Barbarossa, a changed plan, Tauroggen vs. Alex

Post descriptions of your brilliant victories and unfortunate defeats here.

Moderators: Joel Billings, Sabre21

User avatar
A game
Posts: 97
Joined: Tue May 08, 2012 10:35 pm

RE: Barbarossa, a changed plan, Tauroggen vs. Alex

Post by A game »

STAVKA Intelligence report:

As you can see I have been implementing the fall back plan, I actually had a fright in the centre when my defense line at Vitebsk was encirlced, I pulled back to form a new line at Smolensk and this was then immediately encircled again in the following turn.. still learning about threat distances of the panzers. And north I can see I should probably have tried to hold the Luga river line for longer.. but I had decided to dig in at Leningrad and the Volkhov river and hold the line there.

The first few turns as the soviets is quite terrifying as the panzers seem to be able to move so far and there is very little you can do to stop them,I can now see where I made mistakes though and could have created a better defense.

And finally the southern front was being bled dry of troops to send north so I rapidly fell back to the Dnepr planning to slow the Axis for at least a few turns, at this stage I was unconcerned about Axis advance in the south as I hoped to have enough rail capacity to evacuate any factories. Trading time for land seems a solid strategy on the vast open steppe!
Tauroggen
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2012 12:48 pm

RE: Barbarossa, a changed plan, Tauroggen vs. Alex

Post by Tauroggen »

turn 8 start Center
von Bock ordered a few Divisions eastwards last turn, to clear the way (change the hex ownership) for the main Army.
This turn Rzhew and Wjasma should fall or be isolated. Almost all units are ordered to attack.


Image
Attachments
mia2.gif
mia2.gif (531.15 KiB) Viewed 224 times
Tauroggen
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2012 12:48 pm

RE: Barbarossa, a changed plan, Tauroggen vs. Alex

Post by Tauroggen »

end of turn 8 in the Center:

Borodino has fallen, the historical battle place where Napoleon fought his way to Moscow.
It is obvious that STAVKA has ordered her Armies to stand here and fight.
There are severel level 2 forts, and STAVKA is defending in depth here. This will not be easy.




Image
Attachments
me2.gif
me2.gif (489.66 KiB) Viewed 224 times
Tauroggen
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2012 12:48 pm

RE: Barbarossa, a changed plan, Tauroggen vs. Alex

Post by Tauroggen »

start turn 8 in the North:
von Leeb orders to clear the startline for an attack across the river Neva. There is a discussion ongoing in the Army staffs of Army Group North if we should attack the part of Leningrad south of the Neva, to be able to attack across the Neva from 3 hexes.


Image
Attachments
na2.gif
na2.gif (520.27 KiB) Viewed 224 times
Tauroggen
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2012 12:48 pm

RE: Barbarossa, a changed plan, Tauroggen vs. Alex

Post by Tauroggen »

t8 end North:
the Southern bank of the Neva has been cleared

@Klydon:
While the fort is only 2, the strength at the backdoor is 9
I am not sure what the easiest target is:
the backdoor, or
fort 3, strength 6, the middle hex
fort 4, stength 3, the city hex


Image
Attachments
ne2.gif
ne2.gif (512.88 KiB) Viewed 224 times
User avatar
cpt flam
Posts: 2353
Joined: Sun Jan 16, 2011 4:34 am
Location: caen - France

RE: Barbarossa, a changed plan, Tauroggen vs. Alex

Post by cpt flam »

in my view you'd better look at their def value
that's 29, 52 & 84
your problem is this one
good advance in front of moscow
notenome
Posts: 608
Joined: Sun Dec 27, 2009 11:07 pm

RE: Barbarossa, a changed plan, Tauroggen vs. Alex

Post by notenome »

You've already won the battle of Leningrad, and by consequence, the battle for Moscow. Send the panzers to army group center, use your infantry to take Pavlovo. Once that falls its all over for Leningrad. Your opponent has made it all to easy with the sir Robinsky stategy. You'll take Moscow and Rostov this game.

