RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis

RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (Full Version)

All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> The Operational Art of War IV >> After Action Reports

Message

larryfulkerson -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (8/28/2018 8:29:25 PM)
Here's some of the losses so far. I'm below my cutoff for combat because of the low level of HRS's in the inventory. I WAS going to aim for 36K as the floor for losses but it's already gone below that in numbers of assigned so I'm going to have to start picking my battles and leave the rest to dig in further and go on high alert for the rest of the turn. [image]local://upfiles/16287/054D8E5FBCD446AFB2FD1B41407A97CE.jpg[/image]

larryfulkerson -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (8/28/2018 8:36:18 PM)
Up north in Lapland near the town of Salla the supply situation is hit or miss because of the terrain. If there were any Mexicans present we might have a Mexican standoff. So far we've been staring at each other through the binoculars and not much is going on presently. I tried to drive a Finn unit around the north end but the supply level is too low for operations and he's got to retreat soon. I'll have to give this situation more serious thought. [image]local://upfiles/16287/1277F3EF88F6487289056122FE2393FE.jpg[/image]

larryfulkerson -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (8/28/2018 9:01:22 PM)
I did another one of those "close->save and close" things to produce a saved game file for you guys and I've zipped it up and attached it here below so you guys can take a look around and view all the reports and dialogs, execute the attacks I've scheduled. Take over the Axis side for a while.

EwaldvonKleist -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (8/28/2018 10:41:16 PM)
Soviets seem way ahead of the curve.

larryfulkerson -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (8/28/2018 11:19:56 PM)
Okie dokie, it's 16:16 local now which means I've been working on my moves for about 6 hours now and I've moved everybody and I'm ready to pull the trigger. There's 40 battles pending and most of them are my arty pieces warming up their tubes. They hardly ever hit anything. But they can't hold more than 150 tons of supply so I have to use it up at any rate. As soon as it gets down to 100 then I hang on a second to let it build up again. If they turn yellow I rest them. [image]local://upfiles/16287/ACF0861415474C26AED2A8FB90ED7147.jpg[/image]

larryfulkerson -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (8/28/2018 11:20:29 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: EwaldvonKleist Soviets seem way ahead of the curve. I'm inclined to agree my friend.

MikeJ19 -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (8/29/2018 10:06:38 AM)
Larry and Ian, Great stuff and it is fun to have a bit more time so that I can follow your battle. Ian, you are doing a great job of keeping Larry in check. I can not fathom trying something this scale. Six hours for the moves for the initial combat of a turn - wow! Have a good day

devoncop -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (8/29/2018 2:26:06 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: MikeJ19 Larry and Ian, Great stuff and it is fun to have a bit more time so that I can follow your battle. Ian, you are doing a great job of keeping Larry in check. I can not fathom trying something this scale. Six hours for the moves for the initial combat of a turn - wow Have a good day is Thanks Mike ! I think the timings of turns may be a little misleading though. It may be different as the Germans for now but as the Soviets it takes me between half an hour to an hour per turn. I think the answer lies also in how thorough Larry is when he plays compared to my rather more slapdash approach[:)] I tend to go from North to South after taking in the overall position and I don't watch the replays as I like to play what I see at the end of the opponent's turn. I review all the major battles to check for losses and try and manage the air assets quite carefully but Larry knows things about his side that even a Divisional C in C wouldn't know [:D]....I operate on a much more strategic level....( Like I say......slapdash !) One disadvantage is I rarely manage as many combat rounds as Larry as I am not great at managing time but I thought I should make the point as this scenario is certainly playable and extremely enjoyable taking an hour or less per turn. It's a great ride.....when you are ready for a MP game let me know !

devoncop -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (8/29/2018 3:43:19 PM)
Soviet Turn 29.........28th September 1941 The only town of note to fall this turn is Viljandi in Estonia which in which a partisan uprising is ruthlessly crushed. In fact the partisans are pretty much put out of play by Axis security operations and that avenue of opportunity has been expertly closed by Larry. There are two particular areas of concern....... Zaporozhe crossing of the Lower Dnepr which has been the scene of very heavy fighting for some weeks is now falling and the main body of defenders has been ordered to withdraw and the Germans will take it next turn. This potentially gives Army Group South a breach of the Soviet line and an opportunity to outflank over 30 (mainly cavalry) Divisions fighting west of Melitopol. The second concern is further north on the Dnepr crossing just west of Cherigov where 16th Army is almost at breaking point having fought the Germans almost constantly for a month. In an attempt to assist the defenders of the Crimea who are still holding the two narrow land routes into the peninsular after several failed attempts the Soviet airforce finally drops the road bridge at Berislav behind German and Rumanian lines having dropped the rail line into the area last turn. Although the situation in the north around Narva remains difficult the front here has stabilised and the Murmansk garrison reports the 6th Geb Division has sailed away leaving the city occupants extremely relieved. STAVKA is unhappy at the lack of offensive actions by the Soviets forces however and several Generals are shot to encourage the others........As a result the criminal mastermind in the Kremlin has personally devised " Operation Quagmire" which all being well will be launched shortly..........

