The Fleeing Slavmen - Drakken v. jjdenver (no jjdenver)

[WingedIncubus]

It's my second game as the Soviets - and my second game against jjdenver. In the first game he pocketed me so bad, losing my whole Southwestern Army in the South and Divisions in Finland, that I asked for a reset. Like a true gentleman, my opponent galantly conceded it. [:o]

This time, I will do it seriously. I owe him this. This AAR will depict my learning process, as I go along. I asked to get schooled, let's get schooled!

Do not hesitate to give me your feedback and your input, when I shall err. I will also ask questions, if needed. [8D]

[WingedIncubus]

My objectives for this game :

- Preserve as many starting Soviet Divisions as practicable.
- Learn how to set good defensive positions, turn by turn
- Prevent having too many Divisions pocketed
- Prove myself as much a thorn in jjdenver's campaign as possible

[WingedIncubus]

After consultation with my STAVKA Chief of Staff Marshall Zhukov I decide to protect Moscow, the nevralgic center of all political, bureaucratic, and military command of the USSR, to the last soldier.

Let the Huns come, I will set the Kremlin ablaze myself and have the Red Square blown into rubble rather than cede them to the Fascist hordes.

[WingedIncubus]

T2
June 22nd, 1941
General situation

Unpredicatbly, not a single Army has activated this turn. Not even a lone General getting his ass thrown off from bed by a stray bomb somewhere. [>:]

The border troops were sleeping at their posts, drunk with vodka and dancing all night. That's the only explanation why they were surprised despite my directives to be kept on high alert. I'll firing squad them into shape, you can be sure of it.

In the meantime I give a rousing speech for next turn, hoping it'll work.

[WingedIncubus]

T2
June 22nd, 1941
Finnish front

No need to overstay my welcome here. There's simply no political gain from holding the line.

I start pulling those occupying troops who can move toward the pre-1940 border. One Division at Vyborg is left as a screen since it can't move due to communication breakdown, but at 25% retreat.

[WingedIncubus]

T2
June 22nd, 1941
Northern Front

Eighth Army HQ has been been surrounded and dislocated, leaving 5 Divisions totally helpless.

1st and 2nd NKVD Border Divisions ordered to Liepaja to hold the city at all cost; Baltic Military Division HQ, 2 Rifle/Border Divisions and one Mech Division to Windau to hold the city. Hopefully these will tie 18th Army long enough.

Major Garrison on Riga. Let them bite and hold the Dvina.

Tried to manage a good defensive position at Kaunas, but I know the way is open in my rear for jjdenver to surround me. No time to escape, so let's fight the best we can. Orders were given to defend at all cost to slow the Fascists down, and a Minor Garrison was put there. I also build a fortification right in the woods northwest of Kaunas, with two Rifle Divisions holding it.

[WingedIncubus]

T2
June 22nd, 1941
Western Front

Bialystok and Brest are ordered to fight to the last man, as they cannot realistically escape the meatgrinder. Partisans card played on the Center since it is the only place on the map with a live pocket.

Vilnius is also wide open and unreacheable, not much I can do on that one. [:(]

I pondered putting a Minor Garrison there but I decided it would be a waste, there was no chance of stopping or even realistically slowing down 3rd Panzergruppe with a bunch of raw conscripts... that said, Panzers fight very bad in urban settings... possible first mistake?

Sent Darth Vad..... err Khruschev to Western Front to forcibly deal with Pavlov before the incompetente fool does too much damage. Western Army pulls back a bit to make a stand in the west and in the north. Next turn, if I am allowed, I will occupy the woods with Rifle Divisions, which are deadly to German tanks.

[WingedIncubus]

T2
June 22nd, 1941
Ukrainian Front

Sixth Army had has a complete communication breakdown. The whole Army. Stuck there to be destroyed. [:@]

I desperately move 212nd Mechanized Division south of the SS Division "Wiking" to stem the pocket at least for a bit, but with no real hope of survival. Whole Sixth Army is ordered to stand ground and if it can't, die there.

Kirponos and its Southwestern Army reshuffle his positions the best he can, under the circumstances, hoping to stand there and fight at least until able to pull back before a pocket happens. To help this I send Zhukov to his HQ to have a stern talk with him. [:-]

I relocate Twelfth Army North from northern Bessarabia to reinforce of the Lvov sector from the South.

[WingedIncubus]

T2
June 22nd, 1941
Crimean Front

Although they aren't activated yet, I take the time to pull back to straighten my future front toward the Dniestr. I remove those units who could be assautled from multiple hexsides and force the Romanians to come and fight in open plains, on my terms while I take position in the mountains in the Northern Dniestr part.

I also abandon the southern part of the front, pulling back the Cavalry where they can be best used. 150th Rifle Division will take position in the mountains as a defensive hedgehog.

