Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (Full Version)

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smokindave34 -> Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (8/30/2013 11:58:52 PM)

Hfarrish and I have decided to try out the "Stalingrad to Berlin" campaign. I'll be commanding the axis. We have the following house rules:

1) No bombing of HQ unless stacked with a combat unit
2) Use of air refueling will only be with transports

I have no idea how this campaign will work out but I'm a bit tired of the '41 grand campaign so here goes.......

Here is the starting OOB. Both armies are much smaller than I have seen in grand campaigns I have played. The Wehrmacht is pretty well burnt out at this point with low TOE and low morale for the majority of my units (more on that in a moment).

[image]local://upfiles/27926/9BF2467DB0C147EE9EBFCABC1BFF6D06.jpg[/image]



smokindave34 -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (8/31/2013 12:00:51 AM)

My panzers are in poor shape. Low morale (Pelton won't be happy) and low TOE. It's going to take some time to get them back in shape for my drive on Moscow [:)] Even the GrossDuetchsland has low morale - 71!

[image]local://upfiles/27926/0957494BE11D499C97A2DEEAB8F29340.jpg[/image]



governato -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (8/31/2013 12:03:15 AM)

Excited about this one! [sm=happy0065.gif]



smokindave34 -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (8/31/2013 12:03:42 AM)

Someone at OKH should be shot for the sloppy job of organizing the Wehrmacht. A large portion of my Armies are overloaded with some at almost 2X the limit. The length of my front lines has a forced a lot of divisions to be broken down into regiments which is compounding the HQ loading.

[image]local://upfiles/27926/2D2EBA03D062465B93AB525D2FDC2C3D.jpg[/image]



smokindave34 -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (8/31/2013 12:06:25 AM)

AGN:

Hfarrish had the first move. It appears a large portion of his units were frozen because all the action was (of course) at Stalingrad. Here I pull back the 28th corps from Posadnikovo. I'm going to try and free up units along the front to send to the disaster that is occurring at Stalingrad.

The 16th army starts to pull back from Demyansk. Same goal here - shorten the front to allow forces to move south.

[image]local://upfiles/27926/AEA8754AC7CE4D8F91AA24E5145BCAE4.jpg[/image]



smokindave34 -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (8/31/2013 12:09:01 AM)

AGC:

I'd like to hold this bulge near Rzhev as long as possible and keep Hfarrish as far from Berlin as I can. Depending on how things progress at Stalingrad I may need to steal units from AGC. In anticipation of that I pull some of my mobile forces back to refit and dig in case I need to shorten the line. Hraffish has a few stong mechanized and rifle corps here so I expect a fight when they become un-frozen.

[image]local://upfiles/27926/2A461259FD4B4B1A9DF1D4B2A2C5ECC9.jpg[/image]



smokindave34 -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (8/31/2013 12:13:02 AM)

Army Group B

The 29th motorized division breaks the Stalingrad kessel....for now. I expect the pocket to close tight next turn as I have almost no units in the area to mount a counterattack.

The XXXXVIII Panzer corps, III panzer corps, and LII corps are railed in to prepare to attempt to break the pocket.

Next turn I expect the Italians and Hungarians north of Stalingrad to take a beating.

Von Manstein arrives with Army Group Don to take charge of this part of the front however I used most of my AP's to get good leaders and artillery/pioneers transferred to my panzer corps I just railed in.

[image]local://upfiles/27926/8B27871163A64C69952EC461A9C15A5D.jpg[/image]



smokindave34 -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (8/31/2013 12:17:50 AM)

Army Group A

The 17th army pulls back just a bit to shorten my lines here. I plan on fighting hard with the 17th army to try and tie up Soviet forces in this area (and prevent their transfer to Stalingrad or Moscow).

The 1st panzer army is sent north to relieve the 6th army. The oil fields of Baku will have to wait.........

[image]local://upfiles/27926/32A367D0CB2F41A882C2AEDD5DDA7816.jpg[/image]



smokindave34 -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (8/31/2013 12:21:30 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: governato

Excited about this one! [sm=happy0065.gif]


Me too. I'm tired of looking at 1941 AAR's over and over again. I am a little nervous about how banged up the Wehrmacht is though - hopefully the Red army is just as bruised and battered.



Disgruntled Veteran -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (8/31/2013 1:33:55 AM)

Good deal! I wanted to take you up on this game but 1 is all I can do for the time. Nonetheless, I will watch this one.



