On the edge - a Soviet mini AAR

[GAGA Extrem]

The original idea to make this AAR came from THIS thread.

Basicly I used the save from another person and started to play in July 1941, the germans have already invaded the Soviet Union and their spearheads are on the way to Moscow.

The save game can be found here:
http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=22321&d=1268090569

Will the Soviet Union be saved? Let's find out!

 

[GAGA Extrem]

July 1941

The situation in July 1941
North:

Mid:

South:

I spend the first days examining our army. My first thought: too little, too late. We have few units and our OOB is a chaos. Some parts of the frontline aren't covered at all - and Leningrad Front HQ better comes up with a good explanation how it ended up so far in the south... All units on the Japanese Border are strategically redeployed, our airforce gathers at moscow.

First orders are to reorganise the military into more army corps to help us on defence. Roughly two dozend Mj. Generals are promoted to Lt. Generals and put in charge of the newly created units. Shaposhnikow (+25% MP, -5% INF build) is replaced by Meretskov (+20% ORG regain). And we reorganize our brigades to give our tanks some HARM.

After reorganizing, we examine the enemy. Intel is low, but the major german spearheads have been sighted - one in the north and one in the south. However, our units are not able to counter these. We have 30 divisions in Krivoy Rag which we can use to counter the southern advance near Kiev, but in the north we have almost no men to spare...

Emergency conscription starts. We add 6 MIL runs to the production quenue. They will have little combat power, but at least they will help us to cover the front lines. In addition, construction of our Battleship is halted, we have other needs so far. Retooling will take some time, so we can expect our first reinforcements during September. Intelligence spending is cut to 1/5 to free IC.

The situation looks dire, but not hopeless. Marine infantry from Leningrad and Sevestapol is mobilized, we plan an offensive on the finnish front line and will try to stall the german advance. Will it work? Time will tell...

 

[GAGA Extrem]

August 1941

We noticed something odd: Our message settings have been reset somehow, now we know why we were not informed about several skirmishes on the front line! We suspect german spies being responsible for this. Should we increase our spending for INTEL again? Mh, nah...

Bad news about the enemy: The germans have already deployed their first mechanized divisions, we face at least 8 Panzer Divs and 2 Mech Divs in the north. We will need some hard attack up there, tanks are brought from the south. Here we faced only 5 ARM so far, although they were enough to devestate our defenders there. Our delay actions are far less efficent than we hoped, at this rate the enemy will reach Moscow before the first snow comes down!

We have issued to give offensive supplies to defenders to increase their efficency, but the german spearhead is still advancing. In fact, they are CRUSHUNG us. Our infantry is basically overrun by their tanks, we lose 4 retreating divisions! In a desperate attempt, we gather all our 8 ARM divisions to plan for a limited counter attack. Let's hope this will work...

Defence in depth doctrine is finished - the ORG we gain by this is crucial. We immediately start researching Large formations. And: we have our first victory! Tanks rushed to the battle of Smolensk repel the enemy units.

On 4th of August, we finally gear up for the war! GDE is now 0.8, making our defence finally equally efficent compared to other countries. Counter attack on Mogilev. Our tanks hit - and they hit hard. The germans halt their advance and rush additional units to the battle. While our tanks suffer minimal losses, the germans lose a lot of ORG - actions like this might acutally save us. The battle ends a few days after overwhelming german reinforcements arrive, but the result is still a strategical and tactical victory: 2000 vs. 4000 losses, many german ARM divs are low on org.

Further in the south, away from our tanks, the enemy has launched another offensive, one we will probably not halt at this point. we prepare to abandong Kiev and think about scorched earth tactics.

Aug 8-14: Naval combat with the Kriegsmarine near Leningrad! The enemy outnumbers us 40:11. Our ships take a beating, but we lose only 2 DD flotillas - this could have been worse. Synthetic oil plant tech finished, we start research on perimeter defence.

