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RE: T27 - Mildy less than spiffing news - 5/27/2021 1:00:29 PM   
loki100


Posts: 10920
Joined: 10/20/2012
From: Utlima Thule
Status: offline 		couple of bits to my thinking:

a) till the rail malus lifts in March I have a global cap on what can come east. You can see this practically a few posts back where I show the receipt by 'super'-depot, basically I can fill up 3 such places but not 4 in a given turn. I'm seeing this pattern repeated, so at the broad level more depot capacity isn't my problem (for now);

b) new railyards grab a fair chunk of supply can take a while to fill out, so in a supply stressed situation, they can be costly (short term)

c) I take a different approach to say Carlkay in that I trade off rail repair for temp super-depots. This isn't right/wrong, prob not even better/worse just a different view on how to use the tools to hand. The result is I can't usefully generate a cluster of small depots to take advantage of the 3 hex rule etc as my rail network is still mostly linear W-E. I have one N-S connection that uses Gomel as the link spot.

The problem with the 3 hex rule is its not great if you can't deliver. A unit gains from that routine IF it can fill up at the nearest depot, if that depot only gets say 100 tonnes of freight in a turn its not really going to cover many units (ok for a few more or less static divisions). If the unit has to reach beyond 3 hexes, it falls back on trucks etc in anu case.

As I prepare for 1942 offensives, I will fill out a lot of the gaps - both rail lines and depot frequency. In part as the first constraint eases and I can use the idea of creating a stock at a location then letting it flow to the advanced depots on a sector.

Wider pt, all this is guesswork. For various reasons I last played the axis in a 1941 HtH prob about 3 years back (if I recall that was before the super depot rules etc) and towards the end of testing tended to concentrate on the Soviets vs AI. So I know the principles, but probably have a much better idea of how to make it work in practice with the Soviets. And its a different challenge there as inevitably you have more demand and thus need very different approach to meet that demand (in many ways the Axis in 1941-2 doesn't need that much freight, just it can't access what it does need).

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Post #: 151
RE: T27 - Mildy less than spiffing news - 5/27/2021 1:02:25 PM   
carlkay58

 

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Status: offline 		When you build a depot where there is no current railyard a level 1 railyard with 100% damage is created.

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Post #: 152
RE: T27 - Mildy less than spiffing news - 5/27/2021 2:40:11 PM   
Speedysteve

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: loki100

couple of bits to my thinking:

a) till the rail malus lifts in March I have a global cap on what can come east. You can see this practically a few posts back where I show the receipt by 'super'-depot, basically I can fill up 3 such places but not 4 in a given turn. I'm seeing this pattern repeated, so at the broad level more depot capacity isn't my problem (for now);

b) new railyards grab a fair chunk of supply can take a while to fill out, so in a supply stressed situation, they can be costly (short term)

c) I take a different approach to say Carlkay in that I trade off rail repair for temp super-depots. This isn't right/wrong, prob not even better/worse just a different view on how to use the tools to hand. The result is I can't usefully generate a cluster of small depots to take advantage of the 3 hex rule etc as my rail network is still mostly linear W-E. I have one N-S connection that uses Gomel as the link spot.

The problem with the 3 hex rule is its not great if you can't deliver. A unit gains from that routine IF it can fill up at the nearest depot, if that depot only gets say 100 tonnes of freight in a turn its not really going to cover many units (ok for a few more or less static divisions). If the unit has to reach beyond 3 hexes, it falls back on trucks etc in anu case.

As I prepare for 1942 offensives, I will fill out a lot of the gaps - both rail lines and depot frequency. In part as the first constraint eases and I can use the idea of creating a stock at a location then letting it flow to the advanced depots on a sector.

Wider pt, all this is guesswork. For various reasons I last played the axis in a 1941 HtH prob about 3 years back (if I recall that was before the super depot rules etc) and towards the end of testing tended to concentrate on the Soviets vs AI. So I know the principles, but probably have a much better idea of how to make it work in practice with the Soviets. And its a different challenge there as inevitably you have more demand and thus need very different approach to meet that demand (in many ways the Axis in 1941-2 doesn't need that much freight, just it can't access what it does need).


1942 offensives

I'll be in Berlin by May....just you wait and see

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Post #: 153
RE: T27 - Mildy less than spiffing news - 5/27/2021 2:44:56 PM   
squatter

 

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Status: offline 		Thanks Loki - v interesting analysis of the Axis winter supply situation

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Post #: 154
T28 - have had enough of 1941 - 5/28/2021 8:04:11 AM   
loki100


Posts: 10920
Joined: 10/20/2012
From: Utlima Thule
Status: offline 		T28 – 28 December 1941

So last turn of the very worst of the effects.

Weather remains wierd. Blizzard around Leningrad and then over most of the map but a gap over the Valdai. If I believe next week's forecast its going to be just snow across the front (no real gain as I now have heavy snow pretty much everywhere).



Soviets not really generating much sustained effort but my lines are starting to fall apart under the pressure.



In a few places, they had over-extended so hit back as I could. Some of those wins were a bit of a morale boost. Tactically in a few places, I'm ready to risk a salient as it gives me a clear hit at anything that tries to move into the gaps.



