AAR vs the AI with a difference

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pyguinard
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RE: AAR vs the AI with a difference

Post by pyguinard »

ORIGINAL: Morphy

Kolpino, Nelidovo - never heard of... :(

... At least I was able to locate them [8D]

Here's Kolpino

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pyguinard
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RE: AAR vs the AI with a difference

Post by pyguinard »

Here's Nelidovo

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Rybeck
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RE: AAR vs the AI with a difference

Post by Rybeck »

OOC: I'm using the standard WIR 3.3 map but I've always felt I could do with more cities/towns - been flipping through Erickson and Glantz recently and I derive a certain perverse rush when picturing my panzers battling for some small township like Fastov. Maybe I'm just weird [:D].

Currently I'm using MSN Encarta world atlas to look for those other towns not shown on the vanilla WIR map. Someday I'll get down to attaching MAPS but for now, if I describe a town/city that's not on the standard WIR map, I'll give "directions" like "Kolpino is 20 miles southeast of Leningrad" (each WIR hex is 20 miles), or "midway between Rzhev and Vyazma".

Thanks Morphy and pyguinard for posts and pyguinard for attaching those maps. I prefer yours to the MSN Encarta ones [:)]
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Silvanski
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RE: AAR vs the AI with a difference

Post by Silvanski »

The map in the 3.3 Possum mod features more cities ...
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RE: AAR vs the AI with a difference

Post by Rybeck »

OOC: Silvanski, where can I find Possum's mod? Thanks!

Aug 24-30
North
With adequate supplies, the Finns finally launched a determined offensive against Viipuri with 11 divisions but were unable to make much headway against the well-entrenched Soviet 2nd Army. The Finns did succeed in shooting down over 150 Soviet aircraft (out off about 600 sent to support the Viipuri defense) but their land attack over extremely difficult terrain soon broke down in the face of unyielding Soviet resistance despite heroic efforts by the Finns.

West of Leningrad, the Eighteenth Army’s 1st Korps destroyed Soviet 61st Army (enemy loss 19,110 men and 8 guns), while Sixteenth Army infantry mopped up the 8th and 77th Armies west of the Lovat river in conjunction with Strauss’ Ninth Army forces (enemy losses 58,280 men, 299 guns and 45 tanks).

XL Panzer Korps’ 2nd Panzer Division was given a much-needed boost when its 2nd Panzer Abteilung received a consignment of Pz-IIIh tanks to replace its obsolete Pz-IIfs. Even so, XL Panzer’s attempt to outflank Novgorod from the northeast faltered despite initial success. A heavy counterblow by Soviet 26th and 57th Armies forced XL Panzer Korps to retreat, an unprecedented event for a German formation of this size! By August 30th, XL Panzer’s total tank strength (2nd and 22 Panzer Divisions) was down to a mere 86 vehicles, just over half the authorized strength of a regular panzer division.

At Kolpino (20 miles southeast of Leningrad), the Soviet 24th Army continued to hold its positions despite Luftwaffe bombardment and a concerted attack by our panzers and motorized infantry. We inflicted heavy losses on the enemy but were unable to force a breakthrough.

Centre
Schmidt’s XXXIX Panzer Korps made steady gains around Demyansk, despite the impediments forced on the tankmen by the marshy and forested terrain around the city. Immediately west of Demyansk, our 8th Korps came under determined attack by Soviet 5th and 7th Armies but managed to deflect the assault. The enemy suffered approximately 10,000 casualties.

LVII Panzer Korps defeated enemy concentrations west and southwest of Rzhev, leading to the panicked evacuation of Soviet forces in that city. Due to lack of infantry support however, LVII Panzer was unable to complete the destruction of the isolated 59th Army.

Guderian’s tank troops successfully encircled Vyazma, trapping the powerful Soviet 19th and 20th Armies (no fewer than 10 divisions strong).

