Struggling in the East - SigUp vs. loki

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SigUp -> Struggling in the East - SigUp vs. loki (11/5/2013 2:40:28 PM)
Struggling in the East - SigUp vs. loki100 [image]http://imgur.com/rhYSXX1.jpg[/image] After completing two scenario games - Road to Smolensk and Moscow 41-42 - for testing purposes, loki and I decided to start a campaign game together. Once again I am taking the German side, while he defends the motherland from the fascist hordes. The scenario is the 260 one with random weather and reduced blizzard. Logistics have been set to 90 for both sides and Soviet morale to 95. In addition we agreed on a couple of house rules: - No bombing of HQs that are not stacked with combat units - No more than two bombings of an airbase past the first turn - No airdrops prior to November 1941, one drop per month until June 1942 (drops may be accumulated), no restrictions afterwards - No amphibious landings prior to November 1941, no landings outside of the 1939 borders until December 1942, no landings west of the Crimea unless Sevastopol is Soviet-controlled and not cut-off - No Lvov opener, Soviet units west of the line Kiev - Odessa are to stay south of the Pripyats This game will be my first PBEM grand campaign, so one purpose of this AAR will be to get advice in order to improve my poor handicraft, as well as to discuss operational moves. Therefore feel free to comment. [:)] Table of contents Unternehmen Barbarossa All you have to do is kick in the door and the whole rotten structure will crumble to the ground Turn 1: 22nd June 1941 - 25th June 1941, Aftermath: 26th June 1941 - Morning Turn 2: 26th June 1941 - 2nd July 1941; Aftermath: 3rd July 1941 - Morning Turn 3: 3rd July 1941 - 9th July 1941; Aftermath: 10th July 1941 - Morning Turn 4: 10th July 1941 - 16th July 1941; Aftermath: 17th July 1941 - Morning Turn 5: 17th July 1941 - 23rd July 1941; Aftermath: 24th July 1941 - Morning Turn 6: 24th July 1941 - 30th July 1941; Aftermath: 31st July 1941 - Morning Turn 7: 31st July 1941 - 6th August 1941; Aftermath: 7th August 1941 - Morning Barbarossa Derailed Reaching the point of culmination Turn 8: 7th August 1941 - 14th August 1941 - Morning Turn 9: 14th August 1941 - 20th August 1941 Turn 10: 21st August 1941 - 27th August 1941 Turn 11: 28th August 1941 - 3rd September 1941; Monthly Report: August 1941 Typhoon over Russia To the gates of Moscow Turn 12: 4th September 1941 - 10th September 1941 Turn 13: 11th September 1941 - 17th September 1941 Turn 14: 18th September 1941 - 24th September 1941 Turn 15: 25th September 1941 - 1st October 1941; Monthly Report: September 1941 Turn 16: 2nd October 1941 - 8th October 1941 Turn 17: 9th October 1941 - 15th October 1941 Monthly Report: October 1941 Turn 21: 6th November 1941 - 12th November 1941 Turn 22: 13th November 1941 - 19th November 1941 Turn 23: 20th November 1941 - 26th November 1941 Monthly Report: November 1941 Frozen to Death The Soviet Counteroffensive Turn 25 - Turn 27: 4th December 1941 - 24th December 1941 Turn 28: 25th December 1941 - 31st December 1941 Monthly Report: December 1941 Yearly Review: 1941 Turn 29: 1st January 1942 - 7th January 1942 Turn 30: 8th January 1942 - 14th January 1942 Turn 31-32: 15th January 1942 - 28th January 1942 Turn 33: 29th January 1942 - 4th February 1942 Turn 34: 5th February 1942 - 11th February 1942 Turn 35-37: 12th February 1942 - 4th March 1942 Turn 38: 5th March 1942 - 11th March 1942 Turn 39: 12th March 1942 - 18th March 1942 Turn 40: 19th March 1942 - 25th March 1942 Winter Report 1941/1942 In the Search of a Decision The Summer of 1942 The Road to Blau Turn 54: 25th June 1942 - 1st July 1942 Turn 55: 2nd July 1942 - 8th July 1942 Turn 56-57: 9th July 1942 - 22nd July 1942 Turn 58: 23rd July 1942 - 29th July 1942 Turn 59-60: 30th July 1942 - 12th August 1942 Turn 61-62: 13th August 1942 - 26th August 1942 Turn 63-64: 27th August 1942 - 9th September 1942 Turn 65-66: 10th September 1942 - 23rd September 1942

swkuh -> RE: Struggling in the East - SigUp vs. loki (11/5/2013 7:27:43 PM)
Looking forward to your AAR. Your posts (& Loki's) are always interesting. BTW, small point, always thought that Russians speak of the "Motherland" and the Germans of the "Fatherland."

morvael -> RE: Struggling in the East - SigUp vs. loki (11/5/2013 7:33:39 PM)
Will you use the "mild first winter" optional rule?