Main crisis is north of Vyazma, 9A is in full retreat (& a real mess).



Other main pressure point is around Kursk but so far can mostly hold my lines. Sending reinforcements here – unlike 9A in the end they could make serious gains here.

Not shown but action on the Kharkov-Stalino sector relatively low key.



Losses – grim but not unexpected.



I've been experimenting with a new depot priority system, basically last turn all the big depots on the 1941 border were set to 3 or 4, that did seem to pull stuff from the NSS and in turn a bit more got to my main front line depots. If this works as a structured approach, should start to pay off come mid-January 1942.

In the end, its better to have freight in Lvov-Brest Litovsk etc rather than back in Berlin.

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Post #: 155
T28 - You're not the only one - 6/1/2021 3:10:32 PM   
Speedysteve

 

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Joined: 9/11/2001
From: Reading, England
Status: offline 		Well Comrades.....19451 draws to a close and what a year.

The Blizzard has provided a welcome relief to my soldiers and I BUT not where I wanted (As previously mentioned - Leningrad). Snow for this week across the Fronts. I urge my men to continue pressing where they can as there's still deep snow in many areas.

As per the previous weeks the main 'progress' continues to be in the Vyazma area involving Reserve and Western Fronts. For transparency I've annotated a map (red line) showing the start positions of my men 4 weeks prior. Hardly going to win the at at this visit but it's a morale boost, an enemy detritus boost and increases my men's permeance and an ultimate chance to gain Guards status.




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Post #: 156
RE: T28 - You're not the only one - 6/1/2021 3:14:56 PM   
Speedysteve

 

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Joined: 9/11/2001
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Status: offline 		Despite Abwehr Agent Loki's claims we are trying down south.....just not as much or with as much success as around Vyazma....

You'll also note 2 of my 8 Cavalry Corps in view on this:




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< Message edited by Speedysteve -- 6/1/2021 3:15:38 PM >

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T29 - 1942 the year of victories (but it'll have to wait) - 6/1/2021 3:19:53 PM   
loki100


Posts: 10920
Joined: 10/20/2012
From: Utlima Thule
Status: offline 		T29 – 4 January 1942

So starts the slow route back to some recovery – helped by the fresh infantry formations actually reaching the front lines.

I mean I won 4 battles ... that is some sort of recovery?



The weather remains odd, basically north of Velikie Luki it is snow, south it is heavy snow. Its the latter that cripples my formations so AGN is (relatively) having a good winter.

First of the Pzr repl battalions appear in the reserve. Handy as a means to repair some of my weaker Pzr divisions.

Worst hit sector is 9A again, I'm going to gamble on holding onto Vyazma for a turn or two.



Although Kursk is a VP city, I'm less interested in trying to hold onto it – in the end its not really defensible and no point actually losing formations here.



No real improvement to the freight situation.



Not helped by some disastrous counter-attacks.



OOB – bad but not unexpected.



For Germany only, have almost 500k manpower in the active pool, so in theory once the supply situation eases I should be able to recover most of my formations.

Tank stocks exist, just the same problem of delivering them.



So broadly, my lines are intact around Leningrad, 9A is in full retreat. A degree of crisis at Vyazma but the bulk of AGC is under little pressure. The hinge between 4A and 6A is very weak but I'm not sure the Soviets can do much here. Abandoned Kursk but the bulk of AGS is stable.

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Post #: 158
RE: T29 - 1942 the year of victories (but it'll have to... - 6/1/2021 3:25:14 PM   
Speedysteve

 

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Status: offline 		They're not tanks

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T30 - don't fly in your Mig-3 (if you want to survive) - 6/7/2021 6:56:03 AM   
loki100


Posts: 10920
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From: Utlima Thule
Status: offline 		T30 – 11 January 1942

Well don't think I'll reach the 750 threshold for April.



Seems as if the Soviets are having a little lull. Worst of that was around Kursk.



Needless to say the weather really doesn't like Uncle Joe. Snow/snowfall pretty much everywhere which eases the pressure on both my units and logistics.

For last turn, Pskov and Dnepropetrovsk were my main depots. The satellite depots for AGN are all fairly full as well. Situation behind AGC is a bit more patchy but lots of small depots are helping out.

Black Sea ports are full of stored freight.

Of my experiment in priority depots on the border, only Brest-Litovsk and Vilnius have really worked as I hoped, all the others have minimal stocks. My suspicion is this fits to the lower storage rates for AGC so both now set to '1' to see if they will release the freight towards Minsk etc.



One unexpected benefit of the return to snow was relative mobility. This meant units set for refit could actually reach the depots in a single turn.

Equally, took the chance to take out some over-extended Soviet incursions.



Cleared the approaches to Vyazma – which has the capacity to become costly to the Soviets due to the relatively clear terrain around the city.



The gap between 4 and 6A becomes a worry but fresh formations being sent here (also really helped to be able to pull stuff back to depots). 1PzrA had some sport along its front, in total routing around 20 formations. That should make them cautious about exploiting the gap – as well as possibly forcing them to weaken any offensive formations just to fill out.




Nothing I did to deserve that other than take advantage of the odd weather conditions. As far as I can see, should be the same next week but there are two large low pressure areas east and north so blizzards by t32 (at a guess).

