Thanks to you the one month period in between now and the time i get my good computer repaired (and can buy this game + enjoy 1 day = 1 sec in DH) has became extremely hard to bare with.
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Wanted to congratulate you on a fantastic AAR thus far; can't wait for it to continue!
Thanks. I will end it some day, that's for sure. It won't happen during the first half of June, though, as I have exams.
I just read this entire AAR tonight. Its kind of disappointing to be left hanging when I was hanging on to it reading for hours. Good news is it seems as though I may have found it just in time for an update... maybe. 
Here's hoping.
Here's hoping.
Finishing the Bear Off v.1
The North and the Centre
While Moscow has been taken, our enemy is still not finished. Our light armoured divisions proceed to encircle the remaining Soviet troops in the Moscow Region.
Meanwhile, our battle-hardened but exhausted soldiers stationed in the Kiev Region are fighting hard in order to trap as many Soviet divisions in the emerging pocket as possible. One of our armoured divisions has been trapped in the process, but other formations quickly came to its rescue.
Since the Soviets are no longer able to man every part of their frontline properly, our troops in the northern part of the Kiev Region started a limited offensive. Our aim is to cut the possible Soviet escape routes so as to maximise the effects of our operations in this region.
Our fast (but outdated) light armoured divisions have almost completed the formation of another pocket north-east from Moscow. The Soviets are bringing reinforcements, but we are confident that the pocket will be formed and destroyed before the cavalry arrives.
We managed to concentrate our mobile troops in the region to the west of Moscow and the first major phase of the Red Clean-up has been started.
The Soviet defenders were soon defeated by our own troops and the first tanks were approaching the suburbs of Tula.
The enemy soldiers in the Kiev Region are clearly disorganised. Their actions are very chaotic and they realised that they cannot match the brave German heroes. Our armoured divisions attacked the headquarters of enemy formations and even though the Soviet defenders outnumber us greatly, they will surely meet their doom when this major encirclement is formed.
After fierce fighting, on 6th of July our armoured divisions cut off all possible enemy escape routes in the Kiev Region. The enemy soldiers lost their last remnants of hope. There will be no mercy - everyone will either be killed or captured. We do not want to take any risks there.
Although we met some resistance in Tula, Red Cleanup is progressing quite well. Our mobile troops are advancing southward and we suspect that the enemy will not be able to form a coherent defence line anytime soon.
-------
The other fronts
Since the major action is taking place in the Northern and Central Fronts, our troops in the South are severly undermanned and undersupplied. We are making some limited progress on this front, but the destruction of the Red Army is a priority. Then, we will turn our attention to Kursk, Stalingrad and other cities.
Since the French forces are non-existent, several Italian divisions are advancing in Tunisia unopposed. However, they are not motorised, so the progress is slow.
Italian troops are also making some progress in Persia. It is suspected that the Soviets will transfer more and more troops to their European holdings, so the prospects for Italy look good.
It is not the end of the Bear yet, but we can clearly see it from there. The Axis shall be triumphant!
The North and the Centre
While Moscow has been taken, our enemy is still not finished. Our light armoured divisions proceed to encircle the remaining Soviet troops in the Moscow Region.
Meanwhile, our battle-hardened but exhausted soldiers stationed in the Kiev Region are fighting hard in order to trap as many Soviet divisions in the emerging pocket as possible. One of our armoured divisions has been trapped in the process, but other formations quickly came to its rescue.
Since the Soviets are no longer able to man every part of their frontline properly, our troops in the northern part of the Kiev Region started a limited offensive. Our aim is to cut the possible Soviet escape routes so as to maximise the effects of our operations in this region.
Our fast (but outdated) light armoured divisions have almost completed the formation of another pocket north-east from Moscow. The Soviets are bringing reinforcements, but we are confident that the pocket will be formed and destroyed before the cavalry arrives.
We managed to concentrate our mobile troops in the region to the west of Moscow and the first major phase of the Red Clean-up has been started.
The Soviet defenders were soon defeated by our own troops and the first tanks were approaching the suburbs of Tula.
