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I wonder how the units ended up having the same names several times and with several units. Did this happen automatically? If yes, do you have to watch out every time you deploy a new unit whether or not that name is in use already?
I'm still concerned about the losses in ground fightings. They're about equal right now and you're still not that far into Russia. The Wehrmacht also failed to destroy significant Red Army formations by now. While progress seems to be fairly good, you're in danger of overstreching yourself while the Wehrmacht is moving into the Ukraine, thus lengthening the frontline. Less units in reserve mean less many successful attacks / reserves / follow up operations. Not sure if the move towards more mobile units is the right step here when you currently seem to lack boots on the ground in general.
Are the Italian and Bulgarian units doing something useful at all? They seem to be moving about aimlessly, consuming supplies but not participating in actual battles. What are their objectives anyway on the eastern front?
 
Rank and File
A Clerk’s War​



Monday 7th to Saturday 12th July (Part I)

General Wünnenberg has been forced to wait for several days to resume his attack on Braslaw, but he has had his revenge. General Rogachev had been reinforced with 19 Voronezhskaya, but even so he was not able to resist the fury of the attack by 9th Panzer. The shame of being called back when they felt that victory was within their grasp must have affected every soldier in the division, as 233 Strelkovaya and its fellow infantry division lasted just a few hours before abandoning their posts. In the excitement Wünnenberg’s staff forgot to send their battle maps to Polen Army Nord HQ, but I suppose that is to be expected.

befehlspanzeriiij555fin.jpg


Eager to regain their reputation, Wünnenberg’s panzers made short work of 233 Strelkovaya. The commander of this Befehlspanzer IIJ of 9th Panzer Division can forget the earlier retreat: the last few hours have shown that 9th PzD is one of our best armoured units.

That was the only action reported from the east on the 7th, though there was other good news. Feketehalmy-Czeydner has advised XII Armeekorps that 87.ID is ready for deployment to the front, a welcome addition to Österreich Army’s available units. Only an hour later, 109.ID joined 1s schwere Panzer Division. While General Keitel’s division is not motorised, beggars can’t be choosers and in the current situation General Model is probably pleased to get any reinforcements at all.

jaworojun41finalk.jpg


They may have to march, but General Model is glad to have the 10,000 men of 109.ID under his command

Although that was all the action, there was one disturbing report. With Polen Army Sud being directed northwards, curving around the Pripyat Marshes, security to the immediate west of the Marshes has been left to our Hungarian and Italian allies. Even though there are dozens of divisions in the area, with their typical disorganisation nobody seems to have ensured that every province is garrisoned. At some point the last soldier left Lubieszów and the Russians saw their opportunity. The next we knew, an apologetic General Badoglio was informing an apoplectic General Rommel that the Soviets had recaptured the province without a fight. (Although we would never let our allies know, this was not actually too bad. By moving west the Russians were making their situation worse, as our two armies push closer to cutting off the whole of the Pripyat.

7loselubfinalend.jpg


Loss of Lubieszów

Tuesday was a day of shame for the Jagdwaffe. Zhigarov and his two dive bomber regiments carried out no less than four successful missions over Vodoskhovyshche, killing more than 300 of Herzog’s men. Admittedly 36.ID (mot) is far from the nearest airbase, but surely someone could have been found to interfere with the VVS raiders. The clumsy Ar-2s would not have lasted 30 minutes against even one geschwader of Messerschmitts. But the real concern here in Berlin (as expressed to me by a senior officer in the Heer) is that we are now outrunning our air cover. The VVS has been hoarding its bombers, with very few attempts to hit our troops. Has Stavka been waiting for just this moment to unleash wave after wave of air attacks? I suppose these strategic questions are important, but right now my thoughts are with Herzog’s men as they struggle to keep the pontoon bridges to
Kremenchuk open, desperate that their comrades fighting on the far side are not cut off.

dnjeprsep41final.jpg


The fragile link to the eastern bank of the Dniepr, all that keeps our men in Kremenchuk alive

But that was not the end of the Lufwaffe’s humiliation. While VVS bombers roamed at will in the south, our own aircraft were being pummelled in the north. The Fw 190As of “Zebra” were not enough to protect Kitzinger’s Ju 188s from a series of attacks by Russian fighters. 3rd Kampffliegerkorps managed just one mission in support of the attack on Daugavpils before it was so badly damaged it was withdrawn. A few Soviet fighters were destroyed, but when the last of our aircraft touched down at Königsberg and a final tally could be made, it was a disaster. “Zebra” lost 51 planes, “Legion Condor” lost 47 bombers and “Holzhammer” is reduced to just 63 effective aircraft. 144 planes were shot down or crashed on the way home. There was stunned silence here in the OKW Annex as the scale of the defeat became apparent. Where are our fighters?