Bozo_the_Clown -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (8/31/2013 5:31:40 AM)

It makes a lot more sense to play the scenarios then to play a GC from beginning to end. In the GC everything gets out of balance very quickly. I will definitely follow this AAR. I also like the house rule regarding fuel. [sm=happy0065.gif]



juret -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (8/31/2013 7:49:23 AM)

fun, good luck

I am also tired of 41 gc where everyone complains about game balance.

U got one hell of challange to save the stalingrad units.



loki100 -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (8/31/2013 8:08:41 AM)

great to see this, good luck to both of you



swkuh -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (8/31/2013 12:09:14 PM)

Its a great game vs. AI. Appreciate your strategy, tactics and explanations. Will be watching this AAR.



smokindave34 -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (9/1/2013 1:03:15 AM)

Well it seems as there is a lot of interest in this scenario - hopefully I can make it interesting!

Turn 2:

The only action was in the Stalingrad area of the front. I'm not sure if Hfarrish still has his units frozen or he has just chosen not to attack in other areas of the front. If I was him I'd be pounding away anywhere I had the chance. My lines are paper thin and any significant pressure will force me to withdraw.

The 6th army is doomed. I thought long and hard about sending in the XXXXVIII Pz corps and III Pz corps to attempt a relief but decided against it. I didn't have the MP's (especially with blizzard conditions) or the strength to make it through to Von Paules this turn and strong Soviet forces began battering the Italians north of Stalingrad and would have threatned my flanks. I'd be interested to hear if any axis players have been succesfull in relieving the 6th army in this scenario......

My plans now are to have Army Group Don stablize the front and use my mobile forces to punish any Soviet units pushed far ahead of their rail lines. I was able to rout the 18th tank corps this turn and should be in a position next turn to launch more attacks and hopefully build up the morale of some of my panzer units.



[image]local://upfiles/27926/F9E78FE096824788A4ECA7F0164DBC1E.jpg[/image]



governato -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (9/1/2013 4:07:05 AM)

Are you using the airfields in the pocket for emergency supply as in 20.2.1? That will help a lot to keep 6th Army fighting.
The trick is to keep the 'Air supply range' small so that you can provide the minimum 5% of supply with airdrops.

quote:

Units in beachhead/Air head supply will not suffer more than a 33% reduction in CV due to supply shortages (used to be it could be up to a 75% reduction in CV).




loki100 -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (9/1/2013 8:56:15 AM)

does seem as if the Soviets are a lot stronger in this scenario than in the 'Red Army Resurgent' short game.

On that basis, think you are probably right to leave 6th Army to its fate and try to enable them to tie down as much of the Soviet southern thrust as you can



smokindave34 -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (9/1/2013 6:44:20 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: governato

Are you using the airfields in the pocket for emergency supply as in 20.2.1? That will help a lot to keep 6th Army fighting.
The trick is to keep the 'Air supply range' small so that you can provide the minimum 5% of supply with airdrops.

quote:

Units in beachhead/Air head supply will not suffer more than a 33% reduction in CV due to supply shortages (used to be it could be up to a 75% reduction in CV).




Thanks Governato - I have, although this turn my airfields were displaced out of the Kessel. One thing that is different here is that my units don't officially "surrender" but are depleted and end up back in Germany with the same chain of command. I'm not sure that is a significant difference just something that does not happen in the campaign.



smokindave34 -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (9/1/2013 6:46:42 PM)

Turn 3:

The 1st Guards and 5th Tank armies continue to beat up on the Italians. Hfarrish is moving west about 4 hexes per turn. I moved the 1st Panzer Army to this area and re-organized some of my better infantry units in the XXIX corps and loaded it up with arty and pioneers. Next turn I'll put a solid leader in charge (I didn't have enough AP's this turn).



[image]local://upfiles/27926/70959B7CB11749B888EA1A6B9E08811F.jpg[/image]



smokindave34 -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (9/1/2013 6:48:54 PM)

Turn 3 continued.....

My mobile units are now at about 70-80% TOE so I move them forward to start attacking next turn. The Soviet tank and mechanized corps should be fairly easy to handle out in the open and away from their supply lines. The cavalry and guards rifle corps will be a bit more challenging........

I have a motorized division refitting in Stalino and an infantry and panzer division en route that arrived as reinforcements last turn. These forces along with the 1st Panzer army will have to hold the line. I really have no one else to free up unless I pull back to Kerch and send the 17th army north however I want to fight east as long as possible as that is my biggest advantage in this game.