Southeast of Smolensk, Fourth Army eradicated Soviet 51st Army (enemy loss 16,440 men and 17 guns). A combined effort by Fourth and Second Armies also saw the reduction of Soviet 46th Army southwest of Bryansk (enemy loss 6,480 men, 18 guns and 2 tanks).

South
While the bypassed Soviet 64th and 69th Armies (enemy losses 29,100 men, 107 guns and 6 tanks) were mopped up, First Panzergruppe sought to envelop Kharkov from north and south. Unexpectedly suicidal resistance from Soviet 75th Army to the south of Kharkov kept the XIV and III Panzer Korps from linking up.

XLVIII Panzer Korps, operating near the junction of Army Groups Centre and South, came near 40 miles of Kursk (from the northwest).

Farther south, Seventeenth Army and Eleventh Army infantry (and our Axis allies) are making steady progress in the direction of the key Dniepr river cities of Dnepropetrovsk and Zaprozhe.

Total losses
Infantry 6130/45170
Tanks 1429/5245
714/14115
649/8409

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RE: AAR vs the AI with a difference

Post by Rybeck »

The June 22nd, 1941 frontline is delineated by the small red globes to the west.
Frontline as of August 31st, 1941 is represented by the thick gray line. German Army Group boundaries are in black, as are the German/Axis forces (e.g. XVIII ARMY, II PZ GR etc). Soviet fronts and armies identified are in maroon. Key Soviet cities are in bright red.

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Rybeck
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RE: AAR vs the AI with a difference

Post by Rybeck »

Aug 31st to Sep 6th

Hitler issues new marching orders for Second Panzergruppe
Perturbed by the strong concentration of enemy forces near Bryansk (six Soviet armies), Hitler ordered Guderian to attack south with XLVI Panzer Korps from its positions near Vyazma and link up with Kempf’s XLVIII Panzer Korps (which was instructed to attack north).

Guderian, Halder and myself (Brauchitsch [:D]) pointed out that this would waste valuable time, and the panzers should concentrate on securing Moscow first, but Der Fuhrer was unmoved, citing “economic reasons” for quickly taking the Donbas, as well as the importance of securing Army Group Centre’s southern flank.

North
Renewed attacks by Fourth Panzergruppe, supported by Eighteenth Army’s 38th Korps finally ejected the Soviet 24th Army from Kolpino. A three-pronged offensive against Novgorod did not succeed, as the tough Soviet 57th Army cunningly drew our assault forces into bitter street fighting. Losses were heavy and out of proportion to our very limited gains. The Soviets neglected to establish strong positions east of the Volkhov river just above Lake Ilmen however, and it may just be possible to cross the Volkhov there and entrap not only 57th Army at Novgorod but its southwestern neighbor (86th Army) as well.

Centre
The once formidable Soviet 19th and 20th Armies isolated around Vyazma were speedily destroyed (enemy losses 118,200 men, 297 guns and 391 tanks). A great victory for German arms! LVII Panzer Korps secured Rzhev, smashing 59th Army en route (enemy loss 17,070 men and 71 guns) and linked up with Ninth Army troops in the Valdai Hills, trapping Soviet 59th Army. XXIV Panzer Korps also attacked northeast from Vyazma to break up Soviet concentrations on the approaches to Moscow, smashing the weak Soviet 70th Army (enemy loss 15,070 men and 16 guns) at Gagarin (about 40 miles northeast of Vyazma).

Image

Things did not go so well at Demyansk. The Soviet 7th Army deployed there, ably assisted by the strong 1st and 5th Armies, checked our assault and counterattacked, forcing our weak 6th Korps to retreat.

Guderian and Kleist fulfilled Hitler’s order to the letter despite fierce Soviet resistance, and a vast Kessel (cauldron) was created near Bryansk. Five Soviet Armies – 47th, 54th, 62nd, 69th and 82nd were completely enveloped. Kempf’s panzers also decimated 81st Army in their drive north (enemy loss 14,420 men and 41 guns).

South
Kleist’s panzers also won additional success near Kharkov, encircling the city and the Soviet 72nd Army defending it. While Sixth Army marched on Kursk, Seventeenth Army has almost completely outflanked Dnepropetrovsk.

