Encirclement of Smolensk....Brief Battle Report.

KG_Norad

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Has anyone played this Smolensk 41 scenario. I am currently in the middle of it, about turn 12 of 25. So far it is a very good scenario. I would at this point highly recommend it, it really highlights the importance of bridges.

I am currently playing as the German engaged in heavy street fighting in smolensk for the main victory hex. I only have one bridge to cross the river here as all the others have been blown. Rubble on both sides of the bridge make movement such that once my travel mode units cross they can't deploy until the next turn which is playing hell with my infantry. Now as each turn wears down my troops with Fatigue they are disrupting much easier.

My opponent tried to counter from behind my troops but I left recon in the area and picked it up in time to deploy a thin sceen at which point he backed off. I am making progress in the north but it is slow going and it is dificult to tell if they will arrive in time to complete the isolation of the russians holding the city.

I am also attempting to bring up some slow moving foot infantry from the south. :D

There is another victory hex on the far east edge of the map that I am working on. I am fighting to secure the west side of this river so I can focus on the defensive units on the east side guarding the victory hex. While I have made progress it is has been tough going.
 

dannybou

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Michael, Smolensk is a very fluid and excellent game. I've played several scenarios, even the whole campaign against the AI as the Germans. I'll add Smolensk to the ladder next.
 

KG_Norad

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trauth116 said:
Norad- we need a screenshot!!! :cool:
I will see what I can do in the next day or two. :cool:

This is a tournament game so I may wait. But I will definitely try to post something soon.
 

KG_Norad

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Turn 22 of 25

The tide turns against me. My exhausted troops are kicked back across the river around turn 20. I am in serious doubt that I will be able to mount another successful assault across the river. I tried punching through to the north but as my line thinned out he cut my supply lines and isolated my forward elements. I had to give ground to reconsolidate that force. It is now intact and in good order but won't be moving south very quickly.

I have a sizable force moving on the north side of the river from the west which is effectively taking care of any opposition it has encountered but still moving to slow I fear.

I have a screen shot of Smolensk around turn 11 or 12 when I was still on the north side of the river and still felt like I had hope to take the city objective. I will also provide one or two more with final dispositions when I have completed the game. Just 3 more turns to go.

What sucks about this is I think I am the only German player that didn't take Smolensk! :cry: Given a few more turns I would definitely, but in 3...not likely. :blab: :mad:

:D
 

KG_Norad

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As predicted with out Smolensk I lost a Major Defeat! Ouch. As promised a screen shot of the action near Smolensk. My German units are of course blue. The Soviets brown. You can see a unit just south east of the the victory hex. The problem I had was crossing the bridge in travel mode and not haveing enough points to deploy in the same turn. I would get beat up during my opponents phase and be practically useless once I deployed at the beginning of the next turn.

I think if I would have brought up the moterized units and the extra artillery that I had off to the west off map, early on, the outcome would have been more successful. I think I took too long to commit to a course of action and then to compound that, I used poor judgement as to how I divided my forces and where I committed them.

Once I was pushed out of that hex and back across the river, my last turn I just blew the bridge, pulled back my units out of harms way as much as possible and awaited the inevitable. I must bring this aar to a close now. The SS have cordially invited me to a "debriefing" and I fear they are getting ancy in my living room... :nervous:
 
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