Through the looking glass: the Soviet side of my mirror match

[CapAndGown]

My opponent's turn 1 move was quite similar to my own (fairly standard openings by now, no doubt). However his Lvov/Stanislav pocket was not tight enough and I was able to get almost all of my HQ and airbase units out of the pocket. Another difference is that he diverted 2 panzer corps from PzG 2 to the south, versus I only diverted one. This should make AGC incrementally weaker, but will bolster his offensive in the south. Something to keep in mind when considering where to send reinforcements.

He also left more wiggle room in the Baltic which I used to expand the size of the pocket, hopefully slowing down his infantry a bit. I also recaptured the port of Ventspils. I was hoping to ship out Northwest Front HQ and Northwest Air Command next turn. Alas, such hopes were dashed as so many other Red Army hopes during this summer of our despair.

I spent the turn setting up screens designed to slow down the Germans while my armies to the rear establish and MLR. I am going to lose a lot of these units, but they hopefully they will buy the rest of the Red Army time to prepare.

[Beria]

ORIGINAL: cap_and_gown
I was hoping to ship out Northwest Front HQ and Northwest Air Command next turn. Alas, such hopes were dashed as so many other Red Army hopes during this summer of our despair.

You will need many turns of repair before those ports become useable again.

[redrum68]

Generally, its usually better to spread your units out more inside of pockets. Essentially force your enemy to spend more MP attacking more hexes as usually no matter what you do your CV will be low. It also tends to increase the threat of raiding.

[CapAndGown]

The Germans advance with little regard for their flanks. The Soviets counter with daring (and suicidal) raids into their rear. In the south, this results in 5 panzer and 1 SS motorized divisions being isolated. This is especially useful, I believe, in the south since these divisions are still quite close to their supply sources and would have plenty of movement points next turn if they could draw on that supply. As it is, they have used up their turn 1 reserves and should have almost no movement points next turn.

Meanwhile, the Lvov/Stanislav pocket holds up well. Next turn we will have to begin airdropping supplies, but for now they are fine where they are.

[CapAndGown]

In the center, the Germans launch a narrow thrust towards the land bridge, this time paying even less heed to their flanks. Since 2 PzA diverted 2 corps south, leaving only 1 in the central region, it would appear the Soviets have managed to isolate almost all of 2 & 3 PzA. This should not, unfortunately, make much of a difference since these units would have been out of gas any way. Nevertheless, it was a low cost move, sacrificing only 1 motorized rifle division (the division in Kiev was already slated to be a sacrifice to the god of war).

[CapAndGown]

The Germans made good progress in the north against light opposition. Unfortunately, there did not seem to be any opportunity to cut off this spearhead as was the case in the south and center. In response, I used all of my very limited rail capacity to move 24 Army from Rzhev into the woods north of Pskov. At least the panzers will be out of gas next turn.

[CapAndGown]

In the north the panzers were obviously out of gas as they launched no attacks this turn, while german infantry was moved up. We adjusted out screen somewhat, but no major changes from last turn.

[CapAndGown]

In the center the panzers launched a few attacks on the units in the woods in the land bridge, but made no appreciable progress. The Panzer corps on the banks of the Berezina should be very low on gas. Indeed, I imagine all the panzer are low on gas at the moment while the infantry moves up in support. I still have some troops in the Bialystok pocket holding out. Good for them!

[CapAndGown]

The Germans made little progress in reducing the Lvov pocket. I want to keep this pocket a pain in their rear (literally) as long as possible, so we sent in a large airlift to resupply the troops there. This will no doubt mean my partisans will go begging next turn, but I figure keeping the defenders of Lvov fed is more important than some ragtag gangs in White Russia.

[CapAndGown]

Our only hope in the south is that the panzers are low on fuel. They were cut off last turn, and this turn we attempted to make their supply routes as long as possible with our isolated units. We did manage to displace a panzer corps HQ. Hopefully, that means it lost its supply dumps. We only captured 1 ton of supply, though. If those panzer have a lot of fuel, they are going to cut through our screen like a blow torch through lead. Geez, what a lot of panzers! [X(]

[eskuche]

You can check panzer fuel using soft factors you know

[CapAndGown]

Thanks for the reminder. Slipped my mind.

Added: OK, I went checked. most are red. An SS division is orange, and one motorized div is yellow.

[CapAndGown]

I am still working on the Soviet turn 4 (I have a long way to go yet), but I have at least completed my moves in Fortress Lvov.