Soviet forces are much more concentrated and “thicker on the ground” in the north and centre. Stalin is obviously staking everything to hold Leningrad and Moscow, even if it means sacrificing the Donbas.

Total losses
Infantry 6762/49256
Tanks 1536/5732
Guns 808/14834
Planes 712/8564
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Silvanski
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RE: AAR vs the AI with a difference

Post by Silvanski »

ORIGINAL: Rybeck

OOC: Silvanski, where can I find Possum's mod? Thanks!

Already PM'ed you [;)]
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RE: AAR vs the AI with a difference

Post by Rybeck »

Sep 7th to 13th

Battling for Demyansk
The nature of the terrain around Demyansk aided the defense considerably, which was in any case effective and well directed by General Ivan Koniev. Our forces in the immediate vicinity of the city were outnumbered by no small margin. To shatter the enemy positions and to bring up fresh troops, Ninth Army and a strong detachment from Sixteenth Army delivered a strong attack across the Lovat river in the north near Parfino, inflicting a serious defeat on Soviet 52nd Army (which suffered at least 5,000 casualties).

While XXXIX Panzer Korps (assisted by 42nd Korps and the weak 6th Korps) was unable to dislodge the powerful Soviet 1st Army southeast of Demyansk, the enemy nonetheless felt compelled to withdraw his forces from Demyansk after the collapse of the 52nd Army's position. The Soviet 1st and 43rd Armies (see map) were now virtually isolated.


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RE: AAR vs the AI with a difference

Post by Rybeck »

Sep 7th to 13th

Supreme command decisions
Der Fuhrer consents to release 328th Division from OKH reserve to Strauss’ Ninth Army. After the great operational success at Bryansk, Hitler next demanded that Guderian secure Orel and Tula before joining in the main offensive against Moscow.

After the severe fighting at Kolpino, Hitler decides that he does not want his troops embroiled in costly urban warfare at Leningrad. The city is instead to be surrounded and bombarded to destruction. Now with the fall of Novgorod imminent, Hitler ordered the bulk of Hoepner’s Fourth Panzergruppe to be brought down to Army Group Centre’s front. Von Leeb pointed out that without Hoepner, he would have great difficulty defeating the substantial enemy forces still west of the Volkhov river, let alone capture the key city of Tikhvin. Hitler responded that he would have to make the best of it and in any case the enemy was “on the verge of collapse” all along the front, Leningrad included!

Goering at least recognized the relative strength of the Soviet forces defending Moscow compared to the Donbas area and accordingly redeployed KG-27 (156 He-111) and KG-54 (97 Ju-88A) from Luftflotte IV to Luftflotte II.

North
Manstein’s LVI Panzer Korps reached the shores of Lake Ladoga, 20 miles due east of Leningrad, cutting the rail-link with the rest of the Soviet Union, but there is still the tenuous supply line across Lake Ladoga, and no fewer than five Soviet Armies operating west of the Volkhov river.

Sixteenth Army troops did manage to cross the Volkhov above Lake Ilmen, completely isolating Novgorod and the enemy 57th and 86th Armies. At Novgorod, Soviet 57th Army continued to put up a staunch defense despite heavy Luftwaffe bombardment, while the 86th Army struck south, managing to cut the rail-line linking Pskov and Demyansk (still in enemy hands).

Centre
As described above, Ninth Army forces crossed the Lovat river in strength, inflicting heavy losses on the Soviet 52nd Army. Demyansk and two strong Soviet armies are now all but cut off, although XXXIX Panzer Korps had to endure sporadic artillery bombardment from the enemy.

Ninth Army infantry also crushed the isolated Soviet 58th Army near Vyazma (enemy loss 23,880 men and 84 guns). Guderian’s panzers shattered the Orel Front HQ (enemy loss 9,930 men and 84 guns) but Orel itself (defended by Soviet 50th Army) just managed to hold off XLVII Panzer Korps’ attempt to seize Orel by coup de main. XLVII Panzer also beat off an uncoordinated Soviet counterattack.