Aug 15-21: We destroy a dam to delay the germans in the south. In the North we managed to make a sucessful counter attack, exhausting the ORG of 3 german panzer divs. However, the enemy is still advancing towards Leningrad. We hope that our Finland campaign will suceed, otherwise we will have to give up the peninsula. Two tank divisions are finished, a gift from the heavens! We notice our synthetic material plants are working, draining oil supply - they are ordered to stand idle for now.

Aug 22-31: Kiev is abandoned, the germans seize the city without resistance. Sevestapol garrison is mobilized to aid in defence of the peninsula. Research funding cut by 1/3, 85% research speed will do. Upgrade IC recuded to 50. We need the IC for production.

Aug 26: Sucessful counter-attack by our armor in Rogachev! Despite being outnumbered, our tanks shred the enemy to pieces - 6 german panzer divs are without ORG. Staff thinks with this sucess an encirclement of the germans might be possible. In the north and south, they have lost their momentum, giving us time to reinforce.

 

[GAGA Extrem]

September 1941

The germans are still advancing on the whole front - and our tanks will need a break after the Rogachev pocket, if sucessful or not. Next deployment will be in the north to secure Moscow...

Sep 1-7: Flying bomb developed. Well, that thing won't be too useful atm... Starting decryption tech. Battle for Chernigov - if we succeed on taking the province, roughly 20 german divs will be cut off. But the operation soon ends, as the enemy has brought 40 divs into combat and 2 armies are about to be encircled by enemy spearheads. However, our attack on Helsinki is sucessful. Finnish defeat is only a matter of weeks now. Counter attack on Sumy. A german spearhead is in danger of encirclement with their rear guarded only by 2 divisions. The USA gear up for the war.

Sep 8-14: Reserves from Sibiria arrive, not a day too early, since the germans have almost reached the outskirts of the city. Logistic Supply System developed, deep vehicle repair ORG put in quenue. 13 divs trapped in Konotop, armor attack on Klintsy failed, but rescue is on the way.

Sep 13: Finland surrenders! We make them a puppet. One front less to worry about. We take military control and now have 29 additional Finnish divisions (plus 20 freed from this frontline). They are immediately re-routed to Leningrad.

Sep 15-21: Unfortunatly we have not the power to close the pocket around the Kursk area. We Have saved our encircled army, but the germans have roughly 80 divisions in the area, a number even our tanks cannot overcome. We will retreat in the middle area and focus on destroying the northern flank instead.

Sep 18:

Sep 22-30:

Sep 22: Battle for Bryansk. A lot of enemy units have turned SW, so we have another chance for a pocket. Our tanks are at roughly 66% ORG and we still have units from the former Sumy pocket to assist. Further north, german spearheads have reached Moscow, a counter attack is carried out (and sucessful, for now). First Finnish units arrive.

The situation:

Sep 24: A small pocket in Tambov is closed, 2 enemy DIV are trapped, but the germans launched a counter attack that will probably break our siege. Anyway, this draws units away from the battle of Bryansk. Our tanks fight deliberatly, but despite heavy ORG ans TR losses, the germans rotate more and more divisions into the battle. It looks like we won't take the province. Our tanks will fight until out of ORG. Even if we can't win the battle, enemy losses are rising.

Sep 25: Flying bomb secret weapon tech becomes available. Meh. We break off the Bryansk attack - losses: 7.500 soviets vs. 8.500 germans. We will try another attack at Klinsy within a week. Diversion attack at Kursk launched.

Sep 26: The two enemy divisions in Tambov surrender before the counter attack can link the provinces. -2 for the germans. *evil laughter*, diversion at Kursk aborted due to german reinforcements.

Sep 27: German counterattack on Sumy, but thank god no enemy ARM or MECH. All but 3 DIV from Konotop rush to assist the defenders. Victory or Valhalla until they arrive.

Sep 30: Reinforcments arrive, but even with them, the battle is still undecided.

 

[Mortu]

Gaga, you are doing much better than I thought/imagined possible! When I lost yet another stack to encirclement and was left standing with that gaping hole in the center (what you inherited), I thought all was lost and Germans were going to cakewalk to the Pacific! Glad to see that those tanks I built are finally proving their worth.