SigUp -> RE: Struggling in the East - SigUp vs. loki (11/5/2013 8:53:32 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: morvael Will you use the "mild first winter" optional rule? Yep, we are, forgot to add that in the first post. Have edited it. Should provide for an intersting game. quote: ORIGINAL: rrbill Looking forward to your AAR. Your posts (& Loki's) are always interesting. BTW, small point, always thought that Russians speak of the "Motherland" and the Germans of the "Fatherland." Yeah, mistake on my part, also edited into the first post, thanks. [:D]

Gabriel B. -> RE: Struggling in the East - SigUp vs. loki (11/6/2013 8:16:42 AM)
Without the LVOV opening I would strive to secure the land bridge between the ZBRUCH and GORYN fast .

SigUp -> Turn 1 (11/6/2013 11:32:46 PM)
Turn 1: 22nd June 1941 - 25th June 1941 Army Group North [image]http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/2396/l9yf.jpg[/image] In the North I went with a very much standard opening in terms of direction. 18th Army was to blast open the front, with 4th Panzer Group exploiting the hole and pushing through to the Daugava. Compared to my previous games against the AI I altered the execution slightly. Instead of pocketing Northwest Front's units, I chose to prioritise speed. Thus I. AK pushed the Soviet forces into the space between Venta and Dubysa while routing all divisions along the latter river. XXXXI. AK (mot.) drove northeast to Riga, with 1st and 6th Panzer Divisions capturing the city in a hasty attack. In order to prevent the Soviet 28th Tank Division from converting hexes and hindering 18th Army's march to the Daugava 36th Motorized Division took a detour and shattered it. LVI. AK (mot.) did not face resistance and crossed river at Jekabpils and Livani, ignoring the airborne brigades at the crossing of Daugavpils. Along the Venta XXVI. AK fanned out with 61st Infantry Division capturing the port of Liepaja, 217th (along with XXXXI. AK's 269th) Infantry Division crossing the river at Mazeikiai and 291st Infantry Division pushing to Kuldiga, in order to quickly get to Riga. SS Totenkopf took care of the port at Ventspils, ensuring German control of Courland. Having opened up the Daugava on turn 1, I intend for Army Group North to head to Pskov - Ostrov as fast as possible. I hope that my decision to rout away Northwest Front won't come back to bite me, with all those divisions recovering from their rout and form hindrances for 4th Panzer Group's units. Army Group Centre [image]http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/6262/owto.jpg[/image] The opening in the Centre was also following the usual procedures. In the North 9th Army's XXIII. AK opened up the border for 16th Army to push through and capture Kaunas, which was achieved quite handily. The only holdup occured at Alytus where 5th Tank Division withstood a deliberated assault by 251st Infantry Division, before being routed. XXXXII. AK pushed the Soviet 10th Army from the border along the Biebrza, mindful of not routing the brittle Soviet divisions. XX. AK swung south and blocked the path east at Grodno. Similarly to the situation at AGN I took up Gabriel B's suggestion made in the Smolensk AAR and went with routing away the forces blocking 9th Army's path towards Minsk and the landbridge. I figured with logistics reduced, getting infantry forward as quickly as possible was worth more than the men pocketed. But I sure hope these units won't recover fast enough to impede my advance significantly. VIII. AK took care of business at Varena, blasting away 184th Rifle Division. 21st Rifle Corps stationed around Lida was dealt with by 20th Panzer Division. This division was reassigned to LVII. AK (mot.) that closed the Bialystok pocket north of Minsk. The newly formed panzer divisions gained valuable experience, defeating the Soviet forces between Molodechno and Minsk. 19th and 20th Panzer Division's morale rose to 85. The fighting XXXIX. AK (mot.) had to do was much less than its counterpart at Minsk, with only 179th Rifle Division in the way. [image]http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/9996/9v8t.jpg[/image] In the Southern part of AGC XIII. and LIII. AK opened up the border around Minsk with IX. AK taking advantage and routing the garrison of Brest. XXXXIII. AK sent out 252nd Infantry Division to block the Soviets to the South, while XII. AK marched east. Guderian had to make do with only two panzer corps, after I took away XXXXVI. AK (mot.) and sent it South. Both corps headed towards Slutsk, with Lemelsen's 29th Motorized Division taking a detour to clear the Soviet 209th Motorized Division. XXIV. AK (mot.) lost it's two infantry and one cavalry division to the Kovel operation. In the next few weeks 3rd Panzer Group shall head towards Vitebsk and the landbridge. Depending on the situation I intend for one panzer corps to halt at Glubokoe or Borisov to do an HQ buildup, provided they are in range. XXXIX. AK (mot.) has two options, dependent on loki's approach. Either head directly towards the landbridge, or cross the Daugava and attack Vitebsk from the North. Guderian's troops are to drive towards Mogilev - Zhlobin, also perhaps taking a rest for an HQ buildup, unless there is a hole in the Dnepr defenses. Army Group South [image]http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/5047/6drc.jpg[/image] As mentioned in the first post I chose not to do the Lvov opener. Therefore my aim was to destroy or encircle as much as possible north of Tarnopol. XVII. AK with the support from three divisions of 17th Army's IV. AK took out the Soviet border defenses. IV. AK, however, needed the boost of LV. AK's 168th Infantry Division to rout that nasty division in that rough hex. Meanwhile, after 167th Infantry Division blasted away the Soviet division at Malorita, the divisions taken from XXIV. AK (mot.) advanced north of Kovel, trapping 22nd Mechanized Corps there. XXXXVII. AK (mot.) advanced along a Northern axis and with the help of Gro�deutschland sealed the Dubno group from the North. 10th Panzer Division, from XXXXVI. AK (mot.), aided by 57th and 75th Infantry Division had to do some heavy lifting in pushing back the 8th Mechanized Corps. The beneficiaries were III. AK (mot.) and Das Reich. The former drove north along the Goryn and encircled two Soviet corps at Dubno. Das Reich converted Tarnopol, but then pulled back one hex to prevent too many hexes from getting reconverted by the Soviets. 17th Army's remaining troops cleared the border east of Jaroslaw and worked their way to Lvov. The next step will see the motorized units bundle their strength to break the Stalin line between the Goryn and Zbruch and then advance in the general direction Vinnitsa. I am toying with the idea of sending one panzer corps south into Rumania, to facilitate a drive towards Rybnitsa - Ladyzhin (or Pervomaysk). Air War [image]http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/833/9kmj.jpg[/image] In the air war I went with the usual approach of a massive strike against the Red Airforce. Initially fighers intercepted Soviet planes engaged in ground support of the battles along the border. Afterwards level bombers carried out strikes against targets on the ground, with advancing units displacing the airbases as a final step. A total number of 2832 Soviet planes were destroyed. I can't really say whether this is a good number of not. Most of them were I-series fighter bombers. Additionally 548 MiG-3, 77 Yak-1, 256 SB-2, 73 Ar-2 and 65 Pe-2 were hit. [image]http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/1323/4s4s.jpg[/image] I was never quite good in figuring out optimal air doctrine settings. So if somebody sees improvement potential, feel free to say so. Noticable is the deactivation of interdiction. I am not really fond of interdiction, as I never see or feel much of an effect. I'd rather have those brittle in-game Stukas shot down while supporting ground troops, then getting hit while targeting some retreating shells. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- quote: ORIGINAL: Gabriel B. Without the LVOV opening I would strive to secure the land bridge between the ZBRUCH and GORYN fast . Indeed. It would be a massive setback to get held up at the Stalin line for an extended time. But I wanted to seal the Dubno pocket tightly so the motorized forces have only pushed to Lanovtsy.