Southern front remains immobile, to further the entrenchment value along the Dniestr in front of Odessa.

[WingedIncubus]

T3
June 26nd, 1941
Situation Overview


Brest-Litovsk has fallen, giving me +10 Paranoia. Thankfully, the mere presence of my loyal cronies Voroshilov and Budenny help mollify the situation and keep myself in check, so the net Paranoia remains nil. After all, what is the lost of an obsolete fortress when fighting to save Comrade Lenin's legacy?

Khruschev has arrived at Western Front HQ to 'meet' with Pavlov. Zhukov, however, was delayed on route to Southwestern Front HQ, god-knows for how long. [8|]

After only one turn, we have lost 473,000 men. [X(] The situation in our Center front is really getting worrying, and not only Stalin but yours truly is starting to panic. With 15 PPs to spend... I feel so lost, yet I continue on.

Stalin's speech has given us nothing, as the Luftwaffe keeps harassing our communication lines, hurting our command and control. Only one Army has partially activated... Southern Front, perhaps the only Front where nothing happens yet. [8|]

[WingedIncubus]

T3
June 26nd, 1941
Finnish and Baltic Fronts

Slow evacuation continues both in Karelia and in front of Leningrad toward pre-1940 frontiers. The developers should really think of something to motivate the Soviet players to keep soldiers in Finland; right now there's no reason at all to keep the tension in Finland.

In the Baltic area, 4th Panzergruppe has pierced through the Dvina and has taken Jakobstadt, while the rest of Army Group North is lagging behind. 11th Army is now completely pocketed in Kaunas.

Our position on the Dvina now compromised, and Ostrov being directly threatend my 4th Panzergruppe's forward elements, I muster a minor garrison in Ostrov and attempt to move out of Dunaburg/Daugavpils. Whatever troops is left around Riga are ordered to enter the city for a desperate defence. the longer we hold, the longer they can be a thorn at the Fascists' side and waste precious turns to mop me up.

I play Breakout on 11th Army. Morozov is ordered to empty the city's supply stores and armouries ,stand ground, and breakout or die.


.

[WingedIncubus]

T3
June 26nd, 1941
Central Front

Pavlov is fired. To replace him Khruschev chooses Major General Shapshin, a Tsarist with 40 Initiative and 2 Threat ratings. Immediately afterwards I send him to the Central Front HQ.

I really don't like what I see here...

With Vilnius catured and 3rd Panzergruppe threatening Western Front's right flank I attempt to move out, slowly and inexorably, back to Minsk while hindering both PanzerGruppes as best as possible. Every Division is ordered at 100% retreat to make him waste as much APs as possible. Not much else I can do, except spending yet PPs again to set a Major garrison on Minsk. If wants it, he'll have to fight for it.

21rd Army is deployed in Orsha, right on the central railway road to Moscow.

[WingedIncubus]

T3
June 26nd, 1941
Southern and Crimean Front

6th and 9th Armies have been totally annihilated down to a man, holding Lvov becomes needless. With pain in my throat, since I don't have enough APs to cut 1st Panzergruppe's whole supply line, I evacuate what's left of 26th Army out of Lvov southward to link up with 12th Army.

Southwestern Army keeps retreating in good order, hex by hex. I try concentrating my stacks right in front of jjdenver's panzers to increase the stack cost high enough, while lone divisions are placed on my right flank hoping to hinder his APs if he attempts to surround me. Dutifully I place the HQ on Tarnopol to keep myself an option to play Breakout if the worst happens.

In the Crimea, oddly things are still under control. The Romanians have started their offensive, we stand firm a the few potshots they have taken at us. 150th Rifle Division has successfully invested the mountains, a natural defensive zone. While our center is making a stand in front of the German Eleventh Army. I place a Fortification right there in the woods, as it forms a chokepoint. The Southern Front, the only Army to have (partially) activated, is ordered not to move to remain behind the Bug river as a second echelon.

[WingedIncubus]

I really need some warm encouragement, right now. [:(]

[WingedIncubus]

T4
June 30th, 1941
Situation Overview

No army has activated this turn. None. Zilch. Nada. Niet. All asleep at the wheel while the Baltics, Bielorussia and Ukraine are being taken by the Fascists. Lvov has been taken by the Germans, which is no surprise since I have surrendered it in face of overhwelming odds. Unsurprisingly, jjdenver went for the full 12-days Luftwaffe offensive to hinder my command and control. I would have done the same. Every sane German player should do the same.

Even worse, Zhukov is still delayed! Things are getting dire and I cannot count nor recall my must useful Troubleshooter in this hour of need. [:@]

2nd and 3rd Panzergruppe is threatening to pocket Western Front in front of Minsk, but not all is bad news. Several of the Germans' attempts to punch through or around have been met with stiff, unyielding resistance on several fronts. With activation so stacked against me I can only try to move back and hope for the best.