8airdaugavpilsfinal.jpg


Air Battle of Daugavpils

Things were not much better on the ground. Von Manstein’s latest attempt to expand the bridgehead over the Daugava has run into problems, with the discovery that the enemy has 40,000 men guarding the far side of the river in Madona. General Feige is persisting with the attack, but even with two divisions attacking from separate directions he has little chance of dislodging Baranove and his 5 divisions.

7madonafinal.jpg


Battle of Madona

The only cheerful news for the day also came from Polen Army Nord, but it was of a much better planned and executed battle. General Erfurth has targeted two infantry divisions which had attempted to prepare rudimentary defences on the open ground of Hlybokaye. While this may have deterred a single unit, Erfurth has co-ordinated three divisions to attack from both Polatsk and Postawy. Already there signs of panic in the enemy, and Erfurth is busy trying to persuade von Manstein to give him more troops to allow him to overwhelm Karakov and sweep into Velikie Luki.

8hybokayefinal.jpg


Battle of Hlybokaye

As Generalfeldmarschall of the Luftwaffe, Minister Göring felt the full wrath of the Führer over yesterday’s debacle. As is the way of the world, the misery was passed down the ladder, and ended up with Christiansen’s pilots having their pleasant break in Berlin ruined. Military police were sent out to the nightspots where pilots and crew were retelling their exploits to admiring Fraüleins, and by dawn 4th Jagdfliegerkorps was in the air heading for Odessa and Österreich Army. Zhigarev, oblivious to the menace approaching, started the day with another flight over Vodoskhovyshche. It was to be the last time his dive bombers would enjoy an unopposed mission: although 4th Jagdfliegerkorps had not had enough time to replace all the aircraft it had lost, Christiansen could still put 287 Messerschmitts into action. That was enough to send the VVS bombers packing, and Herzog’s men must have breathed a sigh of relief to see the Ar-2s disappearing into the distance, our fighters in hot pursuit.

9airvolodfinal.jpg


Air Vodoskhovyshche

Generalleutnant Sperrle reported an attack over Zaslawaye, but his escorts were enough to hold off most of Rog’s fighters and his continued his mission. Steiner could do with the help, as Tanaschinen now has 27 brigades at his disposal, more than 54,400 men. 3rd Panzer is finding the going really tough and although the Russians are difficult to detect in the trees, pattern bombing by the Ju 188s creates deady storm of wood splinters that has proved most effective against the enemy hiding behind fallen logs and in the brush.

9airzaslawyefinal.jpg


Air Battle of Zaslawaye

The most effective method of protecting our bombers, however, is to make sure the fighters never get to them. To achieve this, Waber led his Messerschmitts far behind the enemy lines, to Dorogobuz. Here he took on the swarms of Yaks and MiGs as they rose from the airbase here and the nearby airfields of Viteybsk. He was only able to make two trips, but he prevented Zhavoronkov from interrupting any other of our bombing missions. Unfortunately, while 6th Jagdfliegerkorps was busy in the rear, the VVS were able to send Novikov’s bombers in to hit Polatsk, killing nearly 100 men of 3rd leichte Panzer. From what I hear my brother should be OK, as the Arkhangelsky Ar-2s used their bombs on the motorised infantry, either not sure that they could damage the armoured vehicles or hoping to cause more devastation on the soft-skinned trucks.

9airdorogobuz2final.jpg


Air Battle of Dorogobuz

Far to the south, von Kluge ordered General Friedrich-Willich to close the gate on the Russians in Novo Odesa. 2nd Gebirgsjäger are locked in combat with 16th Tanklovayta in the appropriately named province of Tankobasha. All is going well and Österreich Army HQ is predicting that we will cut off a tank and an infantry division. It may be small in terms of the size of the Red Army, but it is still 20,000 men and their equipment that will need to be replaced. The Soviet reserves may be vast, but they are not infinite.

9bashtankafinal.jpg


Battle of Bashatanka

Berlin and its nightlife must be a distant memory for Christiansen’s pilots, as they are now flying around the clock. Once it was known they were based at Odessa, they were contacted every time a Russian reconnaissance aircraft appeared. Even our Bulgarian allies called for assistance, and as the Foreign Office is keen to keep the Bulgarians happy, 4th Jagdfleigerkorps was despatched south to the port of Varna where 2nd MBAD was proving a nuisance to shipping. At least there was little danger from the lumbering float planes which were no match for our modern fighters.

yak1mass0final.jpg


Could this be the reason why we are under such pressure in the skies? One of our few spies in Russia smuggled out this photograph of an aircraft factory somewhere near Moscow: dozens of Yak 1 fighters being assembled for despatch to the front.

All along the Dniepr Generals Guderian and von Kluge are keeping the Russians alert, launching attack after attack to prevent the Russian commanders from weakening one area to reinforce another. Bieß was the recipient of the most recent order from Balkans Army HQ, and 10.ID (mot) is trying to force its way into Zolotonosha. He is probably hoping that it will not be long before Guderian feels the Russian s have got the point and allows him to stand down his men: all this is likely to achieve is a lot of dead Bitburgers.