devoncop -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (8/30/2018 2:11:18 PM)
Soviet Turn 30 The newstring indicates a Cold Front is arriving ...happy days ! Two turns until the mud ceasefire due. Once again the front is little changed apart from a slight pushback along the Dnepr. The Soviets decide that just ahead of the arrival of the mud they will try and relieve some of the pressure in the south and launch Operation Quagmire" just north of Dnepropetovsk and Soviet bridging units throw a pontoon across the river allowing reserve armour and infantry pour across to find SS Wiking Division in the vicinity so crash into a Werhmacht Engineering Regiment, pushing it aside and begin to fan out trying to outflank units attacking the bridges north and south of the crossing. The thinking here is that if the bridgehead is not viable the mud season will stop the Germans destroying the units participating... The unexpected success so far in holding the lines on the Dnepr and also around the Narva river in the north mean that Stavka authorises the release of multiple Armies previously held back in front of Moscow to allow them to be used in a possible Winter Offensive and a mass movement of Armies begins. Soviet air attacks continue to target the Axis airfields with those of the Rumanian and Italian contingents targetted in particular, once again trying to help out the Southern Front. Partisan activity is once again minimal.

larryfulkerson -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (8/30/2018 9:06:56 PM)
It's 14:04 now local and I've been moving units for a couple of hours now and this is my first stab at using whatever is nearby to try to form a perimeter and try to contain the flood of Soviet units until more units can arrive and lend a hand. Hopefully some stout units that are rested and combat ready and not like this lot. [image]local://upfiles/16287/6ED7074E5BFD4463898E4F0A3E105550.jpg[/image]

devoncop -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (8/31/2018 12:07:43 PM)
Soviet Turn 31 The newstring reports heavy rain now falling impacting German transportation.Things are getting soggy. The bridgehead over the Dnepr draws in the 99th Jager Division and 2nd LSS Adolf Hitler SS Division to contain the Soviets but they hold their position as we head into the ceasefire. Having hopefully drawn in the main reserve forces in the area, just to the north the fighting for the Konev bridge where the Soviets were resisting the German 257th Division (3 full Brigades plus the Div HQ) takes a dramatic turn....... Both north and south of Konev Soviet infantry and armour pour across the Dnepr in the second phase of "Operation Quagmire" and completely encircle the 257th. It remains to be seen if the mud will ensure they die a slow death or not but the Southern Front has certainly become more interesting. In the north Soviet Shock and Guards Armies move closer to the Front awaiting colder weather and the Soviet attacks on the Luftwaffe continue. The partisans just about survive but most are pinned so can achieve little. Another Soviet Cavalry unit manages to slip across the Black Sea to reinforce the defenders in Odessa.

devoncop -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (8/31/2018 8:16:49 PM)
Soviet Turn 32 We are now in ceasefire period. I intend to only update this AAR when the ceasefire is about to end. I have been able to slip reinforcements into Odessa under cover of the storms and reinforcements can handily be railed about unharmed from interdiction which is a nice change. I need to be positioning forces not only for a renewed offenssive by Larry with freshened troops around turn 39 but also to be ready to utilise the effects of the first Soviet Winter which hits on turn 49 and increases Soviet shock to 115...reduces German shock to 100 and the Soviets get parity in the air. The Gerrman 257th Division is confirmed out of supply (see last entry) so will be in poor shape by turn 39 when the ceasefire ends.

larryfulkerson -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (9/2/2018 6:03:16 AM)
It's 23:00 local and I'm working on my FITE moves and Ian and I are nearing the end of the mud season for the first year and the good thing about the mud season from my point of view is that it gives me a lot of time to repair the rails and get them caught up to the front lines. [image]local://upfiles/16287/51B1E822292D449B97C198A620F8E57F.jpg[/image]

devoncop -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (9/2/2018 4:13:44 PM)
Turn 39 We have reached the end of the mud season so the turn has gone to Larry to no doubt resume his offensive. In fact we are in quite an interesting "window of opportunity" for the Germans as in 10 turns time the first Soviet Winter hits......Already during the ceasefire it seems Larry has pulled some of Army Group South back from the confrontation with the Cavalry dominated Southern Front forces that had established a salient west of Melitopol and it will be interesting to see if this is replicated elsewhere. I have tried to reinforce and rationalise my lines along the Dnepr which has meant small bridgeheads west of Gomel and Mogilev have been pulled back but several more competant armies such as 1st,2nd,3rd,4th and 5th Shock armies are now in position and are fresh and at full strength, as is the 25th Guards Army. I need to decide when to launch the first co-ordinated Soviet counter offensive but it is unlikely before winter.

