Slitherine

South
We continue to move to Stalingrad and Caucasus.
Also conducted a sweep of the banks of the river Don.
An old Soviet SB strategic bomber was spotted.
Black Sea
Recon found the large forces of the Soviet fleet.
For a strike sent to the Luftwaffe aircraft.
--
Table of contents

Turn 22. Soviet air attack
May 3, 1942
Weather: Rain and Dry

Strategic map
Strategic map - Air
The Soviet command conducted a major air operation in the area of ​​Stalingrad.
Their strength is estimated not much less than ours.
Having a qualitative superiority in fighters, we have no quantitative superiority.
Soviets receive constantly fresh reinforcements.
Norway
British airplanes have been spotted near Norway.
Obviously, their target is Trondheim.

The Mediterranean

Gibraltar
The British regained control of the strait.
Africa
The battle for Tobruk continues.
Transports with reinforcements from the mainland to Africa begin.
This time in the opposite direction.
Russia

North
The Soviets decided to move north from Petrozavodsk.
At Leningrad, we are regrouping the troops.
We are also preparing to storm the fort Krasnaya Gorka(fort K.)

Northeast
The Soviets decided to conduct an air raid, on our units.
While the weather allows, the Command decided to send a risky operation to the rear of the Communists our Brandenburg unit.
Centre
In the middle of Russia, it seems nothing is happening.
But we do not have enough artillery here to advance with great speed.

T34 appeared on the bank of the river Don.
And in the air over Stalingrad some kind of new Russian air army.
In which are present together with obsolete aircraft and aircraft of foreign models.
South
Stalingrad is blocked from the south.
Novorossiysk is ours.
Our troops reached the line of the river Kuma.

Intenso82 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 12, 2019 1:08 pm Centre
In the middle of Russia, it seems nothing is happening.
But we do not have enough artillery here to advance with great speed.

T34 appeared on the bank of the river Don.
And in the air over Stalingrad some kind of new Russian air army.
In which are present together with obsolete aircraft and aircraft of foreign models.

I kind of wonder if we may see a Soviet counterattack in this area (across the Don) later on...

Turn 23. Forward to the Caucasus!
May 18, 1942
Weather: Clear and Dry

Strategic map
Gibraltar
In the area of ​​Gibraltar there are no our units left.
Only spies in Tangier Africa
Our fleet continued artillery support for the assault of Tobruk.
But the British are all bringing new reserves without losing hope of holding it.

Atlantica
Attempt to break the submarine into the Atlantic.
Russia

North
The Soviet command move to the city 120mm mortar.
And started the attack on Petrozavodsk.
But we already firmly hold it. And we have air support.

We begin the shelling of Leningrad.
As well as the storming of the Fort K.
The strategy is to turn off the anti-aircraft gun (a similar tactic was seen in one of the AAR of PeteMitchell). And then add air strikes. Suppress the defense of the city.

Northeast
In the north, we captured Vologda.
To the north of the Volga river and Gorky, tank battles begin in difficult forest terrains.
Our tank captured the airfield of Gorky.
And several of our infantry units crossed over to the other side of the Oka River in the south.

Our special Brandenburg unit was detected by enemy. The mission failed.
I wanted to use them to block the railroad transport of reinforcements. What, however, was not the best idea.
Since most of the reinforcements went on foot.
Centre
Forest is full of Soviet infantry.
Enemy tank is attacking us near Tambov.
Voronezh finally captured.
In the middle part of Russia, the advance is minimal.
South
We came close to Stalingrad, but so far the defense is very strong.
Our mountain jagers continues to move to the mountains of the Caucasus.
There is a crossing over the river Terek.
--
Table of contents

Turn 24. Prepare to storm Stalingrad
June 2, 1942
Weather: Clear and Dry

Strategic map
Gibraltar
Retribution strike for lost submarines.
Africa
We continue the battle for Tobruk.
The British continue to counterattack.
There are losses in aviation.

North
In the north, the Soviets decided to withdraw.
In the ​​Leningrad we are firing at anti-aircraft guns.
To be able to use aircraft over the city.

Northeast
Our outdated tanks can no longer compete with the T34, therefore, they are sent to upgrade to Germany.
In the north of the Volga, the Soviets have an advantage.
Centre
More and more tanks from the Soviets, this time the heavy KV-1 is seen.
South
The south of Stalingrad is completely cleaned, now we can proceed to the storming of the city.
Everything is in movement.
--
Table of contents

Intenso82 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 14, 2019 11:54 am Northeast
Our outdated tanks can no longer compete with the T34, therefore, they are sent to upgrade to Germany.
In the north of the Volga, the Soviets have an advantage.

Were you just advancing as much as possible (i.e. to defeat the Soviet Union as quickly as possible) or did you also have plans for the winter at this point already, i.e. where/how to defend against potential counterattacks?

This is no criticism, I am just curious how large gains in area may turn out in winter in MP...