The enemy soldiers in the Kiev Region are clearly disorganised. Their actions are very chaotic and they realised that they cannot match the brave German heroes. Our armoured divisions attacked the headquarters of enemy formations and even though the Soviet defenders outnumber us greatly, they will surely meet their doom when this major encirclement is formed.
After fierce fighting, on 6th of July our armoured divisions cut off all possible enemy escape routes in the Kiev Region. The enemy soldiers lost their last remnants of hope. There will be no mercy - everyone will either be killed or captured. We do not want to take any risks there.
Although we met some resistance in Tula, Red Cleanup is progressing quite well. Our mobile troops are advancing southward and we suspect that the enemy will not be able to form a coherent defence line anytime soon.
-------
The other fronts
Since the major action is taking place in the Northern and Central Fronts, our troops in the South are severly undermanned and undersupplied. We are making some limited progress on this front, but the destruction of the Red Army is a priority. Then, we will turn our attention to Kursk, Stalingrad and other cities.
Since the French forces are non-existent, several Italian divisions are advancing in Tunisia unopposed. However, they are not motorised, so the progress is slow.
Italian troops are also making some progress in Persia. It is suspected that the Soviets will transfer more and more troops to their European holdings, so the prospects for Italy look good.
It is not the end of the Bear yet, but we can clearly see it from there. The Axis shall be triumphant!
Hi! It seems that you were rightI just read this entire AAR tonight. Its kind of disappointing to be left hanging when I was hanging on to it reading for hours. Good news is it seems as though I may have found it just in time for an update... maybe.
Here's hoping.
Very well
I finished all exams in the summer and I am satisfied with my grades. Thanks for asking.And yeah, it's time to kill the bear once and for all. The supply situation is not helping me, though. However, I think that it's too late for the Soviets to change the outcome of the war.
Finishing the Bear Off v.2
Red Cleanup
Fighting for Orel continues. This city is the gateway to the Red Army's doom, as they have almost no reserves in the provinces south to Orel.
Moreover, the Starodub pocket has been reduced in size and most of the Soviet forces trapped there are disorganised.
Our forces are also advancing in the Tula region. The enemy is not very numerous there, but harsh supply situation and exhaustion that plagues our troops make the fighting harder than one might think it would be.
Enemy tanks serve as the last Soviet bastion in the Starodub pocket. The Soviets have no chance of creating a breakthrough, so their resistance is hopeless. Still, the pocket-cleaning ties a good chunk of our infantry. It should be mentioned that even after the pocket is destroyed, not all of our currently engaged infantry divisions will be able to take part in fighting on the other fronts. This is due to the fact that most of those formations will need to regroup and reorganise in Kiev, as at the moment their fighting capabilities are questionable.
The situation in the South does not look good. Most of our troops stationed in the region have severe supply shortages and we have no reserves that can readily fill the gaps in the frontline. While the process of improving infrastructure has been started, it will not be completed anytime soon, so at the moment we will have to rely on reinforcements from the North. The whole affair makes the Red Cleanup even more impotant, as it will allow us to create a coherent frontline and reorganise.
Our mobile divisions are trying hard to create another pocket in the Verkhopol'e region. However, the enemy is much more numerous and some of our infantry divisions have noticeable supply problems, so the situation is quite chaotic. By far the most troublesome are the Soviet armoured divisions, as our infantry has problems dealing with them and our own panzers have to be used in spearheads.
Orel has been taken! More troops are arriving in order to exploit the gap in the fractured Soviet defence lines. We will need infantry support in order to keep the Soviets trapped in the emerging encirclement.
Two important events took place in the Moscow Region. Firstly, we encircled some infantry and armoured divisions near Kolomna. Secondly, our panzers with the help of our mobile and foot infantry improved our prospects of forming an encirclement near Tula by taking control of nearby provinces. The enemy is now withdrawing, but we are determined to prevent him from doing so.
As expected, our mobile troops are able to advance past Orel largely unmolested. We also began an attack from the west in order to give the Soviets less room for manoeuvre and to relive our units fighting in the South.
The situation near Kharkov becomes dire. One of our infantry divisions has been encircled and is trying to escape from the city. The reinforcements are coming, but they will not arrive soon, so at the moment the brave German soldiers have to resist the Bolsheviks alone.
