Slitherine

Soviet units keep retreating to the East. Annoying partisan unit spawned in Smolensk at 5 strength.

Axis turn:

Destroyed garrison in Leningrad area and badly damaged one near Petrozavodsk:



In the center main soviet defensive line spotted engaged. Only 1 corps killed yet, and another one is reduced to 2 steps.

Oka river was not crossed yet.

Kluge HQ assigned to Slovak corps in Minsk.



In the south Kiev is captured, but Odessa still holds:



In the West RN surface assets seem rebasing, ready to contest next convoy, if we attack it with naval units again. Strategic bombers receive upgrade. Probably I will redeploy them to the East for now, to score some hits vs Moscow before winter arrives, but fighters going to stay in the West.



So our BB and DD retreat back to ports, while uboats try to go for convoy. Seems like 2 subs are around it and they ruined my attacks. Anyway, convoy was ambushed during LL phase.



3 more corps purchased for Germany and Roatta leader recruited for Italy.

Soviet troops retreat further East in Tula - Orel area:



Some retreats in the South aswell:



In Lybia on the contrary looks like Britts are going to attack:



Axis turn:

In the north garrison near Leningrad is reduced to 1 step, and another one near Petrozavodsk destroyed.



In the center Germans mostly failed to make contact with new soviet defensive line, but couple of attacks occured.

We still have 2 guaranted fair turns and Red Army supposed to stand and fight now in Moscow area.



In the South things are slow - Odessa falls only now and couple of units killed near Kharkov.



At Sea uboats finally finished off convoy, ambushed during previous turn and attacked new soviet one (58PPs). This one was luckily ambushed by spotter sub, and likely to be sunk next turn.



Strategic bombers are now being rebased to the east (can be seen on Eastern front screenshots).

Purchased 2 more corps for Germany. Rest of PPs were saved.

You still have 2 turns of guaranteed fair weather and Soviet units seem to have bad efficiency. I think that Vokt made a mistake by leaving whole swathes of land completely unguarded. I mean, you started Barbarossa on 2nd of June and by August you are near Moscow! Moreover, your mobile troops seem to be in excellent condition.

looks like a grind around Moscow to see how many Russians can be killed - still I don;t think the Russian are in that bad a shape, no strategic losses yet, a lot will comedown to combats around Moscow

Soviet troops are actually tough and same or slightly better tech level than Germans.

In general Italians and Soviets have much better tech with research system change, than they used to have in older versions. From 1942 spring Germans don't have any tech advantage over Soviets other than organisation in both my 3.2 games so far. Probably its realistic, but very hard to mount large scale Case Blue - style offensive under these conditions.

Their effectiveness on screen above is slightly below 60 and they are entrenched in defensive terrain. Smoking them out will be not easy, as you will be able to see through next turns posted.

Soviet troops keep retreating.

Also Soviet TAC attacks SS panzer unit (1:1 combat result). Garrison near Petrozavodsk cut out of supply German corps in the area, but it is only temporal problem.





In Lybia British troops approach Tobruk and more airstrikes against Italian units launched.



RAF strategic bomber goes for uboat, but gets intercepted by our fighter with good result (seems 3:1).



During axis turn more Soviet troops ended destroyed:







German troops takes Kharkov and Kursk.

Soviets have 5 mech and several corps in Voronezh - Tambov area, its worrying. Counterattack can happen even very this turn.

At sea soviet convoy finished off by single sub attack, 3 other subs reduce British convoy to 9 steps, another convoy is spotted.

Looks like its much better to hunt convoys in present area, instead of going for origin points, thing which I used to do in previous games.

Air units from Britain dont cause half as much trouble, as I expected.



Luftwaffe launchers dirrect attack against CV, 1:1 result only.

Purchased 3rd Infantry lab for Germany and 2 more corps.

In the northern sector its only more Red Army retreats:



Same in the south, but in the center expected counterattack occured, mech in Tula area survives at 1 step:



In Lybia British troops attemptt outflank our positions through the desert and keep harassing italian lines with airpower.



Now to axis turn:

In the north gap near Kalinin was exploited, with city being taken and panzer unit pushing to Petrozavodsk.

Novgorod attacked, reducing defending corps to 5 steps and poor effectiveness.




Main action in the center:

Soviet spearhead was engaged by all availiable units. As a result, several units are destroyed or badly damaged and troops in Orel area are cut out of supply (ruined cities do not provide supply).

Moscow bombed strategically to 4 production. Retreating mech at 1 step will likely be destroyed by airstrike.



