Culminating Point: 1943 Campaign, Follow-up Report

[CanisVasily]

NOTES: The report is translated from https://www.toaw.net/t/topic/6330, which is originally written with Chinese texts. More than 10 players have joined in this 1943 Campaign scenario to act as OKH/AG and STAVKA/Front commanders, but their jobs were sometimes changed because someone quit or someone get in. I, the translator, is also a player commanding AGA of the AXIS. This is a follow-up report because the game is still going on, the speed is estimated as 1-2 weeks / turn.

Auto Air Assist & Enhanced TB Control are ON.

[CanisVasily]

T1 AXIS: Citadel Cancelled

1943 Campaign scenario starts at 7.3.1943 at the beginning of Operation Citadel. However, the operational offensive is proven to be a catastrophe, and based on this lesson AXIS members decided not to attack first to maintain strength. Operational Citadel shall be cancelled or at least postponed. The panzer troops will be organized in defensive to weaken and finally halt the SOVIET offensive.

In Orel salient, panzer divisions of 9. Army are divided and changed into reserve.



The situation is similar in the south. Panzer troops of 4. Panzer Army withdraw back. They will be later used in defensive of other regions like Kharkov and Orel.



There's no significant changes in Donbass and Smolensk area.

[CanisVasily]

T1 SOVIET: Silence before Storm

Since AXIS gives up attacking in T1, there's time for SOVIET to organize their offensive (anyway they hold the initiative). Nothing important happens in T1, only some tentative attacks occur.

[EwaldvonKleist]

Will follow, thanks for translating and great to see that there are Chinese WitE2ers too!

If I may ask in this thread, are there Chinese wargames? It looks like most computer wargames come from the US and the UK, but China is so big that they may have a wargame dev scene too?
The Chinese struggle against Imperial Japan or some of Chinas ancient wars are ground not yet treaded by Western wargame devs, but may be popular topics in China?
Regards
EvK

[CanisVasily]

Will follow, thanks for translating and great to see that there are Chinese WitE2ers too!

If I may ask in this thread, are there Chinese wargames? It looks like most computer wargames come from the US and the UK, but China is so big that they may have a wargame dev scene too?
The Chinese struggle against Imperial Japan or some of Chinas ancient wars are ground not yet treaded by Western wargame devs, but may be popular topics in China?
Regards
EvK

There are indeed some PC strategic games focusing on Three Kingdom era and struggling against Japan aggressions, but these are just like Civ5/6 or common RTS, not hard-core ones. The good news is that board-wargames industry is developing in China, including masterpiece introduction (like OCS) and originated works. Besides, the wargame society is also growing. I have one in my collections which illustrates the collapse of Ming Dynasty in the 17th century. In that game you can act as the empire to defend the barbarian invasion and peasant uprising, which will be played by another 2 players.

I think people in the Chinese wargame society have more interest in wars and conflicts in 20th and 21st century. Now there's a rising popularity of the topic about the Chinese civil war (1946-1949) and Korean war (1950-1953). Many people care about the latter one. It's not an easy task for both Americans and Chinese.

Thank you for your caring and I think international communication benefits all of us.

[CanisVasily]

T2&T3: Tango Begins

Both AXIS and SOVIET are not willing to initiate major operations. During T2, several tentative attacks occur by SOVIET in Donbass, and then meet firm counterattack by German panzer troops in T3.







During T3, SOVIET finally launch their major attacks, one at the left and right flank of Orel salient, and another one at the north of Kharkov. It seems that SOVIET activates the Steppe Front in the attacking towards Kharkov as operational reserves. The general idea is OK but maybe it's too early to put them onto the front, which may maintain the pushing momentum but with potential risk.





There are also tentative attacks around Leningrad, Velikiye Luki, and Donbass.







It's the first bloody turn since SOVIET decided to launch attack first, but the result is not optimistic. Germans will doggedly defend Kharkov and Donbass. The situation is about to escalate and more bloody days are yet to come.

[CanisVasily]

One of the AXIS commanders compose a doggerel. Now I translate its meaning to English and I will try to care about rhyme.

SOVIET moves as I think,
Like scared deer Bambi,
Shocked by the car light, or
Frogs catched by the flashlight,
Waiting for fate unsighted.

苏军如吾所料，
如被车灯吓住的小鹿斑比，
被手电筒照住的田鸡，
等待着未知的命运。

[EwaldvonKleist]

Good to hear. As a country's GDP/capita goes up, entertainment industry grows disproportionately, so I am sure the Chinese wargaming industry will expand even more in the future.

An AAR-poem I have never seen before. Read an introduction on Chinese history 3 months ago and was intrigued by the emphasis on poetry described there.


The non-1941 campaigns are rarely AARed or played in multiplyer, so it is cool to see the 1943 campaign.

[CanisVasily]

Good to hear. As a country's GDP/capita goes up, entertainment industry grows disproportionately, so I am sure the Chinese wargaming industry will expand even more in the future.

An AAR-poem I have never seen before. Read an introduction on Chinese history 3 months ago and was intrigued by the emphasis on poetry described there.


The non-1941 campaigns are rarely AARed or played in multiplyer, so it is cool to see the 1943 campaign.

Well that poem is just for entertaining. Glad to hear that it amazes you.

I think 1943 Campaign is a more balanced scenario than 1941, both sides are with similar strength which means everyone can learn something about offensive and defensive. The strategy should be planned well or you may face danger even crisis.

[CanisVasily]

T4 AXIS: Panzer Grinder

Germans are tough and determined men, not willing to withdraw easily until their enemies have been lessoned. SOVIET attacks in T3 breaks the front line but expose their mobile corps. Now it's time to remind the SOVIET what is German Panzerwaffe.









Panzer troops are organized in this "DEMECHANIZATION" process. Just slaughtering actually, the SOVIET mobile corps are severely damaged.









Romanians in the Kuban Penisula are relocated to the Donbass to help build defense (anyway they are just unreliable allies).

[CanisVasily]

T4 SOVIET: Kutuzov & Rumyantsev

SOVIET offensive plan is to be clear. It's similar to the historical one, where Operation Kutuzov plans to encircle Orel salient and Operation Rumyantsev focuses on liberating Kharkov. STAVKA decides to put more men and weapons to the assault spearhead to keep the attacking strength, but also realizes the danger of the exhuastion of operational reserves. To a certain degree it's a war of reserve attrition: the last battalion will bring the decisive victory.

[CanisVasily]

T5 AXIS: Facing the Flood

The SOVIET pincer offensives are observed, and the German panzer troops get together behind the Orel and Kharkov salient to gain superiority in the interior line. Panzer divisions are also used to attack exposed mobile corps and vulnerable division units to halt the SOVIET pushing momentum. AGN main force heads towards Leningrad.

[CanisVasily]

T5 SOVIET: Donbass Offensive

The SOVIET offensive is about to appear its full strength. A new arrow is launched towards Stalino and the Orel-Kharkov offensive is developed with limited progress.

[CanisVasily]

T5 SOVIET: Donbass Offensive

The SOVIET offensive is about to appear its full strength. A new arrow is launched towards Stalino and the Orel-Kharkov offensive is developed with limited progress.

[Tcao]

Just finished reading the AAR on TOAW.net
GG, the German counter offensive is very impressive.

The last post was in Aug 2023, wondering what happened? The Sov players surrendered?