The current situation in the Centre. Notice the destruction of the Starodub pocket, the panzers approaching Kursk, the problems in Navija and the reinforcements moving to the South.
The Red Cleanup continues...
Red Cleanup
Fighting for Orel continues. This city is the gateway to the Red Army's doom, as they have almost no reserves in the provinces south to Orel.
Moreover, the Starodub pocket has been reduced in size and most of the Soviet forces trapped there are disorganised.
Our forces are also advancing in the Tula region. The enemy is not very numerous there, but harsh supply situation and exhaustion that plagues our troops make the fighting harder than one might think it would be.
Enemy tanks serve as the last Soviet bastion in the Starodub pocket. The Soviets have no chance of creating a breakthrough, so their resistance is hopeless. Still, the pocket-cleaning ties a good chunk of our infantry. It should be mentioned that even after the pocket is destroyed, not all of our currently engaged infantry divisions will be able to take part in fighting on the other fronts. This is due to the fact that most of those formations will need to regroup and reorganise in Kiev, as at the moment their fighting capabilities are questionable.
The situation in the South does not look good. Most of our troops stationed in the region have severe supply shortages and we have no reserves that can readily fill the gaps in the frontline. While the process of improving infrastructure has been started, it will not be completed anytime soon, so at the moment we will have to rely on reinforcements from the North. The whole affair makes the Red Cleanup even more impotant, as it will allow us to create a coherent frontline and reorganise.
Our mobile divisions are trying hard to create another pocket in the Verkhopol'e region. However, the enemy is much more numerous and some of our infantry divisions have noticeable supply problems, so the situation is quite chaotic. By far the most troublesome are the Soviet armoured divisions, as our infantry has problems dealing with them and our own panzers have to be used in spearheads.
Orel has been taken! More troops are arriving in order to exploit the gap in the fractured Soviet defence lines. We will need infantry support in order to keep the Soviets trapped in the emerging encirclement.
Two important events took place in the Moscow Region. Firstly, we encircled some infantry and armoured divisions near Kolomna. Secondly, our panzers with the help of our mobile and foot infantry improved our prospects of forming an encirclement near Tula by taking control of nearby provinces. The enemy is now withdrawing, but we are determined to prevent him from doing so.
As expected, our mobile troops are able to advance past Orel largely unmolested. We also began an attack from the west in order to give the Soviets less room for manoeuvre and to relive our units fighting in the South.
The situation near Kharkov becomes dire. One of our infantry divisions has been encircled and is trying to escape from the city. The reinforcements are coming, but they will not arrive soon, so at the moment the brave German soldiers have to resist the Bolsheviks alone.
The current situation in the Centre. Notice the destruction of the Starodub pocket, the panzers approaching Kursk, the problems in Navija and the reinforcements moving to the South.
The Red Cleanup continues...
It looks like your armies need a bit of R&R! Supply seems to be figuring more and more in your problems and I see the Soviets are still offering resistance in some places - I'm sure it won't take that much more to finish them off, though.
its fascinating seeing the almost inverse situation to my Soviet AAR ... you should do it, but its a bit of a race to collapse the Soviets before your supply networks give up
If you remove propaganda from my posts and consider both the natural Soviet capabilities (high NU, Operation Barbarossa modifiers, dispersed IC etc.) and the bonuses I gave the AI, then you will see that the situation is not as wonderful as it may seem to be at a glance
The Soviets still had 1200+ brigades in late June (!) and thanks to all their modifiers (bonuses, Minimal Training law etc.) and sky-high practicals they are able to produce divisions EXTREMELY quickly (an armoured or infantry div in about a month). They still have thousands of MP, but their Officer Ratio and unit experience suffer because of constant fighting. Also, their IC is greatly reduced and they lost their stockpiles when I conquered Moscow, so generally their capabilities are greatly reduced from the starting point.
I don't see much activity in the air, so I guess that they lack proper facilities (most of the provinces with big airfields have been conquered) and/or fuel. When my bombers are grounded, it's mostly due to standard mission attrition (AA fire from the land divisions and occasional interception).
