RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Soviet turn 5

RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Soviet turn 5 (Full Version)

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thedoctorking -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Soviet turn 5 (5/6/2019 5:55:15 PM)
Soviet northern front’s response was to strengthen its defenses in the Pskov region and withdraw several hexes in front of 16th Army. Reserve Front was shifted to the command of Soviet northern sector and tasked with the defense of Velikie Luki. One army, 7th Independent, redeployed from the Leningrad region south to a position between Northwest and Reserve Fronts. [image]local://upfiles/56634/51FE1105F876410FA0EBA8A9BC0CC604.jpg[/image]

thedoctorking -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Soviet turn 5 (5/6/2019 5:56:13 PM)
Meanwhile, on the Finnish front, with the support of a couple of divisions railed up last turn, Northern Front was able to extract all but one of its Finnish frontier divisions. The Finns have no armor and only a few cavalry brigades as a mobile force, so if the Soviets can present a solid line, they should be able to avoid any pockets during the Finnish opening move. The Soviets have clearly signaled their intention to neutralize the Finnish front by building a line of fortified zones the whole length of the Finnish no attack line, all the way from Lake Onega to the Gulf of Bothnia. At a cost of 60 AP, the Finns will become completely harmless until or unless the Germans manage to take Leningrad. [image]local://upfiles/56634/001AAE014CC543DA908C5F91FC6830BF.jpg[/image]

thedoctorking -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Soviet turn 5 (5/6/2019 5:57:26 PM)
In the central sector, the Soviets faced the combined forces of two German Panzer Groups and two and a half infantry Armies. They committed their most powerful forces and best generals to this sector last turn and clearly understood that this was the critical theater at this stage of the campaign. The Axis salient looked solid, though, and few Soviet forces were in reserve to the east of the salient, making a breakthrough or even a move to choke supplies unlikely to succeed. [image]local://upfiles/56634/44DD043B7078476491407DF0660DF43B.jpg[/image]

thedoctorking -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Soviet turn 5 (5/6/2019 5:58:31 PM)
Therefore, the Soviet central commander chose the better part of valor and withdrew to a new defensive line based on Smolensk. Again, the most powerful Soviet forces are north of the Dnepr, and there are few Soviet units behind the initial triple line. Orel Military District units south of Smolensk, lacking cavalry for exploitation, refrained from pushing across the Dnepr to try to cut or hinder supply to the salient. Instead, they withdrew behind the Sozh River to strengthen their defenses. They can offer little resistance to a German push to the southeast, however. Of course, the Soviets assume, probably correctly, that the main German thrust is aiming due east, towards Smolensk, Vyazma, and then Moscow. Similarly, in the swamps, there appeared no hope of rescuing the trapped armor, and so the Soviets settled for a picket line behind the Dnepr. [image]local://upfiles/56634/6218196C7A0443B48A1154901FD570DB.jpg[/image]

thedoctorking -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Soviet turn 5 (5/6/2019 5:59:42 PM)
In the south, the German forces appeared to be readier for an attack against Southern Front in the central Ukraine. Two turns of relative immobility for the armor and motorized divisions in this sector suggests that they will have something like their full movement allowance next turn, even without any HQBU. The corps of 1st Panzer Group diverted into the swamps has broken contact except for one motorized division, suggesting that it could be available for operations in the bend of the Dnepr in the next turn or two. [image]local://upfiles/56634/013C10A756AC4137A325B4619655D02D.jpg[/image]

thedoctorking -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Soviet turn 5 (5/6/2019 6:00:48 PM)
Soviet forces retreated five or six hexes, to the Ingulets and the city of Krivoi Rog, while more weak divisions garrisoned the Dnepr as far as Zaporozhye and the city of Dnepropetrovsk. Both sides’ forces in this region are weak, and Axis supplies are restricted with the railhead still in Bessarabia. [image]local://upfiles/56634/0B2A403D095449BC806B080940C1AB7A.jpg[/image]

thedoctorking -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Soviet turn 5 (5/6/2019 6:01:50 PM)
The pace of air operations picked up significantly this turn. The Soviets detected a fuel or ammo shortage in at least some German air bases when, while moving units in the central sector, they got an interdiction attack and then a “mission cancelled/supply shortage” message. This led them to launch air attacks across their front. The outcome was dramatic in terms of total losses and loss ratio. German fighter losses totaled 51, well above the rate of replacement. Soviet losses included about 140 first-line models and a host of I class fighters and SB-2 bombers. Ground losses this turn were 256,405 Soviet to 21,073 Axis. Deployed numbers are 3,760,173 Soviet to 3,339,309 German (6,534 to 3,535 in the air). I would assess this as a mixed outcome for the Soviets. They have now certainly lost another 30 divisions, but on the other hand, their main forces are still strong and their air force is beginning to claim at least equality. [image]local://upfiles/56634/5F8C626EB74D460FB66E2176D2ADEA0D.jpg[/image]