 

[Mortu]

Btw, the reasoning behind Flying Bomb development was to pound Finland into submission from Leningrad... But you managed without! ^_^

Watch out for Kiev when you go into a counter-offensive: there is a lvl 10 fort there.

 

[unmerged(34917)]

Exciting stuff, USSR is pretty hard at first, but you got to grind down the Germans as much as possible. Remember, you have 4000 MP to spare!

 

[GAGA Extrem]

October 1941:

Oct 1-7: The battle of Sumy is won, but massive forces gather in the south. INTEL reports at least 30 enemy divisions, while i have only 20 to defend in case of an attack. However, my units are dug in, have a lvl 1 fort, a river and the option to give up ground if necessary.

Oct 1: At dawn another battle for Klintsy starts. Although the enemy has more units here than in Bryansk, the terrain is more favorable (plains vs. forest). The remaining divs from Roslavl and Konotop assist. It are only 9 additional DIV and they are in danger of enemy counter attacks, but the +10% combat modifier for the tanks is worth it. The enemy is still exhausted from the last battles and has only few fresh units, the remaining forces have only 1/2 of our ORG. Did I mention that morale from human wave rules?

Oct 2: Counter attack on Vardö (Finland) by 1 ARM and 1 PAR. The Finnish units are still disorganized and forced to retreat. We redeploy additonial 3 MTN div to deal with them. Sucessful counter attack in Orel and Novgorod. Another german spearhead reaches the outskirts of Moscow, a counter attack of combined soviet and mongolian forces commences.

Oct 3: Attack on Klintsy proceeding nicely. The germans cycle divisions, but most are still to disorganized to have any effect, retreating after a few hours. We launch a counter offensive near Leningrad.

Oct 4: Victory in Klintsy! Our tanks cease the province, cutting off four provinces with several divisions, we immediately launch attacks on Orel and Tula, while the germans commence a huge counter attack: Klintsy, Sumy and Konotop are attacked, 40 divisions total. Our tanks will have to play firemen to keep the pocket closed.

Oct 8-14: 9 new INF DIV are being deployed.

Oct 8: Sucess! Our armor raced south and has halted all three counter attacks! Orel and Tula are captured, the pocket is down to two provinces. Attack on Kursk commenced, our tanks assist: We encounter 17 worn down german divisions! That means we have encircled roughly 30, if not more, enemy DIV.

Oct 9: Victory at Kursk, the enemy is retreating into the last province. Second counter attack on the connecting provinces, our tanks turn north again.

The situation:

(Note that Klinsy and Konotop are toally undefended - I will have to rely on my tanks here!)

Oct 10: The germans open the Bryansk/Kursk pocket, but their spearhead is almost instantly defeated by our tanks. Kursk is taken. Battle at Klintsy. The first HARM brigades on our tank divisions upgrade to IS-1.

Oct 11: Kontop is retaken, the pocket closed again. 5 ARM divisions head for Klintsy. Offensive around Leningrad proceeds, regaining ground.

Oct 14: Pocket exits are secure, est. 35 DIV trapped inside, many still retreating. A land-lease shipment from the US arrives. 5000$. Nice. Research funding back to 100%.

Oct 15-21: German air raids on Moscow, 1 wing of TAC is destroyed. The rest is evacuated to Pavlovsk. First MIL divisions are ready. Although the front is now stabel we continue their production - they can be used as garrisons later.

Oct 17: Attack on Chernigov. Cold weather is already hurting our offensive abilites, but the germans are still disorganized from the recent battles - if we continue to push, their losses will skyrocket.

Oct 18: In Porkhov, near Leningrad, the germans go Victory or Valhalla, fighting with 9 worn down divisions (incl. 1 ARM and 1 MECH) against 24 attackers. Their strengh is already below 50%, the battle is heading for a total soviet victory.

Oct 19: The last german division inside the pocket surrender. Estimated german losses: 200.000 men, with an addtional 100.000 for their allies. Current total loss count : 500.000 for SU, 915.000 for GER.