Gabriel B. -> RE: Turn 1 (11/7/2013 4:47:16 PM)
Set the stukas to fly night misions during the enemy turn . That way you can stil acumulate experience for fighters and bombers.

SigUp -> RE: Turn 1 (11/7/2013 7:01:42 PM)
So you mean activate interdiction, but set Stukas to night missions?

Gabriel B. -> RE: Turn 1 (11/7/2013 9:23:42 PM)
yes . interdiction attack 50 percent interdiction attack excort 200 percent

SigUp -> RE: Turn 1 (11/7/2013 9:30:13 PM)
Then a couple of fighter squadrons also have to be set on night missions. This will reduce interdiction losses from flak etc.?

Gabriel B. -> RE: Turn 1 (11/8/2013 6:56:27 AM)
The stukas would simply not fly during the enemy turn, there is no need for night excort. yes the slower the aircraft the higher the losses to flak and fighters, in efect SPEED IS LIFE . Your best interdiction aircraft is the JU-88 , is faster than most I-16 except the 24 and 29 series but even than by only 3 mph.

SigUp -> RE: Turn 1 (11/8/2013 11:46:45 AM)
Ah okay, thanks. So the planes I do not want to fly interdiction missions, just micro-manage a little and set them to night missions? Then I guess I'll set everything apart from the fast bomber Ju-88 to night missions.