I think that everyone can see the cycle - when my offensive starts, I achieve major successes and destroys pretty much everything in my path. However, as my units lose ORG and supply lines become stretched, I need to halt my advance and then the Soviets are able to rebuild some of their forces and reorganise their defence lines. The funny thing is that this is pretty much what happened IRL. I just hope that I will not end up like RL Germans
The Soviets won't give up until I conquer Stalingrad - that's for sure. I'm already moving more and more troops to the southern regions and I'm building up infrastructure there in preparation for another major offensive. I have big supply problems in the summer, so it can only become much worse in the winter. It's only July, though, so I still have plenty of time. Unfortunately, it's no longer feasible to produce new land units on big scale, as they will only make my supply situation worse. That's why I mostly concentrate my efforts on GAR+MP, naval, aircraft and infrastructure buildup right now. Hm, I think that I will write more about it in the next update.
The Soviets still had 1200+ brigades in late June (!) and thanks to all their modifiers (bonuses, Minimal Training law etc.) and sky-high practicals they are able to produce divisions EXTREMELY quickly (an armoured or infantry div in about a month). They still have thousands of MP, but their Officer Ratio and unit experience suffer because of constant fighting. Also, their IC is greatly reduced and they lost their stockpiles when I conquered Moscow, so generally their capabilities are greatly reduced from the starting point.
I don't see much activity in the air, so I guess that they lack proper facilities (most of the provinces with big airfields have been conquered) and/or fuel. When my bombers are grounded, it's mostly due to standard mission attrition (AA fire from the land divisions and occasional interception).
I think that everyone can see the cycle - when my offensive starts, I achieve major successes and destroys pretty much everything in my path. However, as my units lose ORG and supply lines become stretched, I need to halt my advance and then the Soviets are able to rebuild some of their forces and reorganise their defence lines. The funny thing is that this is pretty much what happened IRL. I just hope that I will not end up like RL Germans
The Soviets won't give up until I conquer Stalingrad - that's for sure. I'm already moving more and more troops to the southern regions and I'm building up infrastructure there in preparation for another major offensive. I have big supply problems in the summer, so it can only become much worse in the winter. It's only July, though, so I still have plenty of time. Unfortunately, it's no longer feasible to produce new land units on big scale, as they will only make my supply situation worse. That's why I mostly concentrate my efforts on GAR+MP, naval, aircraft and infrastructure buildup right now. Hm, I think that I will write more about it in the next update.
Now would be a good time to start building a real fleet to soak up any excess IC as the Soviets are clearly beaten
Finishing the Bear Off v.3
Since the chance for capturing the Soviets in Branjsk has been reduced almost to zero, the German leadership created a more ambitious plan which called for a larger encirclement east to the Konotop province. Although outnumbered and exhausted, some of our troops started pinning attacks while armoured divisions pushed forward.
Our troops in the Moscow Region continued their advance with the intent of trapping the remaining Soviet defenders in a pocket, which could cause the regional Soviet defence lines to collapse. Moreover, the defenders of Rjazan' surrendered and Moscow was secured.
Our infantry division formerly trapped in Kharkov managed to withdraw to the south-west of the city and secure our supply lines, while our mobile divisions captured the city of Kursk. We have a chance to immobilise the bulk of the Red Army fighting in the Central Front and we do not intend to miss it. A coordinated northern-southern offensive aimed at Belgorod has been started.
Meanwhile, Konotop province has been secured and the first tanks are now moving east to the province. The Soviet defenders are in disarray. They are desperately trying to avoid being encircled, not knowing that even if they succeed, their fate will be decided at Belgorod.
Since the Starodub pocket has been cleared, our infantry is now undergoing reorganisation. Some divisions are being redeployed to the South, other ones are reinforcing our lines near Konotop and the most battered and undersupplied ones will be stationed in Kiev. As more and more Bolshevik divisions are being destroyed, the pressure on our Southern forces is decreasing.
The situation became more complicated when Soviet armoured divisions cut off our supply lines near Zmiyevka. We immediately took necessary actions, but even minor enemy successes as this one could easily become very problematic to our tired forces. The logistics in the East is already a nightmare - we do not need any more supply problems than we already have.