devoncop -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (9/3/2018 6:05:19 AM)
Turn 40 Turns out to be an anti climax as the mud effects linger and I am unable to make any attacks or move any units apart from those on my own territory. Larry reported the same so maybe next turn :-) On a plus point this reduces the Germans window of opportunity by another turn before winter strikes...

larryfulkerson -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (9/3/2018 7:17:07 AM)
Here's the front lines in T41 the first turn after the mud season is over. I haven't moved anybody yet. [image]local://upfiles/16287/99D0BD48F50342D4AE8E8C325315995F.jpg[/image]

larryfulkerson -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (9/3/2018 7:21:11 AM)
I made the image above and was scanning it when I found a breakthrough that the Soviets have made that I completely missed during the mud season. Now I have to scramble to contain them and see if I can't force them back across the river. [image]local://upfiles/16287/1C04CB8E2C264D11ACAFB0F9E1AAB9EB.jpg[/image]

larryfulkerson -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (9/3/2018 9:34:49 PM)
I've gotten myself in a pickle by not watching the playback movie and seeing where Ian is moving his units to and watching for things like this bulge. It's going to be a couple of turns until I can get some significant units into that AO to try to contain the Soviets and they will undoubtedly expand their footprint and get more units across the river and start digging in soon. I've made a stab at putting some people in a semi-circle around the group but there's no significant units nearby to help out. I've decided to accept the situation for what it is and let them come across the river and contain them for now and after the SWO try to cut them off from their supply and kill them. All this to take place sometime after Jan. '42. [image]local://upfiles/16287/1C1D8BDB0B0A480FB0E7A2C7FC7C391C.jpg[/image]

larryfulkerson -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (9/3/2018 10:30:59 PM)
A nest of partisans have spawned near the west end of the marshes and fortunately, I had the Hungarians on the scene almost immediatly and the partisans didn't get very far and I think I have this crop of partisans cornered and almost ready for their surrender moment. I hate to think of good troops dieing so I insist on giving them a chance to surrender first. [image]local://upfiles/16287/94BF9A4E0F434B07AB1BFB4E83FC222C.jpg[/image]

devoncop -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (9/4/2018 5:59:26 PM)
Soviet Turn 41 and hostilities resume in earnest. My partisans having developed the unfortunate habit of mostly spawning in virtually unmoveable marsh they can only delay their inevitable destruction but a few survive the attacks from Hungarian and German security troops behind German lines. The main action continues along the river lines and Larry continues where he left off and ground is gained North of Smolensk and the northern end of the Dnepr where Soviet defences are less strong. The position further South remains better and Larry was unable to either reduce the Soviet bridgehead across the Dnepr North of Dnepropetovsk or relieve the surrounded 257th Division at Konev. Operation Quagmire is assessed as a success so follow up forces cross the Dnepr again just North of Cherkassy where a battle is underway between Soviet defenders and the entire 11th Panzer Division supported by 111th Infantry Division and a considerable amount of OKH artillery assets. Soviet armoured forces race South and after smashing into some dug in artillery to the German rear just fail to completely close the pocket.......it remains to be seen if the Germans will send reserve forces to destroy the Soviet spearheads or pull back from Cherkassy and relieve some pressure..... Further South at Odessa a concerted attempt is made to assist the city. Soviet Commandos land on the coast to the South East and succeed in cutting off the Frontier Guard Division of the Romanian 4th Army on the South East of the encircling forces which is then shelled from the city. There is also a break out from the Sevastapol peninsular as the 37th Army on the western most isthmus pushes aside the German 37th Division and the break out has the potential to then cut off German troops fighting Soviet Cavalry and supporting infantry West of Melitopol.... In total I managed around 125 attacks both bombardment, airfield attacks and land attacks... A quick word about the situation in the North where East of Narva the Soviets have also forded the River Luga and armour has managed to form a bridgehead on the southern bank after heavy fighting with German engineers dug in on the southern bank and there is also heavy fighting continuing with two Shock Armies trying to outflan k the German lines from the east..... Lots going on. !!!