SigUp -> RE: Turn 1 (11/11/2013 8:44:33 AM)
Aftermath: 26th June 1941 - Morning All in all loki refused to engage in any attacks, only two recon missions were listed in the combat report. Along the entire front north of the Pripyats his battered units pulled back. [image]http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/9934/56xp.jpg[/image] Before Army Group North (all screens after recon) lies a vast area devoid of any Soviet military presence. loki has brought a mechanized corps into position around Pskov, but unless my recon deserted me, there is a gap around Ostrov that can be exploited by LVI. AK (mot.). [image]http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/1336/ds91.jpg[/image] In the centre area assigned to Panzer Group 3 the Soviets have positioned a couple of blocking detachments. The swamps north of the Dvina seem to be largely free of Red Army soldiers, but I am unwilling to pull apart Panzer Group 3. loki appears to have given up on an attempt to make life tough on me at the landbridge. [image]http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/4917/4z18.jpg[/image] In front of Guderian's panzers, a couple of airborne brigades are blocking the Berezina. Additionally there is some presence west of the Drut, though I could not make out whether these were combat units, or routed / non-combat units. The recon units couldn't make out a coherent Dnepr defense, yet. [image]http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/4599/2pgx.jpg[/image] In the Bialystok pocket loki has fanned out his forces. The Pripyats are like always a hiding place for routed Soviet units. [image]http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/6321/gs9u.jpg[/image] Before 1st Panzer Group Southwestern Front has largely pulled back to the Sluch, abandoning most of the Stalin line north of the landbridge. The forces guarding the landbridge are not weak, but I doubt they are able to withstand the assault of two or even three panzer corps. [image]http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/7730/tpii.jpg[/image] loki seems to have evacuated most of the rescuable units in the Lvov salient. Furthermore he has positioned units along the Seret, hindering an easy drive south to the Rumanian border. I am still unsure, but I guess I'll attempt the drive south in order to quickly deal with the Lvov salient. In terms of losses the Wehrmacht has suffered 29.219 casualties in the first days, among them 11.857 dead. 139 AFVs were lost, as the strength of the panzer divisions dropped to 2835. Red Army losses amounted to 350.993, with 17.838 killed and 183.818 captured. Additionally 3114 AFVs were destroyed in the first three days.

SigUp -> RE: Turn 2 (11/13/2013 4:54:39 PM)
Turn 2: 26th June 1941 - 2nd July 1941 Army Group North [image]http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/387/oa48.jpg[/image] On turn 2 Army Group North's units continued their unhindered march towards Leningrad. Two security divisions with a little bit of support from 18th Army cleared the divisions encircled the last turn. 18th Army's XXXVIII. and XXVI. AK successfully made it past the Dvina at Riga, while I.and L. AK prepared for a crossing at Jekabpils. 16th Army's crossing was concentrated at Livani - Daugavpils. 4th Panzer Group's two infantry divisions were assigned to 18th Army. 4th Panzer Group itself drove quickly towards Pskov with little to no resistance. XXXXI. AK (mot.) took the northern route past Valmera - Valga - Petseri and ended up 10 miles west of Pskov. Manstein's LVI. AK (mot.), strengthened by SS Totenkopf, took the southern route through Rezekne - Abrene - Ostrov and pushed back the dug-in Soviet 163rd Motorized Division. Pskov itself was guarded by a tank division. With that 4th Panzer Group's fuel reserves are practically spent. Next turn the divisions will probably need a rest, although if loki doesn't reinforce the divisions at Pskov an encirclement of the city becomes possible. 18th Army will send one of it's northern corps into Estonia, while the remaining three will move towards Pskov. 16th Army will approach Ostrov, then turn Northeast - East. The infantry divisions arriving as reinforcements this turn will all get shipped North to facilitate an assault on Leningrad. Army Group Centre [image]http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/7960/bcv9.jpg[/image] In the northern part of Army Group Centre 9th Army used it's XXXXII. AK to reduce the Bialystok pocket, with assistance of XX. AK's 129th Infantry Division. All other corps, including 3rd Panzer Group's two infantry corps, headed east and VIII. AK took Minsk against a weak rearguard consisting of a single NKVD regiment. After some deliberation I decided to take the opportunity and sent XXXIX. AK (mot.) over the Dvina. Luckily the intel proved to be correct. Aside from a severely understrength motorized division that was routed, there was no resistance. 20th Motorized Division took most of the tough terrain along the Polotsk - Velikie Luki rail line, opening the way to Velikie Luki for the infantry. 14th Motorized Division followed 20th Motorized over the river, but continued towards Vitebsk and managed to push the Soviets back east. 7th Panzer Division routed away a rifle division near Ushachi, then proceeded to capture Vitebsk. LVII. AK crossed the Berezina at Borisov, then fanned out to keep the two Soviet divisions in a pocket, while 20th Panzer Division rejoined XXXIX. AK (mot.). The HQ was left on the west bank of the Berezina and if I haven't calculated wrong it should be within 20 MPs of a railhead next turn. [image]http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/1908/t1q2.jpg[/image] Similarly to 9th Army in the North, 4th Army in the South also left units to quickly liquidate the Bialystok pocket. VII. and XIII. AK successfully carried out that order with support from two security divisions. 4th Army's remaining three corps and 2nd Panzer Group's infantry corps continued their march east, reaching Baranovichi. Meanwhile Guderian set out to breach the Berezina line with his two panzer corps. XXXXVII. AK (mot.) advanced along a northern axis towards Berezino and crossed the Berezina with all units. 17th Panzer Division even managed to beat the last obstacle in front of the Dnepr by crossing the Drut. XXXXVII. AK (mot.)'s HQ was stacked together with LVII. AK (mot.)'s, so potentially two panzer corps can conduct an HQ buildup the next turn. At the same time XXIV. AK (mot.) pushed over the Berezina at Bobruisk. Similarly to AGN's situation, AGC has also largely run out of fuel. Next turn the army group will consolidate their gains with the infantry trying to catch up to the panzers. As an outlook, when the panzers have refueled the next target will be breaching the Dnepr and head for Smolensk, while infantry units shall advance towards Velikie Luki. Army Group South [image]http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/7871/41ez.jpg[/image] While AGN and AGC more or less annihilated their direct opposition in the first three days of Barbarossa, AGS still had strong Soviet formations blocking it's way. In the northern part of AGS's front 255th and 267th Infantry Division eliminated the Kovel pocket, enabling XVII. AK to push towards Rovno, with two divisions crossing the Goryn. South of it XXIX. AK liquidated the Dubno group and pushed towards the former Polish-Soviet border. Further west IV. AK marched Southeast and retook Tarnopol, while opening the road towards Rumanian border. LII. AK and XXXXIX. GK made slow progress in pushing back the Soviet formations in the Lvov salient. Incensed by border violations of Soviet NKVD regiments, Admiral Horthy declared war on the Soviet Union and Hungarian border formations successfully repelled the Soviet invaders. On turn 2 XIV. AK (mot.) was finally activated and no time was wasted in getting them to the front. The corps capitalized on IV. AK's success and expanded the spearhead in the direction of Rumania. The job was finished by XXXXVI. AK (mot.), with Das Reich reaching the Rumanian border. At the same time the two motorized division of 1st Panzer Group were activated and they participated in the operation to break the Stalin line. XXXXVII. and III. AK (mot.) did some heavy work and fought off multiple Soviet divisions. Unlike their counterparts in the North, 1st Panzer Group still faces one last (?) Soviet line of defense before getting into open terrain. In other news, 1st Cavalry Division was sent into the Pripyats to root out routed Soviet formations. After conclusion of the border battles in the North and Centre 10 Soviet tank, 5 motorized, 17 rifle and 2 cavalry divisions were wiped out. Additionally 2 tank and 1 rifle division were shattered on turn 1 for a total 445.000 POWs.