Ground losses reflected the action, impressed that 22,000 Soviets have surrendered – clearly I have better food despite all the problems.




Air war was a massacre for the VVS. I'm only using the fighters (auto-intercept only), but it seems as if the VVS was risking a full scale commitment.




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Post #: 160
T31 - trying to get things to add up - 6/8/2021 6:19:05 PM   
loki100


Posts: 10920
Joined: 10/20/2012
From: Utlima Thule
Status: offline 		T31 – 18 January 1942

One of those phases of the game where I find the wee turn summary particularly useful – at other stages I just click through and carry on.

So, both OOBs were pretty stable that turn, suggests I am stemming the losses (makes sense with the lack of deep snow) and the Soviets have used up their current manpower allocation. I've almost 50,000 missing unit trucks but that will be covered by the repair pool come April/May.

About half my units are understrength/poor supply, not sure how to read that, given a lack of comparison points. So I'll treat it as 'expected'.

I've lost 18 VP off my HWM (that will be Kursk at 16).



The other 2 come from events. Clearly the Soviets lack the assets to fill out their Theatres but are meeting the baseline demands. From my own experience, by 1943 you can set up the Theatres as the Soviets as a nice little side-line of VP with no real hit to on map commitment – but that is for much later.



The non-winter carries on (don't know what all the whinging is about), with snowfall/snow everywhere. As in the last post this generates lower losses, higher mobility and allows me to repair my supply networks.

Next turn looks like blizzards pretty much along the current front line. But then next turn is also the last of the really bad winter effects.



Of my main depots, only Dnepropetrovsk didn't really fill out. If I have a few blizzard turns on the way those advanced stockpiles will make a real difference.

Reset the border depots to pick up freight and see if that works again.

Have a lot of SU that have now recovered their losses in the OKH. No point allocating them back to the front lines till I'm sure I'm not just going to pick up a lot of attrition related losses. Equally now have some Pzr reserve battalions ready for allocation but am going to mostly keep them back for a few more turns, Sent out 2 to my weakest Panzer divisions as they are also on the Vyazma sector.



Given all the discussion above, not a surprise to see the Soviets made little gains and took heavy combat losses.



Given the return to blizzards only did limited counter-attacks, mostly to drive off Soviet incursions on the Vyazma sector (which now seems to be their main focus).




Produces a less enjoyable loss ratio but better to conserve my forces for a while till hitting back produces some sustained gains.



So maybe a good time to pick up on an email discussion we had about the VP situation and implications.

Here's the list of city's on my list.



And their location.



So lets make some assumptions. From where I am, I need a net 210 to win. If I lose Kharkov and Stalino (feasible) then that goes up to +242 (the Soviets again receive +6 for early recapture).

So, assume that 2 out of Leningrad, Stalingrad and Sevastopol are achievable. That is +72 (an alternative is Moscow itself, +66).

Of the rest, there are 2 relatively linked clusters. Rzhev, Orel, Kursk, Tula, Ryazan and Voronezh is one group. Say +75. My identification of that group is a decision to strike hard and with commitment south of Moscow should clear that sector, it also doesn't hinder either a wider southern operation or a sustained gamble for Moscow.

The south is less useful. Again a serious attack gets me Rostov, Maikop, Krasnodar, maybe Grozny. Say +55.

In combination that just eases me over the 750 barrier but at the edges there are serious trade-offs. Grozny is a long reach, as is Tambov, both will demand a lot of sustained effort, so are best seen as one or the other. At that stage I'm short. Also worth stressing, the VP for sudden death has to be held at the critical date (lets say Oct 42), so an offensive that clears out the region to the south of Moscow will need to be protected to make sure its not lost later. Going hard in the south, opens the risk of loss of places like Smolensk.

Which is a long way to say that my less than stellar game play from T12-T18 has cost me any real chance of an automatic win.

Final observation, this is all best case stuff, no reason to think that on any sector I can really fully clean up.

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Post #: 161
T31 - Oh things add up,,,,the total = this weather is l... - 6/10/2021 3:33:21 PM   
Speedysteve

 

Posts: 15998
Joined: 9/11/2001
From: Reading, England
Status: offline 		Well Comrades.....As the Abwehr has reported this winter is really rather rubbish....My plans to advance from Leningrad have not materialised....and the lack of blizzard for key weeks in December and January have stalled some success.....nonethelesss we're confident of our victory....after all we can't really allow Wurst to be the national dish everywhere right?

Since there's little action to report from this week here's my turn summary....in short comrades need to produce more trucks and they need to supply my men better.....a courier pigeon has been sent to inform them of my demands.




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RE: T31 - Oh things add up,,,,the total = this weather ... - 6/10/2021 3:36:50 PM   
Speedysteve

 

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Joined: 9/11/2001
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Status: offline 		Now this is glorious.....the enemy only has 1500 converted tractors operational! Also nice to see I have over 5M loyal vodka drinkers in active service. За здоровье!




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Post #: 163
T32 - Loaning Vyazma back to the Soviets - 6/10/2021 4:51:08 PM   
loki100


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From: Utlima Thule
Status: offline 		T32 – 25 January 1942

So sticking to this screen, some good news, the Wehrmacht grew as fast as the Red Army.