The Bryansk Kessel was methodically reduced, with Second and Fourth Armies destroying Soviet 54th, 69th, 82nd and 47th Armies, with some assistance from XLVIII Panzer Korps (enemy losses 84,830 men and 179 guns). Soviet 62nd Army defending Bryansk proved more difficult to subdue, putting up fanatical resistance for the city. Farther south, Second Army also mangled the Soviet 83rd Army near Kursk (enemy loss 19,750 men and 55 guns).

South
Wietersheim’s XIV Panzer Korps linked up with Sixth Army troops near Kursk, trapping Soviet 49th Army (in Kursk itself) and 87th Army.

German troops declared Kharkov secure after the once-strong Soviet 72nd Army surrendered to Seventeenth Army (enemy losses 39,820 men and 216 guns).

In the Schobert’s Eleventh Army overran the industrial city of Dnepropetrovsk but was just checked by the Soviet 79th Army at Zaporozhe. Even so, the west bank of the Dniepr river is completely clear of enemy troops.

Total losses
infantry 7592/54965
tanks 1727/5995
guns 898/15975
planes 770/8619
Rybeck
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RE: AAR vs the AI with a difference

Post by Rybeck »

Sep 14th to 20th

Soviet fighters return in strength …
After licking its wounds for weeks, the VVS fielded large numbers of fighters in the approaches to Moscow. Luftflotte II’s ZG-26 (Bf-110) wing was hard hit, and Kesselring requested that it be withdrawn for upgrading. Goering agreed and replaced ZG-26 with JG-2 (119 Bf-109F) from Luftflotte Reich.

North
Finnish 2nd and 4th Corps launched a renewed offensive against Viipuri, inflicting almost 5,000 casualties on the Soviet 32nd Army but was unable to take the city. The VVS threw in almost 800 aircraft in support, losing over 100 planes but causing significant disruption to the Finns.

Hitler ordered XLI Panzer Korps to transfer 6th Panzer Division to Army Group Centre reserve, in preparation for the drive against Moscow. The ancient city of Novgorod was finally taken by Eighteenth Army’s 28th Korps, after accepting the final capitulation of Soviet 57th Army (enemy loss 39,060 men, 245 guns and 76 tanks). The isolated Soviet 86th Army however, some 60 miles west of Demyansk, managed to stave off defeat – due largely to the fact that our 1st Korps was exhausted from its southward march to engage it.

West of the Volkhov, the Soviet 26th Army also fought well against XL Panzer and XLI Panzer Korps. Heavy losses were sustained by both sides. The enemy’s 85th Army at Tosno (40 miles southeast of Leningrad) also put up determined resistance against Manstein’s LVI Panzer and Eighteenth Army infantry before being compelled to withdraw.

Centre
Demyansk fell to our 8th Korps while the Soviet 1st Army south of the city was finally destroyed (enemy loss 36,240 men, 227 guns and 95 tanks). Soviet 43rd Army was however, reinforced by a full division at the last possible moment and just managed to avoid collapse.

After taking Demyansk, 8th Korps had to contend with fierce if disjointed attacks from Soviet 5th, 43rd and 55th Armies. The attacks were beaten off with heavy Russian casualties of over 10,000 men.

North of the Valdai Hills, XXXIX Panzer Korps decisively defeated Soviet 53rd Army (enemy loss 14,100 men).

Bryansk was also taken and the 62nd Army defending it eliminated (enemy loss 36,310 men, 200 guns and 11 tanks) by Weichs’ troops. Second Army also collapsed the Soviet defenses at Orel, destroying Soviet 56th Army (enemy loss 30,550 men).

From Orel, Guderian’s XXIV Panzer and XLVII Panzer Korps attacked towards Tula, shattering Soviet 70th Army (enemy loss 10,700 men) but XLVII Panzer was checked by the well dug in Soviet 18th Army just south of Tula.

