RE: Adventures in Russia (Full Version)

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700851McCall -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/1/2018 10:49:29 PM)

They get their tanks later in the war I think. Most of them withdraw to refit at some point.



TPOO -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/2/2018 1:48:51 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: 700851McCall

They get their tanks later in the war I think. Most of them withdraw to refit at some point.


Yes this is correct. They were all just motorized SS infantry divisions at the start and were upgraded later. That being said though there is a fix that is needed as the SS LAH did receive a tank battalion of 3 companies in early 1942. So that will have to be added to the scenario.



larryfulkerson -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/2/2018 2:49:58 AM)

I'm trying again to get some units into a position to isolate Leningrad from the
rest of Russia and again I'm finding the shortage of units a handicap. The Soviets
are slowly being pushed backward and the city is getting closer each turn. The losses
for both sides are heavy, moreso for the Soviets. I've sunk the Soviet ships so I can
pull mine in close and bombard at will. As many times as supply will allow. Lots of
Soviet units have been killed by the ships. I'm expecting Elmer to bombard my ships
with his CD guns but so far he hasn't. Lots of CS is being flown in this AO.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/3C23F71112654FF8982C2E5008E3E13F.jpg[/image]



larryfulkerson -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/2/2018 3:02:56 AM)

Here's what typically happens in the field....I come upon some Soviet units and
start to form a ring around it/them and Elmer sends more units and the group gets
larger and a sort of a line starts to form and pretty soon we have a front line of
sorts and I develop it so that I can slowly surround them and kill them. This image
is of a sequence like that in mid-process. I've parked most of the CS bombers in the
middle of the map where they can reach out and touch someone easier. Their range arcs
cover the middle really well. There's a few planes resting but almost all of them are
in the green at the start of the turn and then mid-turn they start turning yellow and
I rest them. I've decided it's more fun to let them rest when they are rather than
fly them to Warsaw to rest. When that got too far away I moved the rest camp to Minsk
and now they just rest where they are. Maybe moved them to better supply in a few
cases.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/10E3BA67A375486FA08317E95EA2E8A3.jpg[/image]



larryfulkerson -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/2/2018 3:19:08 AM)

I thought I'd try again to cut off Leningrad from Russia and I found several small-fry
that volunteered to run north and try to hold the line against Soviet assaults. I
need to get some arty up there to those folks. It might work this time because I've
been killing Soviet units and there's fewer of them now.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/A164AB335AF64DE09604DB46F60CD187.jpg[/image]



larryfulkerson -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/2/2018 12:55:32 PM)

There's a lot of fierce fighting going on in front of Moscow. Most of it's centered
around the roads and rails and neither side has established dominance yet. Lots of
CS being flown in this area. If you ask me what I need the most it's probably people
that I need. Units that I can use to stand on the front lines. As it is there's lots
of gaps in the lines and that's dangerous because the Soviets can exploit those before
I can plug the hole. It's a chance I'm taking necessarily, and because I'm fighting
against Elmer I think I might be able to get away with it. Don't try this at home, I
am a professional.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/D2B2AE9BE68143E88045499FBA469F76.jpg[/image]



larryfulkerson -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/2/2018 1:19:02 PM)

There's a section of the front lines where we have a sort of stand off in that I
don't have enough available troops to form a line and the Soviets are focused on
their objectives and I haven't driven over their trigger yet I guess. So we're
staring at each other thro the binoculars. My troops are resting and his are
probably in some kind of training. I've arranged for one of those independant
supply units for these people because the supply levels are so low and you can
see it in this image on the left edge toward the bottom, on the road. I've backed
these up with aircraft and each division has it's own organic arty. I don't remember
seeing any stand alone arty units. I'm just about to finish some mopping up and then
with a short rest they will be ready to press east some more. The problem with supply
is going to cause a halt to the advance for a while. Unless there's a supply point
nearby. I'll have to look for those.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/C89CC5F697284E839CE8A531B8DB3400.jpg[/image]



larryfulkerson -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/2/2018 1:36:59 PM)

I'm sneaking up on Kharkov and the supply point there. I'm going to try to
surround the city before I take it down. Also, I'd like to get the supply
point as the first goal, then the city in that order. If possible. I'll
probably need some people to protect the flanks for the operation and that
would depend on how fast the mopping up goes. I have too few people to properly
contain all the Soviet units coming at me.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/F3B42CFFCA0541D1A4199C653A2D9D2A.jpg[/image]



larryfulkerson -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/2/2018 5:50:35 PM)