Less impressive of course when you realise all mine are just scripted transfers.

But 3 fresh infantry divisions are very welcome. Will help me rotate formations and perhaps start to form a core of a structured counter-attack.



Only 5 Soviet attacks (3 held) but the first sign of serious wear and tear on my units.

Even if it was only a Rumanian formation and on a sector where I've been having some sport – good reminder not to be too incautious.



Their other win was an important one – but actually that eases my choices on that sector, I'll shorten the lines which will send more back to refit.



The blizzards/heavy snow are mostly limited to behind the Soviet lines in the Moscow sector, most of my side is still snow/snowfall.

Result is that AGN has too few depots to hold all its stocks, AGC is struggling a bit (but I currently have a super depot in Bryansk that I will dismantle). Kharkov is now properly functioning and that is being reflected in unit supply on that sector.

The overall pattern of depot receipts supports my view that I have the rail capacity to send a substantial allocation to 3 'super' depots each turn. So the other FBD is sent back to repair some secondary lines.

Warsaw and Lvov filled up nicely, so reduce their priority and that stock should now move east.

Also my helpful Rumanian auto-repair units have filled in the gaps from the Black Sea ports.



So main action on the Vyazma sector. I pulled out of the salient, as above that shortens my lines. Also there were a few cavalry corps on the flanks so a risk of both combat power and mobility.

Beat up a few Soviet formations that had got too inquisitive.



Seems the Soviets have stopped trying to move south of Bryansk – in a way a pity as I have 2 45 MP Pzr divisions sat on that sector. Not much happened on the Kharkov-Stalino sector but take one chance to rout out a weak front line stack.




Losses. Almost 19,000 of mine were in the logistics phase.

Have a nice stock of Pzr repair battalions held back in Germany for the moment.



The air war is my fighters vs the VVS. Soviet losses include some of their shiny new US planes.



Truck war. I lost over 2,500 that turn, for a total of nearly 84,500. The Soviets compensated me with 23,000.

Next turn's weather shows the blizzards just behind the front moving over the front lines. At least it is February, so only a limited malus on my combat capacity.



Did a significant juggle of army allocations to make the best use of my Command capacity.

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Post #: 164
T33 - Putting AGN on a diet - 6/16/2021 7:51:08 AM   
loki100


Posts: 10920
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From: Utlima Thule
Status: offline 		T33 – 1 February 1942

So things are now so much better ... cv mostly recovered, hordes of new men heading to the battlefields, I gained back 1 VP



The Americans invade Northern Ireland



The Soviets keep on attacking .... sigh.



Some small gains vs AGN and AGS but the main focus is clearly AGC.

Sticking to the bad news, its heavy snow on the ground everywhere and mostly blizzards. So that really hampers my troop rotations.



Sticking to the supply theme, Warsaw certainly decided to fill up, some caught at Vilnius but nothing at Lvov.



Nearer the front, AGN is so overfed I'll have to put them on a diet for when I want them to attack. While I can't get my trains to visit Smolensk.



Kharkov on the other hand ...

So it seems as if the border depot routine only really works where there is a bottleneck further down the line. Guess its better to have AGC's supply in Warsaw not Berlin.



AGN/C just adjusted my lines and fell back. Fresh formations are arriving which will help the refit cycle here.

1 PzrA opted to remind the Soviets not to be too optimistic. The routers including one of their Cavalry Corps.



Not a great exchange but there is always some morale to be gained from reminding myself the Red Army remains fragile.



And the big numbers – no real surprises there.



Weather next turn looks like blizzards all across the front lines.

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T34 - a sort of 0-0 draw? - 6/18/2021 10:14:28 PM   
loki100


Posts: 10920
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From: Utlima Thule
Status: offline 		T34 – 8 February 1942

So blizzards plus heavy snow over most of the front.

I'm reinforcing faster than the Soviets (hah), generally my supply position is good but do have a lot of weakened units. With some luck, that'll correct itself from March when my logistics network improves.

That was my last batch of substantive reinforcements for some time. Keep most back in Germany so as to not expose them to attrition till I want to use them.



Supply situation by the chart. The rec/need ratios look fairly dire unless you are part of 1 Pzr A. Still keeping my Pzr repl battalions back – no point releasing them just for the tanks to break down in the deep snow.



Soviets were mostly quite sedate in their actions. The soft factor is supply, so it looks like they are having problems. The other attacks were at Leningrad where their supply position appears to be better – but then I have not been under sustained pressure so can rotate out a few damaged formations.



In turn I didn't do much. One counter-attack near Kharkov to knock off a salient but otherwise just juggled the front to remove weakened units.

Reflected in the low losses for both sides.



Can see the impact of the Soviet +500,000 but they quickly used it up. Till my supply lines improve, most of my pool is staying in Germany (524,000 are German).

To put that in context, I have (on-map) 112 German infantry divisions. Their ideal TOE is around 17,000 men so that implies 1.91m in those formations. On-map I have 1.4m, so that pool is basically attrition off my current army. Key is actually combining the units with the manpower.

Rumania has a manpower reserve of 112k (I've mostly kept them out of the front unless stacked with German units), Hungary of 109k. The released Hungarian units in April or May will prove to be very useful, by far the most effective of the axis allies.