A vain Soviet attempt to retake Vyazma resulted in the complete destruction of their 29th Army by Kluge’s forces (enemy loss 43,500 men).

South
Seventeenth Army units consolidated our position around Kharkov, shattering the Soviet 69th Army along the Donets river (enemy loss 8,800 men). The trapped Soviet 49th Army at Kursk fought with dogged determination against Reichenau’s infantry, surviving to die another day.

3rd Hungarian Corps mopped up the Soviet 60th Army northeast of Dnepropetrovsk (enemy loss 26,170 men, 71 guns). Eleventh Army took Zaporozhe – eliminating the Soviet 79th Army (enemy loss 30,750 men) and its northerly neighbor 77th Army (enemy loss 7,700 men).

Total losses
infantry 8466/62278
tanks 1984/6409
guns 995/17151
planes 942/9056
Rybeck
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RE: AAR vs the AI with a difference

Post by Rybeck »

Sep 21st to 27th

Fuhrer decisions…In view of their accomplishments in the campaign, all four Panzergruppen are hitherto designated “Panzer Armies”, and are no longer subordinate to the infantry armies, e.g. Third Panzergruppe to Ninth Army.

Hitler also moved up 101st Jager and 79th Divisions from Eleventh Army to Kluge’s Fourth Army advancing on Moscow.

North
Reinforced by a fresh infantry division, the Finns finally capture Viipuri from Soviet 32nd Army. Having retaken all the ground lost in the 1939-40 war, Finland is effectively ordering its forces to desist from further offensive activity despite Hitler’s encouraging them to continue on towards Leningrad.

XLI Panzer Korps redeploys from the Novgorod area to Vyazma in its entirety (1st Pz, 5th Pz and 36th Mot Divisions).

Soviet 86th Army is finally destroyed by 1st Korps (Sixteenth Army) – enemy loss 35,010 men, 155 guns and 11 tanks.

Centre
It appears that Stalin’s main firefighter, General Zhukov has returned from the Leningrad sector to supervise the defense of Moscow. As evidenced by his tenacious and skillful defense of Leningrad, Zhukov’s strategic ability is clearly not to be trifled with.

Ninth Army mopped up the trapped Soviet 43rd Army south of Demyansk (enemy loss 17,950 men, 23 guns and 4 tanks). West of Demyansk, our 6th Korps faced a savage counterattack from Soviet 5th Army. Losses on both sides were substantial, exceeding 3,000 casualties.

XXXIX Panzer Korps linked up with LVII Panzer Korps near Staritsa on the Volga river, but the Soviet 13th Army just managed to maneuver its way east (and out of encirclement). At Karmanovo (see map), the powerful Soviet 10th Army (no fewer than eight divisions) blocked an assault by 34th Korps and XLVI Panzer Korps. XLVI Panzer is a mere 60 miles from Moscow.

Image

Farther south, Schweppenburg’s XXIV Panzer Korps battled its way to the outskirts of Tula from the southwest but was checked by Soviet 22nd Army to the east in its bid to outflank the city. XXIV Panzer also had to contend with a heavy artillery bombardment from at least three Soviet Armies.

Summer is all but over and while our troops are tantalizingly close to Moscow, the enemy’s defenses have congealed considerably.

South
Sixth Army captured Kursk, taking the surrender of Soviet 49th Army there (enemy loss 31,430 men, 44 guns). The 54th Army was also destroyed (enemy loss 9,220 men, 16 guns).

III Panzer Korps moved on Stalino from the southwest, shattering the weak 80th Army en route (enemy loss 10,500 men), while Seventeenth Army destroyed Soviet 50th Army on the coast of the Sea of Azov (enemy loss 12,450 men).

From Zaporozhe, Romanian forces are moving into the Crimea against negligible opposition – covering the approaches to Sevastopol, so far only the weak Soviet 82nd Army has been identified.

Total losses
infantry 9614/67134
tanks 2132/6708
guns 1131/18154
planes 1097/9567
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