The pocket continues to tie down large numbers of Axis troops. Based on intelligence gathered during the battles in this sector we have identified at least 10 quality enemy divisions involved the fighting there. (I including the Slovaks, who have fairly decent formations, but excluding the Hungarians who only have brigades.)

Contrary to my expectations, despite my massive airlift last turn the VVS was still flew supply missions to 16 different partisan formations.

In less positive news, the Bialystok pocket has finally succumbed after a valiant fight. We identified 5 German divisions involved in this fighting.

One additional bit of intelligence gleaned during the battles around Lvov involve a change in leadership at OKH. Three divisions involved in the fighting around Lvov were apparently subordinated to OKH whose commander was noted as being von Kluge instead of Halder.

[CapAndGown]

The Germans are facing fuel shortages in the north and center. They made very little progress in either sector.

In the north, they slipped some panzers around Pskov, isolating those troops. And they displaced a rifle division from the swamp 20 miles east of Pskov. Other than that, this sector saw little change. I pulled back from the river between lakes Pskov and Piepus out of fear of having that division cut off and isolated. I am preparing to fall back to the Luga, but I will not give up my hedgehogs without a fight!

[CapAndGown]

In the center, the Reserve Front is being inserted into the line between Western and Southwestern fronts. As noted above, little progress on the part of the Germans. Minsk is still standing defiant! (It will fall on turn 5)

[CapAndGown]

The pack of panzers we saw last turn encircled 5 divisions along the Yuzhny Bug. The rest of Southwest Front, however, has now, for the most part, pulled back behind the Dnepr. The Southern Front, meanwhile, pulls back towards the Ingul, with a screen along the Sinyukha.

Three divisions with the best morale were selected to make a stand at Odessa.

Some other general notes:
A great deal of the Red Air Force was withdrawn to the national reserve on turn 1. I have been bringing them out of hibernation and upgrading some units. What remains in the national reserve are all my biplane groups. I-153s and I-15bis. I am going to bring them onto the map into two airbases well behind the lines where they will be converted into more modern planes before going to the front. I am not just going to offer up cannon fodder to the Luftwaffe.

Along those lines, I have ground support and interdiction turned off. Right now, these uses of the air force accomplish little to nothing, yet cost us planes. Instead, interception has been turned up to 250% and Ground Attack to 100%.

As far as admin points, I have not yet used any to change leaders. I have been waiting a) for Stalin to start executing some of the boobs, and b) for the corps HQ to be disbanded and the front to be organized along Armies, rather than corps.

Armaments and Heavy industry have been evacuated from Mogiliev, Kiev, Odessa, Kirovograd, and Nickolaev. Kremenchug has been partially evacuated.

[CapAndGown]

The garrisons at Pskov, Minsk and Lvov all fell to the Nazi horde this turn. The Lvov pocket is almost gone, but the men that remain fight on. Za Rodina!

[CapAndGown]

In the north we are falling back to our MLR. I still have a light screen in front of the MLR to provide those troops more time to dig.

I finally spent AP this turn to make some leadership changes. I had been thinking that Stalin would be royally pissed and had a bunch of generals shot by this time, but no. The only leadership change came about through an accident that killed one of my corps commanders who was replace by Zakarov.

In the north 26 Army was put under the command of Zakarov who was currently in charge of 17 Mech Corps (which actually was an all infantry corps by this point). This resulted in Vasilevsky taking over 17 Mech. That won't last since I expect the corp HQ to be disbanded next turn.

In the south Timoshenko takes over Kharkov military district, while Zhukov takes over Southern Front. In addition to Timoshenko, Kharkov military district now includes Koniev, commanding 19 Army, and Tolbukhin commanding 38 Army. Quite a collection of talent in one front.

Also in the south Eremenko took over command of 12 Army which is part of Southwestern Front.

[CapAndGown]

Not enough troops. Not enough troops in the north. Not enough troops in the center. Not enough troops in the south. Not enough troops anywhere!

Next turn I expect the Germans to head south from the land bridge in order to achieve a crossing over the Dnepr and to threaten Soviet forces along the river with encirclement. Nevertheless, I refuse to give up the crossing without at least a some fight. Ni Shagu Nazad!

[CapAndGown]

Our defense along the Dnepr seems adequate for now, but I am very worried about the Ingulets position. Hopefully, the Germans will not achieve any major encirclements of Southern Front forces allowing us to pull back even further next turn. (the "not one step back" order does not apply here. [:D])

I should also note that I reduced the reserved rail capacity from 10% to 7% to give myself more room for factory evacuation.