Our reaction was swift and Zmiyevka was recaptured. Our attack of Belgorod has not been stalled, but the state of our forces is mediocre. We have, however, one big advantage. While our soldiers are tired and often undersupplied, the enemy soldiers feel even more pressure, as they have been on the run for weeks now and they no longer have access to their main supply hub - Moscow. Therefore, we own our current successes only to our previous victories.
The days of 19th and 20th of July were the happy days for the German people. The remnants of the entity previously known as the Red Army were trapped in several pockets with no hopes of escaping death or capture. This was a heavy (although not yet fatal) blow to the Bolsheviks.
Several decisions have been made regarding our future moves.
Firstly, we will create a wall of men in the northernmost areas of the Soviet Union and advance no further in this region. This land is of little importance and we do not intend to put more pressure on our supply lines than necessary.
Secondly, all pockets will be cleared and our forces will be reorganised. This is of utmost importance, as the trapped enemy soldiers represent the vital part of Soviet land forces. Also, the German soldiers need a moment of well-earned rest, as even the bravest heroes will become weak because of constant, relentless fighting.
Thirdly, our combat operations will be resumed in August. Our main goal will be the capture of Stalingrad. We expect the enemy to surrender after this iconic city falls.
If all goes well, the Eastern Campaign will end this year and the German soldiers will return to their homes for Christmas. Then, our plans for the West will be revealed.
To Stalingrad!!!
Since the chance for capturing the Soviets in Branjsk has been reduced almost to zero, the German leadership created a more ambitious plan which called for a larger encirclement east to the Konotop province. Although outnumbered and exhausted, some of our troops started pinning attacks while armoured divisions pushed forward.
Our troops in the Moscow Region continued their advance with the intent of trapping the remaining Soviet defenders in a pocket, which could cause the regional Soviet defence lines to collapse. Moreover, the defenders of Rjazan' surrendered and Moscow was secured.
Our infantry division formerly trapped in Kharkov managed to withdraw to the south-west of the city and secure our supply lines, while our mobile divisions captured the city of Kursk. We have a chance to immobilise the bulk of the Red Army fighting in the Central Front and we do not intend to miss it. A coordinated northern-southern offensive aimed at Belgorod has been started.
Meanwhile, Konotop province has been secured and the first tanks are now moving east to the province. The Soviet defenders are in disarray. They are desperately trying to avoid being encircled, not knowing that even if they succeed, their fate will be decided at Belgorod.
Since the Starodub pocket has been cleared, our infantry is now undergoing reorganisation. Some divisions are being redeployed to the South, other ones are reinforcing our lines near Konotop and the most battered and undersupplied ones will be stationed in Kiev. As more and more Bolshevik divisions are being destroyed, the pressure on our Southern forces is decreasing.
The situation became more complicated when Soviet armoured divisions cut off our supply lines near Zmiyevka. We immediately took necessary actions, but even minor enemy successes as this one could easily become very problematic to our tired forces. The logistics in the East is already a nightmare - we do not need any more supply problems than we already have.
Our reaction was swift and Zmiyevka was recaptured. Our attack of Belgorod has not been stalled, but the state of our forces is mediocre. We have, however, one big advantage. While our soldiers are tired and often undersupplied, the enemy soldiers feel even more pressure, as they have been on the run for weeks now and they no longer have access to their main supply hub - Moscow. Therefore, we own our current successes only to our previous victories.
The days of 19th and 20th of July were the happy days for the German people. The remnants of the entity previously known as the Red Army were trapped in several pockets with no hopes of escaping death or capture. This was a heavy (although not yet fatal) blow to the Bolsheviks.
Several decisions have been made regarding our future moves.
Firstly, we will create a wall of men in the northernmost areas of the Soviet Union and advance no further in this region. This land is of little importance and we do not intend to put more pressure on our supply lines than necessary.
Secondly, all pockets will be cleared and our forces will be reorganised. This is of utmost importance, as the trapped enemy soldiers represent the vital part of Soviet land forces. Also, the German soldiers need a moment of well-earned rest, as even the bravest heroes will become weak because of constant, relentless fighting.
Thirdly, our combat operations will be resumed in August. Our main goal will be the capture of Stalingrad. We expect the enemy to surrender after this iconic city falls.
