'AARchtung panzer!' II (WiF2)

[Eugenioso]

I noticed recently when playing EoD (which is heavily based on WiF, I think) that pocketed units do not lose organisation; they lose strength. This was a fairly unpleasant surprise since they can still fight fairly effective. If that's the case in your game, too, reducing the 150 division pocket (if the operation succeeds) may take a fairly long time. I remember that I had to let Moscow starve for half a year to have a chance to take it, and in my game there were far fewer divisions there.

True. They do regain ORG extremely slowly though, but they do maintain it. It is better than HOI2DD's 'get encircled and get forked' strategy. I've had many lucky breakouts from enemy encirclements in my day, both by my pincer attacks failing or by stupid AI retreat moves out of my control. In my old AAR i remember it took me about 3 and a half months to massacre 300 or so soviet divisions (and they fixed the mod cuz of me )

 

[Lucifer]

So close!

So close, still so far

I noticed recently when playing EoD (which is heavily based on WiF, I think) that pocketed units do not lose organisation; they lose strength. This was a fairly unpleasant surprise since they can still fight fairly effective. If that's the case in your game, too, reducing the 150 division pocket (if the operation succeeds) may take a fairly long time. I remember that I had to let Moscow starve for half a year to have a chance to take it, and in my game there were far fewer divisions there.

&

True. They do regain ORG extremely slowly though, but they do maintain it. It is better than HOI2DD's 'get encircled and get forked' strategy. I've had many lucky breakouts from enemy encirclements in my day, both by my pincer attacks failing or by stupid AI retreat moves out of my control. In my old AAR i remember it took me about 3 and a half months to massacre 300 or so soviet divisions (and they fixed the mod cuz of me )

This is good to know. Whatever case will happen, I will feel now no shame if I manage to surround Moscow, whatever part of the Soviet Union will find itself out of supply (also, I wrote previously that in 1942 the gloves are off)

 

[Lucifer]

<- Unexpected victory | Battle for Penza ->​

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[Vilcoyote]

I m afraid the OKW have problem with direction. Shouldn't they going north then west to make an encirclement around moscow, instead of going east?

 

[Khor]

Don't you get any new units from allies and puppets? Or are you using those as reserve and anti-partisans?

 

[Lucifer]

I m afraid the OKW have problem with direction. Shouldn't they going north then west to make an encirclement around moscow, instead of going east?

Damn, I should not have rotated my screen, I knew it could generate issues.
More seriously, this movements are in accordance with the plan as outlined a few updates earlier, just before the beginning of the summer offensive. Going just straight North would be a recipe for disaster, leaving the right flank unprotected. Either I would have to leave too many units behind to be able to complete the encirclement around Vologda, either I would risk having the spearhead cut from its rear as 60 Soviet units would have been left ‘unattended’. The strategic campaign to create havoc on the left flank of the spearhead had been planned in 1941 because I knew the Axis would not have the strength to attack northward while protecting its 2 flanks.

Don't you get any new units from allies and puppets? Or are you using those as reserve and anti-partisans?

Yes, from time to time. Usually, I report their deployment. Depending on their nature and brigades attached, their are assigned to the front line in Russia or to suppress dissent in the East as well. Very rarely, they replace German units in garrison duty when these ones would be more useful on the front line.

 

[Vilcoyote]

I knew you wanted to push soviets eastward but now from my perpective, you would have had enough buffer

 

[Lucifer]

I knew you wanted to push soviets eastward but now from my perpective, you would have had enough buffer

Not yet. By pushing to the Volga, the intent is to be protected behind a river. And if the Reds manage to cross it again, there will be a wider buffer of provinces with damaged infrastructure. As you can see, it is already not that easy, just imagine if the enemy forces were left recovering.

 

[Eugenioso]

Ill call it now; too late to make up for the disaster that is coming. Good luck Lucy, im taking the first U-Boat to South America.

 

[Lucifer]

Ill call it now; too late to make up for the disaster that is coming. Good luck Lucy, im taking the first U-Boat to South America.

Am I hearing defeatism?

 

[Lucifer]

<- The Volga won’t be crossed | Phagocytized ->​

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[Winner]

I m afraid the OKW have problem with direction. Shouldn't they going north then west to make an encirclement around moscow, instead of going east?

I guess the priority now is now to finish the destruction of several Soviet fronts in Penza; this will probably provide more breathing room for further continuing in the operation to surround Moscow.