Luftwaffe is in good shape and a decent reserve pool – makes sense as it has basically had the winter off.



Tank pools not so good (but there around 420 tanks in the replacement battalions with a decent mix of Pzr IV and IIIl).

To place that in context, a full strength Pzr division needs around 300 tanks. On map I have 3,600 (1,400 are damaged) and need 6,000 to reach the complement – and my reserve is about 700. So if I can avoid heavy losses in the next few turns, I should be able to repair the Pzrs for the summer operations. If each is at 65% that is a potent force, and allows me to send a few back to Germany for a sustained refit.



In the meantime my truck losses are now 89,000 (2,500 this turn). The Soviets have compensated me with almost 23,000. Its nice to see that I am feeding my population far more than the nasty Soviets do.





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RE: T34 - a sort of 0-0 draw? - 6/18/2021 10:56:40 PM   
GloriousRuse

 

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Status: offline 		I figured you’d be happy with 0-0 this week. Lions rampant and such.

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Post #: 167
T34 - a Pyrrhic victory.... - 6/19/2021 7:28:31 AM   
Speedysteve

 

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Joined: 9/11/2001
From: Reading, England
Status: offline 		Hi Comrades,

Well Abwehr agent Loki I wouldn't gloat too much.....things were back to normal soon after with my Comrades producing babies quicker than the Axis....I'm impressed you received another 102 deformed tractors to use though....

As things are in a quieter phase of the game with my winter 'offensive' losing steam the month of February is an introspective phase for me. I begin to study in depth our supply situation (as you can see over 1/2 my units have low supply). I feel I have the right depot structure and many of the key ones have Front HQ's on them BUT just not enough freight gets through. This week I check again and again the structure, depot priority, HQ supply priority and I re-confirm to Comrade Stalin I do seem to have it set up right. We both concluded over a shot of vodka that it must be the Axis fault....yes that must be it.....




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Post #: 168
RE: T34 - a Pyrrhic victory.... - 6/19/2021 7:35:48 AM   
Speedysteve

 

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Joined: 9/11/2001
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Status: offline 		....and here it is in numbers!




Little happened on the ground for me in the week....blizzard up north and snow elsewhere. The Axis are well rested and entrenched so things are in a stalemate right now. Supply is also a constraint in some areas to the South limiting my options as it has through the winter. All in all just 3 failed attacks by me in the Center.

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T35 - not so much 0-0 as not much happening - 6/21/2021 2:02:17 PM   
loki100


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Joined: 10/20/2012
From: Utlima Thule
Status: offline 		T35 – 15 February 1942

Looks like the Soviets have been reinforcing – no other changes to the main numbers.



Weather is blizzards north of Smolensk but heavy snow on the ground everywhere. Looks like it will revert to just snowfall next week but most of the front will still have heavy snow on the ground.

Does hint at better days to come in March.



Soviets mostly inactive, looking at the on-map soft factors they seem to be having as much of a supply problem as I am (things are still pretty bad for AGC).

So while its a bit early to decide to do anything dramatic, start setting up for a possible counter-attack in March. Combination of clear skies and frozen ground, plus the improved supply situation makes this a nice way to open the wider 1942 campaign. In preparation, a lot of the Luftwaffe are turfed out of their warm beds and sent to Russia. It'll take a few turns to sort out the airbases so now is a good time to start.

I'll release some of the reserve Pzr battalions to the chosen commands next week.

Made a couple of local attacks around Stalino, both failed due to Soviet reserve reactions (which is interesting). With some luck improving weather will start to give me air recon capacity again.

So a turn with many clicks and not much action.

Still a lot of damaged Pzrs, but slowly pulling the worst effected units out for a decent refit.



Soviet numbers increase, while I can usually beat any stack, my suspicion is this hints at a lot of stacks.

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Post #: 170
T36 - exciting things happen - 6/24/2021 7:38:44 PM   
loki100


Posts: 10920
Joined: 10/20/2012
From: Utlima Thule
Status: offline 		T36 – 22 February 1942

Wonder if he noticed all those planes arriving?



Soviet attacks rather scattered, most on 9 and 16A. Still looks like they have serious supply problems.

North of Smolensk its mostly snowfall/deep snow, to the south snowfall/snow.

Next week looks like more blizzards at Leningrad but snowfall everywhere else.



Ran some recon for the first time in many turns. Do wonder why Taganrog is stuffed full of Soviet bombers?



Now more generally the recon was informative. So decided on two localised operations just to remind the Soviets I still have some offensive capacity.

The Pzrs at Bryansk are well rested (I deployed them there in the hope the Soviets would commit to the south of the city), so in combination with 4A broke the Soviet front and generared a small pocket.

The two failed Soviet attacks to the south had consumed a lot of their 21, 3 and 43A giving me some hope they have used up their local reserves. Its not exactly a war winning pocket but even to break they may well have to redeploy and weaken elsewhere (most of 2 Pzr A is in decent shape).




More sustained, but still just a spoiling action, 1 Pzr A struck out around Kharkov. Again no real illusions as to the value of this but its a way of forcing them to consider a more defensive deployment and maybe pull units away from what looks like an offensive towards Stalino.