If all goes well, the Eastern Campaign will end this year and the German soldiers will return to their homes for Christmas. Then, our plans for the West will be revealed.
To Stalingrad!!!
You should tell us how Japan is faring, since that might be a factor in this for the future.
The Grim Reality
Pocket-clearing
Surrounded and battered, the enemy soldiers had no chance against our experienced troops. Clearing the pockets was the matter of days.
The Plan
Obviously, Stalingrad is our main objective. However, we suspect that in order to cause the Soviets to surrender, we will have to conquer the whole Caucasus. The mountainous terrain there might be problematic, but since the Italians and the Allies are fighting the Soviets in Persia, we have a chance to surround the enemy troops stationed there.
New conscription laws have been enacted. While they will put a strain on our industry, our manpower situation will be greatly improved. New recruits will mostly serve as reinforcements for our troops fighting in the East, since our supply network is already heavily burdened by the sheer number of troops that have to be supplied there.
Destroying the Salient
The salient in the South is an obvious first target. The Soviet soldiers in this region are a major obstacle in our plans to dominate the Caucasus. They have to be dealt with before we will venture further east. We concentrated our mobile divisions in the northern part of the salient and the attack was commenced on 26th of August 1943.
Before the operation began, our bombers bombed the Voronez airfield. It was stacked with enemy aircraft - a clear sign that the Soviets now lacked proper facilities after their major European cities had been conquered.
The Persian front is mostly a stalemate, but it suits us for the moment. The important thing is the fact that the Italians tie a big number of enemy troops there. It is probable that the enemy will transfer some of its forces to meet our advancing troops, so we can expect heavier resistance than usual on our road to Stalingrad.
All is quiet in the Pacific. The major combatants are probably still not ready to battle each other, which would explain lack of activity in the region.
Our armoured and motorised divisions struck the Soviets with mighty fury. However, even though their advance was lighting fast at first, they were eventually stopped because of poor supply situation. As a result, most of our mobile formations cannot take part in offensive operations, which means that we will have to close the pocket with only two divisions.
The outcome of the battle of Luhansk will be the deciding factor in our attempt to destroy the Voronez salient. Unfortunately, our troops stationed south to this province couldn't engage the enemy due to horrendous supply situation, which means that we cannot use our heaviest tools in the battle. Still, the defenders have only one infantry divisions at their disposal, so our forces should be sufficient.
All routes leading to Voronez have been blocked by our forces and several Soviet divisions are now trapped in the city and its surroundings. However, we will not be able to capture the city just yet, as most of our forces lack supplies and can only engage in limited offensives.
The province of Luhansk was taken on 3rd of September 1943. As a result, major Soviet forces were encircled. We expect to hold our lines, but clearing the pocket will take time, as most of our troops in the South suffer from supply shortages.
It is clear now that the state of our supply network will determine the fate of our operation in the Caucasus. Our logistical problems are now much more damaging than the enemy actions. It should be noted that it is already September, which means that the situation will only get worse this year.
Major problems require radical solutions. Several of our infantry and light armoured divisions are now being transferred to Southern Germany, where they will regroup and secure our border with Yugoslavia. Infrastructure projects have been prioritised and new ministers who promise to improve our supply situation have been appointed. The most battered divisions will be disbanded and no new infantry or armoured divisions will be formed. More garrison and police troops will be dispatched to deal with partisans that disrupt our supply lines in the East.
After all current pockets are cleared, our troops will adopt defensive posture. All major operations in the East are suspended until Spring 1944.
Pocket-clearing
Surrounded and battered, the enemy soldiers had no chance against our experienced troops. Clearing the pockets was the matter of days.
The Plan
Obviously, Stalingrad is our main objective. However, we suspect that in order to cause the Soviets to surrender, we will have to conquer the whole Caucasus. The mountainous terrain there might be problematic, but since the Italians and the Allies are fighting the Soviets in Persia, we have a chance to surround the enemy troops stationed there.
New conscription laws have been enacted. While they will put a strain on our industry, our manpower situation will be greatly improved. New recruits will mostly serve as reinforcements for our troops fighting in the East, since our supply network is already heavily burdened by the sheer number of troops that have to be supplied there.