thedoctorking -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Soviet turn 5 (5/6/2019 6:10:48 PM)
Comrade Marshal Fetterkrolle, commander of northern sector, points out: In times like these when we see defeat after defeat we have to celebrate every victory we can. And this turn we won 2 out of 6 battles in the Northern theater. The Heroic men of the 182nd Rifle Division held two attacks from the so called elite SS Totenkopf division, while being under heavy air bombardments. Not only that but the German division is no where to be seen, maybe they fled back to germany after their defeats? [image]local://upfiles/56634/5F3D529AA0824B70AEC28DEE9D551EB8.jpg[/image]

thedoctorking -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Soviet turn 5 (5/6/2019 6:12:59 PM)
And he continues: Due to the Situasation in the center on the land bridge we have to pull back further North on the line aswell. Still my position is strong and I expect a lot of fighting now that AGN has made contact. This is the first turn I have seen action since Riga. The german motorized spearhead kicked back 2 divisions garrisoning old forts across the river (marked in red). [image]local://upfiles/56634/8E035D96EC2044D59A1B7CBC01446E54.jpg[/image]

thedoctorking -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Soviet turn 5 (5/6/2019 6:13:46 PM)
And air commander Comrade Marshal Grant points out: Heavy losses in air 800+ but also did heavy losses to Luftwaffe,they seem to be massing against our centre.

thedoctorking -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Axis turn 6 (6/18/2019 6:22:29 PM)
Real Life has interfered to some extent with this game, so the players have slowed their pace of play and I have slowed my pace of writing AAR's. But the game goes on, with the caveat that we are remaining five turns behind the players in posting the AAR. The Axis just completed their turn 11, so here is Axis turn 6 for your reading pleasure: TTG Teaching Game Neutral AAR Axis turn 6 The Axis turn was much more dramatic than I had anticipated when looking at the Soviet moves. There were big offensives in all three Axis regions, with generally positive results for the Thousand Year Reich and its allies. In the north, the Axis faced a strong defensive line across most of its front from Lake Pskov south to the Dvina. The troops that stood off an attack last turn by the concentrated power of 16th Army, led by Model, withdrew almost entirely out of deliberate attack range, while the defenders in the Pskov region appeared to have only gotten stronger, with defense strengths showing in the 20’s and 30’s in level 2 forts. German 18th Army was still mostly out of range in the northern sector. [image]local://upfiles/56634/515946415305427C8D83BD1E807DB78F.jpg[/image]

thedoctorking -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Axis turn 6 (6/18/2019 6:23:37 PM)
The Axis advisor, ST, gave AGN commander Philly a choice of a move to the north into Estonia to try to stretch the Soviet defenses or a direct assault on the Pskov strongpoint. (This is ST's map) [image]local://upfiles/56634/238B00F6F4954706966C6953D2289D3B.jpg[/image]

thedoctorking -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Axis turn 6 (6/18/2019 6:24:28 PM)
Philly, being an aggressive fellow, chose the attack option. He transferred Model back to 18th Army, to XXXVIII Corps, stacked the corps up with artillery and rocket launchers, and made the indicated attacks. The first two succeeded, clearing the left bank of the Velikaya, but the cross-river attack was twice unsuccessful. Russian defenses around Pskov held, but for how long? Surely with all the action to the south, Soviet troops will be leaving this sector for the critical defense of Moscow. In 16th Army’s sector, AGN punched into the Soviet position with a series of corps-strength hasty attacks. Mostly, you don’t get far with hasty attacks against a prepared enemy, but the Soviet retreat paradoxically put their troops in less favorable defensive terrain with lower fortification levels. This permitted AGN’s infantry to stack three-high, make liberal assignments of support units, and rupture a line they could not break the turn before with deliberate attacks. Then, XXXXI Panzer Corps jumped through the gap, shouldered the weakened defenders out of the way, and drove most of the way to Velikie Luki. The Soviets still have good defensive terrain to fall back into in this sector, and with 4th Panzer Group split in two, large pockets are unlikely, but at least AGN’s aggressive moves this turn will limit the amount of reinforcements the Soviets will be able to move from this sector southwards. [image]local://upfiles/56634/67F4867545314602A31DE7053656D010.jpg[/image]

