TR 42-45 1.8 - mike1984 vs USXpat - ALLIED

[mike1984]

T018: 9.4.42

Strategic Outlook
North Africa is turning into a really pleasant surprise. From what was originally a scouting expedition by the armoured brigades, I now have bagged two German divisions and Rommel’s headquarters! The Russian Front is still iffy, but stable, as reconstituted divisions are slowly getting back up to strength and back to the front lines.

Northeast Africa



The British Eighth Army has now advanced over a hundred miles from the El Alamein Line. In the process, Monty caught Rommel flat-footed. Since first contact was made three turns ago, I’ve destroyed a light division, a Panzer division, and captured Rommel’s headquarters unit. Already, it’s a significant victory for the Allies. I’m planning to make another strong push this upcoming turn or the next one. If all goes well, I might be able to recapture Tobruk before November.

[mike1984]

T019: 9.11.42

Strategic Outlook
I can tell Mark is growing more concerned with the North Africa situation, as he’s dispatched two divisions of the LXXXI. Korps from Italy to Libya. There are no shock or offensive theater options affecting either side this turn, so it’s what I like to call a “clean” period in the game. Both sides have no real advantage over one another, other than the tactical and strategic skill of their leaders.

Northeast Africa



The Eighth Army continued attacks this turn, pushing back the main Axis line at several points. The reinforcements from the LXXXI. Korps won’t be ready to deploy fully until next turn, so I’m confident I can really hammer the Afrika Korps and Italians by the time they can get decent assistance. The XXX Corps received the 44th “Home County” Division this turn, but it won’t be ready for combat deployment until likely after next turn.

Don Front - Rostov
Plans for Operation Orion



This one could take a few turns to put together, but I think it’s possible to make a dash for Rostov. Intelligence confirmed a few turns ago that the Axis have left the river east of Shakhty very lightly defended, even with huge gaps in the line. It is a super river and marsh at this point in the river, but it’s not impassable with the help of bridging engineer teams. Right now, I do not have the manpower to undertake such a risky operation. I’ll need, at minimum, four more armies to pull this one off. One of those extra armies will have to be an armored/mechanized army. Speed will be my best weapon here, to go along with what I expect will be complete and total surprise that I would do such a thing. I’d use the 3rd Shock and other forces east of the Don to pin down the German and Romanians within the “triangle” section on my side of the river. If all goes well, I could possibly not only capture Rostov, but destroy a significant portion of the Axis forces in the Northern Caucasus. It would also force Mark to recall a good part of his forces currently bearing down on Grozny. If I can do this right, it could change the trajectory of the battle in this part of the Russian Front.

[mike1984]

T020: 9.18.42

Strategic Outlook
The action has obviously shifted to the North African front. My concern now is that mark is gearing up for a major offensive on the Russian Front. Reinforcements are scheduled to arrive starting next turn, which should help bolster my defense at key points, such as in the Central Caucasus.

Northeast Africa



I’m normally too cautious. I always tend to worry too much about adequate supply lines, keeping my troops rested, and not exposing units and risk heavy casualties. This time I’m bucking my own trend, pressing the Axis forces in Libya to the fullest extent. In the course of this offensive, I’ve destroyed much of the three Italian corps, at least one full Panzer division, captured Rommel’s HQ, and severely crippled the remainder of the Axis forces that originally captured Tobruk. I’ll have to send the rail repair crew forward from Mersah Matruh, as the rail line is very badly damaged. Once the line is repaired, supply will increase and offer my forces a boost heading toward Tobruk.

[mike1984]

T021: 9.25.42

Strategic Outlook
Another quiet turn on the Russian Front. Reinforcements have started to arrive, beginning with the 66/5th Guards Army, which was sent down to the Central Caucasus. Monty’s Eighth Army is mopping up the rest of the Axis forces in Libya, as it approaches Bardia. I’m afraid Mark will save two of the DAK’s Panzer divisions, as they are already in Tobruk ready to be evacuated. The two fresh divisions of the LXXXI. Korps are holding a line near Bardia, and could delay me long enough. No specific sector updates this turn.

