SOVIET AAR thread of Drakken vs. Tamas DC3 Barbarossa game

[Duque de Bragança]

Last screenshot works for me too. Keep going Tamas.

[katmai]

Don't be a Tim, Norgy.
Shows up fine for me too.

[grumbler]

Works for me, too.  If you can't see it, reload the page.

[Tamas]

Pictured AAR coming later, but I feel decisive couple of turns are coming up. With the German breakthrough at the north and the Central panzers massing, I think the northerners will switch south to create a big  pocket. As you will see, though, I am getting ready for them!

[Tamas]

Turn 10

FINALLY, the new Marshal and the focus on the South managed to activate most of the armies:



Not a single turn too soon, either. I'd like to point out I managed to move my only active reserve army last turn straight into the way of the advancing Axis forces.




Keeping to the South, I have counterattacked at the bottom against the Romanians, PROBABLY made a mistake trying to link up with my mass of stragglers who finally got activated enough to cross the river, and hoping these feints will show strength, spread out a bit.



The interesting stuff, however is developing on the border of the northern and central fronts:



In the North I am rushing the Leningrad Army south toward Pskov, conceding the Finnish territories. You can also see my reserve army trying to check what appears the flank of his advance.

Now of course that armored breakthrough could try and cut north and I will be in trouble.

However I think -as mentioned- he is planning on creating a big-ass pocket with his 3 Panzergruppes.

In anticipation, I have reshuffled my Central armies a bit, hoping to crush into the armored arms of the pocket before they could be consolidated via infantry.
Also if he does go north, I could swallow the PP penalties and move an army to try and cut him off.



I did not retreat with the to-be-pocketed units because I'd actually prefer he tried to pull that off. I actually have reserves to throw into the fray there, unlike up north.

[Tamas]

TURN 11

The new German push seems to be under way but no grand drama so far. But it appears there are heavy troop concentrations on all 3 fronts. Especially the South and North look scary, with everything massed for Kiev, I assume, and on the North an attempt to encircle the remaining regular forces there.

On the latter, I came quite close to pulling a surprise. A successful local counterattack against the spearhead has seen most of the armored forces hurdled up in a single hex, but I could not properly cut them off as their lifeline was through a swamp hex which I had no units able to attack effectively. Still should make Drakken mind his flanks which in turn should give the Leningrad Army time to arrive and save the day. I am slowly retreating almost everywhere by the way, but I don't want to give up a single hex I don't have to.



On the Central front I am biding my time - I haven't retreated with my front line of defenses and I haven't pushed my reserves forward that much. I want the Germans to bleed a bit and I want to minimise the risk of encirclement.




On the South Zhukov had a private talk with the Marshal to install some backbone, which was a success.



Then he departed for the 22nd Army on the center of the Central front, as  I think they will see heavy combat from next turn onward.

On the South I made gradual retreat, except down south where I continued my limited counteroffensive against the 11th Army. In fact I think I have something to seek there if Drakken refuses to consolidate his lines or bring in reinforcements, both of which would work for me, as the 46th Army is going as fast as it can toward Kiev.



Next turn I shall have one reinforcement army each for the Fronts. Only real question about where to deploy is for Central.

[Tamas]

TURN 12, August 1

I am quite sick and with the last drops of energy I have made my turn but didn't take any screenshots, sorry.

The German advance along the frontline is more or less contained for the time being, but the South is shaky as always. Only thing I have to be careful about in the Central front is to not allow such a big encirclement as it happened down South.

Otherwise have received one reserve armies each to the 3 fronts, and I have about two turns before the next Paranoid episode, I am afraid.

[Tamas]

TURN 13, August 5

Ok, I admit, the strength of the push in the Center is worrying.

But lets go from North:



This is after my movements, including placing down the 52nd Army as a reinforcement. It is not looking good but I am not expecting any dramatic Axis breakthroughs either. I have placed the 52th there because if Talinn falls the Finns can trigger to cross their border and unleash themselves on an understrength Leningrad.


Central, after my moves and the 50th placed in Smolensk:



I have lost a lot of troops here last turn, and I have largely retreated to my Dvina-Dnepr defensive line, where moment of truth approaches for the line of fortifications I have been building up turn by turn. Here it is:



It just stops one hex short of the marshes at the south, something I will correct next turn if I have the chance. To be honest that line is already compromised from the north by a highly likely envelopment but a) I am hoping Drakken will fail to notice that and b) I have 4 armies at or very close there, so maybe its not so bad.


South



MASSIVE buildup toward Kiev. The No Retreat order (card) has been issued putting a formidable garrison unit there. Zhukov has been delayed so not with the SW army yet. I am preparing a general fallback to just in front of/behind the Dnepr on most of the front but I'd need a few more turns ideally.

The only good news happened here, though, managed to drive the 11th Army back accross one of their two Bug beachheads.

[11B4V]

Looks like the Germans are off the historical timeline. Keep wearing his Nazi ass down.

[Monoriu]

I also can't see the screenshots.  They appear either as an x, or as thumbs that cannot be enlarged.  Reloading the page doesn't work. 

[11B4V]

Load fine for me.

[katmai]

I also can't see the screenshots.  They appear either as an x, or as thumbs that cannot be enlarged.  Reloading the page doesn't work.

HK sucks, news at 11.

[Monoriu]

I also can't see the screenshots.  They appear either as an x, or as thumbs that cannot be enlarged.  Reloading the page doesn't work.

HK sucks, news at 11.

Drakken's screenshots load fine 

[katmai]

I also can't see the screenshots.  They appear either as an x, or as thumbs that cannot be enlarged.  Reloading the page doesn't work.

HK sucks, news at 11.

Drakken's screenshots load fine 

HK hates UK?

[Monoriu]

HK hates UK?

Most of the time, I can see the screenshots and picture posted on languish fine.  This is the exception.  Just checked that my browser is up-to-date.