Also: Spend your ap points. Reassign better leaders etc.
User avatar
A game
Posts: 97
Joined: Tue May 08, 2012 10:35 pm

RE: Barbarossa, a changed plan, Tauroggen vs. Alex

Post by A game »

Just a quick heads up to everyone, we are currently playing in October 1941, this AAR will be running behind where we are playing so advice is great but it wont help Tauroggen much now! ;)

But Im sure Tauroggen would appreciate any comments on strategy and I certainly will to as we are both fairly new to WitE.
Tauroggen
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2012 12:48 pm

RE: Barbarossa, a changed plan, Tauroggen vs. Alex

Post by Tauroggen »

@cpt flam:
I think the numbers you listed are the movement points, not the fighting strength.

@notenome:
Please have in mind that I am a beginner...
You will see what mistakes I made...


Turn 10 start North

Commander of Army Group North von Leeb decided in turn 9 to attack the city and not the landbridge, because he feared the attack across the river with a only 2 hexes wide front.
This provoked much opposition. Critics argued it was a wrong calculation to think that the city hex 7, fort 4 would be more easy to attack than the backdoor.
On August 20th, turn 10 start, von Leeb had to go as the OKH overruled his decision.
Precious time has been lost. The defence at the "backdoor" will be even stronger now.

Field Marshall Kesselring took over command of Army Group North.
He ordered, in consent with OKH, a well organized attack against the backdoor: many airforce waves and at last the main 3 waves of ground attack forces.

South of Lake Ilmen, Mansteins LVI Panzerkorps has taken position to break through the weak Soviet defences and reach Vishni Volochek in one big leap.




Image
Attachments
na2.gif
na2.gif (1.02 MiB) Viewed 224 times
Tauroggen
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2012 12:48 pm

RE: Barbarossa, a changed plan, Tauroggen vs. Alex

Post by Tauroggen »

The attack against the Leningrad front was successful.
Mansteins attack also was a full success, the target V.Volochek was not in the movement radius this turn.


Image
Attachments
ne2.gif
ne2.gif (978.73 KiB) Viewed 224 times
Tauroggen
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2012 12:48 pm

RE: Barbarossa, a changed plan, Tauroggen vs. Alex

Post by Tauroggen »

turn 10 start Center:
STAVKA seems to roll every available unit in front of Army Group Center.
This will become a battle of attrition.


Image
Attachments
ma2.gif
ma2.gif (1.02 MiB) Viewed 224 times
Tauroggen
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2012 12:48 pm

RE: Barbarossa, a changed plan, Tauroggen vs. Alex

Post by Tauroggen »

After tough fighting not much progress


Image
Attachments
me2.gif
me2.gif (1.01 MiB) Viewed 224 times
Tauroggen
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2012 12:48 pm

RE: Barbarossa, a changed plan, Tauroggen vs. Alex

Post by Tauroggen »

turn 12 start:

A heavy setback at Army Group Center: The supply line has been interrupted by partisan activity, with the effect that an offensive in the northern wing of the attack will be out of supply if they advance further.
This situation will stay for 3 turns because the rail unit will not be able to repair the hexes this turn.

Generalleutnant von Roques commanded the forces that had to protect the railway in the Vilnius area.
Needless to say that von Roques has to pay the full price for his failure.
On Sept 15th he was sentenced to death by a martial court. A week later he was pardoned and sentenced to military prison for an undefined period of time.

Image
Attachments
schiene2.gif
schiene2.gif (555.94 KiB) Viewed 224 times
Tauroggen
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2012 12:48 pm

RE: Barbarossa, a changed plan, Tauroggen vs. Alex

Post by Tauroggen »

Following the desaster at Vilnius a discussion in the Staffs of OKH and Army Group Center began wether the offensive against Moscow should be continued.
The time delay of 3 turns could mean that the offensive would end short of Moscow before winter starts, and that there would be no winter preparations.

