I've played that scenario already four times, losing every game. Fifth time's a charm!
[:D]
My objectives in this scenario will be to capture Velikie Luki, Vitebsk, Smolensk, Mogilev and Gomel. That should net me enough points for a minor victory. In case the Red Army totally breaks down I'll try to get to Vyazma and Brjansk. That it rather unlikely from experience thus far, though.
I start with heavily bombing every soviet airfield in range. As usual, heavy soviet losses (~1300 aircraft) and only a couple of dozen own losses.
My infantry corps break through the Soviet frontline east of Königsberg and at Brest-Litowsk. Then I unleash my Panzerkorps. In the North the XXXIXth (+Totenkopf Div), XXXXIth, LVIIth and LVIth Panzerkorps race towards Vitebsk and Smolensk, in the South the XXXXVIIth, XXIVth and XXXXVIth towards Gomel and Mogilev. My plan is to capture significant Red Army forces in a pocket west of Minsk, and to seal off that pocket with as few armoured/motorized formations as possible. Also most of the infantry corps march off, following the Panzers, with only weak forces guarding the western edge of the pocket.
The rapid encirclement west of Minsk is completed by the end of turn 2. It's still a rather patchy Kessel, but it'll do. Hopefully. Major parts of the mobile forces are already further east with 7th PzDiv capturing Vitebsk in a bold advance.
Turn 3 sees the LVIIth PzKps slowly slugging its way towards Velikie Luki. The terrain is rather swampy, channels the attacks into narrow lanes and soviet resistance is slowly picking up. And my infantry corps for flank protection are way back. In the center a Kesselschlacht rages around Minsk, but cut off from their supply lines the Red Army divisions soon surrender in droves. At the end of the turn the Red Army has already suffered 350.000 casualties, compared to less than 20.000 on the German side.
In the south the 4th PzDiv captures Mogilev while the 10th Motorized Infantry Division leads the advance on Gomel. In this phase I take great efforts to make sure all units stay within range to their Corps HQ, and re-organize Corps whenever necessary. With all units racing to the East as fast as possible this can get a bit tricky at times. Still, so far everything works surprisingly well. Now if the infantry division come up in time even the Dnepr won't stop us.
Unfortunately, with turn 4 comes the end of Blitzkrieg. STAVKA starts throwing fresh divisions by the dozen at our spearheads, and with our Divisions advancing further and further from the railheads supply becomes a problem. Those green troops are no match for a veteran Panzerkorps, but they slow us down, which is worse enough. And behind that wall of bodies more, tougher troops start digging in. Supplies among the armoured formations dwindle and Ju-52 transports can only make up for the logistics problems to a degree.
The situation the south is similar, fighting cramped between the Berezina and the Dnepr, through partly swampy ground bogs down my fast formations. Forcing a major river crossing with strained supply lines is not fun. Thankfully, the infantry of XIIIth and VIIth corps start to arrive.
The next couple of turns have my forces battling through a seemingly endless mass of Red Army divisions. Whenever I rout one formation, two more are already standing behind the remains of the 1st. Still, we grind our way slowly forward, with mounting casualties though. A number of smaller, local crisis arise, but by straining my forces to the limit and sending Regiments to patch up the threatened flanks I manage to keep my spearheads strong. At least our air support has finally managed to catch up again.
In turn 8 in the North LVIIth Panzerkorps at last manages to dislodge the stubborn defenders of Velikie Luki (though they fail to capture the city) while in the centre the XXXIXth PzKps, lead by Das Reich Division finally breaks through the defensive line west of Smolensk! And yes, the Red Army divisons were arrayed four-five deep there...
In the south XXXXVIIth PzKps pushes across the Dnepr east of Mogilev to try to swing around Smolensk from the south, but soviet resistance is too strong. A thrust towards Brjansk under the current circumstances seems impossible, too. XXIVth PzKps and the four Infantry corps are at the doorstep to Gomel, that city will fall next turn.
In turn 9 19th PzDiv rolls into Velikie Luki!
Down south Gomel falls to XIIIth corps' infantry assault.
Turn 10: In the center Smolensk falls after heavy fighting! While the Infantry of the XXVth corps bears the brunt of the battle, it's Das Reich and the 20th PzDivison who at last roll into the city.
The scenario ends, with an Axis Minor Victory, with 1189:1063 points. Soviet casualties: 680.000, German casualties: 86.000.
Playing this scenario has been tremendous fun, although it was a very difficult and challenging scenario. Appart from a few minor things I have no idea how to achieve a major victory here. But then I just got the game this week, I'm still learning. [;)]
The AI acted very well and believable, all in all I haven't had so much fun with a strategy game in a long time.
What a great game!
[:D]