[warspite1]

Drakken I would release a Tsarist officer ASAP! As per my post yesterday, they do not guarantee activations, and you do take a paranoia hit, but from what I have seen you do at least have more of a chance. My first Soviet AAR vs Orm (and a crashing Soviet defeat) was played without removing the three muppets the Soviets start with.

[WingedIncubus]

T4
June 30th, 1941
Finnish / Northern Front

Hitlerites' attempt to pocket 27th Border Division in Finland has met with abyssmal failure. It's small news, but good news nonetheless. [:)] I keep pulling out what can be pulled, hoping to prevent destruction of my Finnish armies.

Ostrov and Polotsk has fallen, the former's garrison easily pushed by 4th Panzergruppe's forward elements. I don't like that, but given my horrendous results in the North since the campaign has started, what else can I do? 27th Army is nigh-on paralysed and so cannot escape really from Daugavpils. I bring the HQ and 67th Rifle Division inside the city to hold out desperately, at all cost. If they are to be destroyed in their turn I will make it costly in time and men.

The Kaunas pocket has been severely reduced, but Kaunas itself and a last holdout west of the city still stand. A further Breakout order has been transmitted to 11th Army; Stand and fight, and if possible die bringing dead Germans with you.

Nothing stand between AGN and either Tallinn and Pskov, but his Panzers' support line is quickly getting overextended, Partisans are starting to get activated (now at 4% in the North) his Infantry is either busy reducing Kaunas or reaching the outskirts of both Liepaja and Windau, and stacks are holding Riga and Daugavpils, both which are critical railroad junctions. It is far, far, far from ideal, but my troops simply cannot run fast enough. So, I am buying time to prepare a new defence echelon.

I use the Free Change Orders card. Unless a disaster occurs 22nd Army is expected go in the North in 8 days time.

[WingedIncubus]

T4
June 30th, 1941
Central Front

By recommandation of Khruschev, I dismiss Marshall Timoshenko for utter timidity and indecisiveness in front of a national emergency. I strike his name from the records and put him to retirement.

He is replaced by Marshall Rokossovsky. Hopefully, with Jaws shit will start getting done.

I hole up Western Army HQ and as many stacks as possible inside Minsk itself. What Divisions can move, either they move toward the city or they spread out to create a semblance of delaying defence to eat its Panzers' APs. I order Sharshin to permit no retreat. Everyone is to fight to the last man to allow time for 21st Army to deploy its Division behind the Dnepr.

I finally start to shore the other bank of the Dnepr with fortifications. 20th Army is ordered directly on that fortified position to bring reinforcement, commanded by a Toadie, Lieutenant-General Remezov (10 Ini, -1 Threat). I immediately dispatch Khruschev to 20th Army HQ to have a "talk" with him, and transmit my personal message that incompetence will not be tolerated.

Meanwhile I order a Minor Garrison at Vitebsk, to at least try to stem an early push to grab this vital city. Since all pockets were destroyed before I could order Divisions to dissolve into the rear areas and turn into Partisans, I ignore the state of his fuel supply lines - except that he will have to move his FSB either to Minsk or Grodno soon...

[WingedIncubus]

T4
June 30th, 1941
Southern / Crimean Front

26th Army is trapped on the northern bank of the Dniestr, not having enough APs to cross the river. Kostenko is ordered to 25%, so to be bumped across the river if directly attacked. Rifle Divisions left behind from 12th Army guard its rear at 100%, so to fight desperately in hope that Kostenko gets his finger out his butt before it gets surrounded.

Southwestern Front keeps recoiling, abandoning Tarnopol. I bring in as many Divisions together to attain a critical mass of stacks, while all Divisions in the exterior line, and especially in the back ranks, are put to 100%.

Southern Front is ordered to hold the southern Dniestr at all costs, keeping the supply lines crossing to the other bank, while I evacuate the possible pocket in the woods northeast of Jassy. Given that Lieutenant-General Tyulenev is one of the most talented commanders I have (Ini 42; Thr 2) I have hope that if activated next turn a counterattack to smash the Romanians will become feasable.

With so much suck in activation, there's so much a player can do. [8|]

[WingedIncubus]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Drakken I would release a Tsarist officer ASAP! As per my post yesterday, they do not guarantee activations, and you do take a paranoia hit, but from what I have seen you do at least have more of a chance. My first Soviet AAR vs Orm (and a crashing Soviet defeat) was played without removing the three muppets the Soviets start with.

Done. Timid-shenko was sent packing and Jaws is now in command of Central Front. Next turn I will prioritise that front as well, with 4 Armies posed and hopefully a dastardedly tenacious resistance by Western Front.

And if you are asking yourself why no Army has been converted to a Neutral stance yet, every single turn, the activation roll following a switch attempt has been a failure. [:o]