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RE: Return to Smolensk and Beyond, IdahoNY vs Scar

 
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RE: Return to Smolensk and Beyond, IdahoNY vs Scar - 3/25/2011 5:32:51 AM   
IdahoNYer


Posts: 2616
Joined: 9/6/2009
From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline 		This second screen shot shows the best of the German infantry divisions - including those in the OKH reserve - units either pulled back to Germany for refitting, a couple of units in city garrisons, and reinforcements held their until after the blizzard. Of them, only the 78th Sturm has been comitted forward.

ComradeP - wow, 50% TOE? That's tough. I kept the TOE in 1941 at 80%, in blizzard 70%. Except for panzer/mot units. 50% is tough to swallow - but you're probably right in order to max combat power in the attacking armies.

As for your attack strategy - pretty much what I was thinking actually - plus Crimea. I don't want to wait to much for Moscow though as the Russians will dig and dig making this a bear. But its not too far from the front at least.

The downside to keeping an OKH reserve back in Germany is that its going to take a few weeks for them to rail to the front - probably not in time for a winter counter offensive before mud hits. I may have to settle for another series of local counter attacks with the panzers deployed forward. Will see.




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RE: Return to Smolensk and Beyond, IdahoNY vs Scar - 3/26/2011 6:28:58 AM   
IdahoNYer


Posts: 2616
Joined: 9/6/2009
From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline 		With Scar heading out of town for bit, and the game on hold till he gets back, here are a couple more screen shots. These next two show the present front line compared with the max gains achieved back on Dec 5th.

It actually felt much worse during play - this doesn't seem all that bad....

The front from the Finns to Tula:




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RE: Return to Smolensk and Beyond, IdahoNY vs Scar - 3/26/2011 6:29:52 AM   
IdahoNYer


Posts: 2616
Joined: 9/6/2009
From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline 		And from about Orel to the Sea of Azov.






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Post #: 213
RE: Return to Smolensk and Beyond, IdahoNY vs Scar - 4/4/2011 11:24:13 PM   
IdahoNYer


Posts: 2616
Joined: 9/6/2009
From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline 		Turn 38, March 5, 1942.

Blizzard is "officially" over, and snow returns. Hopefully the blizzard will NOT return, but with variable weather, anything is possible. No major crises in the Soviet portion of the last blizzard turn, in fact, Scar pulled back in some places to solidify his defenses. Smart move....

The German army along the front was badly bruised, but no breakthrough was achieved. Infantry divisions are in poor shape, most under 50% at the moment. The panzers are in the best shape, many with over 100 panzers, capable of offensive action.

Time to do some reorganization to prepare for the summer offensives. I put all infantry divisions up to a max TOE of 60% to get all up to at least a minimum strength - will increase those attacking for the summer campaign later. Panzer and Mot divisions are placed at 80% and all support units are pushed up to 100% - hopefully providing stiffeners to the weakenend infantry. I'm also shifting all heavy artillery (over 210mm) to the 18th Army along with additional pioneers and StG Bns to begin preparations to assault into the Crimea - that will be my first Major Offensive...hopefully before the mud hits. 4 additional, near 100% strength infantry divsions are also headed to the 18th Army. For now, along the entire front will be a period of reorganization to set conditions for the Summer offensive - ultimately to take Moscow and the cities we were unable to reach in the South - Voronezh, Stalino and Rostov.

However, with the snow, I am compelled to strike back immediately where I can. Strictly "small solutions", as nothing major is attempted, nor are there any major opportunities apparent. In AGN sector, a Soviet salient protected by only a single division on each flank is encircled. XXXXI PzKps (1xPz,1xMot) assisted by II Korps attacks from the west, and LVI PzKps (2xPz,1xMot) attacks from the SE, cutting off 6 Rifle Divisions. We'll see if the Soviets are strong enough to attack through the encirclement!