Little action in the south, but German infantry enters Dnepropetrovsk and unguarded mine seized by Hungarian mech.



In the west more convoy attacks and another Luftwaffe fighter vs carrier attack (this time good, 2:0 in our favour).



Germany purchase mech and corps, Italy pays repair bills in Lybia and save the rest.

Very exciting! Weather will be of utmost importance in the next few turns.

From 1942 spring Germans don't have any tech advantage over Soviets other than organisation in both my 3.2 games so far.

This is probably too much. Maybe the effect should be a little weaker?

May be just some bad research rolls, who knows.

Anyway, soviet corps units reached upgrade which gives them 4 ground defense and 2nd level organisation are hard to destroy.
They also convert to guard when you start to attack them, and because of this effect its much harder to kill, than western allied units, which have better tech on paper. I ended with strategy to let Soviets have max guards and leave them alone, so other units will not convert when attacked. But again, guard limit is huge compared to German SS limit.
Normal mech have odds like 2:5 when attacking guard corps, armor has 3:4. Killing each of them is entire operation on its own.

Soviet offensive continues. We lost mech, but not the one, which was predicted - full strength one instead.
Also Hoth XIX Panzerkorps was halved in strength and cut off supply, while soviet troops near Orel received supply again:

Soviet fighters are badly depleted - both at 3 steps. Many ground units are also exhaused - they are not that great in 1941 to start with.





In the sea our sub ambushed RN BB again, for good 3:1 roll. (Probably this step of damage was inflicted by airpower)

Hamburg was bombed strategically, but no damage inflicted.



More troop movement, but no actual action in Africa. RAF fighters start to take damage from flak.



Now axis turn:

In the east weather stays fair, so intense action in the center and north continues:







We are likely to lose Hoth's panzer unit, so commander was evacuated. Still, Orel is sieged firmly and this mech (Rokosovskiy HQ) going to die there.

Luftwaffe strategic assets bombed Moscow into red production, and if Vokt want to use his airpower next turn, he will be forced to go unescorted - further damage to his bombers.

In general I am happy that this massive step trade happening during fair weather instead of SW. In 1942 all that soviet units could be much tougher with ground defense upgrade and better morale.

Now to the west - uboat inflicts 3 more steps of damage to BB (3:0 result) and Luftwaffe fighters rebase to Germany for intercepting purposes.





PPs were spent on repairs across the board mostly.

Soviet offensive mostly halted. Only 5 step panzercorps was finished off. Rokosovskiy evacuated from Orel.





More troops movememnt in Lybia.



During axis turn some minor fighting occurs in the East. Main evenе was destroying mech in Orel finally. Weather turns winter, so things slow down for now.





Now all what we need are couple of turns with non-SW weather to properly disengage our troops. Trying to defend against Soviet shock units is considered unworthy.


In Africa Italian battleships sent to bombard British mech on the coast, and TAC targets armour. Results are not great.
Italian ground units receive good upgrades (+1 attack and flak for mechs and +1 defense for infantry).



In Atlantic northern convoy spotted, but only with last sub move, so no way to attack it during this turn. We will try to find it in FoW next turn.

No offensive actions in the east during allied turn:





Usual sub and fighter attacks in Lybia:



Axis turn:

Finished off corps in small pocked near Kalinin, retreats across the front elsewhere. Corps and mech near Tula are a bit exposed, but with mud weather attacks are unlikely.





Failed to track any convoy in Atlantic:



Spotted two of them during LL phase, but both disappear in the FoG again.

Italian navy retreats back to their bases, ground and air units are repaired.

Purchased fighter for Germany and corps for Italy.

Casualties picture for 1941 campaign:

Allied turn:

Soviet troops move forward all over the front. Shock units spotted in the south and in the center, some fighters also spotted.





In Lybia all quiet, but RN units bumped into Italian subs. Result are not good for Italians, but atleast ships did not move where they wanted to.



Axis turn:

In the east more retreats and small operation against Soviet corps near Kalinin, which was destroyed by infantry after 2 TAC airstrikes.





In Lybia Italian mechs destroyed Australian infantry unit on the shore, threating air bases now. Other Italian also move forward to prevent British troops from moving freely. They are sort of trapped in this dunes terrain.



Massive air support of 2 FTSs, 2 TACs and 2 SACs called from other fronts to provide support in Africa during winter.



German subs operate on convoy ways - soviet 32 PP convoy was finally tracked and sunk.



Another convoy is heavily escorted and left alone. Probably its time to change hunting area for uboats and shift to convoy origin points.