Oct 25: The germans have gone VoV again. This time in Chernigov, where 25 divs have already lost 25% STR. I guess it's an AI bug caused by GAR taking part in the fight. Since the germans pour more and more units into the fight, this will probably end in a total defeat with horrible losses. In Porkhov they finally abandon the fight after their GAR div is destroyed. Losses: 12.500 SU/FIN vs. 37.000 GER.

Oct 29: French-Guyana joins Free France.

 

[GAGA Extrem]

November 1941:

With their huge losses (300.000 soldiers from the pocket and roughly another 200.000 from their VoV), the german advance has been halted. Winter is setting in and we will use the time to set up new forces and start construction of MECH units as soon as the tech is finished.

Nov 1-7: Several skirmishes along the Leningrad front.

Nov 7: Battle of Chernigov ends. After their GAR was destroyed, they finally retreated from the battlefield. Losses 15.000 SU vs almost 150.000(!) for the axis. With this the germans now have lost 1.150.000 men in total.

Nov 8-14: The german Panzer DIV in Finland is defeated. Attack on Vardö will commence soon. Snow covers russia. Father winter is back - and he has brought a big nasty stick o' attrition for the germans. Fighting has ceased along the whole front, although our tanks will make another attack once they have regained ORG.

Nov 9-21: 6 new MIL divs are being deployed in the south. They will serve as reserves and garrisons for (the currently undefended) Sevestapol. Subsidiary CV tech finished, advanced INF div started.

Nov 21: Next battle for Chernigov started. The germans are overwhelmed by our forces, despite frost and snow. Losse: 1500 vs 4000. We do not advance into the province. Once the german reinforcements arrive, we will proceed with a third attack.

Nov 22-30: 3 new ARM divs deployed. We will need an HQ for our tank army now. Luckily, there is one in Sumy.

Nov 28: Third battle for Chernigov, 40 vs 30 divisions. Despite frost our forces are doing good.

Nov 30: Basic mechanzied division tech completed. Starting with improved mechs immediately. 3 MECH+HARM divisions are added to the quenue, priority for INF is lowered. 3 MIL are cancelled, 3 set idle after their next build.

 

[GAGA Extrem]

December 1941:

Now all we need is time. We have 3.500.000 men left to fight in our manpower pool, while germany has lost many, many soldiers during the last two month. The front is stable, our tanks will continue to inflict casualties and in spring we will launch our great offensive towards Berlin.

Dec 1-7: Vicory in Pharkov, Vardö and Chernigov. Estimated losses: 10.000 vs 18.000.

Dec 8-14: Ernst Udet commits suicide. -1 for germany, I guess. Another attack on Chernigov. Losses: 2000 vs. 5000.

Dec 15-21: US occupation of Iceland and Greenland. Armor attack on Priluki. Losses: 2500 vs 5000.

Dec 22-31: 3 addditonal MECH+HARM divisions added to quenue. Attack on Poltava.

 

[GAGA Extrem]

Januar 1942:

All quite except for our tanks of course. Current losses: 550.000 soviet vs. 1.200.000 german.

Jan 1-7: Vlassov defects to germany. Good ridance, we will make sure to invite you to our victory parade in Berlin as a "special guest". A GAR in Poltava, therefore the Germans go VoV. Ouch.

Jan 8-14: Perimeter Defence Doctrine researched, we start with Frontline Supply tech. Air combat near Moscow, but heavy snowfall leads to an undeceisive engagement.

Jan 15-21: Yet another battle for Chernigov, but this time we willt take the province. Until spring we will have a defence line along the river.

Situation on Jan 17:

Jan 18: A german general dies in accident. -1 for the germans... hehehe... Garrison in Chernigov... VoV... Advanced AT-ART tech finished, improved static AA started.

Jan 20: Italy and Japan sign the Tripartie Pact. Mh, guess after germany we will have a japanese dessert...

Jan 22-31: Battle for Chernigov ends. Losses: 6.000 vs 46.000. Deep Vehicle Repair Org finished, starting Infrastructure Destruction tech.