9zolotonoshafinal.jpg


Battle of Zolotonosha

A sign that the Russians caught in the west of the Pripyat have realised their peril came with an attack on 108.ID in Makhrovka. 87 Strelkovaya was totally outclassed and could only sustain their assault for a few hours before falling back into the swamps. Our local commanders believe the area to the north of Makhrovka may be impassable and that prompted the desperate attack.

9makhrovkafinal.jpg


Battle of Makhrovka

Kondratchev may have called off his attack on Makhrovka, but it did not buy his men time to recover. General Ruoff, always impetuous, thinks that the Russians are caught in Sarny and has obtained permission to use three divisions to squeeze the 28,000 trapped Russians. He has reported that while resistance is strong, he sees evidence that the defence is brittle.

9sarnyfinal.jpg


Battle of Sarny

General Rösener had good news for Balkans Army HQ. The arrival of von Bock’s 111.ID and a Hungarian infantry division were enough to convince the Soviets that they could not win the battle for Pereyaslav Khmel’nyts’kyy. (Though had they had better information, they would have seen that von Bock’s men were exhausted from a forced march and the Hungarian division comprised of just two brigades of lightly armed soldiers.) For five days 35.ID held on while General Korshilov flung wave after wave of infantry at them. Just under 1,400 of Rösener’s men died, but they stood firm. A credit to the Balkans Army.

minskfinal.jpg


Minsk is a large city with many imposing buildings: it could be expensive to capture should the Russians decide to fight house-to-house

That good (if sombre) news was followed by another item that while expected was none the less welcome. Von Manstein and Polen Army Nord have givne the veteran Kreß von Kressentstein the honour of leading the assault on Minsk. As darkness fell on Wednesday, 30.ID was making its way through the outer suburbs of the capital of Byelorussia. What was surprising was that our troops are being supported by a Hungarian unit, 16 gyaloghadosztály. We will see how our allies perform in the crucible of city fighting, the real test of skill and endurance.

9minskfinal.jpg


Battle of Minsk


End of Part I
 
When will you stop AI from losing the east?

I will keep going to the bitter end using the AI: the pressure is on me to work out how to do it more effectively.

I have already learned a bit about setting objectives, but I haven't yet been able to work out how to stop if making low odds attacks.

But don't give up in me yet: things get a little better soon :)

(but then they go worse again) :mad:

Thank you Uriah and you answered my question perfectly. and sort of guessed it when i saw it was a 100 and so odd pages long, but it was worth it :)

NP and glad you enjoy it: but not the comment above: it may not be the way to win.

But I am having fun seeing if the AI at Army level can conquer the world.

I wonder how the units ended up having the same names several times and with several units. Did this happen automatically? If yes, do you have to watch out every time you deploy a new unit whether or not that name is in use already?
I'm still concerned about the losses in ground fightings. They're about equal right now and you're still not that far into Russia. The Wehrmacht also failed to destroy significant Red Army formations by now. While progress seems to be fairly good, you're in danger of overstreching yourself while the Wehrmacht is moving into the Ukraine, thus lengthening the frontline. Less units in reserve mean less many successful attacks / reserves / follow up operations. Not sure if the move towards more mobile units is the right step here when you currently seem to lack boots on the ground in general.
Are the Italian and Bulgarian units doing something useful at all? They seem to be moving about aimlessly, consuming supplies but not participating in actual battles. What are their objectives anyway on the eastern front?

It occurs for two reasons.

If I have changed a name then it will assign the same name to a new unit. eg when I add a name such as "Angriff" to a divsional name or if I change it from "3" to "3rd"

The system insists on duplication foot and mot inf names: eg it differentioates between 3.ID and 3.ID (mot). As the Wehrmacht did not do this, I try to keep them all distinctly numbered: so I have to watch motorised units. Most problems come here.

So I need to check whenevet a new unit appears. When things are happening this sometimes slips my mind. Or maybe it is an age thing :(

As you have probably noticed, I too am concerned about losses. Low odds attacks that drag on are the main cause. I could easily fix it by manually stopping such attacks, but that would go against my original restrictions.

I took a note of how many brigades the Russians had at the start of Barbarossa (986) and they now have 902. (I'm not cheating, just loaded at 12/7/41 and looked at the stats). So I have destroyed 84 brigades + whatever the Russians built since mid-April. That is at least 21 divs, probably more like 25. So not too bad, but could be better.

I would love to build more divs, but just don't have the MP: at my current rate of losses I will hit the bottom in a year, without building anything. So building quality was the onyl option.

As for my "Allies" they are a bitter disappointment. In the next week or so the Hungarians and Italians help a little, but not much. Hungary has Minsk as an objective, Bulgaria has Odessa. I didn't give Italy any objective in Russia as I wanted to let it take Greece. (It sent troops anyway).

They do consume supplies, but I thought that Allies replaced what they used?
 
It occurs for two reasons.