[image]local://upfiles/27926/F20B221F6EA4458B9FB00BF96800255C.jpg[/image]



smokindave34 -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (9/23/2013 12:18:07 AM)

March 18th 1943

Leningrad Sector: The calmest section of the front. 18th army is stripped of an infantry and motorized division to support the re-forming 6th army. A Luftwaffe field corps starts digging forts in the choke point north of Lake Peipus.

[image]local://upfiles/27926/0119BCD36EA54F9A932E6B372F68A8FF.jpg[/image]



smokindave34 -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (9/23/2013 12:22:50 AM)

March 18th 1943

Velikie Luki. The 2nd SS Panzer corps continues to hold their own against determined attacks from the Soviet 22nd and 3rd shock armies.

[image]local://upfiles/27926/F0B9037C4F3F497AB0B17507A9631978.jpg[/image]



smokindave34 -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (9/23/2013 12:26:22 AM)

March 18th 1943

Army Group Center. I pull back from Rzhev and Vyazma to straighten my lines and free up forces from 4th army to support the 6th army around Stalino. I was hesitant to pull back here as its the shortest route to Berlin but I'm REALLY thin down south and needed the troops. 9th army has some strong panzer and infantry divisions so I'm hoping they can hold the line here. I'm also hoping that Hfarrish won't be in a position to attack here until after the mud season.

[image]local://upfiles/27926/EA179E0BD25C4457BD53ABA67CAEAD1C.jpg[/image]



smokindave34 -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (9/23/2013 12:30:54 AM)

March 18th 1943

2nd Army. The Soviet 5th shock army is making solid progress and I'm forced back into open ground. I rushed IV corps here to start digging a fall back line. This whole sector north of Stalino is teetering on the brink. If Hfarrish commits some more mobile units here I could be in a lot of trouble. I'm fortunate that he has been attacking my German ID's and not the Hungarians.....

My plan here is to dig a fall back line and pull back when mud hits.

[image]local://upfiles/27926/D9AF624ED28E47308AEED6CECAC94B43.jpg[/image]



smokindave34 -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (9/23/2013 12:36:04 AM)

March 18th 1943

The Soviet 57th army continues to attack north of Rostov. I don't expect LI corps to hold the city for much longer. I've moved the newly formed XXXVI Panzer corps and 4th armies XLIII corps to the Stalino area to counter Hfarrish. It's going to be difficult to hold the line in this area during the summer with all the open terrain.

[image]local://upfiles/27926/8ED7BA8B8B6E4A3AAE4ED739011A28A9.jpg[/image]



smokindave34 -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (9/23/2013 12:37:37 AM)

March 18th 1943

The 17th army continues to withdraw in order to support the 6th and 2nd armies.

[image]local://upfiles/27926/D37B4A47DA9F4CAC8BA7756B90EC2918.jpg[/image]



smokindave34 -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (9/23/2013 12:38:02 AM)

March 18th 1943 - OOB

[image]local://upfiles/27926/8DD6FF137EA847C3A8A5D0DD593137A9.jpg[/image]



smokindave34 -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (10/7/2013 12:44:25 AM)

June '43

Summer arrives and with it the first clear turn of our game. Here is the OOB for June 3rd 1943. I'm in decent shape with 3.5 million men and 5K AFV's. I've put Von Manstein in charge of OKH and hope to use his 9 initiative to increase the odds of reserve activations.

I spent the mud turns sending my Stugs, Jgpz's, and pioneers to OKH. I will now attach them directly to divisions in critical areas of the front. I prefer this to having the SU's attached to HQ's since I know they will participate in combat if directly attached to my divisions.

[image]local://upfiles/27926/CFED66803F274A5BA9D527E1EB684F53.jpg[/image]



smokindave34 -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (10/7/2013 12:46:28 AM)

June '43

My pool is also in good shape although I'm sure it will be worn down by the coming Soviet summer offensive. I disbanded a bunch of excess Luftwaffe airbases during the mud turns and this has helped to supplement the manpower pool.

[image]local://upfiles/27926/984414E2F8CC49D9AE85A56E357B34E2.jpg[/image]



smokindave34 -> RE: Stalingrad to Berlin (No Hfarrish) (10/7/2013 12:51:15 AM)

June '43

AGN - Ernst Busch's 16th army faces off with the Soviet 11th and 27th armies in this area of the front. Hfarrish made some progress in this area at the end of winter and I expect tough battles here during the summer months. I've moved I corps down from 18th army to supplement 16th army in an effort to hold up the Reds here. Just in case things don't go as planned I start digging a fall back line north of Lake Peipus and in the Pskov area.

[image]local://upfiles/27926/F8E5B66087AF4E5F98737204AF23C693.jpg[/image]



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