RE: Battle of Kharkov!

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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> Gary Grigsby's War in the East Series >> After Action Reports >> RE: Battle of Kharkov!

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RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/4/2011 2:47:27 PM

Ketza

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Down in the Crimea a small pocket is created and things grind forward. Another Corp from Germany arrives to hasten things up a bit.

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RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/4/2011 2:50:51 PM

Ketza

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A here is the overall southern picture. The once straight line is starting to bend here and there to open up some options in case its decided not to push for Moscow. This past turn he has taken 100k+ casualties to my 11k or so. He also lost 200 tanks to my 50. Lastly in the air war he has lost 360 planes this turn to my 70ish. These are good rates and If I can maintain them during the summer perhaps I can keep him at bay for the fall.

There are no pics of the north as nothing has really changed except moving around units for the upcoming potential Moscow offensive.

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< Message edited by Ketza -- 5/4/2011 2:56:06 PM >

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Post #: 152

RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/8/2011 2:56:27 AM

Ketza

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Phase one of the offensive started in the early spring and involved a few goals:

Bust into the Crimea. This was done and with the first clear June turn is still a work in progress. This turn 11th army and its attached Pz Corp managde to pocket 10 or so rather weak units and cut Sevestapols ground links. Most likely this area will need another strong Corp shipped in from Germany to finish things off.

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Post #: 153

RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/8/2011 3:00:07 AM

Ketza

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Farther North 4th Pz and 1st Pz work in conjunction to form another Pocket of 20 or so higher quality units. The second main spring goal was make progress on his fort lines while keeping the Panzers intact. 3rd Pz and 2nd Pz pull off the line for the next Phase of the campaign. All 4 Panzer armies are in excellent shape with average CVs in the 11-12 range. 18th armies Iron divisions are in the 12 CV range now however. No more 15+ sledge hammers.

As you can see in the picture the Panzers have reached the River line and finally reached an area where his fort levels are level 1 or less.

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< Message edited by Ketza -- 5/8/2011 3:12:47 AM >

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Post #: 154

RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/8/2011 3:04:02 AM

Ketza

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The northern front is quiet but a build up of reserves for the upcoming operation is underway with all the May/June new unit arrivals and some units pulled off the line in the Kharkov area.

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Post #: 155

RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/8/2011 3:08:31 AM

Ketza

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This turn kill results:

75k casualties to my 15k.
2 inf divisions and 1 tank brigade surrendered.
Some 30 units pocketed in very solid pockets.
Killed over 250 tanks and only lost 25 or so.

Close to 500 Soviet aircraft destroyed. His interdictions have picked up lately but his planes are getting mauled. I also overran several IL2 fields.

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< Message edited by Ketza -- 5/8/2011 3:10:36 AM >

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Post #: 156

RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/8/2011 5:10:23 PM

Klydon

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Nice opening!

This is one of the few AAR's that has gotten to 1942 with what should feel like a "traditional" 1942 campaign for the Axis, so I will be interested to see how it all turns out.

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Post #: 157

RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/10/2011 7:33:33 PM

Ketza

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The campaign season begins with the destruction of two large Soviet pockets created earlier in June. 28 Soviet units are destroyed.

< Message edited by Ketza -- 5/10/2011 7:38:28 PM >

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Post #: 158

RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/10/2011 7:38:51 PM

Ketza

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Crimea pocket losses.

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Post #: 159

RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/10/2011 7:40:06 PM

Ketza

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The central pocket losses added in:

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Post #: 160

RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/10/2011 7:44:56 PM

Ketza

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The final Crimea situation. The SS Division that had led the assault has withdrawn. The 2 Panzer divsions are also leaving the area to head to the Moscow offensive and refit. For the first time we have located a Soviet Rifle corp.

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Post #: 161

RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/10/2011 7:56:18 PM

Ketza

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Recon shows that the area around Stalino was weak and the cities of the Don Basin are held by 1 unit each. Rather then let another opportunity go to waste the Moscow operation is put off for a few weeks and 1st and 4th Pz are unleashed for a strike at Stalino and perhaps more. 2nd Hungarian army opens a hole and the breach is widened by 2 corps from 18th army and 6th army. 2 full Panzer armies pour through the breach and find the Don Basin cities defended by mere fortress units that are quickly overrun. Rail,HQs and airfields are also overrun.

Due to the fact 2nd and 3rd Pz armies have been sent north the whole southern part of his line cannot be pocketed. Perhaps a strategic mistake on my part but at least I will have forced him to either withdraw or risk another large pocket as my Panzer troops did very little fighting after exploiting his weak spots and are still in good shape. I also moved forward with 11th army and assaulted his front. For the most part he had brigades along the line so the Italians got some nice morale boosts for little loss.