If I have changed a name then it will assign the same name to a new unit. eg when I add a name such as "Angriff" to a divsional name or if I change it from "3" to "3rd"

The system insists on duplication foot and mot inf names: eg it differentioates between 3.ID and 3.ID (mot). As the Wehrmacht did not do this, I try to keep them all distinctly numbered: so I have to watch motorised units. Most problems come here.

So I need to check whenevet a new unit appears. When things are happening this sometimes slips my mind. Or maybe it is an age thing :(
Only one viable solution: Keep an excel sheet where you write down all your units, so once you deploy a new unit, you can check in that sheet whether or not the name has been used already. Might be a bit of additional work, but it should keep you fairly safe from dublicated names. It's the only way I can keep track of my air units anyway, as the game doesn't really help to distinguish between different sorts of planes being grouped...


They do consume supplies, but I thought that Allies replaced what they used?
Yes, but from what I gather, the supplies are not transported from their capital to their units but from their capital to yours and then to the units. This puts an additional strain on your supply network. Also, I'm not 100% sure if you only get the actual consumption back or the supply tax too. You might end up paying half the supplies for basically useless units.
 
2 issues:

1) not so important. the pic of the tiger is of a late model. if i'm not mistaking the earlier models used different looking turrets.
2) am i mistaking or are you actually taking supplies out of the talin area?
 
As for my "Allies" they are a bitter disappointment. In the next week or so the Hungarians and Italians help a little, but not much. Hungary has Minsk as an objective, Bulgaria has Odessa. I didn't give Italy any objective in Russia as I wanted to let it take Greece. (It sent troops anyway).

As I have said before, allied objectives seem to be broken. If you want your Axis partners to contribute within your battle plan, you need to:
- Download the HOI3 Army Organiser Mod, run it outside of the game and give yourself expeditionary forces (maybe just take the forces they have roaming around your rear areas but form them into corps and armies).
- Move these forces to the right areas, activate their AI and let them get on with their tasks as part of your overall battle plan.

I see this approach as making up for inadequacies of the game, rather than cheating. One measure of cheating is whether it provides benefit that the AI does not get. I have never seen AI forces fail to support eachother as consistently as the AI fails to support a human player. If you don't want to use these forces, take control of them, move them back to their countries and give them back to their original countries. I'm sure Hitler would not allow them to reduce his ability to fight while not getting engaged themselves.
 
didnt write for a while so I thought I'd make a peek :)

I am still loving the style and still thinking the AI will vut it (with helpf from planes)

For the rest keep on the fight ^^ it will be a long one :wacko:
 
Rank and File
A Clerk’s War​


Monday 7th to Saturday 12th July 1941 (Part II)


The Waffenamt has decided to equip our militia with the Panzerbüchse 38. We have thousands of these sitting in warehouses doing nothing, and we may as well give them to the second line units. They may not be very effective, but they will make the troops feel more confident (at least until it comes time to use them). The research funds have been sent somewhere more useful: to a heavy engineering group testing a new model of medium tank. The vast numbers of tank destroyers we have encountered in the East have led to calls for bigger and better armoured panzers and we hope to put a new vehicle into production in a few months.

panzerbuchse38final.jpg


Teaching garrison troops how to use the “new” anti-tank weapon

Any thought that the Luftwaffe’s response over the past few days had taught the VVS a lesson were soon removed. All we received from the East on Thursday were messages from the Baltic Army and Polen Army Nord complaining about air attacks. The messages got more and more distraught as the Russian bombers dropped their payloads, disappeared east and, a few hours later, reappeared again with a fresh load. General Kesselring’s men in Sigulda were subject to three raids by Smuschkevich’s dive-bombers, while Polatsk (in General von Manstein’s area) was hit four times by Novikov’s aircraft.

Von Manstein had the only positive report for the day. Erfurth’s three divisions defeated the two Russian units holding Hlybokaye and Polen Army North has authorised a further advance east. Let us hope that they beat the Soviets to the river line.

Our strategic bombers have been very quiet recently, perhaps because of the high losses experienced in their last few missions. Steady work has seen the adaptation of the 15mm MG 151 for use by 1st Langstrecken-Großbomberfliegerkorps. Once these are fitted maybe Fröhlich will risk his precious aircraft again: at the moment they are a not earning their keep. Even Minister Göring’s pleading could not stop the Heer from diverting the researchers to a study of mobile warfare strategy: every effort is being made to improve our ground troops and hopefully reduce the casualty lists.

mg151aircraftcannonfina.jpg


A 15mm MG 151 ready to be installed in one of our Ju 89 strategic bombers

If Thursday was predominately bad news, then so was Friday. The day started with a Spanish uprising in Cangas del Narcea. To his credit, General Sachs, commander of Heeresgruppe Spanien, has reacted swiftly by sending troops to the area with orders to put down the rebellion.