Gabriel B. -> RE: Turn 2 (11/14/2013 10:06:25 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: SigUp Army Group North With that 4th Panzer Group's fuel reserves are practically spent you had pushed the HQ to far foward . [:-] If your objective was to secure a bridgehead at Ostrov , there is no need to drive the tanks out of suplly. 3 motorised divisions suplied by air is enough. Turn 3 will see the infantry cros the Welikaya , but unable to suport further advance .With that in mind you should allready have a hq in place to do a HQBU at the start of turn 3. In turn 4 with infantry across, you can really hurt the soviets. [image]local://upfiles/45093/4B1D7D7172414C7C98ABA20F8EE7EEAA.gif[/image]

Gabriel B. -> RE: Turn 2 (11/14/2013 10:21:15 AM)
Movement points at the start of turn 4 . [image]local://upfiles/45093/21A38B9818E948628B4F47576F6D61CE.gif[/image]

SigUp -> RE: Turn 2 (11/14/2013 11:11:33 AM)
Uh, indeed. I always have my struggles on turn 2 because I tend to drive the panzers as far as possible (and out of supply) when I see a huge hole. Well, live and learn. With that I guess a full panzer strike in the North will have to wait until turn 5. Having three panzer divisions with 46+ MPs with the rest sitting at 31+ on turn 4 would be quite helpful in crushing Leningrad's defenses...

SigUp -> RE: Turn 2 (11/16/2013 8:37:53 AM)
Aftermath: 3rd July 1941 - Morning Monthly Report Pools: In terms of pools, German manpower right now is at 27.844 men with 48.677 units of armaments at stock. Supplies and ammo in units are well over the need, while fuel is a little bit lacking by about 3.000. Vehicles in units is more or less the same with the need. Losses: Through two turns the German forces have lost 47.909 men, among them 16.335 KIA and 370 MIA. Additionally 457 guns and 330 AFVs were destroyed. The Axis airforces suffered 166 lost planes over the skies of the Soviet Union. 47 fighter or fighter bomber, 6 tactical bomber, 87 level bomber, 16 reconaissance aircraft and 10 Ju-52s. The Red Army lost 693.865 men in June, with 29.887 KIA and 446.625 captured. 8.473 guns and 6.731 tanks were either captured or destroyed in the opening battles. After the massive airstrike on turn 1, the Red Airforce only lost a moderate amount of aircraft on turn 2. A total of 3.286 planes were destroyed. Army Group North [image]http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/5613/uacu.jpg[/image] Facing Army Group North loki apparently has evacuated the entire country of Estonia. Not even the landbridge at Narva seems to be guarded. In the vicinity of Pskov the Red Army only has a couple of divisions putting up a ZOC screen. The main line of resistance is being constructed at the Luga and south of Lake Ilmen behind the Polist river. Army Group Centre [image]http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/9527/mtxz.jpg[/image] Likewise loki has retreated in front of AGC and evacuated the area between AGN and AGC. A solid line exists behind the Lovat at Velikie Luki, while a checkerboard holds the front west of Smolensk. [image]http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/525/uicj.jpg[/image] In front of 2nd Panzer Group loki maintains an alibi Dnepr defense. It prevents an all-too-easy crossing, but is not really deterring. All in all I have yet to spot a hard-nosed defensive line in the centre and am wondering where the units all are. Army Group South [image]http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/2531/sr5h.jpg[/image] Here again the recurring theme. The Red Army has pulled out of the direct frontline. In this case the Sluch was abandoned, with Southwest Front's units establishing a defensive line from Zhitomir to Vinnitsa. Blocking detachments have been spotted near Proskurov. [image]http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/5134/haz5.jpg[/image] As a negative side-effect of XXXXVI. AK (mot.)'s push to Rumania, Southern Front was activated one turn early. loki took the opportunity and pulled back his units behind the Dnestr. Therefore 11th Army will probably have few to none engagements this turn. Odessa seems to be largely free of a strong defensive force, which I hope will hold true. I'd rather have the Rumanians deal with Odessa by themselves, than dispatch a corps of 11th Army (which was reinforced by XXXIV. AK) to aid in the conquest. Also, a rifle division was spotted digging fortifications at the isthmus of Perekop.