Germany purchased another fighter (going to be 6th), using rest of PPs for repairing units.

SW started at the end of axis turn. Looks like only few units are exposed to attacks, and not by soviet shock units.

Soviet winter offensive started, though results are not as devastating, as in previous game. Only patatrooper division was destroyed in the center.




During our turn we keep retreating almost anywhere except north and forest area near Kalinin, which look defendable for now. No soviet heavy units there.





In Africa action escalates, with British troops killing one of Italian mechs and damaging number of other units.



During axis turn Luftwaffe arrive to Lybia in strength. Strategic bombers attacked directly from islands in Greece.

Simonds' HQ mech unit was destroyed and commander sent home for 9 turns. Australian destroyer sunk.

New Italian corps arrives to Tripoli by sea.



Another heavily escorted convoy spotted in Atlantic. No attacks were made.



Purchased 2 more corps and 2 garrisons (will be upgraded to paratroopers) for Germany and 1 corps for Italy.

Oil situation becomes slightly worrying.

Allied turn:

Soviets keep advancing, but almost no attacks were made:





Britts on the contrary retreat from Tobruk.



DD squadron ran into my uboat with 2:2 result. Probably bad roll or allied ASW tech is not yet very high.



Axis turn:

More retreats in the east, but mostly southern wing. In the center we are going to entrench and put up a fight. Shock units are out of reach anyway, and north is just stagnant.





In Lybia Italians advance forward with heavy air support. We have fair chance to trap some INF units in that desert, while armour and mech are likely to escape.

Also sunk garrison transport, which Vokt used as sub sweeper for his capital ships' safe passage. Air support of 8 units is devastating for allies in this scenario.



Our subs go for escorted Soviet convoy, reducing it from 67 to 40.

By the way USN CV and BB spotted standing still in their bases. Logically it meants that Torch is not underway yet.



Germany upgrade 2 garrisons into paratroopers and recruit Model HQ.

Oil situation is stagnant.

Soviet offensive reached German line this turn and destroyed 1 infantry corps and reduced another one to 1 step.





In Africa British troops are fully on the run, while almost-trapped infantry units launch desperate attacks against italian units.



Uboats were attacked by escorts for moderate damage:



Now axis turn:

In the East more retreats commited in the south, while in the center defensive positions are fortified with availiable reserves.
6 step Soviet corps near Kalinin, battered during attack was destroyed by 2 corps and 1 mech attacks, without any air support.






In Africa pocket is complete with Indian corps being destroyed.



Now Luftwaffe units can be released from this scenario, while Italian troops will mop up the desert.

Regina Marina ships return to their bases. Its unusual to be victorious against RN in the MED, but its the price of keeping 4 BBs and most subs in Atlantic.



Several convoy attacks occured:

Soviet convoy was reduced from 40 steps to only 4



This one was 100PP, landed one hit on it. Second uboat has bounced because sub is used as "escort".



Purchased 1 armour and 1 infantry for Germany.

SW continues.

Soviets attack - they managed to destroy one corps in Bryansk area and reduce to 1 step Romanian garrison in Gomel.





During axis turn retreat in the south continues, while in the center and north better positions are picked where possible and units entrench.

Note that some Luftwaffe assets returned from MED already. Its only one turn of flight for Strat from southern Greece to Belarus.





I did not take picture of that area forever, but I have 2 FTRs and Rundstedt HQ garrison in western Germany ready to intercept any bomber attacks (none happen yet).
Also harassment campaign in 1940-41 seems effecient, as there are only two initial STRATs in Britain yet (1 RAF and 1 USAAF).

In Lybia British troops in the desert are being almost dealt with. Now Vokt going to suffer from serious troop shortage in the region, for a while atleast.



Spotted heavily escorted convoy near Ireland. No attack.



Another one detected south of USA coast. Lets see how many escorts it has.



Most of subs are heading to ports for upgrade.

Another mech unit purchased for Italy and corps for Germany.

Good progress. It seems that you managed to avoid making the same mistakes you made in your last game with Vokt. Oil level seems a bit low, though. What are your plans for 1942? Will you take an aggressive stance in the East?

Cybvep wrote:Good progress. It seems that you managed to avoid making the same mistakes you made in your last game with Vokt. Oil level seems a bit low, though. What are your plans for 1942? Will you take an aggressive stance in the East?

Offensive in the East is planned for sure, but it going to be hard to advance against high tech Soviet troops.

Just focus on killing Soviet units. It doesn't matter where you advance. Soften them up with airstrikes and even the most powerful units can be destroyed