A third operation is being prepared ...

Anyway that improved the loss ratio



And reminded the VVS just who is really in charge of the air war.



All helped by slowly turning around the supply situation. Notably, finally getting manpower into my weakened formations.

Next turn is into March so hopefully can manage some small gains before the spring rains.




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Post #: 171
RE: T36 - exciting things happen - 6/24/2021 10:18:06 PM   
smokindave34


Posts: 877
Joined: 1/15/2008
Status: offline 		Those supply numbers in the last screenshot look pretty good. My numbers are quite a bit below that (needed versus received). Did your supply situation improve significantly as your game moved to February or are these pretty consistent with December/January?

Also.....I'm looking forward to seeing your planned "third operation"

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Post #: 172
RE: T36 - exciting things happen - 6/25/2021 7:12:32 AM   
loki100


Posts: 10920
Joined: 10/20/2012
From: Utlima Thule
Status: offline 		I screwed up at Kharkov - dutifully put a FBD on the city and forgot to repair the rail hex

So that weakened that sector for a couple of turns which in turn makes that table looks a bit better.

The really big recovery of supply comes in April when the train/truck malus from the start of the game goes. In the short term the ratio deep snow/snow matters as its the former that really pushed up your MP (thus often effectively eliminating supply lines) as well as being the trigger for extra losses.

So a sector with just snow for a couple of turns will start to improve, till the next blizzard knocks you back again.

Guess the other side is the Soviets are only really putting in regular attacks on the sector north of Smolensk, south of the Valdai, so I'm doing fairly well elsewhere at releasing units for a refit cycle.

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Post #: 173
T37 - the ice starts to melt - 6/28/2021 4:51:35 PM   
loki100


Posts: 10920
Joined: 10/20/2012
From: Utlima Thule
Status: offline 		T37 – 1 March 1942

Another step away from the worst of winter. No enforced cv reduction and the ground is mostly snow.

Next turn it looks like the weather starts to fragment. A return to blizzards at Leningrad, snowfall over most of the front but cold clear skies over the Crimea and around Stalino.

Bad news of course is that looks like the equivalent of 8 fresh Soviet divisions (and a lot of tanks have disappeared, I suspect to make tank corps). Good news is I am making some in-roads into the 'understrength' category.



Generally the Soviets were fairly subdued apart from this north of Novgorod.

Got to be impressed with such a well-organised OOB.



Their only other effort was on 9 Army, LW was very useful.

But that means they callously abandoned the units I'd isolated last week. Some low grade recon suggests a major retreat back towards Kursk and Orel, easing any pressure on Bryansk.



Supply issues, disbanded super-depot at Kharkov and the accumulated stocks went into the local network – looks like one more turn still available for distribution.

There is a lot sticking in Warsaw even when the priority is reduced to 1. But finally managed to fill out Smolensk, which will help a lot with the refit process.

In the meantime AGN is running out of storage space (Novgorod is not set up as a super depot) – only real problem on that sector is a truck shortage so I'll actually reduce depot priorities to see if I can free some up.



Putting that together and there are plenty of gaps but key formations recovering. 9A got so much as it has a lot of formations now well back behind the front trying to refit if they can.



On map, started with some moves designed to set things up. At Leningrad, opening goal is to cut more of the rail to the city and the supporting formations. Kronsdadt was left unprotected so took that too.



For AGC not much happened. The rebuilt 9A attacked on the northern sector to clear out a few Soviet salients and 4A over-ran the pocket from last turn. Too much of both 2 and 3 Pzr A needs a serious refit to do more. Would like to have as much capacity as I can if the weather improves.

The main attack was by 4 Pzr A (and elements of 6A). Cut the Soviet rails south of Novy Oskol and generated a partial pocket east of Kharkov. As noted above, recon suggests a large Soviet retreat to the Kursk-Orel sector. Not only did this clear out the pocket but shattered a number of rifle brigades.

In theory the Soviets could strike towards Belgorod, but at the moment, I'd welcome a running battle where neither side have much fortification.



Not shown but risked a probe in the Crimea, really just to work out where their MLR is deployed (as they had pulled back from the Sivash sector).

Soviet losses reflected the 2 small pockets. Their tank losses support a view that their tank brigades are all pulled off the line to form up Corps. Looks like the sort of stuff you'd find in the Mech divisions [1].



A rare bad turn for actually destroyed Soviet formations. My failure to generate many secondary pockets in 1941 is going to be a problem in 1942 as they will be able to set up in depth pretty much anywhere.



Big numbers, that they are over 5m is not good news. Building up a useful Pzr reserve, starting to release some the replacement battalions.

I get some useful reinforcements next week, including another fresh Pzr division.



[1] While these become weaker (no TOE upgrade route) their mobility is a real problem so I do like to hit them hard when they are to be seen – they then flip over to conventional Rifle Divisions.

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Post #: 174
T37 - Trust me this winter has been little ice....more ... - 6/28/2021 9:28:51 PM   
Speedysteve

 

Posts: 15998
Joined: 9/11/2001
From: Reading, England
Status: offline 		Evening Comrades,

Firstly, news has reached me from the previous weeks that the Abwehr detected many heroic and superior Soviet planes at the Taganrog airbase.....Why not? Planes live at airfields Comrade! In fact I've worked out that I have enough IL-2's that I could walk on their wings, lined up, to Berlin....just saying.