Here's the T29 front lines before I have moved anybody.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/3A9E44396D63493C91865C6BA2FADA5A.jpg[/image]



larryfulkerson -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/2/2018 6:12:46 PM)

Up in the north, just south of Leningrad I appear to have defeated the Soviet defender
and all of a sudden I have two pockets. I drove some units into the hole and I'm planning
on seeing if I can't destroy all those Soviet units between the Finns and down to the
German front line. There must be at last 25 Soviet divisions represented here and various
supporting units and I'd like to kill all of them.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/5ED745983C6A4601BCE1518130E740CB.jpg[/image]



larryfulkerson -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/2/2018 7:38:20 PM)

Near Sevastopol, I advanced on the highway to the coast and discovered that I have
appearantly trapped some Soviet units along the road leading to the Kerch Straits.
The supply levels here are in the low single digits so I'm going to have to save
up enough supply to move again and shoot again so that's going to take a turn or
two; meanwhile the Soviets are probably going to contest the dividing spot and move
some units that way. I'll have to reinforce most likely. Now we have developed a
group with me trying to put a ring of units around it. I'll use the troops that
are closest to this situation.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/5F5335C778CE4466911190AC072A4807.jpg[/image]



larryfulkerson -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/2/2018 7:48:57 PM)

I'm using the OOB order to move the units and I've come to the Slovaks and their
fighter. I've forwarded their fighter to an AOL adjacent to a Soviet unit. I
wonder how that's going to work out. I guess we'll see. That Slovak fighter unit
might just go into reorg from being that close to an enemy unit. We'll see.

Meanwhile, the Axis units are getting into position to slowly, eventually surround
Kharkov and kill all the Soviet units there. I'm starting to get a front line formed
and all this for another supply point. And Kharkov.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/7B6059A8C02840E391475DF8C94C5ACE.jpg[/image]



larryfulkerson -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/3/2018 12:39:05 AM)

Here's a quick peek at some of the losses so far. So far so good.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/C4B70ECB1768479281A83BB765050E24.jpg[/image]



larryfulkerson -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/3/2018 1:00:32 AM)

There's been two combat rounds and I've been moving units and this is the northern
front lines right now. I defeated a Soviet defender in the middle of the line and
advanced into the hole and now I have two pockets I'm trying to reduce. The ships
are helping out on the west side but I've run out of heavy guns units to hold the
line for me and I'm using engineers and recon units. If they come under a determined
Soviet attack I'm afraid they will fold up and give way.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/67B1612C86724E34B7C6E8209A15702D.jpg[/image]



larryfulkerson -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/3/2018 1:20:51 AM)

I captured Orel and their industry center. It had a Soviet supply unit in that
hex and I just pushed him out and walked in. I think there's a supply unit there
too, or nearby. My units are moving to the extent of their MP's because the
battlefield is so sparse and the Soviet units are so far apart in this area. I
really like how the Panzers are shining down here. They can slash and dash and
get in behind the enemy easily and cut off their supply and the take down is easier.
It's been working so far. The supply levels are too low in this area for sustained
operations and the units are having to save up their supply to conduct operations.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/82379EC52F7F4DAD9BFC0FEE9100FCB9.jpg[/image]



larryfulkerson -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/3/2018 2:06:37 AM)

I was going to do a left hook on the Moscow - Leningrad traffic but Elmer got wind
of my plan and has been feeding in units to this one specific spot so that I never
got started properly on the left hook. I'm too busy fending off Soviet units. This
is what happens when you don't have enough people. Had I more troops I would have
outflanked them, surrounded them, and killed them about five turns ago. I've flown
in a lot of aircraft to do a lot of CS in this area and it's helping out but more
people would help more. I'm thinking of railing a division or two up here to lend
a hand. I think the southern group can afford that. Although, most of the progress
is being made in the south. People are too sparse along the entire front lines if
you want my honest opinion and I really hope the Axis side gets more people for the
late war period.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/23829DBC92C642C19A4919C8BEB67DA0.jpg[/image]



larryfulkerson -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/3/2018 2:22:41 AM)