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Post #: 214
RE: Return to Smolensk and Beyond, IdahoNY vs Scar - 4/4/2011 11:46:43 PM   
IdahoNYer


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From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline 		Well south of Moscow, AGC and AGS combine in a bit more of an ambitious encirclement attempt. The Soviet advance elements - about 12 divisions - near Kursk are the objective. Aerial recon shows that there appeared to be a gap between these lead divisions and the apparent Soviet defensive line being established to the rear. This provides a potential opportunity...

2nd Pz Armee concentrates two PzKps south of Orel and attacks SE. Led by the very fresh XL PzKps (2xPz), then followed by XXXXVII PzKps (1xPz, 1xMot) and assisted by 2nd Army, achieves a very solid penetration of Soviet lines. XXIV PzKps (2xPz,1xMot) is brought south from the Kaluga area to counterattack the inevitable Soviet response.

1st Pz Armee concentrates two Pzkps in its attack, and has a tougher time penetrating, but achieves success nontheless. XXXXVIII PzKps (2xPz,1xMot) leads the attack, and then is followed by the III PzKps (1xPz,2xMot) brought from the Kursk area to exploit through XXXXVIII Pzkps and link up with 2nd Pz Armee. With the large concentration of Soviet forces to the east, I fully expect the Soviets to relieve the isolated divisions. This may turn into a significant "furball" before its all over - hence why XXIV PzKps is standing by....




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RE: Return to Smolensk and Beyond, IdahoNY vs Scar - 4/14/2011 5:30:20 AM   
IdahoNYer


Posts: 2616
Joined: 9/6/2009
From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline 		Turn 40, Mar 19, 1942.

Turns 39 is snow, but turn 40 brings mud. The two pockets eventually are held. The pocket in the north nets 6xRifle Div, while the Kursk pocket nets 12xRifle Divs. The mud makes it more difficult to reduce the Kursk Pocket, but 6th Army infantry forces the surrender of 9 of the divs during the turn.

With the mud, little is done along the front lines - much German infantry is still under the goal of 60% TOE. While the Soviets will use the mud to dig, we still need time to build up infantry and motorized formations. I begin bringing the OKH reserve forward - 3xPz, 1xMot and 14xIN Divs. It will take a while to rail forward, and maybe by the time they get to Minsk, I'll figure out where I'm going to launch the Summer offensive.

Once the Kursk Pocket is reduced, I'll probably pull both 1st and 2nd Pz Armees out of the line - maybe even 4th Pz if I can manage. I'm not sure I need a heavy panzer force to take Moscow, but I will need the panzers if I try the Rostove option in the south. Still debating on the best course here....




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RE: Return to Smolensk and Beyond, IdahoNY vs Scar - 4/14/2011 5:41:31 AM   
IdahoNYer


Posts: 2616
Joined: 9/6/2009
From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline 		18th Army began its attack against the outer defenses of the Crimea last turn, and were on the verge of breaking into the Crimea itself when General Mud came to the defender's aide. Two Korps attacks failed, while the XXXXVI PzKps pushed the Soviet defenders back, could not advance into the vacated hex. So close!

Still, 4 fresh divisions are being brought forward, and will be able to engage shortly and an additional 160 bombers added to provide support. Perhaps we'll get lucky with another snow turn......




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RE: Return to Smolensk and Beyond, IdahoNY vs Scar - 4/15/2011 6:11:16 PM   
IdahoNYer


Posts: 2616
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From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline 		Turn 41, Mar 26, 1942.

Blizzard returns to the Eastern Front! And thats a good thing! Yes, a good thing. No Blizzard 41 effects for the Germans in March 42. No mud to slow any advance to a crawl. So, the Crimean attack can proceed!

While the rest of the front remains quiet, 18th Army assaults into the Crimea. The primary point to this attack is to prevent the Soviets from using the Crimea as a forward airbase against Ploesti - which he has already hit three times with minimal effect. It should also serve for Scar to consider I may have plans to attack into the Caucasus.