In the long term its probably more important that I sent the other two armies north and started the prep for the July jump off. He seems to be moving a lot of troops south so this operation may be just enough of a distraction to make Moscow a tad easier.

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Post #: 162

RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/10/2011 8:00:02 PM

Ketza

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In the Kharkov area the front was smoothed out and the river line occupied. About a dozen divisions were pulled out of the line and sent north while the Panzers went south. Several other divisions were pulled out for refit.

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Post #: 163

RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/10/2011 8:03:26 PM

Ketza

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In the Moscow area things are gearing up. I have tried to hide the build up as much as possible but his recon is getting better and better so its just a matter of time before he sees it. Hopefully it takes him a few turns to reorient his armies form the south as thats where he seems more dense. I also kicked up interdiction to slow him down.

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RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/10/2011 8:05:07 PM

Ketza

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Kills this turn were 30 units and over 200k. Loss ratios are very much in my favor with about half of the losses I had Axis allied units.

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Post #: 165

RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/10/2011 8:06:29 PM

Ketza

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His air force continues to get beat up. He loses a lot of airframes with interdictions and of course airfield overruns.

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Post #: 166

RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/10/2011 8:08:27 PM

Ketza

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OOB wise I seem to be in good shape. At least his army is not growing for this turn anyway!

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RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/10/2011 8:12:58 PM

TulliusDetritus

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LOL

Both PDH and me tried to convince 76mm to get rid of the carpet defence and try a DEEP defence: successive lines... just like the Soviets did.

He did not listen. And here go his carpet things. Destroyed

The successive defensive lines will be destroyed TOO. Ok... but no matter what, you would have faced fortified units 10 or 15 hexes behind the front-line... Rinse and repeat

It's what I will be using during the '42 defensive campaign.

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Post #: 168

RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/11/2011 3:23:13 AM

Ketza

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I am not sure what his defensive philosophy is but it clearly is not keeping me from tactical success. Strategic success? Not sure yet.

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Post #: 169

RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/11/2011 11:47:35 AM

Manstein63

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You better not try any of that attacking malarkey in our game because I will be most annoyed

just for your info real life has got in the way but I hope be able to finish my turn either tonight or tomorrow.
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RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/11/2011 12:01:16 PM

Tarhunnas

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Klydon

Nice opening!

This is one of the few AAR's that has gotten to 1942 with what should feel like a "traditional" 1942 campaign for the Axis, so I will be interested to see how it all turns out.

Yep, this is very interesting and a good AAR! Please keep it up!

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RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/11/2011 1:18:47 PM

tigercub

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Woow great AAR...hard to see a winner yet in the balance...

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Post #: 172

RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/17/2011 12:26:09 AM

Ketza

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Not much to report this turn. He withdrew in the South to keep from being pocketed but I managed to pocket around 8 or 9 units.

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Post #: 173

RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/17/2011 12:27:33 AM

Ketza

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In the center the build up continues and the first line of forts was dented in.

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Post #: 174

RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/17/2011 12:39:02 AM

Ketza

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Air losses 10-1 in my favor this turn.

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RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/25/2011 2:52:38 AM

Ketza

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More action to report!

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RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/25/2011 3:10:17 AM

Ketza

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When the turn was returned I had an interesting development as 76mm had done some attacking. He had actually opened up a corridor to the Mius river pocket using some high quality mountain divisions.

While he did open the pocket what he did not realize (I do not think anyway) was the 3rd Pz army had been rerouted off the railheads where it had been lurking near Z and D town for a month and was hiding under the Italians. Before the final commitment to Moscow I wanted to wait 2 more turns to see if he sent reserves north. The result of his attack actually put several more quality divisions in a potential pocket that were weakened from attacking. There were 9 Pz Corps in Position to take advantage of any situation that presented itself.

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RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/25/2011 3:13:24 AM

Ketza

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Here is 3rd Pz after moving the Italians out of the way. Maybe I am just dreaming it up but I seemed to have achieved
operational surprise to an extent as his defence seemed a little off as he had a few weak hexes behind his main line containing airfields, brigade only defenders and HQs.

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RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/25/2011 3:17:28 AM

Mynok

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That does look promising. Do you have enough inf strength to bust a hole north of Gorlovka? I think with 18th (11th?) you might. Send 1st and 4th north and there's a nice bag of good Soviets to pocket.

< Message edited by Mynok -- 5/25/2011 3:18:40 AM >

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Post #: 179

RE: Battle of Kharkov! - 5/25/2011 3:21:01 AM

Ketza

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After some fighting and exploitation the final result was the Mius river line cracked and major bridgeheads established as well as now 13 units in a pocket. This time if he chose to relieve the pocket all of the Panzers were much better organized and stacked together.