larryfulkerson -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (9/4/2018 8:19:38 PM)
I got some new moves from Ian just now and I'm alarmed at the size of the footprint that Ian has established on the west side of the river. The advance has to stop to deal with this. This changes the game a lot. [image]local://upfiles/16287/BF15BA2743C04F0D800F5AF7EAFFE40B.jpg[/image]

larryfulkerson -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (9/4/2018 11:39:53 PM)
Here's a close up of the places where the Soviets have leaped across the river and are getting into the Axis backfield. I've railed two divisions into the AO but that's not nearly enough to contain the Soviets. I'm going to need at least 8 divisions from somewhere I figure. Meanwhile Ian is spreading out busting bridges and converting hexes to his control. The Axis units in the path of the Soviets is the only thing slowing down the Soviet incurrsion. I'm not at all sure I can find enough units to stem the flow. [image]local://upfiles/16287/ED38FAAB0DD14ADF8FE0DFC21C62A45C.jpg[/image]

larryfulkerson -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (9/5/2018 12:05:04 AM)
Here's the northern front lines near Leningrad. I'm struggling with the Soviets over the river crossings still. I need a way to bring more attackers to the battles I'm having. The Soviets have brought in a lot of arty and it's saving their bacon. The front lines have been in this configuration for quite a while now and it's looking like it's not going to change very much very fast. It appears the advance has halted in this AO. [image]local://upfiles/16287/538490C6437946D69184A2F40516305F.jpg[/image]

larryfulkerson -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (9/5/2018 1:20:37 AM)
Ian has been busy dropping bridges down south and has destroyed the supply levels to the extent that the advance has to halt. I'm not sure how long it's going to take to repair all the bridges and rails and restore some supply to those folks and I may have to start evacuating people a few at a time or something. [image]local://upfiles/16287/CF29C0806E0B49058F58624D22230D36.jpg[/image]

devoncop -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (9/5/2018 4:17:06 PM)
Soviet Turn 42....12th November 1941. Well it seems Larry has done an amazing job in containing most of my attempts at knocking Operation Barbarossa off balance. In particular the crossings over the Dnepr in the South and the Luga in the North have had cordons thrown around them In retrospect I made a mistake here....The four Shock Armies at full strength which are largely held in reserve in the North would have been better employed ready to exploit the crossings further South but it is what it is. Where things continue to look encouraging is in the far South where the breakout from the Sevastopol peninsular continues North of Genishesk and the German 68th Division is pushed aside by units of 31st Army whose Cavalry overruns and destroys the German Divisional HQ and all its heavy guns. Around Odessa itself the Rumanian Frontier Division remains trapped and out of supply as it is repeatedly shelled but casualties are disappointingly small. As a plus point the Soviet lines, despite being pushed back a little along the Dnepr in its upper section ( and Gomel fell) have largely held again so I am rationalizing things on the basis that the German troops that are engaged in containing my salients across the Dnepr would otherwise have been available to attack my lines elsewhere.

devoncop -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (9/6/2018 4:21:27 PM)
Soviet Turn 43.....16th November 1941 I just received a turn from Larry and the first snows have arrived reducing German Shock levels to 100. Snow is as far South as Kalinin. I find only 15 or so attacks by the Germans which is welcome news though my partisans are wiped out. The advance from the Crimea continues and after some heavy fighting the German 198th and 68th Divisions along with some security troops are cut off in a small pocket West of Melitipol and the breakout is blocked for now by Italian Expeditionary forces and troops of Romanian 3rd and 1st Armies. Further West the amphibious operation launched behind Romanian lines besieiging Odessa has paid dividends and the cut off Romanian Guard Frontier Division and all its 160 rifle squads are overrun by Soviet Commandos and troops from the Odessa garrison....An advance from the east of Odessa is then made threatening the rear areas of Army Group South. In contrast to the above successes a daring if desperate operation to launch Soviet Paratroops from the airport at Kiev behind German lines and destroy the artillery bombarding the city is a catastrophe as despite heavy fighter cover the paratroops are blown out of the sky just before landing. The artillery along the line continues to inflict significant damage on German forces facing them across the river lines but is now having to be pulled back in certain areas to regain strength.

larryfulkerson -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (9/7/2018 12:11:29 AM)
Down south I have rebuilt the bridges and repaired the rail and the supply situation is a lot better now. The advance is back on. I've stripped off some of the divisions and sent them north to the bulges in the river line. I've just about contained them I think. Just in time for the Soviet Winter Offensive ( T49 ). [image]local://upfiles/16287/C209F38BE4144C8DA21A2E4B9A2120F5.jpg[/image]

MikeJ19 -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (9/7/2018 10:22:37 AM)
Guys, This is great. I really enjoy reading about your game. Ian great job on the counterattacks. Thanks for sharing, Mike

devoncop -> RE: FITE v.5.0 Ian Soviets larry Axis (9/7/2018 5:02:38 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: MikeJ19 Guys, This is great. I really enjoy reading about your game. Ian great job on the counterattacks. Thanks for sharing, Mike Thanks Mike. I like to keep Larry on his toes....otherwise he just steamrollers me !

Page: << < prev 6 7 [8] 9 10 next > >>

Forum Software © ASPPlayground.NET Advanced Edition 2.4.5 ANSI

2