Heavily reinforced to breach the outer Crimean defenses, 18th Army's strength for this assault was: 1xPz, 2xMot, 9xIN,1xMtn Divs; 11xPioneer battalions! and all the artillery over 210mm on the Eastern Front! This was more than enough to punch through the Crimean entrance defenses. Three infantry Korps assault through the level 4 to 1 fortifications, allowing the motorized formations to exploit. The blizzard does slow things down a bit, and the maneuver units don't have the movement points to encirlce the withdrawing Soviet forces. Unfortunately, this should allow the Soviets to regroup before Sevastopol as well as the Kerch Strait.

18th Army will remain in the Crimea to conquer it, and establish a bridgehead in the Kuban. Once that is accomplished, 18th Army will be withdrawn with its heavy augmentation of pioneers and heavy artillery to assault Moscow proper. One Korps will be left behind to augment the Rum 4th Army (we'll try putting Rumanians in the line again....) to hold the gains and prevent any Soviet Amphib operation.




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< Message edited by IdahoNYer -- 4/15/2011 6:12:38 PM >

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RE: Return to Smolensk and Beyond, IdahoNY vs Scar - 4/16/2011 7:03:10 AM   
IdahoNYer


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Joined: 9/6/2009
From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline 		Turn 42, April 2, 1942. Snow returns.....

Across the front, iInfantry divisions are still well below acceptable strength for sustained offensive operations. Most are still at or below 60% TOE. I've disbanded all unnessary fortification units to try to get some infantry in the pool. About 18 total. While the infantry is probably sufficient to defend or support a limited thrust, its not enough for much else. The exception to this are the rebuilt divisions and the reinforcements that I've held in OKH reserve.

The panzers are in better shape. With good supply, even a panzer division with 75 tanks packs a solid punch. Also, we've gotten the first shipments of the new Pz IVf2 (20th Pz) and StG IIIf (Totenkopf). Not many, but they have started to arrive. Of course, this is balanced by panzer divisions still having large numbers of the Pz38 and Pz II series. Heck, I've still got a division with Pz Is and another with Pz 35s! Talk about relics at this point in the war!

In any case.....

With the snow, AGN launches a small attack to reduce a salient and set conditions for further attacks on Moscow in the summer- hopefully penetrating some of the more robust fortifications. 9th Army opens the attack with infantry, and XXXXI PzKps (2xPz, Mot Bde) with the newly refitted 12th Pz (160xPz, but many Pz38s) attacking to make a very narrow penetration from the north. 4th Pz Armee attacks with infantry initially, then XIV PzKps and finally with LVI PzKps - all to gain about 20 miles! Soviets are heavily fortified, backed up by tank Bde reserves and deployed in depth. Progress is slow, but steady and linkup is made - hopefully a solid enough ring to hold the encircled 7 Divs.

This result of this attack is pretty much what I expected - very heavy resistance made up of fortifications deployed in depth. Not great tank country, and little chance for a rapid exploitation to encircle Moscow once summer comes. If Moscow is to be taken, its going to be by brute force - expensive, slow, attritional attacks.....not good.




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RE: Return to Smolensk and Beyond, IdahoNY vs Scar - 4/16/2011 7:25:36 AM   
IdahoNYer


Posts: 2616
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From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline 		Remainder of the main front line remains quiet. 1st Pz Armee is pulled out of the line near Kursk, to move further south and prepare for summer. I really don't want to risk wasting combat power right now attacking fortified lines for little gain. Without strong infantry, I'm not going to accomplish much.

In the Crimea, Scar held further north than expected - he did isolate XXXXI PzKps, but that was easily cleared up by the advancing I Korps infantry. It did severly limit any further forward progress of course....

XXXXVI PzKps will push towards the Kerch Strait and leave the infantry Korps to push on toward Sevastopol. That assumes we'll get lucky and draw another snow turn instead of mud of course.




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RE: Return to Smolensk and Beyond, IdahoNY vs Scar - 4/17/2011 6:44:53 AM   
IdahoNYer


Posts: 2616
Joined: 9/6/2009
From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline 		Turn 43, April 9, 1942

Mud returns and I got a feeling its going to stick around for a while....