PeteMitchell_2 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 14, 2019 12:55 pm Were you just advancing as much as possible (i.e. to defeat the Soviet Union as quickly as possible) or did you also have plans for the winter at this point already, i.e. where/how to defend against potential counterattacks?

This is no criticism, I am just curious how large gains in area may turn out in winter in MP...

My primary goals for 1942 were Leningrad and Baku.
This would reduce the number of reinforcements for the Soviets and give a prestige boost. Also additional prestige for the Axis due to oilfields.
Of course, Stalingrad was still, but I had no doubt that I would soon capture him.
I did not have a fixed deadline for the other parts of Russia.
Now it's summer and I didn’t plan where the frontline will be in winter.
Also, the initiative was on the side of the Axis and I did not expect a major offensive by the Soviets.

But Gorky has become a 'tough nut' for me.
Although it was named as Gorky.
Literally translated Gorky means bitter.
And I fully felt it in an attempt to capture it.

By this time there were already two attempts to capture it.
The first attempt - a frontal attack, failed, in which I did not correctly determine the composition of the forces.
The second attempt - an attempt to bypass the city from the north and south, also failed, in which it turned out that my panzers cannot compete with the T-34 in forest areas.

Turn 25. The first oil field
June 17, 19421
Weather: Clear and Dry

Strategic map
Malta captured and received a boost of prestige.
Africa
Matilda went into battle.
Rommel went to another world, but reinforcements arrived from the mainland, an upgraded PzIII tank.
Balkans
A partisan unit was accidentally noticed from a transport plane.
An alarm has been declared. Troops sent to nearby cities for conducting raids.

North
The enemy is trying to send an infantry unit to the territory of Finland.
At Leningrad, the anti-aircraft gun was destroyed.
Bombers - the green light.
Northeast
Nothing happens.
The troops are trying to go to Saransk.
Tanks follow to the upgrade.
Centre
We captured all the cities and begin to move through the forest in the direction of Penza.
In the forest, enemy tanks.
Aviation constantly conducts air battles with armadas of Soviet aircraft.

South
Our troops reached the line of the river Terek.
Stalinrad, air superiority over the city at the Soviets and superiority in artillery too.
So far we can do nothing with this.
Black Sea
The Soviets carry out powerful artillery fire from ships. We lose the infantry.
Ships covered by Soviet fighters.
All our fighters are now busy in Central Russia.
Kerch Strait blocked torpedo boats.

Cross-games Loss analysis

Losses in tanks almost caught up with the Soviets (!)
On capital ships parity.
The other is more or less normal.
Loss Ratio:
Compare the losses per Axis in this game and this one.

I have huge losses in tanks compared to McGuba for the Axis.
And also quite large losses in fighters.

Compare the losses per Allies in this game and this one.

I have slightly less casualties in the infantry than the McGuba for the Allies.
For the others classes I have bigger losses.
And the ships are significantly larger by 4 times!

--
Table of contents

Intenso82 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 15, 2019 4:44 pm I have huge losses in tanks compared to McGuba for the Axis.

I find this "cross-games loss analysis" very interesting! On the different tank ratios, I am actually a bit shocked. Do we know the reason(s) for this, maybe very different play styles? By the way, GeneralWerner always said "protect your tanks"…

It would also be interesting to compare the available prestige for all parties from time to time but I doubt this information is available?

PeteMitchell_2 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 15, 2019 6:38 pm I find this "cross-games loss analysis" very interesting!

In general, I planned to do such a deeper analysis every 25 turns and usually analysis every 5 turns. But if it is interesting, I can do this every 10-15 turns

PeteMitchell_2 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 15, 2019 6:38 pm On the different tank ratios, I am actually a bit shocked. Do we know the reason(s) for this, maybe very different play styles? By the way, GeneralWerner always said "protect your tanks"…

Well, first of all, McGuba is a good player and it is always fun to play with him.
I definitely lost more tanks because of my mistakes.

But also there are some features.
I lost most of the light tanks (Germans and their Satellites). At the same time, McGuba retained all of them and he did not throw them into battle.

I advance more aggressively and went further, faced with some resistance.
McGuba has only just begun to face serious resistance by launching an attack on Moscow.

At the same time, I remember, the German McGuba tanks were quite lucky despite the attack prediction Repeatedly they were able to avoid destruction by remaining with 1-3 strength.
Although this would not change the statistics dramatically.

Intenso82 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 18, 2019 11:43 am In general, I planned to do such a deeper analysis every 25 turns and usually analysis every 5 turns. But if it is interesting, I can do this every 10-15 turns

Thanks a lot! I can't speak for others of course, however every 25 turns seems fine with me.

I think there is no need to drive any additional efforts on your side given these detailed AARs, i.e. if there is no major change in the overall trend/direction of the numbers...

I like it as I had never thought of preparing one, I usually just do some quick “back of the envelope” kind of calculations by/for myself whenever I see a casualties chart.