Jan 26: Battle of Gomel started. 32 DIV vs. 6 german defenders (4 ARM, 2 MOT). Several german DIV join, but stand no chance. We move one step towards standing army - +3 dissent.

 

[Mortu]

Btw, check espionage: I may have had a desperation smear campaign in progress against the germans... not that it helped me much

 

[Hastatii]

Looking good what difficulty are you playing on?

 

[GAGA Extrem]

Honestly, I dunno. I guess the save was set on normal/normal.

 

[Mortu]

Honestly, I dunno. I guess the save was set on normal/normal.

Yes, normal/normal, no IC or tech team takeover.

 

[GAGA Extrem]

February 1942:

Tanks continue to advance northward.

Feb 1-7: Improved INT tech finished, advanced INT started. Supply stockpile below 9000, one tank quenue is set to idle after next unit is constructed. Victory in Gomel. Losses: 6.000 vs 10.000. Battle for Rogachev. Losses: 3.000 vs 6.000.

Feb 8-14: Battle for Roslavl. Losses: 3.000 vs. 5.000.

Feb 13: Disaster in Finland! The germans somehow managed to conquer the coastline (I didn't get any warning!) and ANNEXED Finland! All Finish divisions disintegrate! 9 MOT div moved north as emergency measure. Our tanks will follow. (God that is one annoying fauxpas. Totally unnecessary. But: Well, the germans were decimated by the VoV bug, so I guess it kinda evens out.)

Feb 15-21: Advanced Encryption finished, advanced decryption started. Tanks race north for Leningrad.

Feb 22-28: Germans launch a counter attacked on our now weakend northern front. Tanks en route. British invasion of Norway. Attack on Vyazma, but since our tanks are occupied this will be a though one.

 

[GAGA Extrem]

March 1942:

With the disaster in Finland, the game becomes interesting once more. My tanks will seize the territory asap and MIL will garrison the beaches. Afterwards I should be ready to fight the germans in April. With the lost 30 Finish divisions, the lines are thin and the germans can break through - again. I must hold until april, then the first MECH divs will be completed - I estimate one of these though divs is worth roughly 3-6 INF divs, so they should help a lot.

Mar 1-7: Battle of Vyazama ends undecided. Casualties: 22.000 vs 18.000. The defenders of Staraya Russia break, the tanks are still 2 provinces away. Two additonal Tank divisions are being deployed. Supplies below 1.000 - IC on prod decreased.

Mar 8: The USA declare war on Germany. Serves them right. But... With this... Maybe... Just maybe... We should get some garrisons back to the japanese border now...

Mar 8-14: Our tanks make an unexpected stop - we see a chance to encircle some german divisions - and our MOT in Finland have already halted the enemy advance. Phillipines DOW Germany.

Mar 13: Our oil stockpile is EMPTY! Somehow the german annexation of Finland depleted our storage! Over 3000 units are gone! POOF! As an emergency measure, synthetic oil plants are quenued. We sign a trade agreement with the USA: 40 supplies for 20 oil. Autotrade priorities (so that thing WAS on!) changed.

Mar 15-21: The British forces are pushed back to Trondheim.

Mar 19: Large Formations Doctrine completed, Breakthrough Priority Doctrine quenued.

Mar 22-31: 1 German Panzer DIV destroyed in Finland. 1 own ARM div constructed. Due to oil shortage, some ARM divisions will stay behind and serve as defence on the northern front.

 

[GAGA Extrem]

April 1942:

Out of oil, again outnumbered and situation will not really imrove soon. Dang. And I thought that game was already over.

Apr 1-7: Germans launch attack on Roslavl. We are outnumbered badly and reinforcements will leave gaps in our lines. However, we will sent more units. If necessary we will fall back one province and shorten the frontline. Mud delays their attack, so we migth stand a chance.

Apr 8-14: Another lend-lease shipment arrives. Excellent, we were almost out of supplies. But... Oil next time... maybe? Please?

