EA Heldenkaiser (Allies) vs. Telumar (Axis)

Heldenkaiser

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Re: Axis Turn 163 / 9th August 1942

A major city? It's a barren featureless desert out there I am afraid ... :(

It was not my choice to have them end up surrounded any more than it was Paulus' to hedgehog in Stalingrad. They just didn't make it. Short of breaking into a general rout that would have seen them all gobbled up within a couple of turns, my only option was to form an all-round defence and hope they'll survive for a while and occupy some German units. I don't really expect to relieve them, unless they miraculously hold out into 1943 ...

BTW I did a count of what's in the pocket. Not counting irregulars, it's 24 rifle corps, 3 tank corps, 2 mech corps, and--most unfortunate of all--4 artillery corps.

(Why do you quote/unquote "pocket"? Do you think it's not the proper term?)
 
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Heldenkaiser

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Re: Axis Turn 163 / 9th August 1942

The vast majority of those units will reconstitute. Red army is really a hydra...
Yes. In the short run I am mostly concerned with the immediate loss of these units for my lengthening front line. It all depends on how much of an obstacle the lower Volga marshes will prove for the Hypergermans. If they are hard to cross, I may be fine for a while, because that's a lot of terrain I don't really have to defend.
 

vodkaferret

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Re: Axis Turn 163 / 9th August 1942

We'll see in 10/15 turns...

BTW... there will be a mud period before the next 11 turns
They may not be quite as hyper after T172, but when they're still putting 22-17 behemoth units in the field against a measly 6-4 Soviet unit then they can still gain local superiority almost anywhere along the line.

NOTE: I'm just bitter cos in my current game Barb happened in '40 and in '43 although I'm still alive there are so many replacement units in cities behind enemy lines that I can't do much at all. So whenever I read about hydras and swarms of russian infantry I wonder where mine all are.

Probably having a party with Heldenkaisers Americans :)
 

Heldenkaiser

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Axis Turn 165 / 23rd August 1942

Not too bad. Axis are compressing the kessel, but not by much, pressing northwards on the right bank of the upper Don (towards Voronesh), but not much, fail to take Stalingrad, and fail to really cut off the Terek pocket except for the delaying forces in the South, although Stefan says about that "we succeed in creating a pocket". Some pocket. 4.5 rifle corps, 1 HQ and 2 partisan brigades. Stefan also says it's "galling that we lost all the airborne units". Told ya.
View attachment 37220
 

Heldenkaiser

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Re: Allied Turn 164 / 16th August 1942

BTW, at 155,105 (hex W of Astrakhan)--is this a bridge that can be blown under the rules for this scenario? Just because I believe Stefan bombed it and I am in a hell of a fix with a badly overstacked hex W of that bridge or not-bridge.
 
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Secadegas

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Re: Allied Turn 164 / 16th August 1942

BTW, at 155,105 (hex W of Astrakhan)--is this a bridge that can be blown under the rules for this scenario? Just because I believe Stefan bombed it and I am in a hell of a fix with a badly overstacked hex W of that bridge or not-bridge.
There aren't any EA blowing bridges rules that i know of.

Before game i always suggest my opponents not blowing that kind of bridges (not crossing rivers) but that's a particular game agreement.
In fact in a 25 kms. scale map / more or less strategical scenario that don't really matter much. However when you want your units moved swiftly... that matters a lot...:hurt:
 

Heldenkaiser

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Re: Allied Turn 164 / 16th August 1942

Yes, we have that agreement. I thought it was in the scenario briefing, but it isn't.
 

Heldenkaiser

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Allied Turn 165 / 23rd August 1942

Stabilizing the huge pocket; Axis are leaving it rather alone, which means I can rescue some units almost cut off in the SW corner and even expand it towards NE to reestablish a connection with some rather valuable routed units which may this way end up in the pocket rather than surrounded individually which is slightly preferable.
The bigger part of the Terek-Astrakhan pocket is retreating in good order towards the East, impeded by a blown bridge in the Volga delta. The smaller part is breaking out just to create a diversion.
Other than that, securing the lower Volga crossings in the marshes, or about to, with reinforcements railing in from the NW front. Pumping some more troops into Stalingrad. Wonder why the Germans are leaving my RR's alone? I can move all the way from the Baltic to the Caspian in a single rail journey. Restoring the front on the upper Don.
Here is the map. (Pink is not the better colour I am afraid.)
View attachment 37229
 

Heldenkaiser

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Axis Turn 166 / 30th August 1942

Not too bad, but my entire garrison was pushed out of Stalingrad in the last combat round in the Axis turn. That was one huge garrison unit, a tank corps and an entirely fresh mech corps. I can re-garrison the city this turn, but if this happens again next turn I likely won't be so lucky. So precious little chance of holding onto the Gibraltar on the Volga.
View attachment 37276
 

Heldenkaiser

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Allied Turn 166 / 30th August 1942

Hm. Guess I managed yet again to make it worse. Trying to relieve the stack cut off NW of Kalach on the Don I inadvertently wasted one more and entirely fresh unit that will undoubtedly become cut off next turn because it advanced into the taken hex while nobody got out and I could not reocuppy the hex because the turn ended. :( Nor did the stack NW of Astrakhan manage to break out. Other than that, only reoccupying and reinforcing Stalingrad.
View attachment 37293
 

Cfant

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Re: Axis Turn 163 / 9th August 1942

Just wanted to tell you, that it's still a thrilling AAR! Thanks for keeping us informed!
 

Heldenkaiser

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Re: Axis Turn 165 / 23rd August 1942

You're welcome, guys. Nice to know you're listening to my ramblings. :D
 
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Re: Axis Turn 165 / 23rd August 1942

Yes, I check every day to see if you've posted anything new.
 
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