11losecangasfinal.jpg


Loss of Cangas del Narcea

The VVS was back in action, though mercifully the Russian bombers did not return to Polatsk. This was little consolation for Brandenburger and his men in Sigulda, who were paid three visits by Smushkevich and lost a further 200 men. The only other message of note was the announcement by by Balkans Army HQ that the battle of Zolotonsha has ended with the retreat of 10.ID (mot). I suspect that General Bieß was not too upset as the project was doomed from the start, with the enemy far too strong for just one division. Even so, Bieß lost more than 500 men in two days.

At least Saturday started well. We have a bridgehead over the Dniepr, as General Förster has at last secured the province of Kremenchuk. Our soldiers are flowing over the temporary bridges, and work is proceeding on more permanent structures to allow an expansion of the area we hold on the far side of the river.

berislsep41final.jpg


Even with no enemy fire, crossing the Dniepr can still be a risky business

The good news was followed closely by more depressing updates. Smushkevich and his bombers were once again over Sigulda, and General Steiner pulled 3rd PzD out of Zaslawye, having lost nearly 2,000 men in his failed attempt to take the province. One panzer division against 116,000 men is asking a great deal. At least his efforts have increased the likelihood of success in Minsk.

Then, as if a switch had been thrown, the tenor of the news picked up. Generalleutnant Fisser and 600 Messerschmitts intercepted Novikov’s bombers over Janów Poleski. We are not sure if Novikov was heading for Polatsk to repeat his success of two days ago or whether he had a different target in mind. It is not important. The shattered survivors of Fisser’s attack, nursing their bombers back to base, are unlikely to worry our troops for some time to come.

Then it was news of revenge for the humiliating retreat of our panzers from Zaslawye. General Nehring has taken 32,000 men back into the marshes, and the Russians have been caught unawares. Weakened by the struggle against 3rd PzD, the defenders are reeling at the onslaught by fresh and highly motivated troops. Should we achieve victory here, we will not only close on Minsk but also threaten the nearby airbases in Vitsyebsk.

12zaslawyefinal.jpg


2nd Battle of Zaslawye

Within hours of Förster gaining a bridgehead across the Dniepr for the Österreich Army, von Förster swept into Yahotyn, gaining a foothold for the Balkans Army. With the Dniepr Line breached in two spots, surely the Red Army must start to pull back further east?

More good news as the day progressed, with Smushkevich finally getting his come-uppance. Klepke and his veterans met the VVS over Sigulda, and though the Russian bombers were escorted by 300 enemy fighters they could not withstand our more modern aircraft (and far more advanced tactics). Brandenburger’s men are safe again.

marfowka014may42final.jpg


This Russian fighter won’t be returning home, and nor will many of Smushkevich’s bombers

There were a couple of items to dampen enthusiasm, but these were minor. The Spanish rebellion spread to Piedras Blancas, but strong forces are closing on the area and the uprising should soon be contained, then crushed. And General Erfurth mounted a brief attack on Velikie Luki: it was more an armed reconnaissance than an attack. Three divisions were a bit much for Erfurth’s 1.ID to take on so soon after his recent fighting for Hlybokaye, and after losing a few dozen men he withdrew back across the Daugava

12velikielukifinal.jpg


Battle of Velikie Luki

It seems the success of von Förster in Yahotyn must have affected Geyr von Schweppenburg’s judgment, or he has received faulty intelligence. As 25.ID and 100.ID (mot) consodlidated their hold on Yahotyn, von Schweppenburg sent 2nd leichte Panzer across the Dniepr into Pyriatin. This was madness: why not wait until von Förster and Jodl were ready to assist with a flank attack from the east bank of the river? As it is, even by committing to a full-scale assault, any chance of success is remote.

12pyriatinfinal.jpg


Battle of Pyriatin

That master of deception, Erich von Manstein, has done it again! By sending Erfurth’s 1.ID into Velikie Luki and then withdrawing it almost immediately, he has fooled the Russians into pulling out most of their troops. He has now unleashed Kleinheisterkamp’s panzers, and they report just a single second rate infantry division present. It will still be tough going, but our prospects of seizing the far bank of the Daugava are far better than this morning.

12velikieluki2final.jpg


2nd Battle of Velikie Luki

vmansteinfinal.jpg


Von Manstein made an appearance at the front to watch 5th PzD launch its attack

As we closed up that evening the last word arrived from the east: a glorious victory for General Nehring. General Tanaschishin has ordered a full retreat and his 45,000 men did not wait for confirmation – they were already on their way. Minsk is now cut off from the north, and General von Salmuth is making good progress from the south in Slutsk. It can only be a matter of days before the capital of Byelorussia is ours.