Soviets managed to surprise me in thier portion of the previous turn - They managed to break through to the pocket by forcing 9th Pz of the XXXXI PzKps to retreat - and losing about 50 panzers! One Gd Rifle division broke through, and the German counter attack - in the mud - managed to re-close the pocket, but another division was retreated out of the pocket. So a total of two divisions escaped the encirclement. Things will be a bit tougher in 1942....didn't expect a panzer division with about 100 tanks to be forced to retreat.

The mud will put an end to any further attacks of course.




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RE: Return to Smolensk and Beyond, IdahoNY vs Scar - 4/17/2011 7:05:13 AM   
IdahoNYer


Posts: 2616
Joined: 9/6/2009
From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline 		Despite the mud, 18th Army continues to push both toward Sevastopol and Kerch. 10th Pz gains 40 miles, against no opposition toward Kerch. However, Kerch seems both occupied and fortified and it will take one of the infantry Korps to gain a foothold on the far side of the strait. The infantry korps continue to push toward Sevastopol against realatively weak opposition, but fail to get behind the withdrawing Soviet forces, the mud not helping.

Will probably move I Korps toward the strait, or perhaps LI Korps. Two Korps should be sufficient to batter down Sevastopol's defenses.




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RE: Return to Smolensk and Beyond, IdahoNY vs Scar - 4/18/2011 6:21:14 AM   
IdahoNYer


Posts: 2616
Joined: 9/6/2009
From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline 		Turn 45; April 23, 1942

Mud continues and the front becomes quiet. Soviets of course continue to dig in. And dig in....

Reinforcements are brought forward, and I bring the bulk of the OKH reserve to the Dniepr Bend to stage for the summer offensive. Still working up a plan for summer...

Panzer Divs begin converting to the '42 TOE, and the last of the Pz I and Pz 35s are withdrawn from service. Marders enter service in limited numbers.

The only offensive activity undertaken is in the Crimea - probably not a good idea in mud. XXXXVI PzKps finds the Kerch strait heavily fortified, and I Korps replaces the PzKps at the Strait. Both LI and XXXVIII Korps attempt to press toward Sevastopol, but are repulsed in two flanking attacks. Its going to be a grinding assault against a very heavily fortified position.




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RE: Return to Smolensk and Beyond, IdahoNY vs Scar - 4/20/2011 5:31:08 AM   
IdahoNYer


Posts: 2616
Joined: 9/6/2009
From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline 		Turn 48; May 14, 1942 - Clear Weather!!!!

An unexpected clear turn in mid May. Nice. Sadly, not quite prepared to take full advantage of it as I'm still shuffling troops around in preparation of the summer offensive. Plus, with the very good chance of additional mud, not sure I'd want to start a major attack at this point anyway.

So, its time for some "reconnaissance in force".

In front of Moscow, 4th Panzer Armee (2xPzKp, 1IN Korp consisting of 3xPz, 2xMot, 2xIN) had just been pulled out of the line, with 3rd Pz Armee extending north to tie into 9th Army. (This is where I intend to place 18th Army after it takes Sevastopol). 9th Army takes advantage of the clear weather to aggressively probe the Soviet defenses. Initial Soviet lines seem to be held by a single division in level 3 fortifications, with additional troops deployed in depth. The goal here is to penetrate the initial lines, and determine how extensive his second line is held, perhaps committing panzers to penetrate if feasible. All goes well initially, with 3xRifle Divs being pushed back by the initial infantry attacks. I then decide to commit XXXI PzKps (2xPz, Mot Bde) (which was resting behind the lines, building up combat power). The PzKps makes a deliberate attack in clear terrain against a level two fort with 2xRifle Div and the retreated Div. Attack was repulsed with moderate loss. Well, that tells me that he's got a pretty good secondary line. Its going to be a tough slog to take Moscow!!