With regard to the reduction in tanks I conducted a study and determined that the combat use/effectiveness vs cost/truck use of the many Tk Bn's I had was comprehensively in the favour of disbanding them. I do have enough Tank/Motorised Bde's in reserve to form Tk Cps although I'm not sure how the Abwehr would be in my Reserve forces area to know that

Novgorod attack by Comrade Grechko - I'm glad you were impressed by it. I don't normally claim credit for my men but I was on hand the day before to personally supervise the organisation. Glad to see I added value.

Other attack - Pffft. We all know who is callous and it's not the USSR!. Silly German propaganda.

--------------

1st March:

From the Soviet side there is little to report this week as my men continue to fortify, form defences and wait to see what the silly invaders and their Super Tractors do before we steam roller them with Corps.

I was astounded to hear that the defenders of Kronstadt had suddenly been called to the Northern Front leaving it undefended! Amazing. A few Comrades have been 'educated' upon this error of notification and planning = translated we'll take it back soon.

A few attack here and there. The most interesting was our first encounter with the Fascist minor nation of Italy. We were not impressed (see screenshot).

With March here our forces have suddenly worked out that Airborne Bde's can be used to form Guards Rifle Div's and in turn Guards Rifle Corps. We begin that process and 2 new ones are formed with on map forces.

Still ironing out supply, tweaking supply priorities for HQ's.....I formed several new SU's in terms of ART, AA, AT, Separate Tnk Rgt's, MTR's...all in all an admin week whilst we try new supplies of a Kazakhstan Vodka called Snow Queen....rather delightful.




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Post #: 175
T38 - time to holiday in the Crimea? - 6/29/2021 4:02:19 PM   
loki100


Posts: 10920
Joined: 10/20/2012
From: Utlima Thule
Status: offline 		T38 – 8 March 1942

As predicted the weather broke into 3 groups. Blizzard/heavy snow from Leningrad-Smolensk, snowfall/snow over the rest of the front and cold/snow along the Black Sea regions.

Some things improve a bit here. Slowly reducing the 'understrength' category but a few clearly went unready last turn. Truck situation not really changing yet, clearly need some real effort put into repairing stuff (or to capture some more from the Soviets).



We've not focussed on nasty Soviet tricks for a while but think its time to start recording them again. Clearly biased against Italians.



Near Bryansk, interesting to see that there are still Tank Brigades in action.



In response did very little, Bulk of 1 Pzr A disengaged from their offensive near Kharkov. Elsewhere its still the attempt to rotate the worst battered formations back to refit.

Limited attacks around Bryansk, in part to test out the Soviet response but also to set up a later attack on Orel.

Only focus was in the Crimea where a quick breakthrough and a well rested Pzr Corps broke the overland connection to Sevastopol



A bit of an over-view. I've managed to add back around 350k since mid-January. Some of that is of course the new formations released from the west but its also managing to convince some of my holidaying troops in Germany to go back to their units.



Mind you there are still around 450,000 of them hanging around Berlin (the other 200,000 are mostly Hungarian or Rumanian).



Given my losses are mostly driven by attrition, they have been fairly steady over the recent turns. Soviet losses show the few turns where I managed a decent, if localised, counter-attack.



Since I know the Soviets have a serious artillery production problem, this is more important than it might appear. The spikes map onto the manpower losses but losing almost 3,000 guns in the last couple of turns will hurt.



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Post #: 176
T39 - destroy some French tanks (pity I'm fighting the ... - 6/30/2021 3:05:23 PM   
loki100


Posts: 10920
Joined: 10/20/2012
From: Utlima Thule
Status: offline 		T39 – 15 March 1942

Soviets retook Kronstadt – interesting as it suggests they still have a cadre of their best commanders on the Leningrad sector.

Elsewhere a few small attacks around Stalino and in the Crimea.



Weather splits about Smolensk. To the south mostly clear skies and snow on the ground, to the north its snowfall but snow to about Novgorod and deep snow around Leningrad.

Obvious choice was to continue the Crimean offensive – on that basis the Soviets have real supply problems around Sevastopol but I suspect I'll meet something more scary closer to the city.



Some probing attacks at Leningrad – took another chunk out of the rail net but the attacks towards the north failed badly (& frustratingly).

But it does support a view that some of the best Soviet commanders are here and not say at Moscow.



Not shown but 9A launched a small scale counter-attack towards Vyazma. In part I'm fishing for intelligence on where the better Soviet formations are. I'd also like to keep them wondering where/if I risk another operation in the period up to mid-April.

Clearly I am committed in the Crimea – not least that will actually free up quite a lot of formations that were otherwise tied down securing the exit from the region. The threat at Leningrad is real, but I need the heavy snow to ease – and its not happening (not that I can complain about weather on that sector).

If I risk anything, it'll be on the Kursk-Orel sector. Trying to recover 1 and 2 Pzr A (so they received the bulk of the Pzr repl battalions). Setting the scene with small attacks to gain key hexes (or at least to drive the Soviets out) – these are worth niggling away at even if this becomes a May operation.