thedoctorking -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Axis turn 6 (6/18/2019 6:26:59 PM)
Army Group Center faced the strongest Soviet defenses, in positions they had adopted precisely to avoid deliberate attacks by infantry. A large mass of German infantry in the land bridge region had some avenues for eastward advance, but mostly faced the troops of last turn’s pocket, not yet in isolated condition and so immune to attack (since you don’t want to attack a unit that you can cut off, keep isolated through its own turn, and then attack next turn when a morale failure means surrender instead of rout). On the positive side for the Axis, the armor/motorized of 3rd Panzer Group got most of their fuel needs and had movement allowances in the 40’s. [image]local://upfiles/56634/A70CE28688C445E7926F337E143E5F7C.jpg[/image]

thedoctorking -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Axis turn 6 (6/18/2019 6:28:18 PM)
AGC’s commander put those high MF to work by driving southeast from last turn’s salient to create a new, even larger, pocket along the Pronya River down to Gomel. At least 20 Soviet divisions were cut off in this area, in addition to the dozen left behind last turn in the land bridge, whose fate is now certain. The infantry in this sector more or less sorted itself out, with 2nd, 9th, and 4th Armies lining up north to south, closing the pockets and positioning themselves for attacks on the Soviet main line of resistance next turn. One thing to note about this move: dramatic as it was, and productive as it was in terms of destroyed Soviet units, it does have the mass of German armor moving north to south. The territorial objective lies to the east. A mass of substantially undamaged Soviet infantry still sits astride the main route to Moscow. AGC will have to either relocate north to return to the land bridge, taking most of a turn, or turn northeast and face a river crossing and a good bit of swamp before arriving before Moscow. In the swamp sector, the elements of AGS’s 1st Panzer Group that had been chasing the Soviet armor were withdrawn southwards, while AGS’s 17th Army screened the river. [image]local://upfiles/56634/8757D6353AA24044BD0D69109C6FD257.jpg[/image]

thedoctorking -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Axis turn 6 (6/18/2019 6:29:37 PM)
Army Group South continued to face light resistance in its sector. In the north Ukraine, Kiev is strongly defended, and a thin line defends the Dnepr south to Cherkassy. The 1st Panzer Group units that had been supporting the drive to pocket the Soviet armor refugees in the swamps were far from their railhead and low on fuel. German 9th and 17th Armies were closing in on the front, with the pocketed troops still in their way. [image]local://upfiles/56634/7929B6EF167D439490984DE9023C5847.jpg[/image]

thedoctorking -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Axis turn 6 (6/18/2019 6:30:15 PM)
The panzer units, mostly XXXXVIII Panzer Corps, that had been in the swamp repositioned to threaten the Dnepr line north of Kiev while conserving fuel. The infantry constricted the pocket, killing seven divisions. Elements of 17th Army pushed into the Kiev defenses and ZOCed the factories there. Moving factories from a hex in an Axis ZOC costs double rail capacity; presumably, the Soviets will have other priorities for evacuation this turn and the 4 Armaments and 4 Heavy Industry factories in Kiev will be lost. [image]local://upfiles/56634/CD5CDA9198934A398D896C537BE57EDE.jpg[/image]

thedoctorking -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Axis turn 6 (6/18/2019 6:31:19 PM)
In the southern part of its sector, AGS faced a thin line of Soviet defenders along the Ingulets River, with, apparently, nothing behind it. The three panzer corps in the vicinity, 2nd Panzer Group’s XXXXVI and 1st’s III and XIV Panzer Corps, were far from their railhead but still had movement allowances in the 30’s thanks to their conservation of fuel last turn. If you don’t use all your movement points in one turn, the fuel remains in your stockpile and, in addition to what you get in the logistics phase, can give you a reasonable movement allowance on the succeeding turn even without a headquarters buildup. [image]local://upfiles/56634/F57C44CCEE3B42CBB27AA44D05EBC409.jpg[/image]

