RangerBooBoo vs. Keef

[KG_RangerBooBoo]

Well I went with the Southern deployment and early release of 1st PZ Army. So far we have crossed the first river in the south and are almost to the second, not nearly as far as I had hoped to get at this point. So far no troops have shown up from 1PZ. Brandenburgers dropped and destroyed the bridge but were in turn slaughtered to a man as I couldn't get to them for a rescue. A Soviet Guards Rifle Corps made a penetration of Italian lines but the breach was sealed off and the attacking unit was destroyed with the help of a German infantry regiment. He also penetrated the pocket around Stalingrad but that unit was also cut off and destroyed. The Luftwaffe has been putting some serious losses on the communist air forces, even considering the exaggerated claims of our pilots.

[KG_RangerBooBoo]

Just finished my turn 4. I'm on the banks of the Myshkova (sp?) but we are wearing out fast. The first units of 1st PZ have just arrived and I'm hoping I can keep up the momentum. We caused him some pretty grievous casualties during his turn but we are also paying a price. He continues to attack rather piecemeal on my far left but each time he does I have made him pay but surrounding and killing a rifle corps. However I've had to shore up the line with two German infantry divisions as Italians won't be able to stand up much longer.

[KG_RangerBooBoo]

Well 57Corps attack is running out of steam as we approach the pocket and 1PZ Army is not going to arrive in time to help. Also, the commies have launched an offensive on my extreme southern flank that is going to take some repairing. He continues to stick his head out on my left against the Italians but we managed to destroy two more GDS Rifle Corps this turn and if I had been alert would have gotten a third. Recognized the opportunity too late and only surrounded and wounded it. I'm sure that opportunity is gone forever. Still handing him grievous losses in the air but I think my pilots must be making the most wild exaggerations.

[MikeJ]

You might consider pulling 6th army artillery all down to the south to effect a breakout. The massed artillery of 6th army is quite strong if you directly target it (but given how low on readiness/supply most of it is, you can't really move and shoot without burning alot of rounds needlessly). So this is sort of something you have to do a turn or two in advance. Alternately you could just move it down there and pop it into TR/LR/Dug in status.

How close are you now?

[Furocity]

I plan to pull all the Arty south the next turn, and push hard on turn 7th.

I'll put them in tactical reserve status.

[KG_RangerBooBoo]

Just finished my turn 6. I have about a 5 or 6 hex wide gap just south of the Don Army * line. Plan to finish off the remaining Russian forces south of that line and make for the linkup. 1PZ Army is very slow to arrive. Got the first two divisions on turn 3 and nothing since. The extra Pz division will make it's presence felt next turn. He is continuing his attacks in the far south but I feel that I'm in a comfortable position to hold them off as there is an infantry division in place. He is also attacking my far left but so far I have forced him to move laterally rather then penetrate my lines. I have made him pay every turn by killing at least 1 GDS Rifle Corps or more. Many of my Italians are reorganizing though and in the orange and red so I don't expect to continue that success much longer.

[KG_RangerBooBoo]

Just completed turn 7. Still no linkup as my flanks are too vulnerable at this stage. Reinforcements are in place to help remedy that next turn. Had to divert some troops to help the Rumanians in the far south. We surrounded and hurt several units there. He will be pressed to rescue them in his half of the turn. Also began softening up some units along the pocket perimeter preparing for the linkup. He continued his assault along my far left and I once again surrounded and killed a rifle Corps. Also isolated several more that I was unable to destroy. Two more divisions are on the way to reinforce and stabilize this area. Little Saturn is in effect so grimly awaiting his turn.

[KG_RangerBooBoo]

Just completed turn 9. I'm still about 3 hexes away from a link-up but the commies have reinforced quite a bit and I doubt that I can get there. Pressure is mounting in the far south and in the NW. Killed another 4 or 5 rifle divisions this turn. If my opponent decides to use his troops to widen a breach instead of seeing how deep he can get I will be in trouble. As it is he makes a hole and pushes a division straight ahead where I can cut it off and kill it. My Italians are performing pretty well so far but the end for them can't be far off. Still killing him in the air but I'm sure my pilots must be on maximum exaggerate!

[KG_RangerBooBoo]

Just completed turn 11 and things are looking grim. On my far left the flank finally crumbled and there are Soviet armored brigades running around. I have railed in reinforcements but this is going to take some time to remedy. I have come within one hex of linking up with the Stalingrad pocket but the Soviet player has reinforced heavily in this area and his attacks on the pocket itself is becoming quite fierce. On a brighter note we were able to isolate and destroy several more Soviet units this turn, including another GDS Rifle division. If my memory serves me correctly the loss ratio is 25 to 14 in my favor.

[KG_RangerBooBoo]

Finished turn 12 and still no linkup. My opponent has every unit not in the front line on tactical reserve so no attack is meeting with success very easily though it is costing him lots of casualties. He is attacking the pocket fiercely on the northern side as I pull troops down to the south in an effort to have them positioned to assist in making a breakout. On the left the Russians have sent tank brigades running around my rear but there really isn't a lot for them to do except be an annoyance as the important spots are garrisioned. Still destroying at least two of his rifle divisions per turn as he continues to stick them out unsupported, or sticks the nose of the big unit out and leaves a little one behind, which I easily dislodge and then kill the surrounded one. A fun game so far though the issue is in doubt. My kudos to the scenario designer for an excellent scenario!