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RE: Return to Smolensk and Beyond, IdahoNY vs Scar - 4/20/2011 5:51:48 AM   
IdahoNYer


Posts: 2616
Joined: 9/6/2009
From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline 		The other area which I try and take advantage of the clear weather is in the Crimea. 18th Army conducts a series of deliberate attacks following Luftwaffe bombardments. The initial line of fortifications, ranging from 3 to 1, are taken, and 10th Pz attacks toward to coast to cut off the eastern most Soviet units. Its attack is successful, even in mountain terrain, but does not have the movement points to enter the hex.

Overall, good solid results. Outer defensive line breached, two units surrendered, one routed (to near Krasnodar!) and three Gd Divs isolated, if just for the moment.

Sevastopol, with its level 5 fortification, will be a tough nut to crack. Projecting its fall before the end of June to allow 18th Army, with its complement of heavy guns and pioneers, to be the battering ram to take Moscow in Jul-Aug.




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RE: Return to Smolensk and Beyond, IdahoNY vs Scar - 4/20/2011 4:20:16 PM   
Da_Huge_D

 

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Joined: 8/25/2008
Status: offline 		Very good AAR. Keep it coming!

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Post #: 226
RE: Return to Smolensk and Beyond, IdahoNY vs Scar - 4/25/2011 12:46:32 AM   
IdahoNYer


Posts: 2616
Joined: 9/6/2009
From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline 		Turn 52; Jun 11, 1942 Clear Weather for a change!

Time to map out the 1942 offensive plans......

Primary objectives at the end of the offensive are to:
1. Encircle major Soviet forces in the south
2. Take Moscow
3. Take Voronezh, Stalino, Rostov

To accomplish this, initial main effort is with AGS, supported by 2nd Pz Armee of AGC. Initial major attacks are toward Voronezh, with the intent of leading the Soviets to believe that this is the percussor to a major flanking attack to envelope Tula. Both 9th Army and 3rd Pz Armee begin battering attacks toward Moscow.

Around 1 July, AGS commits 4th Pz Armee and 1st Pz Armee to attack to encirle the Soviet forces west of Bugochar. As capable, 1st Pz Armee to attack to seize Rostov and isolate Soviet forces in the Stalino area.

As AGS is attacking, 18th Army is railed north from the Crimea to 3rd Pz Armee's area of operation. With its engineers and heavy guns from Sevastopol, it will batter its way towards Moscow.

The problems facing the Germans in 1942 are twofold. First, the German infantry is severely weakened by the blizzard, with many units under 60% and the experience level much lower than in 1941. Second, the Soviets have been busy digging, and digging and digging. Level 3 and level 4 fortifications are the norm to be found in his main line of defenses, with multiple belts of these fortifications in front of Moscow and other heavily defended areas.

Despite a very successful 1941 Campaign, and no major catastrophes in the blizzard, the Soviets have been given the breathing space to recover to the 6 million man mark again. Although we have fair parity (or so) in tanks and artillery, his manpower has added about 2 million men at arms in the past 6 months.

This will be a difficult campaign......




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Post #: 227
Summer 42 forces avail - 4/25/2011 12:49:52 AM   
IdahoNYer


Posts: 2616
Joined: 9/6/2009
From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline 		Forces availble Summer, 1942




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Post #: 228
Losses, Jun 42 - 4/25/2011 1:53:05 AM   
IdahoNYer


Posts: 2616
Joined: 9/6/2009
From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline 		Losses as the summer begins, 1942

Despite these losses, the Soviets can field a massive 6 million man army in the summer of 1942!




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RE: Losses, Jun 42 - 4/25/2011 2:12:22 AM   
IdahoNYer


Posts: 2616
Joined: 9/6/2009
From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline 		Destroyed units, Jun 42.

As you can see, not alot of Soviet units have been destroyed in the last few turns. Not alot accomplished since the blizzard.......

The destroyed German units are from disbanding units, primarily fortified areas positioned to defend against the Soviet winter offensive, no longer needed.




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Post #: 230
Beginning attacks, summer 42 - 4/25/2011 3:36:01 AM   
IdahoNYer


Posts: 2616
Joined: 9/6/2009
From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline 		With the first clear weather turn in a while, we need to take advantage, but are not quite ready to attack...