Destroying the Salient
The salient in the South is an obvious first target. The Soviet soldiers in this region are a major obstacle in our plans to dominate the Caucasus. They have to be dealt with before we will venture further east. We concentrated our mobile divisions in the northern part of the salient and the attack was commenced on 26th of August 1943.
Before the operation began, our bombers bombed the Voronez airfield. It was stacked with enemy aircraft - a clear sign that the Soviets now lacked proper facilities after their major European cities had been conquered.
The Persian front is mostly a stalemate, but it suits us for the moment. The important thing is the fact that the Italians tie a big number of enemy troops there. It is probable that the enemy will transfer some of its forces to meet our advancing troops, so we can expect heavier resistance than usual on our road to Stalingrad.
All is quiet in the Pacific. The major combatants are probably still not ready to battle each other, which would explain lack of activity in the region.
Our armoured and motorised divisions struck the Soviets with mighty fury. However, even though their advance was lighting fast at first, they were eventually stopped because of poor supply situation. As a result, most of our mobile formations cannot take part in offensive operations, which means that we will have to close the pocket with only two divisions.
The outcome of the battle of Luhansk will be the deciding factor in our attempt to destroy the Voronez salient. Unfortunately, our troops stationed south to this province couldn't engage the enemy due to horrendous supply situation, which means that we cannot use our heaviest tools in the battle. Still, the defenders have only one infantry divisions at their disposal, so our forces should be sufficient.
All routes leading to Voronez have been blocked by our forces and several Soviet divisions are now trapped in the city and its surroundings. However, we will not be able to capture the city just yet, as most of our forces lack supplies and can only engage in limited offensives.
The province of Luhansk was taken on 3rd of September 1943. As a result, major Soviet forces were encircled. We expect to hold our lines, but clearing the pocket will take time, as most of our troops in the South suffer from supply shortages.
It is clear now that the state of our supply network will determine the fate of our operation in the Caucasus. Our logistical problems are now much more damaging than the enemy actions. It should be noted that it is already September, which means that the situation will only get worse this year.
Major problems require radical solutions. Several of our infantry and light armoured divisions are now being transferred to Southern Germany, where they will regroup and secure our border with Yugoslavia. Infrastructure projects have been prioritised and new ministers who promise to improve our supply situation have been appointed. The most battered divisions will be disbanded and no new infantry or armoured divisions will be formed. More garrison and police troops will be dispatched to deal with partisans that disrupt our supply lines in the East.
After all current pockets are cleared, our troops will adopt defensive posture. All major operations in the East are suspended until Spring 1944.
Hmm... problems. It is a shame the Soviets will now have 6 months to regroup and rebuild, but I'm sure a smaller and lighter army will still get the job done for you in 1944.
It's inevitable. My supply network is on the brink of collapse and the Soviets already solidified their lines in the South. The last thing I need is a major Soviet counter-attack against my ORG-depleted units with no supply. At least my MP situation is good, so I do not need to fear that my whole frontline will collapse due to MP shortages.
Also, I'm thinking about inviting Yugoslavia to the Axis. If they get couped, I will defeat them with the reserves brought from the East. Either way, Romania will be surrounded and they will have no choice but to join the Axis or die. I would also gain more ports and airfields in the Mediterranean. However, since Italy already dominates the Med, I'm not sure it's worth it. There are other options, like invading Spain, for example, which would give me access to Gibraltar and Spanish colonies.
can I just say I like your signature. excellent advertising.
gibraltar is always nice to have, but do you need another supply draw?
I'm reminded of my current (ICE) game. Completely messed up with the marshes. needed waaaaaaaay too long to clear them, so it is november '41. supplies have dried out and ICE has some nasty General Winter effects. like you, I find myself facing a sitzkrieg. rebuild your strenth. use the time for the most massive infrastructure works in human history.
gibraltar is always nice to have, but do you need another supply draw?
I'm reminded of my current (ICE) game. Completely messed up with the marshes. needed waaaaaaaay too long to clear them, so it is november '41. supplies have dried out and ICE has some nasty General Winter effects. like you, I find myself facing a sitzkrieg. rebuild your strenth. use the time for the most massive infrastructure works in human history.