[MikeJ]

Still destroying at least two of his rifle divisions per turn as he continues to stick them out unsupported, or sticks the nose of the big unit out and leaves a little one behind, which I easily dislodge and then kill the surrounded one. A fun game so far though the issue is in doubt.

Yep, don't underestimate Soviet replacements.. they can replace a division/turn of infantry easy. I don't know how long it will be until they reconstitute (2 weeks game time, IIRC, so maybe 14 turns after the equipment is available) but I think that I was probably premature in my assessment about the game more or less being over in my game status thread.

[RavenStrike]

When my left flank shatters I'm planning to fall all the way back to the super river. Any thoughts on that from other commanders.

[MikeJ]

Where's the rest of your frontline? Are you overwhelmingly outnumbered in that area such that you can't fight delaying actions? Is your opponent making a point to encircle Axis forces over there?

[RavenStrike]

Well, at the moment (turn 9) we're very near where it all started. The Russians do have a very large force there with some heading due west to the edge of the map. I don't anticipate falling back for some time yet, but when (maybe if) my defense truely falters, there seems to be very little defensive ground before the super river.

[General Staff]

When my left flank shatters I'm planning to fall all the way back to the super river. Any thoughts on that from other commanders.If it's that bad- and I don't know for myself as the Soviet Offensive points west hasn't begun in my universe yet, maybe think badlands terrain defensively- motorized units (and that includes a lot of Soviet units) can't get in (or attack). One other option I use is stacking broken down German units with Eyeties and vice versa so each gets 'stiffened' (if that's the right word) by the other's arty. Oh- and dig in in depth but LOL that's preaching to the converted...

The above are tactics. Strategy-wise it may pay to do this if you can give them a full 1-2 down and out as opposed to the historical backhand blow...

Just my 0.02. Hope it helps.

[Bruce]

I've been thinking of pulling back to the super river line too - my Italians are in a mess (it's turn 6) and the Soviets have loads of troops. No reinforcements are due to come in on the northern reinforcement point so there is no great loss if the hex is taken. Pulling back drags the Soviets away from their supply points. The only problem I can see with the idea is that I'm not sure I'll have enough units to properly defend the river. At the moment I'm planning to fight a delaying action for as long as I can and then (hopefully), when the pocket is opened, cut up behing the Northern Soviet forces.

[RavenStrike]

Well, I'm thinking that, at least in my case, the Russians have a lot of motorized units in the far west. If they send some thru or around my lines they can get to the super river (unless defended) and then really cause some headaches. I'd rather give up some VP's north of the river than the bigger stuff south of the river.

Admittedly, I need to find a way to bridge a super river defense to a pocket retention, but that is a long way off for my Russians right now. He's strong in the west, but a mess in the east. I thought he might pull some forces from the west to help the east out, but no action like that so far. He's got one gear, everybody pressing the front before them.

[RavenStrike]

The only problem I can see with the idea is that I'm not sure I'll have enough units to properly defend the river. At the moment I'm planning to fight a delaying action for as long as I can and then (hopefully), when the pocket is opened, cut up behing the Northern Soviet forces.

You should be able to come up with 4 German divisions from the reinforcements you get in the west, plaus whatever you can salvage from the original front up north. That seems enough to cover a good piece of the key river points.

I like your thought on cutting in behind the Russian northern forces. I'll have to see how things are going in another 5 turns or so and then evaluate that option.

[KG_RangerBooBoo]

Well if nothing else I can say that I linked up with the 6th Army. I have made contact exactly one hex wide and didn't get a chance to fortify before the turn ended so I expect it to be closed off again when my turn roles around. I did finally get the last two PZ divisions from 1PZ Army, on turn 12, was anyone else that late getting them???? The SS are headed to widen the breakthrough and the other to my left to slow down the rampaging russkies. I think I will have that situation in hand in a few more turns.

[RavenStrike]

I was in turn 9 and hadn't seen them yet.

[KG_RangerBooBoo]

Just completed my turn 16. Have managed to widen my link-up with 6th Army to a grand 2 hex width. At least Paulus should escape. Turn ended before I could dig in on my newly won hex. My extreme left and right flanks started off a shambles. I managed to isolate a lot of his advancing units on my right flank and I'm sending portions of the SS Panzer division down there to finish them off. On the left he has pushed numerous formations forward rather helter skelter and I am engaging them where I find them trying to slow them down until I can get them more help. The center is holding but barely as we are constantly plugging leaks here and there. I keep waiting for the whole house of cards to collapse but I have to keep trying to get more of the 6th Army out.

[KG_RangerBooBoo]

Well I have just completed my turn 17 and I think I am doomed. Russians are shattering my front everywhere I turn and I am going to have to abandon the rescue effort to try and save the rest of the Axis forces, if it isn't too late already. I think I will save Paulus and a few units but that will be all. Russians are running rampant on my left and I am powerless to stop them and now the breakthrough in the south is getting to be too much to ignore.