Finalised Battles for the period 7th to 12th July 1941

Braslaw: 82 (9,996): 213 (18,885)
Makhrovka: 5 (9,996): 19 (8,997)
Peresyaslav Khmel’nyts’kyy: 1,392 (24,702): 528 (17,995)
Hlybokaye: 448 (51,974): 2,322 (45,239)
Zolotonosha: 539 (9,994): 212 (59,384)
Kremenchuk: 463 (19,995): 854 (43,017)
Zaslawye: 1,857 (11,995): 1,418 (116,204)
Yahotyn: 1,758 (39,986): 1,331 (24,502
Velikie Luki: 39 (9,919): 6 (28,201)
2nd Zaslawye: 159 (31,994): 300 (45,209)


Total Battle Casualties during the period 7th to 12th July 1941

German: 6,742
Russian: 7,203

Prior Battle Casualties

German: 195,145
Russian: 199,476

Total Battle Casualties to date

German: 6,742 + 195,145 = 201,887
Russian: 7,203 + 199,476 = 206,679


Sigulda – Polatsk

siguldapolastskfinalend.jpg

Madona: There have been wholesale changes in the defending units. 7 Tankovaya, 209 Motorizavannaya and 126 Strelkovaya have been withdrawn, and 161 Strelkovaya is now involved in the fighting at the river. 111 Strelkovaya is in reserve. (45% complete)

Daugavpils: 28.ID has arrived at the front andCurtze has encircled some of the defenders,while Haritonov has been joined by the shattered survivors of the battle of Svedesai: 55 “Kurskaya” and the garrison division 162 Strelkovaya. Neither of these units will be able to assist him in any way in the foreseeable future. (35% complete)

Ergli: Von Weichs now has 58.ID hitting the Russians on the flank, moving down the east bank of the Daugava. (68% complete)

Velikie Luki: No change (40% complete)


Polatsk – Janów Poleski


polatskjanowfinalend.jpg

Slutsk: Von Salmuth is well on the way to victory, and only one Russian division remains to be thrown out of the province. (89% complete)

Minsk: Kreß von Kressenstein is managing our Hungarian allies well, but he will no doubt be glad that 75.ID is moving up from reserve. His opponent, General Parkhomenko, has already received assistance in the form of 198 Motorizavannaya (57% complete)


Janów Poleski – Yahotyn

janowyahotynfinalend.jpg

Zgurovka: Köstring now has three divisions attacking from three directions, as 35.ID joins in from Pereyaslav Khmel’nyts’kyy. As the general predicted, Bessarabskaya Kavaleriy collapsed and ran, but its place has been taken by 43 Strelkovaya. Nevertheless, our three units have launched a general assault and expect to win the battle shortly. (69% complete)

Sarny: No change (71% complete)

Polis’ke: Schack is making some progress, mainly due to the help of 108.ID (mot) from Makhrovka. He has also cut off some of the enemy. Thousands of Russian soldiers have been detected in the rear, and we have identified three new divisions at the front: 34 Srednevolzhslaya, 13 Tankovaya and 75 Strelkovaya. Trying to flee through the back roads are 61, 86, 101 and 316 Strelkovaya, 37 Kavaleriyskaya and 202 Motorizavannaya. In all more than 90,000 Soviet troops are in the area, most of them a disorganised starving rabble. (30% complete)


Yahotyn – Mykolayvik

yahotynmykofinalend.jpg

Chornabai: There has been a seamless transfer of command from General Veith to General von Lützow. Veith’s 112.ID (mot) has withdrawn and von Lützow’s 163.ID (mot) has taken its place. It has been joined by 136.ID (mot) and the arrival of 20,000 fresh troops has guaranteed success. Two enemy divisions have already been disposed off and the remaining three are faltering. (96% complete)

Bashtanka: 16 Tankovaya has evacuated Novo Odesa and is in reserve with 195 Strelkovaya. (44% complete)

Pyriatin: Gamarnik has seen his force halved, with both 118 and 307 Strelkovaya moving east. Even so, he is still in control of the battle as his armoured and motorised division hold off an assault by Geyr von Schweppenburg’s panzers. (20% complete)



Bombing Summary

Luftwaffe

Zaslawye: Grauert with 4th Kampffliegerkorps: 305 (305)
Zaslawye: Sperrle with 1st Kampffleigerkorps: 255, 270, 197 (722)
Daugavpils: Kitzinger with 3rd Kampffliegerkorps: 262 (262)
Kremenchuk: Udet with 3rd Schlachtfliegerkorps: 116, 241, 169, 92 (618)
Slutsk: Grauert with 4th Kampffliegerkorps: 277, 409, 219 (905)
Zgurovka: Müller-Michels with 5th Kampffliegerkorps: 293, 226, 257 (776)


VVS

Vodoskhovyshche: Zhigarev with 23rd and 46th ShAD: 48, 89, 108, 66, 86 (397)
Polatsk: Novikov with 1st and 9th ShAD: 92, 111, 63, 92, 43 (401)
Sigulda: Smushkevich with 25th and 77th ShAD: 94, 103, 54, 90, 94, 47, 74, 109 (665)