Finally OKH decides to strike to the South, to gain ground and weaken the Soviets without heavy German casualties.
A minor attack will be launched north of Moscow, meant to force STAVKA to stay strong near Moscow.

Situation in the end of turn 12:
The Panzer forces are withdrawn to the region southwest of Wjazma, to attack to the Southeast, direction Orel.



Image
Attachments
me2.gif
me2.gif (484.01 KiB) Viewed 224 times
User avatar
A game
Posts: 97
Joined: Tue May 08, 2012 10:35 pm

RE: Barbarossa, a changed plan, Tauroggen vs. Alex

Post by A game »

STAVKA intelligence report:

Interesting as I had no idea a partisan attack had so much impact on your plans, I wasnt sure the partisans were doing anything at all though I had committed a lot of planes to supply them! By turn ten I knew Leningrad would fall soon so the Northern fronts dug in along the Volkhov river line to attempt to stop any meeting with the fins to the north.

Moscow became my major defensive goal with any spare troops from Northern fronts being sent south, at this stage the Southern fronts were basicly just a skirmish line again all troops sent to the Moscow sector. I created a massive tiered defensive line from Kalinin down to Tula to stop any flanking maneuvers, and all my best leaders were moved to western front and the moscow defense. It seemed as though the main Axis attack would fall on Moscow at this time...
Tauroggen
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2012 12:48 pm

RE: Barbarossa, a changed plan, Tauroggen vs. Alex

Post by Tauroggen »

turn 13 end

the Kursk-pocket:
Panzergruppe 2 started from the area northwest of Brjansk, whereas Panzergruppe 1, consisting of 1 Corps, started from Kharkov.

The pocket is not unbreakable, but will be sealed the next turn.
Not so many units in the pocket, but many hexes changed.
This is only the first stage of this offensive, as Panzergruppe 3 and two Corps of Panzergruppe 4 will join soon.
The only Panzerkorps not part of this offensive is standing west of Kalinin threatening Moscow from the North, but will strike to the North.



Image
Attachments
m1.gif
m1.gif (604.64 KiB) Viewed 224 times
Tauroggen
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2012 12:48 pm

RE: Barbarossa, a changed plan, Tauroggen vs. Alex

Post by Tauroggen »

turn 15 start:

The railway supply line is broken again, this time southwest of Mogilev.
These partisan activities have crippled my whole campaign. The breaks occure without a warning, whereas in the game against AI I always detected the partisan unit before it could do its evil work, I had time 1 turn to eliminate the unit.
Not so in this game vs A game...

Whole Army group Center and the Panzergruppen rolling forward are suffering supply shortages again.


Image
Attachments
m1.gif
m1.gif (700.8 KiB) Viewed 224 times
Tauroggen
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2012 12:48 pm

RE: Barbarossa, a changed plan, Tauroggen vs. Alex

Post by Tauroggen »

turn 15 end:

Despite of the supply shortage, the Panzerdivisionen roll on, creating more pockets.
The 20. Panzerdivison reaches the outskirts of Voronezh.
Now the Panzergruppe 3 (in green) has taken the lead.


Image
Attachments
m1.gif
m1.gif (605 KiB) Viewed 224 times
Tauroggen
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2012 12:48 pm

RE: Barbarossa, a changed plan, Tauroggen vs. Alex

Post by Tauroggen »

turn 15 end:

...whereas further south, Panzergruppe 1 has made a 180* degree turn.
After striking from Kharkov to the North it now breaks through the Soviet lines south of Kharkov and reaches the coast line.

Oberleutnant Junge of the Panzeraufklärungs-Abteilung of the 14. Panzerdivision wires to the Divison-HQ as he can watch across the Taganrog Bay:
"Thalatta! Das Meer!"



Image
Attachments
m1.gif
m1.gif (457.42 KiB) Viewed 224 times
Tauroggen
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2012 12:48 pm

RE: Barbarossa, a changed plan, Tauroggen vs. Alex

Post by Tauroggen »

twice
Post Reply

Return to “After Action Reports”