks. Again, my losses are higher than his, but this ratio is good for the Red Army, and as long as we are still getting that ratio, we are going to keep pushing.

German Tank Strength dropped below 900, to 895. The objective here is to prevent him from being able to launch a SNOW offensive.

Almost all my CAVALRY is now in REFIT mode behind the lines; I have driven them hard, flipping 8 divisions so far to Guards, but they are temporarily spent.

North:

Up by Vishney Volochek, I am almost at a HALT. I am only attacking now because I can roll German units, but that's the only reason.

Around KALININ, I am attempting to take the city before Snow; it will be close, as I am level with it now, and hoping to envelop it from both directions.

Around MOSCOW, I am advancing the line 1-hex per turn. At that rate, we should have Moscow, as he will be forced to give it up rather than be surrounded. I won't have much of a buffer, though, so my re-capture will likely be temporary.

CENTER:

The bust-out toward Bryansk continues. I had many successful attacks along this front, though again, my units are running out of steam. Some fresh divisions I transferred a couple turns ago are keeping things going.

The Spanish Blue Division surrendered near Orel; we had cut it off last turn. Franco is probably pretty pissed........

Further south, the rail line from Bryansk to Sumy is completely smashed, though the junction at Kharkov fell awhile ago.

SOUTH:
I would really like to kick the Germans firmly back accross the Dnepr, but he has a couple hexes bridgehead in the swamps that I can't move. I am outflanking one position, but I need to divert forces quickly, or leave that bridgehead there. Not good.

He might have to abandon Z-Town this turn, and I am closing in on the outskirts of D-Town. I will probably push accross the Dnepr, though I'll fall back on it come the spring thaw.

Revised Objectives:

I hope to wound the Wehrmacht so much that Tarhunnas can't conduct offensive operations until mid-June, when the last of the Mud is gone. This would give me a respite to re-build my batterred formations, and build a better Tank Force.

I intend to defend the Dnepr line now in the Spring, at least for awhile. The other reason is that this will make the elimination of that area priority #1 for the Germans come spring, and take the pressure off elsewhere.

I intend to keep attacking, as long as I can achieve a 1:2 loss ratio.

Guards:
I now have 18 Guards Infantry Divisions, and I expect more to convert (they have enough attacks, just need die rolls). I now have 3 Guard Cav Corps, plus an extra division, and just got my first Guards Tank Bde (which I will be making Guard Tank Corps with). I have one Guards Mtn Division, and hope to get one more.

I also now have 6 Guards Sappers, 2 Moto Regts, and plus several Artillery units.




Q-Ball -> RE: Blizzard! (6/29/2011 4:41:44 AM)

T-33: 1/29/42

Last turn of January, and we are slowing down noticeably.

Attacks were 62 and 25; 62 successful, 25 holds. Casualties were 52K and 70K, though we forced 1 German Division to surrender.

I can see us stopping alot of attacks next turn, as we need to rebuild a number of units. We barely were able to attack this turn, and even so, are running out of gas.

Despite our problems, we are going to keep going, as long as we can get a 1:1.5 or 1:2 ratio. The Germans are now under 820 total tanks.



[image]local://upfiles/6931/549781C25CFB4A5DB9565A86F19C8028.jpg[/image]



Q-Ball -> RE: Blizzard! (6/29/2011 9:00:05 PM)

2/5/1942:

This turn, we had 72 attacks, with 20 of those being HELDS. Although I am slowing down, that still seems like alot of attacks for February, with 52 of them WINS.

We are up to 38 Guard Infantry Units, and 15 Guards Cavalry Divisions. I am working on Tank Brigades, I would like at least 6 by the end of winter (to make 3 Guards Tank Corps).

Winter Too Powerful?

I hate to open this can of worms again, but I wonder if the Soviets are still too powerful.

I think the attrition is right, no issue there.

But the Soviets can launch and sustain way more attacks than the historical Soviets could. As soon as the Red Army attempted to expand the 1941-42 Winter Offensive over the whole front, it started to stall, and Zhukov was specifically against a massive effort like that.

In game, there isn't a realistic way to put a logistical break. The Soviets do not have supply problems at this stage.

Maybe the CVs for the Germans should be revised upward further in Jan/Feb. Because once you lose your forts, like Tarhunnas has, it's easy to keep kicking Germans around.

Losses:

In Idaho v Scar's game, the Soviets have lost 20,500 Tanks by July of 1943. I have lost 22,000 so far, in FEBRUARY 1942! This game has been a slugfest and AFV bloodbath on both sides. The Germans now are down to 770 Tanks total, as I keep targeting the Panzers. The Germans lost 45,000 in battle this turn, to my 69,000. As usual, GUN losses are about even (850 apiece), while I lose 220 tanks to his 105. I consistently lose at least double the number of tanks.

Many of my formations are really tired. I constantly rotate to keep a semblance of offensive going, but I have more UNREADY units that READY it seems like. Because I am still getting 1:1.5 Kill Ratios, I should keep attacking, right? I am sure this is murder on the Wehrmacht, so I can afford some high losses.

SOUTHERN HALT:
I am halting along the Dnepr line; my troops are at the end of their rope now, and we have cleared the East bank of the Dnepr, as far as Dnepropetrovsk. We are now digging along the river, to hopefully hold/delay for awhile come spring. I intend to stay and defend this line.

We are still pushing toward Poltava, though, because the Germans in that front are weak; Sumy fell this turn.

MOSCOW:
The big action has shifted to around Moscow. I initially did not plan to make this a winter focus, but Stalin demands it: We must re-take the city!!!!!

Holding is another matter, but I think I have a shot. A direct assault is foolish of course, but if I can advance another hex on each side of the city, he'll probably be forced to give it up.

There isn't much tactical subtelty here: I just line them up 3-deep, and over the top! Much blood has been shed.....

[image]local://upfiles/6931/56E5F74636DC47DF85AE8D232FFCA75C.jpg[/image]



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