Gabriel B. -> RE: Turn 2 (11/16/2013 10:53:58 AM)
The defense of the Dnestr is is wishfull thinking of your oponent . You need to threaten those forces with encirclement by smahing trough at Proskurov, that would force them to fall back to the southern Bug ,and ease 11th army advance. I would direct the rumanian Armored division to Bendery to remaind him what he risks by staying .

SigUp -> RE: Turn 2 (11/16/2013 11:56:00 AM)
That is similar to what I was thinking. My initial plan was to force a breakthrough north of Vinnitsa, but seeing the recon results I don't want to expose the panzers to possible counterattacks from the North. The thing I am pondering is whether to attack the gap between Mogilev-Podolsky and the Bug with all four panzer corps, or to reroute XXXXVI. Panzer Corps together with the Rumanian armoured division South, to attack towards Bendery.

Gabriel B. -> RE: Turn 2 (11/16/2013 3:17:24 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: SigUp That is similar to what I was thinking. My initial plan was to force a breakthrough north of Vinnitsa, but seeing the recon results I don't want to expose the panzers to possible counterattacks from the North. The thing I am pondering is whether to attack the gap between Mogilev-Podolsky and the Bug with all four panzer corps, or to reroute XXXXVI. Panzer Corps together with the Rumanian armoured division South, to attack towards Bendery. The main danger is that his forces reach de Dnepr in good order, to prevent that a braketrough at Vinnitsa still has to be made . The atack between Mogilev-Podolsky and the Bug should be secondary, sending 4 corps to trap 8-9 divisions is a bit to much IMHO

