Braunschweig Fungwu vs Rasmus III (the thrilla in Stalingradilla)

[rasmus]

We have reached turn 34 and The russian counterattack commences. It is now time for me to share my plan and carefully explain where it has failed.:OHNO:

I would like to thank Josh for his very fine AAR. Especially his "this line can only be broken by god" comment made my day. (the line still holds).


As this was our third game, and I had tried the same basic plan both of the other times, I felt it was time for a change. This time around I would go after Erevan.:devious: with a twopronged attack along the Black sea coast and across the central Caucasus. Secondary thrusts would be made at Stalingrad and towards the Caspian coast. I planned to time the Bombing of Stalingrad and fall of Stalingrad schock bonuses to break the back of any organized defense that I encountered.

http://img221.imageshack.us/my.php?image=basicplan1ek6.jpg

http://img117.imageshack.us/my.php?image=basicplan2wh5.jpg

 

[rasmus]

As Josh mentioned turn 1 was a major bummer as my turn burned on the first round mainly setup for probing attacks. Yikes.
All in all it did not mean that much as most of 62nd army is frozen in garrison mode, but it was annoying. By the end of turn 5 I had reached the Volga N of Stalingrad and was thre hexes away to the S of Stalingrad. I was much aided in this by my opponents (wise) decision to create a steady stream of armour units headed towards the Caucasus. So far I refrained from going towards Frolovo as I wanted to avoid the Don reserves activating.

My drive South was pretty standard, with recon racing ahead, and major units staying on the roads to conserve supply. I must admit to a somewhat sloppier traffic management than in our previous games, but at this point I felt that the game result was a foregone conclusion. I made it a pirioty to invest Krasnodar as this triggers additional german reinforcements in the Crimea (including a mountain division that I wanted to use in my scaling of the Caucasus). At this point the russians fought a delaying campaign with annoying litlle units dug in at roads junctions, and bridges burning all over the place.

http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/1391/endofturn5re6.jpg

 

[rasmus]

Turn 5-10
In the North Stalingrad was only lightly defended whereas the E bank of the Volga as held in some strength. By the end of turn 10 Stalingrad had been reduced to two small pockets and the russian main army was denfeding a line roughly from ZBLTON to Kambyshin of the eastern side of the VOLGA! I had destroyed many infantry unit but had so far been unable to close on his artillery.

The lower Volga saw a German Corps of PzD Grossdeutschland and 370th ID ready to invest Astrakhan. Probably a mistake to send GD there. I should instead have sent a MtzD, as there is very little armour in the 28th Soviet army.

In the South I was astonished to be able to advance amost unhindered. The Alistrahu pass was left undefended. Klukor pass and Tuapse only lightly garrisoned, the Terek defended with mere infantry batallions. Where was my enemy?

Sokhumi seemed to be the answer. Several lines of infantry dugin and supported with plenty of artillery and the soviet navy made for a very tough nut to crack.

 

[Fungwu]

"I would like to thank Josh for his very fine AAR. Especially his "this line can only be broken by god" comment made my day. (the line still holds)."

Hehe, I am glad you enjoyed that.

I haven't updated this (or any of my other AARs) because I am working 2 jobs and playing 2 games of Dno, a game of FITE, and this game, so my time has been pretty limited.

For this game not a lot has changed since my last update. I have destroyed most of the luftwaffe's fighters with airfield attacks and made a small naval landing north of Machakalaka, I am hoping I get somewhere with my winter offensive.

Update:

I guess Rasmus has gotten belated revenge for burning his first turn. The first turn of Operation Uranus was over after 1 round of combat, not good...

 

[viridomaros]

if you're still holding at this stage of the game the Axis position should start to deteriorate to the point where he'll have to retreat everywhere. It's just a matter of time, the russians just have so many units.

Currently getting crushed by Francis Nash, playing as the axis.

 

[rasmus]

if you're still holding at this stage of the game the Axis position should start to deteriorate to the point where he'll have to retreat everywhere. It's just a matter of time, the russians just have so many units.

Currently getting crushed by Francis Nash, playing as the axis.

Are you playing T3 as well?

 

[viridomaros]

Yes sir

I must say i got many early turn ending as the axis though my opponent did play well. He wiped out the lutwaffe with his artillery. I made the mistake to place the planes too close to the front.
Operation wintergewitter is on its way though, Stalingrad is encircled but holding well. Manstein is coming.
We're on turn 43, the rumanians were supposed to withdraw on turn 42 but haven't withdrawn yet though they were present on the schedule. I'm wondering if there isn't a problem there.

 

[rasmus]

Yes sir

I must say i got many early turn ending as the axis though my opponent did play well. He wiped out the lutwaffe with his artillery. I made the mistake to place the planes too close to the front.
Operation wintergewitter is on its way though, Stalingrad is encircled but holding well. Manstein is coming.
We're on turn 43, the rumanians were supposed to withdraw on turn 42 but haven't withdrawn yet though they were present on the schedule. I'm wondering if there isn't a problem there.

Lufwaffe is also fairly worn down in our game as well. Stalingrad is secure for the moment as all fronts are holding.

PS Good to have you back.

 

[rasmus]

Finally solved my picture uploading problem, so the tale continues.

Turn 11-15.
In general.
As I have finally reached the soviet MLR I plan to bomb stalingrad and subsequently capture it. This should give a four or five turn schock window, where his lines can be breached, and I can decide the campaign.

In the north.
I plan to advance up the east bank of the Volga and trap his forces on the wrong side of this river, leaving me time to crush them at my leisure. I am especially keen on getting a good grip on his artillery, as this will drive up his loss penalty and limit his offensive options. The Don reserves activated on turn 10 so I decide to take out Frolovo and defend from the river N and W of this town.

As the pictures below will show, the operation was only partially succesfull. The territory gained was much as planned, but his artillery got away. We also ran in to the map edge with all the gamey possibilitites associated with that.







I decided to hold back two hexes from the edge, and defended all the hexes. This allowed my opponent to shift force E-W, and kep his artillery from being caught against an imaginary wall on the steppe.

In the South.
On the Black sea coast, the defense lines Josh have created are substantial. There is no way around, so I plunge straight through. It takes a full five turns with plenty of artillery and positive schock before I am through. Josh wisely withdraws to better defensive terrain in the hills E of Tbilisi.

In the caucasus my alpine units head for the passes aiming for a quick punch staright through the soviet lines. 26 turns later I am still there. The only pass that is forced is the one leading to the Black sea coast, which is cleared on the same turn that Josh withdraws, essentially making the breakthrough irrelevant.:angry:

The caspian coast is reached in good time, but at makachala, Josh makes his stand, and there I hold.