On the Moscow front, 9th Army takes a single hex, while 3rd Pz infantry takes three positions, but is held on its fourth attack. All the attacks are against single divisions holding level 4 fortified positions. These take deliberate attacks, with heavy losses to push back the defenders.

What I really don't understand, is that if you have a level 4 fortification, why not maximize the amount of troops in it - 3xdiv - and attempt to hold it, rather than occupy it as a delay position? Not complaining, its just going to get tougher...




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RE: Beginning attacks, summer 42 - 4/25/2011 3:49:18 AM   
IdahoNYer


Posts: 2616
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From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline 		Attacks toward Voronezh also jump off with the good weather. Not a promising start.

Supporting attacks from 2nd Army and 6th Army, although limited, are successfull in pushing back Soviet divisions from heavily fortified positions. The main attack, delivered by 3xPzKps and 1xIN Korps from 2nd Pz Armee, only gains 20 miles on a very narrow corridor. Two attacks to expand the corridor are held. All the attacks were against multiple divisions in level 3 fortifications. Nothing is going to be easy on this attack!




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Crimea taken, summer 42 - 4/25/2011 4:02:30 AM   
IdahoNYer


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From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline 		While 1st Pz Armee remains inactive, 18th Army completes its task to secure the Crimea

LI Korps takes the honors with a single, final attack. The Soviets did not attempt to hold Sevastopol, but instead sacrificed a single Guard Div. My bet is that with the level 5 fort, three divisions would have proven a very tough nut to crack...

Instead, 18th Army begins railing north toward Moscow a few weeks earlier. XXXVIII Korps and the Army HQ board trains and begin the journey north. LI Korps will follow next week. 4th Rum Army assumes responsibility for the defense of the Crimea. It consists of two Rum Corps and a German Korps - totalling three German infantry divisions. My main concern is a Soviet counter attack via amph assault. All the ports are secured by the two Rum Corps. Hopefully that is enough.

Not looking to continue the attack across the Kerch Strait. See no value in that option at the moment - its heavily defended and well fortified. I'd rather use the 18th Army to take Moscow.




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RE: Crimea taken, summer 42 - 4/29/2011 2:45:35 AM   
IdahoNYer


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From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline 		Turn 54; Jun 25, 1942 Clear Weather returns

Turn 53 was back to General Mud assisting the Russians, and no offensive actions were taken. Of course, the mud interlude did provide Scar with a turn to redeploy forces and continued digging....

This turn, both 9th Army and 3rd Pz Armee continued the expensive battering ram attacks toward Moscow. Against level 4 fortifications, stacked with three divisions, losses often exceed 1500 men, and that is IF successful. No panzer blitz attack anywhere here possible. Carpet defense, with each hex of the carpet a level 3 or more likely a level 4 fortification. Not good. Expected, here in front of Moscow, but still not good.

The only bright news is that with the Crimea secured, 18th Army begins assembling behind 3rd Pz Armee and should be ready to attack shortly.




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RE: Crimea taken, summer 42 - 4/29/2011 3:04:43 AM   
IdahoNYer


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From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline 		What was supposedly going to be a quick penetration in order to exploit in "tank country" has turned into a Kursk like slug fest through multiple fortified belts. The carpet defense works very well when each hex of the carpet is heavily fortified!!

2nd Pz Armee is just able to conduct two attacks - the first one is against a level 4 fortification with 3xGd Divisions. This "successful" attack costs over 4500 casualties!! As I said, Kursk like....

But there is little choice here - I figure his fortified "carpet" isn't that deep toward the SE, so I launch 4th Pz Armee through 6th Army and it finds a narrow, one hex wide, penetration. Through this, both PzKps exploit through, only to find more level 3 fortifications - and are now pretty vulnerable. In any case, the next turn will have to be spent reducing the "bypassed" fortifications to give some maneuver room.

This is just too much fortification for the Soviets to be able to accomplish by this point in the war. Yeah, I'm griping. I expected this type of defense in front of Moscow, but not SW of Voronezh. Maybe a single line of forts backed up by a carpet, but not multiple lines of level 3 and 4 fortifications.