SigUp -> RE: Turn 3 (11/17/2013 7:39:15 PM)
Turn 3: 3rd July 1941 - 9th July 1941 Army Group North [image]http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/8799/9rjb.jpg[/image] After exhausting their fuel stocks (divisions were between 18 and 20 MPs), Army Group North set out to consolidate its gains. 18th Army continued the march towards Pskov with three corps. Only XXXVIII. AK was diverted to capture Estonia which was - with the exception of one rifle division on Saaremaa - completely evacuated by the Red Army. 16th Army managed to cross the Velikaya with three divisions, nearly catching up with the panzers. XXXXI. AK (mot.) managed to capture Pskov against the Soviet 3rd Tank Division using all three divisions, before pulling back behind the Velikaya, preparing for a HQ buildup on the next turn. The gap was filled by Manstein's LVI. AK (mot.), which arrived in Pskov on 6th July 1941. As LVI. AK (mot.) was not in position for a HQ buildup, Luftflotte 1's Ju-52s flew continuous supply missions to fuel up the corps. With the infantry nearly at the front, Von Leeb is readying AGN for the second stage of Operation Barbarossa in the North - the breaching of the Luga line. Depending on the situation 4th Panzer Group will rest on turn 4, allowing the infantry to push forward, before committing to a powerful strike to hopefully open up the Luga defences on the first try. Army Group Centre [image]http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/4233/5qd7.jpg[/image] Like AGN, Army Group Centre's motorized units had also outrun their supply lines. Therefore fighting was very limited here. In the northern part of the front three infantry corps crossed the Dvina. 3rd Panzer Group's V. and VI. AK headed into the direction of Velikie Luki and were 10 miles away from Nevel on the evening of the 9th July 1941. 9th Army's XXIII. AK routed away a NKVD regiment, while preparing to march towards Usvyat, to fill the widening gap between VI. and XXXIX. AK (mot.). On the landbridge XXXIX. AK (mot.) concentrated it's forces around Vitebsk and received aerial supply delivered from Luftflotte 2. Adolf Kuntzen's LVII. AK remained behind the frontlines and conducted a HQ buildup. Meanwhile VIII. AK reached the frontlines. [image]http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/335/7hxl.jpg[/image] Unlike Hoth's troops, Guderian's forces still had some fighting to do. XXXXVII. AK (mot.) pushed towards Dnepr and 17th Panzer and 29th Motorized Division routed the 172nd Rifle Division in Mogilev. Afterwards the divisions pulled back and the corps conducted a HQ buildup. The occupation of the city was left to Generalleutnant Walter Model's 3rd Panzer Division and on the evening of the 7th July 1941 Kradsch�tzen-Bataillon 3 was the first German unit to stand on the banks of the mighty Dnepr. However, the Soviets had been busy and managed to evacuate the armament factories of Mogilev. 4th Army's infantry was still in the process of catching up. The only corps to make it over the Berezina with all subordinate divisions was XXXXIII. AK. Other than that only 263rd Infantry Division crossed the Berezina. Five infantry division were still preparing the crossing at Bobruisk. 1st Cavalry Division was reassigned directly to 2nd Panzer Group and continued their police action in the Pripyats, reaching Luninets. Similarly to AGN, Von Bock's forces were also preparing for the second phase of Barbarossa. The next few weeks 3rd Panzer Group should storm the landbridge and try to get behind Smolensk near Yartsevo. 2nd Panzer Group will have to force a Dnepr crossing near Mogilev, in order to link up with Hoth between Pochinok and Smolensk. Due to the prioritisation of getting reinforcements to AGN, 2nd Army is still standing at Kutno. These divisions will be railed to Vilnius and then head towards Gomel the next turn. Army Group South [image]http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/3168/qhnd.jpg[/image] Unlike AGN and AGC, Army Group South was still engaged in heavy fighting. At the south edge of the Pripyats 6th Army's XVII. AK routed away two Soviet divisions near Sarny while pushing to the Sluch at Goronitsa. XXIX. AK south of it already crossed the river and was standing 30 miles west of Zhitomir. While LV. AK marched on the landbridge towards Kazatin, XXXXIV. AK had to clear a rifle division southeast of Proskurov. The biggest hits, however, were taken and delivered by Von Kleist's panzer group. III. and XXXXVIII. AK (mot.) combined their strengh and ripped open a 40-mile hole into Southwest Front's lines. As always, the combination of low initial tank strength and heavy fighting meant a rapid melting of 1st Panzer Group's tank numbers. Von Mackensen's 13th and 14th Panzer Division possessed 85 and 90 tanks respectively. 17th Army was only engaged with the IV. AK in the fighting outside the Lvov pocket. These divisions cleared Proskurov of Red Army presence and XIV. AK (mot.) exploited the hole and set up positions between Zhmerinka and Shargorod. [image]http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/1095/cpss.jpg[/image] While the mass of XIV. AK (mot.) halted north of Mogilev-Podolsky, LSSAH drove all the way down to the Dnestr near Kotovsk, where it linked up with XXXXVI. AK (mot.). That corps swung through Rumania and crossed the Dnestr at Dubossary, beating a Soviet tank division and NKVD regiment in the process. With that about five Soviet divisions were cut-off, although communication will easily be restored. The main target of this move was to deny Southern Front an orderly retreat to the Yuzhny Bug, while simultanously strengthening XXXXVI. AK (mot.). Southwest Front's strongest units seem to be concentrated around Zhitomir, so therefore I hope the combination of attacks at Vinnitsa, Proskurov and Dnestr managed to open the door into the plains of the Ukraine. If loki can't delay AGS at the Bug, then I believe 1st Panzer Group will have a very good chance to reach the Dnepr before a solid defence has been constructed. [image]http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/4823/b4ia.jpg[/image] In the Lvov pocket 17th Army cleared away divisions while moving east at the same time. The Slovakian Corps was brought to the front and immediately went to work, as did the Hungarian Mountain Brigade and the Rumanian Mountain Corps. The rest of the clean-up work will be left to the Axis Allies, while 17th Army marches to the front. Air War On the Soviet turn 2 the Rumanians were especially busy with interdiction, with multiple 50 fighter 25 bomber attacks. During the fighting, Luftwaffe provided air support in key situations and maintained air superiority over the entire frontline. Fighter losses, however, were not light. 18 fighters were shot down during the week. Bomber losses were moderate with 1 Ju-87 and 8 level bombers.

Gabriel B. -> RE: Turn 3 (11/18/2013 4:41:29 PM)
He is most likely to abandon the upper Bug now, and form another delay line around the Tikich/Sinyukha affluents . He still has a good position around Korosteen which ,as historicaly I would not abandon without a fight .

