Originally Posted By: Sluggish Controls
How many turns per day you planning Para?


Depends on how much time I can dedicate to playing and writing. After the 1st few turns where the workload is rather heavy until you get everything organized I hope to get several turns done every 1-2 evenings. Still, finishing the campaign will probably take quite some time.

@enigma: While rail lines play an important part due to the supply rules the road network is abstracted.


In the Army Group South sector I decide to go for a massive pocket around Lvov by sending Panzergruppe 1 south towards the Romanian armies. The latter will not attack in the 1st week and XXIVth Panzerkorps will only be available from next turn on, so a calculated risk is involved. But other than the situation in the north and centre the soviet forces in the south are deployed in depth and in considerable strength, so I want to destroy these formations ASAP. Especially the powerful tank and mechanized units can become quite dangerous, even during this (for the Red Army) chaotic time.

Again the infantry (LVth, XVIIth, XXIXth corps) breach the soviet line, then the Panzer and Motorized division pour through the gaps. But here in the south the Red Army doesn't crumble the moment its frontlines are pierced. Near Brody 13th and 16th Panzerdivisions run into 34th Tank division. With heavy Luftwaffe support the Soviets get mauled, losing more than 120 tanks. 16th Panzer pushes east to widen the corridor towards Tarnopol and routs the 20th Tank division in the process. 11th Panzerdivision catches up and in concert with 13th PzDiv forces the 12th Tank division, another powerful formation to retreat with more than 100 destroyed tanks. The situation is critical but if my infantry catch up next turn I should be able to close the pocket by linking up with the Romanian forces in the south.





Turn 2:

In Army Group North sector Panzergruppe 4 pushes on and 6th Panzerdivision manages to capture Pskov! Unfortunately, the relentless advance over the last 14 days have depleted the fuel supplies of my armoured formations, 6th and 1st PzDiv are at 20-25%, while 8th PzDiv and 3rd and 36th MotInf divisions are basically out of gas. I moved the airfields north this round, so air supply won't change much this turn, but I need to wait on the infantry divisions to catch up anyway. A week's rest will hopefully get my spearheads back into fighting shape, thankfully casualties so far have been light.

Behind the armoured spearheads the infantry divisions of XXVIth corps start slowly closing in on the surrounded Red Army divisions west/ south-west of Riga. Riga itself is defended by a NKVD Rifle division, I'll assault the town next turn.



In the centre 4th and 8th armies start destroying the trapped Red Army forces in the Kessel west of Minsk. It's brutal defeat for the Soviets, I estimated this battle alone will cost the Red Army at least a quarter of a million men and thousands of lost guns and tanks. While the Red Army is in still in obvious shock Panzergruppe 3 continues its drive east. Rolling past and often right through retreating Soviet units XXXIXth PzKorps, with 14th MotInf division in the lead, captures Vitebsk! LXIIth PzKorps pushes on overrunning several Soviet airfields in the process, the prize of Smolensk almost in sight of its 12th PzDivision. Unfortunately, 300 miles of rapid advance in just two weeks are beginning to take its toll on the supplies and readiness of the mobile formations. I'll have to decide next turn whether I'll keep pushing on for one more week or wait for the infantry to catch up and rest my spearheads.

Guderian's divisions aren't lazy, either. After annihilating several Red Army division threatening their flanks Das Reich leads another leap forward, crossing the Berezina east of Bobruisk and XXXXVIIth Panzerkorps with its 14th PzDivision reaching the Dnepr!

I wonder if I can manage to create another large pocket east of the Dnepr, by linking up Panzergruppe 2 and 3 behind Smolensk. If just my infantry would come up faster!



In Army Group South sector XXXXVIIIth Panzerkorps links up with the Romanians (who are not activated yet) and completes the encirclement of more than 30 Soviet divisions in a giant pocket. Tarnopol is taken by 75th infantry division. I wonder if I have bitten off more than I can stomach, especially since in the south the pocket is anything but closed tightly. I just hope the Luftwaffe does some effective interdiction...
IIIrd Panzerkorps has pocketed another concentration of Soviet forces around Rovno, but here I really doubt I can keep the pocket closed. Would've needed one more mobile division to really close the door here.



Last edited by Para_Bellum; 01/20/11 08:17 PM.

"...late afternoon the Air Tasking Order came in [and] we found the A-10 part and we said, "We are going where!? We are doing what!?"

Capt. Todd Sheehy, Hog pilot, on receiving orders during Operation Desert Storm