Back in the East STEF78 (Axis) Oshawott (USSR)

[STEF78]

ORIGINAL: loki100

realise its the least of your problems, but one wonders if Oshawatt's partisans will ever get bored of blowing everything up?

Partisans are effectively right now very efficient. It would be a real problem if I was defending a Rostov/Moscow/ Leningrad line.

Fortunatly, I decided to shorten my lines and defend a Riga/Minsk/Kiev/Odessa line!

You seem to be taking quite a risk in Bielorussia ... is it not time to accept that both on the Dvina and on the Berezina he's turned your lines and pull back more radically?

Retreat or not retreat, that is the question....

My problem is that, in iorder to solve the partisans problem, I haven't yet much territory to give [:D]

[jwolf]

The action along the Dvina looks very exciting, fun for us spectators but no doubt nervewracking for you!  Good luck.

[swkuh]

KUDOS for your persistentcy. Care to say what your personal goal is for the inevitable outcome? How long do you hope to hold Berlin?

[STEF78]

ORIGINAL: jwolf

The action along the Dvina looks very exciting, fun for us spectators but no doubt nervewracking for you!  Good luck.

Oshawott took the right decision while reinforcing his northern front.

I feel now able to stop him on 2 of his 4 axis of attacks.

Dvina will be one of them, it's too close from east prussia and thus Berlin

[STEF78]

ORIGINAL: rrbill

KUDOS for your persistentcy. Care to say what your personal goal is for the inevitable outcome? How long do you hope to hold Berlin?

My aim is to reach mud fall 1944. If I survive 1944, it will be, as said Flaviuxs, a morale victory (but a strategic defeat!)

[STEF78]

Turn 112, 5th august 1943

Dvina / landbridge

Oshawott extends his beachhead.



I counterattack to slow his progress



And takes another painful decision, LVIIth PzK is sent to the Dvina. It's one of my stronger units. No pasaran! In 3 weeks this sector has reveived 6 Pzd, 2 PzG and several other units. It was absolutely necessary

[STEF78]

Turn 112, 5th august 1943

Kiev

Reinforcements will be sent here soon. Rumanians Sec won't stop Russians Guards Cav Corps!



South

Always WWI

[Flaviusx]

Heh, systeme D is certainly getting a workout here, Stef.

[STEF78]

Turn 113, 12th august 1943

Back from holidays! But the situation didn't improve while I was under the sun

Dvina

Some odds are becoming nasty. Only air war is still ok.

Defensive CV are are now looking fine.



Vitebsk

11000 guns, 500 AFV, 300 fighters. that's an attack!



Kiev

Still too weak here



South

Some defensive success in this area.

[loki100]

ORIGINAL: STEF78

Turn 113, 12th august 1943

Back from holidays! But the situation didn't improve while I was under the sun

Dvina

Some odds are becoming nasty. Only air war is still ok.

Defensive CV are are now looking fine.

...

Vitebsk

11000 guns, 500 AFV, 300 fighters. that's an attack!

you are brave .... and given Oshawatt's usual attacks I'd think 11,000 guns are but a little friendly handshake?

[STEF78]

ORIGINAL: loki100

you are brave .... and given Oshawatt's usual attacks I'd think 11,000 guns are but a little friendly handshake?

In fact I'm really disappointed, I thought that Oshawott would have been able to give me a 15000+ guns handshake!

[jwolf]

I wonder how long it will take Oshawott to turn the flank north of Kiev now that he is across both rivers there.

[STEF78]

ORIGINAL: jwolf

I wonder how long it will take Oshawott to turn the flank north of Kiev now that he is across both rivers there.

I think it will hold till mud. I will send here XXth and LVIth corps to delay his advance

[STEF78]

Turn 114, 19th august 1943

Dvina/Vitebsk

Offensive is growing, Dvina line is definitively lost



Kiev

Oshawott is reaching clear terrain



South

Even good stacks with level 3 entrenchenment can be pushed back

[STEF78]

Turn 115, 26th august 1943

Vitebsk/Dvina

The rhythm of the offensive accelerates west of Vitebsk as I have withdrawn a Pzk in this area... The bridgehead extends slowly at Daugavpils. I cannot be strong everywhere.



Kiev

Lufwaffe is still efficient



South

Oshawott drives NNW. Direct western road is blocked with SS units



Battles

Intense fights all along the front

[STEF78]

Turn 116, 2nd september 1943

Overall view of the front. Heavy fights.

I send 2 pzk to reinforce the Kiev area.

Some ground is given in the center.

Oshawott is still pushing NNW in the south

My FB have good morale and experience but the number of ready aircrafts is low. Armaments at zero as usual.

[STEF78]

Turn 117, 9 september 1943

Dvina

Oshawott gets some momentum. Strong air support!



West-Vitebsk

New record: an attack with more than 1200 AFV



Kiev

I try to keep Oshawott away from clear hexes and allow him to advance in the marshes



South

SHC advances NNW, 3 Inf divs with level 2 fort gives a 13/1 odd.... Ouch!

[jwolf]

ORIGINAL: STEF78

New record: an attack with more than 1200 AFV

This one had more AFV than artillery! Rather strange.

[Oshawott]

This one had more AFV than artillery! Rather strange.

It's an attach with tank corps. They don't have that many artillery pieces.

[STEF78]

Turn 118, 16 september 1943

4 turns before the mud...

A general view of the front.

Heavy pressure in the north. I'm weak east of Minsk with only a couple a Pzd to delay the russians. Almost no counterattack in this area.

Near Daugavpils I'm able to counterattack one or two times per turn.

In the South, Oshawoot has done a good job north ok Kiev. I had to weaken the defence in front of Cherkassy and a german salliant is forming around Kiev. The question is: will I be able to hold the city till mud? The answer dépends on Oshawott. If he wants to make a pincer, I will have to give up the city.

In the extreme South you can see in black my stacks blocking the direct road to Romania.

And my FB have good morale but are low on strength

Last point: chain of command is hell. My units are spread and I succeed at least to have all german units within command range