I finally finished cleaning up around Kiev and the riverbank and now I'm going to try
to get some troops behind the first line of Soviet troops and see if I can't surround
them and kill them. The winter season is almost upon us and I'm not optimistic about
further operations when that starts because there's an additional event that happens
also: the crash of the Axis supply system. I'm not sure how much of an impact that
will have out on the front lines but I expect a heafty drop in supplies. I've been
keeping the units more or less green all the time so I'm almost ready for the Soviet
Winter Offensive this time. I'm going to look up the timing of the various events
but I know it's soon.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/207963073FFC413C9BFDBA13FDD19CD3.jpg[/image]



larryfulkerson -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/3/2018 3:35:59 AM)

I guess I must have driven over a trigger of some kind because Elmer finally woke
up some of his units and ambushed my Hungarians. They can't stand up to the Soviet
units without stacking and they can't stack so I need to come to their rescue now.
I've got units headed that way but it's going to take a turn or two to arrive and
the Hungarians will be chewed up pretty good by then. I may have to retire the
Hungarians to garrison duty after this. It should be interesting. I'll keep you
in the loop.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/962D46645D614BC9B0442078D3A1FF46.jpg[/image]



larryfulkerson -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/3/2018 3:52:09 AM)

There used to be a sizeable Soviet stack at Bryansk but it's down to just two more
units to kill. Axis forces bypassed it and follow on forces couldn't deal with
the stack so I diverted a Panzer unit to bring their tanks in there and take care
of it for me an they did. Now it's an infantry problem and the Panzers are free to
zoom off to the NE as soon as I find somebody to take their places in the front lines.
Bryansk has a supply point as well so that will help out a lot.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/B5CED77B83F04AD0B04E19E2C80132B6.jpg[/image]



larryfulkerson -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/3/2018 4:15:37 AM)

All those troops that were involved in mopping up around Kiev are starting to arrive
at the front lines and they are finding Soviets already there and there's all kinds
of meeting engagements going on. The supply level is too low to advance much further
to the east and I'm going to have to call a halt to the advance in this area for a
while. The supply crisis I'm going to have associated with the mud season is going
to gut my supply lines and I'm probably going to cut back on the shooting and moving
and just wait until the supply levels rise again about 10 turns later. That's going
to be hard to do because I'm fairly aggressive for an old man.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/6016C27D63864BD6BCAA3C0EBB838519.jpg[/image]



larryfulkerson -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/3/2018 4:35:19 AM)

The supply levels in the Crimea aren't high eough for sustained operations and the
units are saving up their supply for a good push sometime in mid-October in about
two weeks game time. That's about four turns of rest for the units and they may
not be ready then. They may need more rest yet. I want them all ready to go at
the same time for one good push to see if I can make any headway at all using the
11th Army units.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/4D0DA276018A4309B4086A2F124E7220.jpg[/image]



larryfulkerson -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/3/2018 7:42:01 AM)

There's a spot near Vyazma that spells trouble and I'm not sure exactly what to do.
I've got an infantry unit in one of those horseshoe hexes where three adjacent enemy
units ( stacks ) can attack simultaneously and that's not a good place to be and
the Soviet units are the more stout ones. I'm tempted to pull him back one hex to
get him out of the horseshoe hex.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/A6692B42315D426E961D81FE7C512977.jpg[/image]



larryfulkerson -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/3/2018 9:45:58 AM)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the northern front lines right now. I attempted a three-dot attack at
Leningrad with infantry and armor and the Soviets lost 36% and I lost 34% and
now my units are resting from that and I need to rotate the tired ones out of
there and put some fresh ones in to try it again. I'll wait until I can include
the ships in the attack, they were resting last time I got an email from them. I
brought up all the RR arty that was used at Odessa and they have been really
helpful in disentrenching the Soviet units. Half of them are resting right now
because I used them in the three-dot attack and some of them turned yellow.

The Brendenburgers, the paratroops, are foot movement now so I've been parking them
along the river bank as an early warning outpost to allow me to sleep at night. I
used to worry about the Soviets using an engineer to get units across the river
in spots where it's wide open. I'm using the natural defensive boost that the
river gives because I have to defend only at the river crossings instead of along
the length of it.

