Stalingrad Pocket II VASSAL AAR

GroggyGrognard · May 05, 2014, 02:16:38 PM

This is the situation at the end of my Axis turn 8. We are halfway through the game so far and the Russians are pressing hard on all fronts. He overran my last airfield at Gumrak during his turn, eliminating the possibility of supplies being airlifted in for my poor boys in Stalingrad. It will only be a matter of time before the rest of my units in Stalingrad are eliminated by the Russians or attrition die rolls.
Bypassing several bridges, the Russians made multiple crossings across the Chir during his turn with a several guards units, tank brigades, and a couple of infantry divisions. Luckily on my turn, the mighty 11th Pz arrived just in time to begin my own version of Operation Winter Storm. I conducted a successful counterattack with the 11th Pz and some other panzer units against several of his units that had crossed the Chir. However, despite eliminating a few of his tank brigades, and a infantry division, the Russians have retained a hold across the Chir with two large unit stacks.
The Russian advance up the Don has slowed a bit, but more than likely not for very long. I still have about six mobile panzer divisions on the board right now with more on the way in a couple of turns.
The last screenshot are the current casualties.

GroggyGrognard · May 12, 2014, 09:19:52 PM

This is the situation at the end of my Axis Turn 9. The Russians are across the Chir in force, managing to take Bokovskaya from the Romanians in the southwest. A couple of German panzer counterattacks made during my turn only eliminated a couple of guards cavalry divisions, but still leaving a significant Russian force across the Chir. The Russians continue to dominate the Don river as the Germans slowly retreat across the Myshkova. The 11th Pz along with a few Kampfgruppen have moved down to the southwest to respond to the successful Russian crossing at Bokovskaya.
The last screenshot are the current casualties.

GroggyGrognard · May 19, 2014, 08:25:30 PM

This is the situation at the end of my Axis Turn 10. Due to attrition rolls, a few out of supply German units wound up perishing in Stalingrad. It will be inevitable that the Russians once again will have the city in their control. Despite some moderately successful counterattacks during my turn, the Russians still remain strong across the Chir. Moreover, the Russians even slightly mauled the 16th Pz division during his turn. The 6th Pz has just arrived to help shore up the thin Axis line holding the Myshkova river alongside the Don. However, overall the situation is not looking good for the Germans and the worst is still yet to come. More Russian Katyushas are arriving on turn 11 and a big number of Russian reinforcements arrive on turn 13.

The last screenshot are the current casualties.

GJK · May 20, 2014, 10:06:58 PM

Somebody was selling a copy of this (UP) for a really good price...I might have to take the plunge. I really enjoy Dean Essig designs.

BanzaiCat · May 21, 2014, 08:03:44 AM

Cool stuff, GG.

GroggyGrognard · May 27, 2014, 01:52:16 PM

This is the situation at the end of my Axis turn 11. The Russians have retaken Stalingrad after eliminating my lone out of supply unit in the city. More Russian units continue to move down along the Don river. During his turn, the Russian successfully eliminated what was left of the 16th Pz division near the Chir river. Despite giving the Russians a bloody nose around the Chir--especially west of Nizhne-Chirskaya--with some successful Axis counterattacks and artillery barrages, they still remain in force across the river. More Russians continue to build up around the Myshkova river line and even took the village of Gromoslavka across the Myshkova.

The last screenshot are the current casualties.

GroggyGrognard · June 02, 2014, 12:24:02 PM

This is the situation at the end of my Axis turn 12. The Russians have made some small advances all around. However, in the southwest part of the map, the 11th Pz launched a successful counterattack against two determined Russian infantry divisions occupying Bokovskaya. The panzer division killed both divisions and retook the village. The Russians lost even more infantry near Nizhne Chirskaya. Both the 24th Pz and 6th Pz divisions mauled a Russian stack of mech and armor near the Myshkova river and the village of Gromoslavka. More Russian reinforcements arrive next turn.
The last screenshot are the current casualties.

GroggyGrognard · June 15, 2014, 09:49:14 PM

So, I haven't been posting any more AAR posts of the current game because I've conceded as the Axis on turn 14. According to the victory conditions my opponent has scored a Massive Soviet Victory and there is nothing I can do to change that around before the game ends on turn 16.