Total Bombing Casualties for the period 7th to 12th July 1941

German: 1,199
Russian: 3,588

Prior Bombing Casualties

German: 1,817
Russian: 133,667

Total Bombing Casualties to date

German: 1,199 + 1,817 = 3,016
Russian: 3,588 + 133,667 = 137,255


East Front as at midnight 12th July 1941

eastfrontfinal.jpg

Total East Front Casualties for the period 7th to 12th July 1941

German: 6,742 + 1,199 = 7,941
Russian: 7,203 + 3,588 = 10,791

Prior East Front Casualties

German: 196,962
Russian: 333,143

Total East Front Casualties to date

German: 7,941 + 196,962 = 204,903
Russian: 10,791 + 333,143 = 343,934
 
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Only one viable solution: Keep an excel sheet where you write down all your units, so once you deploy a new unit, you can check in that sheet whether or not the name has been used already. Might be a bit of additional work, but it should keep you fairly safe from dublicated names. It's the only way I can keep track of my air units anyway, as the game doesn't really help to distinguish between different sorts of planes being grouped...


Yes, but from what I gather, the supplies are not transported from their capital to their units but from their capital to yours and then to the units. This puts an additional strain on your supply network. Also, I'm not 100% sure if you only get the actual consumption back or the supply tax too. You might end up paying half the supplies for basically useless units.

The stats list is ok if a bit clumsy: the problem is me forgetting to check :(

Both your points re supply are valid and I don't know either. I am pretty sure the first (capital to capital) is correct and I have a horrible suspicion the second is also correct.

But the units are not totally useless: they have started to help in attacks but that is not the main benefit. The main help is as garrisons: they are scattered across my conquered areas. The second is I hope that they will help defend against Russian counter-tacks, especially in the coming winter.

2 issues:

1) not so important. the pic of the tiger is of a late model. if i'm not mistaking the earlier models used different looking turrets.
2) am i mistaking or are you actually taking supplies out of the talin area?

I bow to your greater knowledge, but I am pretty sure that the heading (can't remember where it came from) identified it as a Tiger I and that it was an early model. In other words, it's not my fault!!!! :D. But seriously, thanks for pointing that out, I am not very good on late model tanks.



EDIT: Sorry - completely forgot the 2nd part of your message. No, not taking supplies out of Tallinn - the AI is shipping Energy out. Too lazy to cancel it.

Yay, Hungarians to the rescue!
Let's hope their AI fares better than yours. XD

Their AI has kept their casualties to nearly nil, so it is much better than mine.:eek:o

As I have said before, allied objectives seem to be broken. If you want your Axis partners to contribute within your battle plan, you need to:
- Download the HOI3 Army Organiser Mod, run it outside of the game and give yourself expeditionary forces (maybe just take the forces they have roaming around your rear areas but form them into corps and armies).
- Move these forces to the right areas, activate their AI and let them get on with their tasks as part of your overall battle plan.

I see this approach as making up for inadequacies of the game, rather than cheating. One measure of cheating is whether it provides benefit that the AI does not get. I have never seen AI forces fail to support eachother as consistently as the AI fails to support a human player. If you don't want to use these forces, take control of them, move them back to their countries and give them back to their original countries. I'm sure Hitler would not allow them to reduce his ability to fight while not getting engaged themselves.

I accept all your points, but I will try to win with Germany and what I can trick my alies into contributing. And in the next week or so there is a bit of help from the Allies. The allied objectives seem v.odd - when I directed Italy to move east, nothing happened for 6 months, then they took off. Could be coincidence, could be inability (earlier lack of supply), could be delayed impact.

But I will struggle on. (BTW I have used the organiser in other games and also recommend it)

didnt write for a while so I thought I'd make a peek :)

I am still loving the style and still thinking the AI will vut it (with helpf from planes)

For the rest keep on the fight ^^ it will be a long one :wacko:

Stop the praise or it will go to my head. :eek: "Style Meister"!!! I have style!!! :cool:

I think you are right about the long fight: and attrition is not my friend.

What is "vut"? A typo? Or some language I don't know? Or is it "young people" talk? (My daughter had to explain "redonk" to me the other day)
 
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There must be something wrong with your maps, they show Kiev as completely undefended...
 
That allied objectives system really doesn't seem to work too well. It'd be better if your allies would allow their forces in the east to fight under your command. The militias could be useful in rear area duties and their regular formations woud be welcome on the front lines. I wonder if PI will try to improve these things.

Any idea why the Luftwaffe did allow the VVS to bomb your troops? Those loss figures from their bombing are frightening, just goes to show that you really need forward airbases and lots of them. I assume you'll deploy some new ones once winter comes and the front is not expected to move much for the next months? Will you be able to upgrade those airfields to level 2-3 in time during winter?

The Soviet lines seem to crack, right in their center, around Minsk and south of it. If things go well, the Wehrmacht should be able to create a pocket around the eastern parts of the Prjipet Marshes.
 
Over the 200,000 casualties mark. How is your manpower?


As at 16th July: 600MP and 55 per month ie unstustainable losses :(

There must be something wrong with your maps, they show Kiev as completely undefended...

