Turning the Tide

[Michael T]

Marquo and I are both newbies to Case Blue, for each of us this will be in fact our first game. So readers can expect some newbie errors and questions. It will be delayed so Marquo will be adding his comments from time to time but it will mean I won’t be disclosing any ‘Strategic thought’ here until after the event. First maps will probably be in a week or so. Stay tuned.

MT Soviet
Marquo Axis
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Trappenjgd scenario. FOW, High Command Rules, Axis Minor Rules, C&C rules, More constrained Oil. AND Hard Core Supply. Server game.

House Rules

Rather than use the dismissal rules we will be using these HR instead.

If the Axis does not achieve all the following territorial objectives at some point in the game then they lose. If they do achieve the territorial objectives the normal victory conditions apply, VP etc. However if the Axis achieve an Auto Win, that would override the conditions below.
The territorial conditions are these:

Germany must at some point capture OR isolate OR get adjacent to Stalingrad.
AND

Germany must at some point capture OR isolate OR get adjacent to Maiko.
AND

Germany must at some point capture OR isolate OR get adjacent to Grozn

Soviet Conditions:

Soviet 57th and 6th Armies (including all attached units – no reattachments allowed) must remain West of the Donetz for the first 6 turns unless Axis units cross the Donetz south of Izium or enter hex row 50 north of Izium. These two armies must also make 3 land attacks each turn for the first 3 turns with at least 6 regiments in each attack. For each hex the Axis leave empty at the end of the Axis turn that lies adjacent to the units of 6th or 57th Army one attack is considered done.
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[mmarquo]

No fleeing east - stand and fight like a man. These HRs obligate the Soviet to at least stand forward 6 moves even if my landers flee west during these turns...so I can trap them before they turn Stalingrad into a death trap. My strategy is threefold:

1. Learn the game
2. Drink oil from the eastern wells
3. Have fun

Cheers [:D]

[Michael T]

After consideration Marquo has agreed to stay away from this AAR. Writing a delayed AAR and restricting discussion and other maskirovka safeguards would be too much to bother with.

So the fascists are banned!

Turn 1 (12 May 1942) the Axis pushed in to Kerch and were unceremoniously thrown back with great loss in a 4 hex counter attack from 6 Soviet ID with assorted Armour and Artillery. Soviet attacks in their T1 resulted in 21K of Axis casualties (including the elimination of the 1st III of the 44th INF XX) for 11K of Soviet troops. Most of the Soviet VVS was moved south to protect the Kerch peninsular which Stalin has declared the Leningrad of the South. Sevastopol seems untenable. A fleet of transports is heading that way to begin evacuation.

Soviet units made attacks to the North and South of Kharkov, some were quite successful and others were disastrous.

My plan at this early stage is to conduct attacks as long as I can around Kharkov and defend pretty much everywhere else.

This turn I built the 22nd Tk XXX’s missing Mot Inf III. Replaced the leader of the 40th Army and re attached all Air units to Stavka. Reserves were brought up to the Voronezh and Rostov fronts in anticipation of Axis attacks in these areas.

We await the Axis T2. I will present a map at the end of my T2 (14th May 1942)

[budd]

always enjoy your AAR's thanks for taking the time.

[Michael T]

Soviet T2 (14th May 1942, Clear)

Voronezh Front
The Axis pushed in to my lines here and poor C&C means I have little counter attack ability. So I withdraw a hex, re-establish a line and mass my artillery for a possible counter attack next turn if the C&C situation improves.

North Kharkov Front
The 28th Army did not suffer any C&C problems so the Soviets push further ahead just to the south of Belgorod. Inflicting some pain on the Hitlerites. The presence of 23rd Panzer makes me somewhat cautious.

South Kharkov Front
The Axis fade away to the east in front of our advance. Rather than head further in to a trap by pursuing them we content ourselves by beating up a Hungarian III just to the south of Kharkov. The remainder of the Soviet front line in this area moves in to a defensive stance. The Axis attacked the southern part of it last turn so extra troops move in to bolster the line.

Rostov Front
The Axis pushed the 13th Panzer across the Mius last turn. We were waiting. The invaders were thrown back with a successful counter attack. But a simultaneous drive just to the north that I can do nothing about threatens to unhinge this line. More troops are on the way.

Kerch Front
After the bloody nose he received here last turn Marquo contented himself with several large artillery barrages. We dig.

Sevastopol
We are starving. Our fleet arrive, we await the swarms of Stuka’s.

General remarks

Marquo likes shooting up my Tanks with his Stukas. I must have lost 60-70 tanks last turn to Stuka attacks. Ouch. I am also feeling a truck squeeze. I like my motorised INF XX’s but I just don’t have the trucks to keep them mobile. So 3 of them are converted to regular INF XX. I am tempted to play a Truck card. But decide to wait and see for a bit.

Very cool game.

Total Losses Axis - Soviet

Troops_______30K – 29K
AFV__________55 - 155
Trucks_______200 - 50
Fighters_____15 - 50
Bombers______35 - 40
Guns_________385 - 265

[RCHarmon]

I'm glad that your doing this AAr. I think traffic on this sight is coming back. Need to get some more AArs going.