[mike1984]

T022: 10.2.42

Strategic Outlook
Wow, I am lucky. Just as Mark launched a significant offensive between Rostov and the northern leg of the Don River, the mud season kicked in to drop global shock levels to 50 percent. That’s a huge break for me. As you’ll see in the sector update, Mark was on his way to Stalingrad during that first phase of the offensive. Now he’s bogged down with the rest of the forces in the European Theater.

Don Front



So much for Operation Orion. Not only has the German breakthrough to the north forced me to redeploy the 1st Guards Tank to blunt the threat there, but I wouldn’t be able to do anything at all until the mud season dries up in a few turns.

[mike1984]

I'm going to be back with more within 24 hours. I've just completed a total career relocation from Northern Virginia up to Northeast New Jersey. Finally getting settled back down, minus my PC laptop. That's what really killed all of this for the last two weeks, not having that mobile PC platform to work on. Anyway, stay tuned as I ramp this back up.

[mike1984]

After all this, turns out my HP has succumbed to battle wounds. I'm in the process of saving for another computer, probably just a Mac mini with Windows installed on it so I can play TOAW once again.

I apologize for this. I'm rather upset, because this was shaping up to be a fantastic scenario play against Mark. Hopefully within a few weeks (January?) we can resume operations. We'll see.

[Ruppich]

Hope to see you back up soon!
Third Reich AARs are very rare...

[ogar]

I hope Mike is able to return to TR and posting soon, as well.

I'll mention that Ruppich is doing a nice job (yes, R., you are doing well despite some setbacks) in his own AAR on Third Reich. Other folks can watch the action here :

http://www.si-games.com/forum/showthrea ... a6f265c8c9

There's lots of informative graphics, so even without resorting to Google translate, it's easy to follow the game - though a knowledge of German is a plus.

And if you're interested in the plans of Ruppich's fiendishly clever opponent :

http://www.si-games.com/forum/showthrea ... a6f265c8c9

[Ruppich]

Thank you, thank you, far too kind [:)]

[mike1984]

T023: 10.9.42

Strategic Outlook
Mud season continues, likely for just this turn. The gap in the line west of Stalingrad has allowed Mark to continue his operation despite the mud season. Nearly all of my formations are in reorganization, negating any benefit I’m getting from the mud. The 66/5th Guards Army arrived, along with a bunch of reconstituted divisions. More updates below.

Don Front

Axis divisions are flowing through the huge break in my line, getting in behind the 1st Guards and 1st Guards Tank Armies. This could be disastrous if I can’t get reinforcements deployed in time. I don’t think I’ll be able to do that, as the 65th Army had to cover the river crossing in the north, while only the 47th and 51st Armies were able to get within range of the German spearhead. More reinforcements are slated to arrive, but not quickly enough or strong enough to halt Mark’s advance here. Looks like I’ll have to form a new line just west of Stalingrad.

Tobruk
Mark is evacuating as much as he can from Northeast Africa, as the final few units are in Tobruk and ready to sail back to either Tunisia or Italy. I won’t be able to claim complete destruction of the Axis forces in Northeast Africa, but a solid victory was gained much earlier than usual in this scenario.

[mike1984]

T025: 10.23.42

Strategic Outlook
Skipping ahead one turn, the mud has now cleared, and I’m bracing for what should be a renewed attack from Mark’s forces along the Don Front and in the Caucasus. Since this is the first turn since the mud cleared, Mark hasn’t yet moved without the shock penalty. So not much action actually took place this turn. I was able to ship reinforcements to all sectors. Most of them were reconstitutions of destroyed units, meaning I had to give them a few turns resting in the Urals to build up some additional strength.

Don Front



With the deployment of the 2nd Guards Army, I have at least a little more strength in my defensive line. Ideally, I’d like to hold the line a few hexes in front of the Don, as I don’t want to let Mark get even close to Stalingrad. Plus, my position at the western neck of the Don is very advantageous, in it could allow an opportunity to launch an offensive to Rostov. Right now, it’s all about delaying the Axis as long as possible.

Tobruk



Mark will likely get his last two units out of Tobruk. There is one infantry division and an AA unit in the port hex. I’m in complete control of the region. Once the Eighth Army recouperates for a few turns, I’ll begin moving west toward Tripoli.