thedoctorking -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Axis turn 6 (6/18/2019 6:32:13 PM)
One down side to conserving fuel is that your fuel status should be visible to your opponents if they have a good detection level on your unit. If you set the “soft factor” on fuel (upper right hand corner of the screen next to the turn number and date), you can see graphically how much fuel your opponents have managed to save after their turn. As the Soviets in this part of the game (or the Axis later), you should give any enemy armor with green or yellow fuel a wide berth. So, for example, here is the Soviet view of that Army Group Center salient at the end of their last turn. Five divisions and one corps HQ are showing green or yellow fuel. They did back off, just not quite far enough. [image]local://upfiles/56634/C5D814C86364432C817426D199A5B8E7.jpg[/image]

thedoctorking -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Axis turn 6 (6/18/2019 6:34:42 PM)
In the south, they did not have that kind of detection level on the armor around Kirovograd, unfortunately for them. The Soviets backed away in this sector, but also not far enough to prevent AGS from forming a small pocket around Krivoi Rog. Axis infantry menaced both ends of the Dnepr line; 11th Army near the mouth and 6th Army in the vicinity of Kremenchug. OKH sent substantial reinforcements to this sector in the form of 60th Motorized Division, 1st SS Motorized brigade, and five German infantry divisions. [image]local://upfiles/56634/23FE50EF98A3455D850963402C55ACAB.jpg[/image]

thedoctorking -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Axis turn 6 (6/18/2019 6:35:23 PM)
The Romanians closed in on Odessa but did not capture it. By capturing all the surrounding hexes, they ensured that defeated defenders will evacuate by sea instead of (as in Riga) retreating to an adjoining hex where they can be isolated and destroyed. If the Soviets wish, they could put as many as two more divisions into the city (by disbanding the fortified region and shipping out or disbanding the NKVD regiment there now). This would mean that some of the new German infantry divisions would have to come down and help clear the city, delaying their arrival at the front by two turns. Probably worth sending any divisions they have handy in ports. Total losses this turn were 176,195 Soviet to 22,487 Axis (as discussed in the Soviet turn, a staggering 997 to 172 in the air). At the end of the Axis turn, the average German fighter group had 25 ready aircraft. Ready numbers are 3,538,804 Soviet to 3,344,209 German (4,723 to 2,794 in the air) (figures are for ready men and aircraft – a more useful measure than deployed, which I have been using heretofore).

thedoctorking -> TTG multi-player teaching game: Soviet turn 6 (8/27/2019 4:26:39 AM)
I took the summer off, pretty much, taking care of a variety of Real Life matters. It seems like the players did as well. They have begun making some moves again in the last week or so, justifying me in posting the next player turn. TTG Teaching Game Neutral AAR Soviet Turn 6 The Soviet team had quite a shock upon opening their turn: a new pocket south of the Dnepr with absolutely nothing between the leading elements of 2nd Panzer Group and the Urals. North and south sectors were both still in reasonably good condition, and so the priority for the turn became moving as many troops as practicable to the center. In the north, an excellent supply situation had not given the Axis enough strength to push through the Pskov defenses. The single Panzer Corps in that area, despite the leadership of the peerless Manstein and the support of 18th Army with Model at its head, was unable to advance across the Velikaya River. Farther south, XXXXI Panzer Corps, supported by 16th Army, did penetrate the defensive line in front of Velikie Luki, but this was no more than an annoyance. [image]local://upfiles/56634/7F9B950D1D324CE5872130E9A6F0FB07.jpg[/image]

thedoctorking -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Soviet turn 6 (8/27/2019 4:27:28 AM)
Soviet north sector commander sent at least six of his best divisions south to the Yelnya-Kirov area and withdrew to an intermediate line between the Velikaya and the Plyussa. The line is anchored on the strongpoint of Pskov, and has a few powerful positions that will be difficult to dislodge. However, it appears possible for 4th Panzer Group to push through the center of Northwest Front’s position and encircle Pskov. With no rear area blocking forces, German armor could be on the Luga next turn. One weakness of NW Front’s position is that its ground forces are far from its air bases. This means that, while intercepting fighters from Leningrad Front defend NW Front positions, few bombers will be available to fly ground support missions. Similarly, the Northern Front troops defending Velikie Luki are far from their airbases and can’t expect bomber support from the NW Air Command bases behind them. Soviet northern commander has yet to assign any troops to the task of building fortifications around Leningrad. Up to now, the Germans have not shown any particular interest in attacking in that direction, but with the weakened defenses in this area, this may be changing. As the Soviets in 1941, you should fortify both sides of the Neva and then SE down to the Volkhov River. [image]local://upfiles/56634/36FB3BBC8E3C4071B645BACC3373C698.jpg[/image]