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Italians have Mussolini, which has like -10% org. regain, do they not? Plus their land doctrine track is clearly inferior.

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As for the Reds, to quote Napoleon (I think): Quantity has a quality of its own.
There's just so bloody many of them.

 

[Duke of Awesome]

Hopefully, the northward thrust can continue now that Penza is pretty much dealt with. At this stage in the war, I can't blame you for being cautious with all of your armored and motorized divisions.

 

[Rifal]

The Soviet offensive against the Italians in Persia is just a minor distraction. By the time they achive anything down there your mega encirclement will be done and the death of the bear is only a matter of time. Vorwärts!

 

[Lucifer]

I guess the priority now is now to finish the destruction of several Soviet fronts in Penza; this will probably provide more breathing room for further continuing in the operation to surround Moscow.

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Italians have Mussolini, which has like -10% org. regain, do they not? Plus their land doctrine track is clearly inferior.

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As for the Reds, to quote Napoleon (I think): Quantity has a quality of its own.
There's just so bloody many of them.

1-I will take anything which will help to secure temporarily the breakthrough's right flank: destruction of the enemy, capture of buffering provinces...
2-I had to check. Mussolini has -10% Org and -5% Org regain
3-Absolutely. The Wehrmacht is trying to balance quality (Luftwaffe) with quantity (Heer). There are many factors involved. One of the problems I am facing in this AAR is that the almost-free units received by the Soviets are of the highest quality possible (MOT42 in 41, tens of T34s in 42, etc.)

Hopefully, the northward thrust can continue now that Penza is pretty much dealt with. At this stage in the war, I can't blame you for being cautious with all of your armored and motorized divisions.

There is still some work left to do in the South, other than that I am in total agreement If only the Finnish could help in the North...

The Soviet offensive against the Italians in Persia is just a minor distraction. By the time they achive anything down there your mega encirclement will be done and the death of the bear is only a matter of time. Vorwärts!

Yes and no.
Yes, they are far away from Moscow and they won't be able to do a blitzkrieg in Persia.
No, it is not a minor distraction as the Italians fulfill the role I envisioned for them when I started to plan this summer offensive: they tie down more than 50 Soviet divisions in this area.
Ok, now that the offensive is well under way, it is a minor distraction making for good drama

 

[Duke of Awesome]

There is still some work left to do in the South, other than that I am in total agreement If only the Finnish could help in the North...

I've spoken with a junior assitant to the junior adjutant to a lower level bureaucrat in the regional government of Lapland, and he told me that they're too busy enjoying the show to properly mobilize.

 

[vondertann]

I see that Stavka is moving troops from west of Moscow eastwards. Thus, Torzhok is now weakly defended. Are your divisions recovered enought to attack there?
Or perhaps you can concentrate the forces you have at the moment in Vytegra, Tikhvin and Kirisi (together 38Divs?) all in Cherepovets and from there lash out at Vologda , and with luck Kostroma as well, supporting an attack from the south?
An alternative would be Torzhok - Kinry - Jaroslavl, but it would be three provinces to conquer and you'd end up in your own "wasteland".
So I'd favour the norhern strike.

 

[Lucifer]

I've spoken with a junior assitant to the junior adjutant to a lower level bureaucrat in the regional government of Lapland, and he told me that they're too busy enjoying the show to properly mobilize.

Have you eaten too much mämmi while attending to your duty in Helsinki? That’s the only explanation the Reich chancellery has to explain your weird behavior

I see that Stavka is moving troops from west of Moscow eastwards. Thus, Torzhok is now weakly defended. Are your divisions recovered enought to attack there?
Or perhaps you can concentrate the forces you have at the moment in Vytegra, Tikhvin and Kirisi (together 38Divs?) all in Cherepovets and from there lash out at Vologda , and with luck Kostroma as well, supporting an attack from the south?
An alternative would be Torzhok - Kinry - Jaroslavl, but it would be three provinces to conquer and you'd end up in your own "wasteland".
So I'd favour the norhern strike.

The divisions around Thorzokb still need to recover. But they can keep the Reds busy enough so that they won’t be allowed to deplenish this front. I will see how the Northern strike (the breakthrough) will evolve then I will adjust the final steps of the offensive if needed.

 

[Lucifer]

<- Battle for Penza | A most suspicious attack ->​

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[Duke of Awesome]

What a word