The railhead for the northern front lines is up amongst the troops building rails
to the east and the front lines along the river bank.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/AA16E29ACF894E31BB95D772B0A8EEFD.jpg[/image]



larryfulkerson -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/3/2018 10:14:59 AM)

The 1st Panzer Division's tank element participated in the first attempt to push
over the Leningrad defenders and that was the attack in which I lost 34% and now
the unit is pulled to the rear where supply is better and it's resting because it's
readiness and proficiency are so low that it's not combat ready and won't be for a
while. It's got to fill back up with all the equipment that's missing. That may
take several turns. I've got it's HQ unit parked with it to help out.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/886FCE3AF31D40649EC75F4E3D2191C0.jpg[/image]



larryfulkerson -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/3/2018 10:32:45 AM)

Here's what typically happens in places like this one. I pull my units up to a
Soviet one intending to surround it and kill it and I get 1/4 set up and my turn
ends. During the Soviet turn some Soviet units join in our little party. Sometimes
I'm forced backward and have to rethink my approach. Most of the time I can usually
hold what I got until more Axis units show up to help out. Then we have a small
group started. The group get's larger when more units from both sides show up and
then you have the formation of a front line of sorts. I like to outflank them when
that's possible, or at least try to drive a recon unit around the enemy group to cut
off their supply before the take-down attempt.

And a lot of the time there's these Soviet units in the background that watch with
indifference until THEIR trigger is pulled and then they join in. I'm not sure what
triggers them but I think it has something to do with proximity. I'm calling them
lurkers.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/14D4B5AB35894D548195D2A4FC89BF64.jpg[/image]



larryfulkerson -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/3/2018 10:36:04 AM)

I did a save game of turn 31, zipped it up, and attached it here below for those
of you who want to check something out in detail. Like Rick for example. To see
if the PO is doing what it's supposed to, to get an idea what the losses are like,
or play this game from this point on yourself.



larryfulkerson -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/3/2018 5:56:34 PM)

It's turn 32 and this is the first mud turn and as I predicted the German rail net
collapsed. The supply levels dropped off a cliff. The northrn front lines is the
best supplied area I have and it's poor now. I hate to see what happened to the
supply levels in the south.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/CB9F6D336567423A85FDD7BDC20B195D.jpg[/image]



MikeJ19 -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/3/2018 8:30:46 PM)

Larry,

Great stuff as always. Thanks for writing this up.

Have a good day,



larryfulkerson -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/3/2018 9:29:23 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: MikeJ19
Larry,

Great stuff as always. Thanks for writing this up.

Have a good day,

Hey there Mike. Thanks for the kind words. You're too kind by half. I'm probably
documentating what not to do in a D21 game. I have to admit the red green yellow rule
has made this a different game. The units I'm driving around have more punch than the
same unit if it was yellow or orange or red. I'm keeping them in the green always so
that I can get max performance from them. Aircraft too. I've noticed too, that there
is the occassional unit that can have 48% proficiency and still be green. I have
started to check the numerical number instead of just the color of the health dot and
rest those that are less than 50%. I get a lot of mileage from my aircraft. I've got
the fighters on three-dots still because of the really healthy air shock advantage I
have right now.

The mud season has caused the movement of units to be somewhat less than formally. And
the 0 supply levels has shut down movement or attacking until the levels start to rise
again in about 10 turns. I won't have to retreat, to pull back to good supply if I just
stop operations for a bit. It's going to be a long war I think I can afford a 10 turn
delay in the advance. I was going to have to call a halt anyway because of the low
supply levels.

I've been keeping the bridges fixed that I run across. Supply flows much better over an
operational bridge. I've been giving thought to maybe dropping the bridges immediately
behind the Soviet units to isolate them from their supply source. If possible. Some
paratroopers would come in handy right about now, no wait, they would be handier past
the mud turns. The FJ division is posted near Leningrad on foot because I don't have
any air cap. Or they are foot movement only, one of the two. Also the Brandenbergers.

The game will return to full-time reporting as soon as something significant happens.



larryfulkerson -> RE: Adventures in Russia (4/3/2018 10:02:50 PM)

To the east of Kiev I was expecting no supply at all but I see that there's some
hexes that have 1's and 2's in them and the rails only go up to 22. I'll have
to call a halt here too but it's not too bad because the rails are close and it's
headed toward it's customers, and there's 3 RR engineers in this group. Some RR
engineers are by themselves, specifically the RR engineers up in the northern
front lines just below Leningrad. He's building a path to the east to feed the
troops that I'm going to thrust toward Moscow as soon as I take care of Leningrad.

So it's not all bad everywhere, and it's for only 10 turns.

[image]local://upfiles/16287/81EA7B3ED0C74B8A811986C5027CBA3A.jpg[/image]



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