[mike1984]

T026: 10.30.42

Strategic Outlook
I’ve recaptured Tobruk well ahead of schedule. Leningrad is still well defended. The Yelets-Voronezh corridor is stable. Mark has yet to reach Grozny or Stalingrad. I’m rather pleased. Granted, much of Mark’s initial focus was on reducing the Rzhev sector to a smaller front, which was something not previously done in our last game. However, in this scenario, the key to the entire Russian Front is delaying the Axis forces long enough for decent reinforcements to arrive and replacements to build up. That is happening now, as next turn I’ll get an entire Guards Tank Army, and a slew of artillery divisions a turn later. Those arty units will be critical to my shift from defensive warfare to offensive, which should take place over the winter months.

Don Front



I was surprised to see Mark didn’t make much progress here. Even with my increased strength in the sector, the German Panzer divisions should have been able to push aside many of my depleted divisions. The 67th Army deployed in the northern half of this sector, where Mark is massed the strongest. The southern wing will have to deal with the pressure for now, as I’m just now shifting 10 mechanized divisions from the Orel Front Group to launch what should be a very strong counter-offensive in this sector. That will have to wait at least one turn, until the tanks are unloaded from the trains and get gassed up.

Central Caucasus



The German forces here have the distinct advantage of a rail supply line from Maikop/Rostov. My supply lines are stretched over open terrain from the Astrakhan/Grozny rail line. Mark has plowed through my western wing, as two Panzer divisions raced as far into the rear area as possible. I have surrounded them for now, but their friends should be trying to reach them soon enough. Using a defense-in-depth approach here should work, as I’m only looking to delay the enemy advance, not necessarily stop it. The 70th Army has arrived from Astrakhan, and deployed along the river east of Blagodarnoye. That will be my new stop line.

Tobruk
As I alluded to in the Strategic Outlook, I’m occupying Tobruk far earlier than in the previous game. At this point last time around, I hadn’t even launched Operation Turnpike, which was basically the Battle of El Alamein. My tanks didn’t enter Tobruk until Turn 37! So this is a significant victory for the Western Allies. It also sets the timetable for advancing to Tunisia.

[mike1984]

T027: 11.6.42

Strategic Outlook
Action has somewhat settled into a steady stream along the Don and Caucasus Fronts. The Axis divisions continue to press, as my defense-in-depth approach is working rather well. I’ll have to wait until next turn for the large assortment of artillery divisions. More updates in the sector reports.

Don Front
The arrival of the Orel Front mechanized divisions has made a big difference here. Not only have they plugged big gaps in my line, but managed to launch two counterattacks that threw back some lead German divisions. It’s still a situation far from resolution, but I’m feeling a bit better now about my chances of keeping Mark far away from Stalingrad.

Central Caucasus
I’ll need a few more armies to really bolster my next stop line along the river/canal. The 5th Guards Tank has been railed down from the north, though it’s not up to full combat readiness. It will file into position behind the 70th Army. I’m trying as hard as I can to keep my divisions in front of the Germans, forcing them to fight for every hex gained. Reinforcements are still coming, but it takes time to get just one army ready for combat, never mind a bunch of them.

[mike1984]

T028: 11.13.42

Strategic Outlook
The Caucasus area is in the most danger right now, but Mark has decided to launch excursions in the Yelets and North Don Fronts. I should have expected the Yelets attack, as I shifted all my armor to the South Don Front. The artillery reinforcements arrived this turn, but won’t be combat-ready until next turn. They should really help make a difference where I need it most.

Yelets
A German Panzer division, supported by some Hungarians, broke through and scooted a few hexes before I cut them off. This doesn’t have the feel of a major offensive, so I’ll deal with it using local reserves.

North Don Front
Same as the Yelets breakthrough, but with a little more oomph behind it. I’ll need to get some reinforcements here soon, as the line is very weak. I was relying too much on the river to keep the Germans at bay. Now that they’re making headway, I’ll have to address this with some significant attention.

South Don Front - Stalingrad
This sector has remained stable for two turns now, which is more than I can say for other sectors. The arrival of the Orel Front mechanized divisions turned the tide here. I’m not out of the woods just yet. As more reinforcements arrive, I can solidify my defenses and hopefully turn Mark’s attention elsewhere.