SigUp -> RE: Turn 3 (11/19/2013 10:46:07 PM)
Aftermath: 10th July 1941 - Morning Army Group North [image]http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/7844/6zfc.jpg[/image] Before Army Group North the Red Army apparently has given up the entire terrain south of the Luga river. Not even many blockers were spottet, the crossing between lakes Peipus and Pskov seems to have been abandoned. South of lake Ilmen the Red Army holds positions up the Polist. In Estonia one divions remains in Saaremaa, while another unit occupies Tallinn. Army Group Centre [image]http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/4338/wclw.jpg[/image] [image]http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/4280/jqq4.jpg[/image] In the northern part of Army Group Centre the enemy has retreated behind the Lovat, occupying a solid line based on the strongpoint Velikie Luki. At the landbridge the divisions in the woods right in front of VIII. AK were withdrawn. In general, facing AGC loki seems to be content with a checkerboard defense to slow the Wehrmacht down. The main line of resistance is way behind the front, going from Rzhev down to Vyazma, then Yelnya down south the Desna to around Znob. Army Group South [image]http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/663/lc8l.jpg[/image] In front of Army Group South's 6th Army, the Reds have surprisingly given up the terrain from Korosten to Zhitomir, leaving only a few blockers out there. The main line was taken back to the Irpen, then down south to Novoarkhangelsk. In this area Southwest Front has also set up a Dnepr defence to Cherkassy. [image]http://img802.imageshack.us/img802/5307/50r3.jpg[/image] East of the Dnestr loki has pulled back all units behind the Yuzhny Bug, in order to slow down XXXXVI. AK (mot.)'s progress. The Red Army is especially present in the space from Pervomaysk to Voznesensk. Nikolaev is also guarded. Odessa apparently has to make due with two to three divisions guarding the city itself. Furthermore recon has spotted defensive works at the isthmus of Perekop. Industry In Leningrad loki has evacuated the 7 armament factories, and an additional 2 were taken out of Gomel. Kiev is still unevacuated and neither Krivoi Rog nor Kirovograd were touched. Odessa and Nikolaev, however, were stripped of their armament factories.

Gabriel B. -> RE: Turn 3 (11/20/2013 2:35:50 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: SigUp In front of Army Group South's 6th Army, the Reds have surprisingly given up the terrain from Korosten to Zhitomir, leaving only a few blockers out there. The main line was taken back to the Irpen, then down south to Novoarkhangelsk. In this area Southwest Front has also set up a Dnepr defence to Cherkassy. He is running. Next turn would see the bulk of Southwest front fall behind the Dnepr . This of course has left the Southern front badly overextended. The cavalry holding Pervomaisk shows just how short of units it is.

SigUp -> RE: Turn 3 (11/20/2013 3:06:39 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Gabriel B. quote: ORIGINAL: SigUp In front of Army Group South's 6th Army, the Reds have surprisingly given up the terrain from Korosten to Zhitomir, leaving only a few blockers out there. The main line was taken back to the Irpen, then down south to Novoarkhangelsk. In this area Southwest Front has also set up a Dnepr defence to Cherkassy. He is running. Next turn would see the bulk of Southwest front fall behind the Dnepr . This of course has left the Southern front badly overextended. The cavalry holding Pervomaisk shows just how short of units it is. Indeed, right now it seems to be more or less a race to the Dnepr. My plan is to go over the Dnepr somewhere between Kremenchug and Dnepropetrovsk. Right now there are no units there and if I can squeeze enough MPs out of my forces I should arrive at the Dnepr with no units dug-in. I am pondering whether or not to do a HQ buildup with a panzer corps down south. But right now I'm leaning against it. Only one division of 1st Panzer Group is below 80% fuel and if I rest one corps, the result should be more or less the same as doing a buildup.

SigUp -> RE: Turn 3 (11/20/2013 9:16:26 PM)
Hm, loki has left about 4 divisions along the rail line in the Pripyats. Nothing decisive, just annoying as I only have the cavalry division there. Guess the best way to deal with that is to use a security division to guard the nothern and southern edges of the marshes and wait till the Pripyats get encircled when AGC and AGS link up?

Gabriel B. -> RE: Turn 3 (11/20/2013 9:30:48 PM)
I move the 2nd army divisions along the northern edge of the marshes , in the wake of the 4th army , so the threat to the north is minimal , plus I do not convert that track, as it is not efective in suporting 2nd PZ Group. In the south ,one security division behind XVII corps is enough. the central sector as far as Yanov Polesky gets secured early on, by LIII corps .

SigUp -> RE: Turn 3 (11/20/2013 9:46:12 PM)
Thanks. I've already shipped 2nd Army to Vilnius per rail to march them down to Gomel, but recon indicates nothing on the north edge of the marshes. So I guess one security division is enough to keep watch. I've also followed your advice and went with the northern rail route, so even if there is something, it shouldn't have any effect. The cavalry division is at Luninets, behind it loki has managed to ZOC recapture Pinsk, but another security division there should put a lid on it. The southern edge should be secure with a security division there and if needed I still can send the Slovakians north.

Gabriel B. -> RE: Turn 3 (11/21/2013 1:35:07 PM)
Can you share your strategy concerning reinforcements ? Historicaly the germans reinforced heavily the 6th army (5 divisions ) while 18th,17th,16th,11th,4th and 1st panzer only got one until august .

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