thedoctorking -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Soviet turn 6 (8/27/2019 4:28:35 AM)
The center was the area of greatest peril this turn. Almost all of Orel Military District was encircled by the dramatic southward move of 2nd and 3rd Panzer Groups. Worse, there were no reserve forces in the area to construct a new defensive line in front of Bryansk. [image]local://upfiles/56634/8FCFC256E99D44BE87ACAD2052C36A91.jpg[/image]

thedoctorking -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Soviet turn 6 (8/27/2019 4:29:35 AM)
Soviet center commander reacted by pulling in reserve forces from all over the country and putting two of his best generals in command. The armies defending south of Western Front are both under direct STAVKA control. They have a couple of Western Air Command air bases behind them, but I believe that the fact that the ground troops aren’t under the same command as the air units will mean that air support will be lacking. However, the German armor in the area has had its supplies ZOC’ed by the pocketed units. I didn’t get a picture with the fuel soft factor lit, but almost all of those units are on red fuel status, meaning they have less than 20% of their fuel stocks left at the end of their move. There were a few air resupply missions in the Axis turn, but those units will probably not have high movement allowances next turn. The Soviets were obviously pressed for AP after reassigning two army commanders. Still, it would have been better if the units from Northern and Southwest Fronts that came to this sector could have been reassigned to armies in the vicinity. Any time you have a unit fighting more than five hexes from its HQ, it can’t get any support unit activations, making it much weaker (and in addition, these units will get no air support either). Artillery and air support are very important to combat effectiveness since they get to shoot first and any damage or even disruption they deal out will take the target elements out of the entire battle. [image]local://upfiles/56634/CDE41EA25D4B4486BB71A924CAA76AD8.jpg[/image]

thedoctorking -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Soviet turn 6 (8/27/2019 4:30:48 AM)
In the south, Soviet forces faced very dispersed German attackers. The city of Odessa continued to resist the Romanian besiegers. A small pocket along the Ingulets was not tight. German 11th Army had gained control of a hex at the mouth of the Dnepr, but the unit lacked the movement points to cross and continued defense of the Dnepr was at least conceivable. [image]local://upfiles/56634/12F9344E42684AEBAE30C2BA9E4197F3.jpg[/image]

thedoctorking -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Soviet turn 6 (8/27/2019 4:31:43 AM)
But given that he was sending many of his best troops to the center, Soviet south commander elected to withdraw. He gave up the lower Dnepr while maintaining a picket line of weak units behind the Dnepr from Zaporozhye up to Kiev. The units in the bend of the Dnepr are not even assigned to armies at this point, while the German armor along the Bazavlik River was not ZOC locked. They are very far from their railhead and showing red fuel status, though, so it is unlikely that they will be able to rush the industrial cities next turn. Soviet 9th Army, cut off around Krivoi Rog, made its way through German lines and re-established communication, but with no support from units outside the pocket they only prolonged the agony. [image]local://upfiles/56634/66939B1ECE894A9986DDC044EAF59379.jpg[/image]

thedoctorking -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Soviet turn 6 (8/27/2019 4:32:42 AM)
Losses this turn were 175,656 Soviet to 22,880 Axis (702 to 135 in the air). Axis air losses were once again above replacement levels. Ready troops were 3,666,192 Soviet to 3,351,998 German (4611 to 2708 in the air).

Fetterkrolle -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Soviet turn 6 (8/27/2019 4:58:36 PM)
One comment on the Northern front. The reason I have not been building any reserve line on the Luga or Neva is that I have not had any units to do this with. The reinforments I have got have either spawned in Leningrad or I got some extra units on turn 1 from southern front. All other units have mostly been sent to Center, and from the current events this turn I could not expect to get any extra reinforments. Its like you allready said the germans can break my defensive line and encircle units, so if I had pulled off more units to build reserve forts it would make it even easier for the germans do encircle me.

thedoctorking -> RE: TTG multi-player teaching game: Soviet turn 6 (8/27/2019 5:40:48 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Fetterkrolle One comment on the Northern front. The reason I have not been building any reserve line on the Luga or Neva is that I have not had any units to do this with. The reinforments I have got have either spawned in Leningrad or I got some extra units on turn 1 from southern front. All other units have mostly been sent to Center, and from the current events this turn I could not expect to get any extra reinforments. Its like you allready said the germans can break my defensive line and encircle units, so if I had pulled off more units to build reserve forts it would make it even easier for the germans do encircle me. Yes, and as I say in a later turn, once you start getting some units and once the northern sector gets hot again, you did start building defensive lines.

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