What mostly cost me the game was not holding on to Stalingrad for very long. At the beginning of the game, I wanted to experiment by pulling alot of the mobile German units out of Stalingrad and the surrounding area so I could potentially use them throughout the game. However, this move cost me in the end because the Russians were able to close and eventually eliminate the pocket rather quickly. Stalingrad counts as 6 of the 17 victory points in the campaign game and that is a huge chunk of victory points to give up early on in the game. The fact of the matter is that the Germans have to put up more of a fight for Stalingrad. After all, it's what the Fuhrer would want!

My opponent and I will be switching sides for our next game, so the next AAR will be from the Russian side. Stay tuned!

GroggyGrognard · June 24, 2014, 06:18:09 AM

Our new game of Stalingrad Pocket II is well underway. We've switched sides, with me now taking the Russians and my opponent, the Axis. This is the situation at the end of Axis turn 1. I've blown a pretty good hole on the southwestern side of the map, but haven't made much progress on the southeast front. The Germans made acouple of counterattacks during his turn--one with some success, the other not. My opponent plans on keeping more forces in the pocket and thus put up more of a fight for Stalingrad.

GroggyGrognard · June 27, 2014, 06:25:49 AM

Here is the situation at the end of Axis turn 2. I've made rapid progress in the southwestern area, overwhelming the Romanians and Germans. Not a whole lot of progress on my southeastern front. The Germans made some small counterattacks around the Stalingrad area during his turn. He continues to build up supplies and panzer strength around the city.

GroggyGrognard · July 09, 2014, 04:51:48 PM

Here is the situation at the end of the Axis turn 3. My opponent has taken a different strategy this game by keeping more units in and around Stalingrad. This includes several panzer battalions outside Stalingrad which--during his turn--sniped a couple of my Russian armor units southeast of the city. Due to his strategy, it has prevented me from making consistent progress trying to close the pocket early in this game. And the Germans have already built up several supply points at one of the airfields. Meanwhile, in the southwest, during my turn 3, I managed to cross the Chir at two bridges and establish bridgeheads, which included capturing the village of Bokovskaya. My other Russian forces have already driven to and across the Don river, capturing the village of Kalach on the east side of the Don river.

ArizonaTank · July 18, 2014, 03:46:38 AM

Thanks to your inspiration, I have a copy of SPII inbound. Enjoying your AAR.

GroggyGrognard · July 20, 2014, 10:37:47 PM

Quote from: ArizonaTank on July 18, 2014, 03:46:38 AM
Thanks to your inspiration, I have a copy of SPII inbound. Enjoying your AAR.

Thank you. Good to hear that you've picked up a copy of the game. I used to own a physical copy of the game, but lost it many years ago along the road of life. My friend that I'm playing against over VASSAL, he and I played SPII several times back in the 90's when the game was released. We only recently reconnected with the game over VASSAL and both of us had forgotten how much fun and tense the game is. It had been almost 20 years since we last played it on a open table! IMHO it is one of the best SCS games thanks to Dean Essig's superb game design.

Enjoy!

Groggy

GroggyGrognard · July 20, 2014, 10:52:40 PM

Here is the situation at the end of the Axis turn 4. I'm slowly but surely closing the pocket, but there is still some strong German strength in the pocket and quite a build up of supply. Although I haven't expanded my bridgeheads across the Chir in the southwest, I have managed to retain a toehold across the river and even repulsed a few panzer battalions trying to protect one of the bridgeheads. During his turn, the Axis had a pretty good barrage phase and managed to disorganize a couple of my stacks along the Chir. Meanwhile, the Germans counterattacked along the Don with the 24th Pz, but without much success.

GroggyGrognard · July 28, 2014, 11:56:08 AM

Here is the situation at the end of the Axis turn 5. The pocket is almost formed as the Russians slowly try to tighten the noose. During my turn I took the village of Karpovka--an important VP hex southwest of Stalingrad with the 1st Guard Mech.I also managed to take a piece out of the 24th Pz by eliminating its motorized infantry group and sending the rest of the division back across the Don. Meanwhile, in the southwest corner of the map, the Russians are still managing to hold on to two bridgeheads across the Chir. This coming turn the Russians will get several returning Katy brigades, and will be preparing for a second assault across the Chir.

The last screenshot are the current casualties.