Oh, and he's going to start getting Corps shortly. This could go from bad to worse very shortly...




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RE: 1st Pz Attacks - 4/29/2011 3:18:27 AM   
IdahoNYer


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From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline 		At the southern end of the line, 17th and 11th Armies move up to make contact with the Soviets who had pulled back a hex. They find a single hex with, like the rest, a level 4 fort, but only occupied by a single Gd Division. Behind a river, but, its probably the best bet I have to get across the river and gain a bridgehead. So I launch two of three PzKps of the 1st Pz Armee, which succeed in penetrating an additional hex for a gain of 20 miles. But behind this "gain", lies more level 3 fortifications!

At this point, I'll give the attacks another few weeks. Part of me want to call off the attacks and transition to the defense for the long haul - this really does "feel" like Kursk 43 instead of Stalingrad 42....






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RE: 1st Pz Attacks - 5/1/2011 5:24:31 AM   
IdahoNYer


Posts: 2616
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From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline 		Turn 55; Jul 2, 1942

Well, things aren't looking up as the calendar turns to Jul.

Attacks toward Moscow continue to make progress, but at what cost!! Successful attacks are costing a minimum of 1700 men to a whopping 5000+

I can't sustain that!!

These level 4 fortifications are brutal! And they are deep - notice the level 5 in Moscow??? Ouch!

Will continue this for a while and see what turns up. I have a number of panzer divisions "standing by" in 3rd Pz Armee ready to exploit any found weakness, but frankly, I don't see that happening. 18th Army enters the line, and brings its heavy guns and fairly fresh divisions into the fray...






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(in reply to IdahoNYer)
Post #: 237
RE: Just ducky - 5/1/2011 5:33:53 AM   
IdahoNYer


Posts: 2616
Joined: 9/6/2009
From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline 		Not any better at the "Main Effort".

This is NOT going well here in 1942.

During the Soviet turn, not only did he encircle the leading Pz spearheads - which I thought possible - but in one of those defending hexes, he managed to ROUT a stack of two 10k+ infantry divisions! I think I had one German division rout during the entire blizzard. As I said, not good!

In any case, 2nd and 4th Pz Armee manage to establish contact and link up, isolating a number of Soviet dug-in formations. My bet is that this ring isn't going to hold - he's just too strong, despite the double stack of panzer divisions.

Also, he's got Corps now, both rifle and tank corps popping up. Not good at all!




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(in reply to IdahoNYer)
Post #: 238
RE: Just ducky - 5/1/2011 5:39:53 AM   
IdahoNYer


Posts: 2616
Joined: 9/6/2009
From: NYer living in Boise, ID
Status: offline 		News isn't any brighter in 1st Pz Armee's attack. The lead Pz Div, the 16th, got thrown back in the Soviet turn, but after XXXXVI PzKps is committed, some small additional gains are made. Very costly again however.

Not sure how long I can sustain this type of attack. Sure does look more like Jul 43 than Jul 42....




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(in reply to IdahoNYer)
Post #: 239
RE: Just ducky - 5/1/2011 6:09:45 AM   
Klydon


Posts: 2251
Joined: 11/28/2010
Status: offline 		Man that doesn't look promising. The Russians have over 5.5 million in losses and they can still do this. It is not like the Germans are in terrible shape either.

The only thing I can think of off the top of my head is to try to breach the line in a couple of spots max and put a pile of panzers in to threaten him with a big encirclement once you get the breach made and can "roll" a bit. I think you have to force him to move out of his line in some spots or risk encirclement. If he gets out of his lines, then he won't be so heavily fortified.

The only other option is to turtle yourself and back up a bit to make him come out of those fortifications, but that isn't necessarily a lot of fun at this point.

The other thing is I am not saying he has done anything wrong at this point either with these types of defenses. Which version are you guys playing now? If not 1.04, would it have mattered on the fortifications?

(in reply to IdahoNYer)
Post #: 240
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