Unfortunately there is nothing wrong with the maps. :rolleyes:

That allied objectives system really doesn't seem to work too well. It'd be better if your allies would allow their forces in the east to fight under your command. The militias could be useful in rear area duties and their regular formations woud be welcome on the front lines. I wonder if PI will try to improve these things.

Any idea why the Luftwaffe did allow the VVS to bomb your troops? Those loss figures from their bombing are frightening, just goes to show that you really need forward airbases and lots of them. I assume you'll deploy some new ones once winter comes and the front is not expected to move much for the next months? Will you be able to upgrade those airfields to level 2-3 in time during winter?

The Soviet lines seem to crack, right in their center, around Minsk and south of it. If things go well, the Wehrmacht should be able to create a pocket around the eastern parts of the Prjipet Marshes.

I wish there was some mechanism to either 1) allow me to ask for direct help or 2) allow allies to send some troops. As you will have seen from earlier posts shepherd 352 suggested a method of doing so but for purely personal reasons (ie stubborness) I will persist going it alone.

The reason for the enemy bombing, as far as I can tell was that the AI rotated some fighter units to the rear for reinforcing, leaving the front with too few to cover the whole. It is only temporary: I did send a "spare" unit to the south, otherwise I let the AI handle it.

I am still hopeful of a Pripyat pocket, but it is hard to get the two armies to ignore the bulk of the Soviets - they want to fight them. I have thought about putting them on "Blitzkrieg" or whatever the top stance is, but am worried this might lead to a rash of counter-attacks: the Russians are still v. strong. But think can get them to join up inthe rear. I need my allies to contain them though - to form the bottom of the trap.
 
sorry it was a typo .. c is next to v on the keyboard .. so the AI should cut it .. not vut it ;)

I'm sure Kiev is a skillfully laid trap for the russioans.. should they arrive thy would immediately be turned to german AI standards and go garrison the strategically important city of Archangelsk. You never know.. a massive assault from the abominable snowmen is always a possibility there. :nuts:
 
I wish there was some mechanism to either 1) allow me to ask for direct help or 2) allow allies to send some troops.

Can't recall if I've experienced this myself, but others suggest that if you set an allied objective in your own country, then those allies 'may' (at their whim) send you expeditionary forces. Worth a try, since we already know how sporadic they are in trying to achieve objectives in enemy territory.
 
Can't recall if I've experienced this myself, but others suggest that if you set an allied objective in your own country, then those allies 'may' (at their whim) send you expeditionary forces. Worth a try, since we already know how sporadic they are in trying to achieve objectives in enemy territory.

I've set Romania an objective in the South, only to have its forces go to Lenningrad. This insanity appears more likely if the allied counry does not have a border with the country you wan to attack (on that occasion I had reclaimed the lands).

I've also tried setting an objective on one or my national provinces. In my test, it was the only objective I had set and it was for Hungary (I didn't really want units, I just wanted to test this during a game). Almost 12 months after setting the objective, Italian forces started to appear as expeditionary forces. They appeared nowhere near the objective and were not relevant to any fighting.

The only time I get useful support from an ally is if I allow them to maintain their own battlefront, extending from their country. I have got useful results from Romania this way but that doesn't help Uriah, as his allies are all separated from Russia.

I still hope he will bring their deployed forces under control as expeditionary armies. Then he can set the AI and have them support the battle plan, just as the Axis partners did in reality. The performance of these allies will not be great and Hungary will be at serious risk of having insufficient manpower. To be true to history, Uriah should use them in Russia. A more calculating move would be to use them as the occupation forces in Spain and France, freeing up German forces for service in Russia. Either way, if he uses Army AI he is staying true to his goal.
 
I still hope he will bring their deployed forces under control as expeditionary armies. Then he can set the AI and have them support the battle plan, just as the Axis partners did in reality. The performance of these allies will not be great and Hungary will be at serious risk of having insufficient manpower. To be true to history, Uriah should use them in Russia. A more calculating move would be to use them as the occupation forces in Spain and France, freeing up German forces for service in Russia. Either way, if he uses Army AI he is staying true to his goal.

For what little my opinion is worth, I agree with you as what you've said makes a lot of sense. Just as it was fair and a correct judgement to not capitalize on the Leningrad defense/AI exploit; the same logic should hold in this situation. As you said, the point was to let the AI fight it out... let it fight.

If it was just one allies forces, it could be explained away with some neat back-story of X nation's leader sending forces east in a very elaborate show of nationalistic pride, while mysteriously not committing them... but all of them?!? If the German state wasn't so locked down, who knows the questions people might ask! heh, more seriously...

Presumably, although they won't add much to the attack, they will come in handy acting as a brake on any Russian counter-attack, but who knows?
 
I have to admit, I agree here with shepherd. It would indeed be highly realistic to bring your forces under the fold of German leadership. For the most part, all german allies except the finns and romanians operated under German jurisdiction during the war, and even the finns and romanians occasionally loaned divisions to german armies and corps.