Central Caucasus



The first line has evaporated, but the Germans are still not near Grozny. A few loose cannons have gotten into my interior lines, but nothing significant. The 5th Guards Tank has arrived to give Mark something to think about on his left flank. This isn’t enough for me to defend the entire region, but it’s a start. The 6th Army and an Op Group has arrived west of Grozny. Hopefully the Germans don’t get to them before they can disembark.

[mike1984]

T029: 11.20.42

Strategic Outlook
It’s time to open another front. The invasion plans for Operation Torch are outlined below. I don’t plan on using any shock theater options for this one, as it’s not likely that the invasion forces will have to fight their way onto the beaches. The overall situation is improving slightly, but the fact that reinforcements tend to arrive a turn or two after I could actually use them has made things much more difficult. I’d like to shift things on the Russian Front from a defensive stance to an offensive one within the next 15-20 turns.

Tula



Pulling all available reserves from nearby sectors, I’ve managed to at least contain the German breakthrough. I don’t have enough to mount a decent counterattack just yet, but as Mark’s forces lose steam here, I’ll have an opportunity to strike.

Don Front - North



Mark has gained a solid bridgehead across the Don here, but supply will quickly become an issue for his assault force. The road across the river was not capable of offering full supply, and its bridge was blown to compound that supply issue. I should be able to muster up some more reinforcements this upcoming turn. Hopefully in the meantime, I can keep the Germans in check.

Caucasus



Just a quick regional update here. It would definitely be easier to just retreat back to a defensive line from the mountains thru Grozny to the Caspian Sea and up to Astrakahn. But I’m committing to not allowing Mark any free gains. This is not a sustainable position at this time. The next big wave of reinforcements won’t arrive until at least turn 31. And even then, it will take a few turns to get them ready and deployed.

Morocco
Plans for Operation Torch



Mark has planted his defenses inland, away from the beaches and Casablanca. The US will take the northern landing beach, while the British and Pols attack into Casablanca. I do know that the German-French forces that were swapped in for the Vichy Forces earlier in the game are fortified along the line marked on the map. Behind them are additional German and Italian units in defensive positions. I doubt an additional landing at Oran will be possible. The risk of not getting onto the beaches would be too great.

[mike1984]

T030: 11.27.42

Strategic Outlook
Torch is a “go” for next turn. I’ve disbanded the sea transport and the entire invasion force is ready in the ports. As for the rest of the theater, my defenses are much stronger in this game than the previous game. I can’t really chalk it up to any single aspect. However, I can say the replacement rate changes, coupled with a slight strategy change has been the biggest difference so far. If you recall, the availability of the 45th and 46th Russian Armies made an enormous difference in holding the Rostov Sector for much longer than in previous runs. Mark admitted to me in our most recent email that it might be better if he switches over to the defensive at this point. I haven’t analyzed his moves for this turn just yet, but that seems to be a stark change from how things were going in the last playtest. My plans were to shift my own forces to offensive operations within 15-20 turns. Mark may allow me to do so sooner. We’ll see.

Tula
The first sector where Mark has pulled back and abandoned his offensive. His lines are restored to basically their starting points. Friendly reinforcements are arriving and plugging up the Russian gaps.

Yelets
Losing this city would have been a huge blow, but I managed to blunt the attacks just enough to force Mark to rethink the risk-reward of going all-out to capture Yelets. Not much combat other than some simple counter attacks from my side to restore the lines.

Don Front - North
Mark hasn’t retreated back across the river just yet. I wouldn’t either, as the Russian numbers defending the northern side of the Don are still weak. This won’t likely amount to much in the end, but it will definitely suck up valuable reinforcements I need to send elsewhere.

Don Front - South
I’ve recaptured two hexes this turn, as some reconstituted divisions have arrived to relieve the 1st Guards Tank and 2nd Guards Armies. The bulk of my front line is still manned by the Orel and Ukraine Front mechanized divisions, which are pushing back a bit more this turn. I should have more units to send here soon, allowing those Front Group divisions to retire and refit for what should be renewed offensive operations in Central Russia.