Note I've left a huge gap but no sign of Soviet recon effort and they are too far back (here and to the south of Kharkov) to detect the opportunity or to take much advantage. Ideally of course I'd really like a Soviet lunge into that gap.



Nice steady stream of fresh infantry over the next 8 turns (up to mid-May). Most of the Hungarian army will unlock in about 4 turns and that will help with my flanks – unlike the Italians they are fairly robust.



Losses that turn were fairly even – not helped by my defeats at Leningrad. I managed to destroy some more pre-war French tanks so most of my losses are of little value.



Not much happening with the OOBs.



Supply chart, AGS (1 Pzr A, 6A, 17A) is really struggling but AGC is in a better state. Good to see a decent flow of replacement manpower as I finally get ahead in the damage/refit cycle.

It won't really improve till April, so another reason to be cautious at the moment.





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Post #: 177
T39 - Pffft. They're still just tractors.... - 7/2/2021 8:44:41 AM   
Speedysteve

 

Posts: 15998
Joined: 9/11/2001
From: Reading, England
Status: offline 		Hi Comrades,

As the winter is coming to an end there's a lot of organisation and preparation happening behind the scenes and frontline. Much of this relates to our new Corps creation. By using existing and building a few Airborne Bde's I've now managed to assemble 5 Gds Rifle Corps. Until more Corps will be available these will be a 'Fire Brigade' to be used wherever the nasty Axis threaten the most.

The current Cavalry Corps allotment (14) is also fully utilised. I've attached Tank Bde's to them to give them extra punch but also to get some of these to Guards status. I still have plenty of Tank Bde's in Reserve awaiting the magic date of 1st April and Tank Cps creation.......

On the frontlines a few attacks and skirmishes occurred across the theatre. 1 successful one near Rzhev and 1 near Kursk. Interesting seeing some Spanish near Leningrad..we gave them a warm Soviet welcome




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Post #: 178
T40 - a few bloody noses - 7/2/2021 9:02:15 PM   
loki100


Posts: 10920
Joined: 10/20/2012
From: Utlima Thule
Status: offline 		T40 – 22 March 1942

Well that is a lot of Soviet troops arriving.



And the British do something Perfidious. Guess its better than a Second Front.

More to the point, snowfall/snow almost everywhere but the Crimea (clear/snow). Next turn looks like a return to blizzards at Leningrad.

Few Soviet attacks at Leningrad and around Kursk.



Some small scale but important battles around Leningrad. Clear out one of the hexes actually defending the city, I'll move in next turn. Held off Soviet attacks along the Volkhov but more usefully broke their lines at Lake Ilmen.

I'm in no hurry this side of May, so any gains are a bonus but well aware of the problems in terms of replacing any losses they face.



Some testing attacks from both sides around Vyazma, one of mine was a total disaster.



Some defeats are more informative than others.



Part of a wider Orel-Kursk operation – still prepared to run the risk of a huge gap between 4 and 6 Armies.



No real action in the Crimea, took the offered pocket, I'll see if I can break their lines protecting Kerch next turn.



OOB suggests a lot more Soviet formations just waiting their turn.



Heavy losses on both sides – I got a few bloody noses.



Still at least my tank pools are filling up – and I still have about 6 replacement Pzr battalions to commit.



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Post #: 179
T41 - the Soviets help with my recycling efforts - 7/6/2021 6:59:45 AM   
loki100


Posts: 10920
Joined: 10/20/2012
From: Utlima Thule
Status: offline 		T41 – 29 March 1942

Weather has settled down to cold skies and snow on the ground almost everywhere. No sign of any meaningful change next week. So at a guess, should have 3 turns of this pattern, perhaps 2 in the south.

Nice of the Soviets to help recycle some of my old tanks – saves having to move them back to the Reich to refit.



At least I can still shoot down Soviet planes.



Sometimes almost all of them. So not much action in the Crimea – clearing up the pocket from last turn, regain CPP, managed to break what looks like a lot of fortifications towards Kerch. This is as much a reward as taking Sevastopol as it will allow me to secure this sector with a weakened Rumanian army.



Mixed outcomes at Leningrad, the northerly failed attack was very costly. Content at the moment to probe and make small gains. I have to decide whether this is worth a serious effort in the summer or to pull the bulk of the Pzrs out.



Not shown but 3 Pzr made some small gains towards Kaluga – again looking to test the depth of the Soviet defences. This is one of those odd stages were CPP preservation is not too important (given the Spring rains I'll fully recover by mid-May).

Of more importance 2 Pzr pushed south of Orel, that isn't much but removes the last poor terrain the Soviets could use. Even better 1 Pzr over-ran the Soviet lines east of Kursk. I quite deliberately hit the Cavalry Corps head on to get them out of the way.- that sequence of attacks includes 3 routed Corps.

My logic is they are a pain when able to counterattack – as in the first image, well those won't be a problem for a few turns as they recover.

Remain on the defensive from Kharkov to Stalino.



Fairly heavy losses for both sides, but I regard 1,700 lost guns quite a hit for the Soviets.



Left GS on during my turn so a few more air losses than ideal. But I now have ample spares of both planes and pilots.



OOB – not much in the Soviet reserve but they seem to have a solid carpet of units on the map.



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