Apr 15-21: Improved Decryption Devices finished. Improved Synthetic Oil Plant tech started. 3 MECH divisions are ready. They are deployed near Kiev. While stationary they only consume 1.8 oil per day, so they are still affordable. However, another oil trade with the US might be needed soon, at least as long as our oil plants are being constructed.

Apr 22-30: The pocket in Staraya Russia is closed. -4 DIV for the germans. 3 German divisions are surrounded in Finland - and in Norway, the British have made a come back - together with the Canadians. Near Moscow, thing go wild - our tanks have cut deep into the german lines, but the germans have launched several counter attacks - which we answered with counter attacks ourself. Basicly there is fighting among the whole front from Leningrad to Moscow.

 

[GAGA Extrem]

May 1942:

I am going for another pocket near Moscow. My tanks are low on fuel, but my current deficit is only -15/day (with 12 tanks being on the move), so the shortage is not too bad. If things go well, the germans will lose another 20-30 divisions soon.

The Situation in May 1942:

May 1-7: Several Skirmishes in Finland. The situation looks bad for the germans here. In Nevel (northern front) our tanks have overrun 6 divisions that will soon be annihilated.

May 8-14: An attack on Smolensk is cancelled due to mud and urban enviroment. Attack on Orsha commenced - only 3 enemy divisions are ready to fight. With this we can hope for another pocket! And another good news: Our tanks are now at more than 25% experience (compared to 5% for the german Panzerdivisions).


The situation:

May 13: Attack on Orsha sucessful - 3.000 to 8.500 losses.

May 14: Malinovskij is killed on the battlefield when an artillery barrage hits his HQ. 3 MECH deployed in Gomel. The germans take Rogachev - so one additional province necessary to close the pocket...

May 15-21: German MECH has formed a line of defence in Rogachev - our counterattack stalls.

May 16: Just as we enter Orsha, 3 of our ARM divisions evaporate. Scientists suspect this could be a new german Vergeltungswaffe - called the "Bugstrahler III Ausf. B". -3 for the SU. Dang. Okay let's look on the bright side: Lowers our oil demand by roughly 25 units.

May 18: Attack on Mogalev. Despite being outnumbered 10:12 our tanks advance steadily.

May 19: Igor Illichev appointed as new head of intelligence (+5% IC).

May 22: Attack on Rogachev fails due to enemy MECH. We abort and attack Roslavl instead. In Finland 3 MOT Divs dissappear - it must be related to oil! If units enter a province where enemies are still retreating and their oil supply is empty - they vanish! And we finally know where the germans came from: They have military access through Sweden! They will pay for this treason! Later...

May 23: Attack on Mogilev aborted due to the disappear problem. Losses: 2.500 vs 9.200.

May 24: Advanced Medium Tank tech finished, Advanced Heavy Tank research started. Research funding again decreased to 85% efficency. Tanks partially refueled. Go comrades!

May 26: Another attack on Pskov is launched.

May 28: Hangman asassination in Poland. Mogilev is retaken - 6 german division (incl. the 18th Panzerdivision) are trapped in Smolensk and will probably surrender within a few days. Counter attack on Orsha, but despite being outnumbered 28:5 and being low on ORG, our tanks hold the lines. The rest of our ARM units attacks Zhlobin - maybe we can create another pocket in Rogachev.

The Situation at end of May 1942:

May 29: Our tanks in Orsha are defeated, but the pocket is clear: the german units in Smolensk surrender. -6 for Germany. In Finland the last german units retreat to Murmansk, the border is secure - again. The British are advancing towards Narvik.

May 30: German counterattack on Novorzhev. Our units are low on ORG and will probably break soon, but reserves are available to proceed with a counter-attack. Combat in Zhlobin ends - in the end the enemy outnumbered us vastly and losses were rising. Still a decent result: 5.500 to 9.100 losses. We will now attack Rogachev instead, with some luck many of the german units from Zhlobin will fall for our trap an rush to help the defenders.

 

[Mortu]

Curses! Looks like our land forts may be working against us now!