Caucasus
The two main breaks in my angled line are giving me a gigantic headache right now. However, losing Grozny would be an even bigger headache, so I’ll just take the flimsy defensive lines for now. The 5th Guards Tank Army has been a great anchor for the center of my line, as I only need to use one division per hex to mount a decent defense. The rest of the line isn’t so strong. Mark hasn’t made much headway on either wing of the line, so just refer to the previous turn’s slide for a general idea of where things are happening.

[mike1984]

T031: 12.4.42

Strategic Outlook
The “Third” front is now open, as the combined US-UK invasions force has begun its landings in Morocco to no opposition. That will surely change, but at least they’re on the beaches. Overall my situation is improving with each turn. Two large armies arrived on the Eastern Front, both of which were immediately shipped to the Caucasus. I can easily tell that the Axis forces in the East are losing steam. Mark has been forced to give up on no fewer than three would-be offensives. I’m not out of the woods just yet, but I can see some daylight.

Caucasus



Surprisingly, the shattered remnants of my line are holding the German divisions back from an open path to Grozny. This extra time has allowed me to deploy some extra reserves I had sitting around, including some help from the Don Front South sector. The big news here is the arrival of the 5th Shock and 3rd Guards Armies, and the recouperating 2nd Guards Army. If I can keep the Axis forces away from these formations for another turn, they can disembark and maybe even take their time getting into position. I’d hate to run down their readiness so quickly by rushing them to the front.

Morocco - Operation Torch



The landings were supposed to be the easy part, and they were. I have two turns of sea transport at 30k. The UK and Polish Corps weren’t able to land in the first wave, but it’s not a critical mishap. Patton’s 1st Armored Corps has made contact with the German-French forces, fortified along a short front. They’re backed up by additional units, but this is a position I’m sure I can break in a few turns. Naval support is readily available, but I’m hesitant to expose the squadrons to enemy air attack or even a sortie by the Italian Navy. In the last game, I took some heavy naval losses because I underestimated the Axis ability to knock them out.

[mike1984]

T033: 12:18.42

Strategic Outlook
Mark is gearing up for a renewed, albeit reserved, sense of attack. He’s pushing a bit more toward Stalingrad, which is curious. The Caucasus Front is relatively quiet except for a small breakthrough in the north that won’t amount to much. The problem for me is that I just don’t have the power yet to assume my own offensive stance in this scenario. The Russians are the key here, as they’re building up strength, but not quickly enough for me to take advantage of the Axis weaknesses in places like the Don Front and in the Caucasus. If I had the extra formations at full strength, I’d strike hard and fast in both those places, where Mark’s formations are tired and in need of some rest. I’m debating three different offensives right now, possibly to launch in unison. But that all depends on how quickly I can get replacements to their units and supply to formations that are in desperate need of it.

Caucasus



I left a small window open and Mark came storming through. I should be able to counter this, but it will take a turn or two before I get things sorted out. A mechanized unit from the 5th Guards Tank moved into a blocking position, which should allow me time to muster up enough help.

Morocco



After resting for a turn and preparing for the attack, I’ve launched a wave into the first line of Axis defenses. It only took one try to pop the cork here, pushing back the Saxony Division. The Burgundy Division held against the second attack, but was hurt badly and shouldn’t hold against another wave. The 1st Armored Corps led the attacks, as the 2nd Armored Division is pressing through to Oran. This won’t get any easier from here, as supply will quickly become an issue. But if I can rotate units in and out of the line as I go, it should help mitigate some of the supply issues.

[mike1984]

T042: 02.19.43

Strategic Update

Well, I'm back. There isn't much of a chance I'll get back all my saved turns between T033 and this one, so I'm just going to pick up here. Believe it or not, there wasn't a whole lot of action. Mark is digging in where he can, while I try to keep the pressure on his forces on all fronts. I'm very close to the point where I can launch more major offensive operations. It will take a bit more time, though, to prepare and soften up Mark's fronts.

Yelets



I've managed a small breakthrough here, but I'm not sure if I can develop it into anything more substantial. While I have airborne divisions ready to the south, it would be a significant risk to drop them behind this minor success. The 69th Army arrived this turn, but is about 2 turns away from being combat-ready. If I can keep pressuring the German lines here, and maybe push through a little more, then I might want to commit more resources into this sector. Might.