[Michael T]

Soviet T4 (18th May 1942, Clear)

Voronezh Front
Holding ok here. C&C problems always seem to prevent any counter stroke.

North Kharkov Front
Again C&C problems. We lose the initiative here and 23rd Pz drives a wedge in to our lines. The Kharkov offensive is over. We retire in good order.

South Kharkov Front
Worrying advances by Axis forces on either flank of the salient create panic at Stavka. 6th and 57th Armies head east at a rapid rate to try and escape the trap. Not everyone will make it out. Maybe none if the C&C die rolls go bad.

North Rostov Front
Terrible C&C problems that coincided with a thrust by 16th Pz and friends result in the encirclement of several Soviet ID’s. This area is off particular concern.

Rostov Front
The line is holding so far. One area where there are no concerns…yet.

Kerch Front
C&C again caused kaos. An Axis drive coincided with C&C problems and I was unable to mount any counter attack. Even though I had many ID surrounding the penetration. Things have gone bad here very quickly.

Sevastopol
We are starving. The transports evacuated several divisions. I don’t think I will get any more out before he takes the port.

General remarks

The initiative lies firmly in Axis hands now. The C&C penalties crippled my attempts at taking the fight to him. It’s a struggle for survival now, at least till the Soviet command level gets to 100%. Only 25 more turns for that to happen!

His tank losses must be hurting, surely.

Why won’t it rain!!


Total Losses Axis - Soviet

Troops_______60K – 81K
AFV__________180 - 245
Trucks_______250 - 1000
Fighters_____85 - 250
Bombers______145 - 40
Guns_________535 - 1000

[schascha]

I miss your ARRs in WITE forum.

I'll follow this one with great pleasure. Thx

[Michael T]

Good to see some old WITE ppl around

Soviet T6 (22nd May 1942, Clear)

Turn 5 was a Mud turn so some respite for the Red Army and most of the Kharkov salient forces (57th & 6th Armies) were extracted thanks to good C&C results. On T6 clear skies returned and the Wehrmacht resumed the attack. Marquo pushed hard towards Voronezh and he also pushed hard to try and trap Red Army units leaving the Kharkov salient. However he left his flanks a little thin and some good C&C rolls meant the Red Army was able to counter attack with some outstanding results.

Voronezh Front
At last an opportunity for a counter stroke arrived. 13th and 40th Army combined to sneak around the flanks of 1st SS Mot X and 95th INF XX, both of which were then wiped out. Huzzah!!

North Kharkov Front
23rd Panzer is driven back a hex by 28th Army. Nice.

South Kharkov Front
71st INF XX and 3rd Pz XX along with some bone head security units thrust recklessly in to my retiring 38th Army. A veritable hornets nest as my C&C was good. Again his flanks were weak. Hordes of retiring Soviet units did an about face and surrounded the Axis spearhead and then wiped it out. Huzzah!!

North Rostov Front
16th Pz and 60th Mot XX threaten the southern flank of South Kharkov Front. Reserves move in. The situation is stable for now.

Rostov Front
Two major thrusts by Marquo here. The first comprising of 13th Pz and LAH XX is thrown back by a massive Red Army assault aided by two full strength Katyusha III’s. The second thrust by Wiking SS XX is worrying. My flanking manoeuvre failed. My lines in front of Wiking are now weak.

Kerch Front
The Axis attack here failed this turn so we are content to hold our ground and dig.

Sevastopol
The transports evacuate the HQ and some remnants. The port will fall next turn.

General remarks

This was a brilliant turn for the Red Army, 2 German INF XX, a Panzer XX and a SS Mot X were wiped out. Our line is reasonably stable. I think Marquo under estimated the capability of the Red Army if it gets good C&C results. These losses will test the mettle of the Hitlerites.


Total Losses Axis - Soviet

Troops_______113K – 152K
AFV__________335 - 440
Trucks_______ Forgot this one, sorry.
Fighters_____140 - 345
Bombers______155 - 90
Guns_________945 - 1800

[Michael T]

The Hitlerite invaders have thrown down their arms and seek terms! We exterminate them….

Seriously, Marquo has asked for a restart, so we have agreed to swap sides for game 2 under the same conditions as this game. I will do an AAR from the Axis perspective. Stay tuned for a new game soon.

[mmarquo]

Why do a restart?

1. Gross mismanagement of command cards.
2. Ignorance of which units to build.
3. Negligent use of the Change Model function.
4. Unfortunately I see the folly of what I did so the was match was set. MT likes a good match so we reset.

Biggest lesson: Axis player must be patient, very patient (I think).

[Vic]

ORIGINAL: Marquo

Why do a restart?

1. Gross mismanagement of command cards.
2. Ignorance of which units to build.
3. Negligent use of the Change Model function.
4. Unfortunately I see the folly of what I did so the was match was set. MT likes a good match so we reset.

Biggest lesson: Axis player must be patient, very patient (I think).

In Trappenjagd my advice to the German player is to take an overall defensive posture, but retreat quite a number of Panzer and Motorized Divisions from the front and use them to en masse to do 1 or 2 local surprise offensives.

Its worth to wait a month before putting the whole front in motion. You'll receive among others around 6 extra Mot and Pz divs and around 40.000 replacement troops.

Best,
Vic