DC3: Barbarossa Barthheart vs JasonPratt - No Jason

[Crossroads]

Hello Bart, bad news it seems:  :(

I suspect from the existence of a Bart update on his thread, that it's my turn again; but my main cooling fan bit the dust (no pun intended) on the computer I'm using to save videos for my AAR snapshots. It'll be several days before I'm up and running again. If anyone is reading both threads, please let Barth know (and pass any other messages back and forth.)

[Barthheart]

Hello Bart, bad news it seems:  :(

I suspect from the existence of a Bart update on his thread, that it's my turn again; but my main cooling fan bit the dust (no pun intended) on the computer I'm using to save videos for my AAR snapshots. It'll be several days before I'm up and running again. If anyone is reading both threads, please let Barth know (and pass any other messages back and forth.)

Thanks for the note Corssroads... hope he can fix his PC soon and nothing important went with it....

Wait! He's making videos?!? Now I really feel lazy.... 

[Barthheart]

July 20, 1941

I'm feeling a little behind schedule in my overall advance.... especially in the center. Man that's a lotta troops he's got piled up there. 2PG and 3PG are still re-organizing from their stance change so not much advancing there on my part. Trying to shore up the line with the infantry armies including the newly arriving 2nd Army.
Same slow moving in the north as 4PG reorgs.
In the south we are driving wildly across the steppes... maybe to wildly... need to rest and refit 1PG when the infantry catches up....
Might try and close the Pripet Marshes pocket and trap at least 3 full armies there.....

[BanzaiCat]

Nice write up!  O0

[Barthheart]

July 24th, 1941

Slow week as we consolidate our gains and have the infantry try to catch up with the Panzers... at least in the South.
The Center is a big solid block. 2PG still in reorg. 3PG makes some attacks but fail because I'm an idiot and didn't check the target first. They were all in Defensive posture! 
The North is moving again but I need to swing 4PG slightly south to help break the log jam in the center.
The South is till wide open need to be careful not to over extend.... but it is nice tank driving country....  8)

This screen shows why it's important to read ALL the reports no matter how boring. It seems my Russian opponent feels the need for some artificial help..... I'll take that as a good sign of panic...  O0



The big news this round in the massive pocket in the marshes! If he doesn't back out now he'll lose 4 complete armies.  :D

[Barthheart]

July 28, 1941

Ugh! Another week of mud! That's 4 in total so far. It has really hampered operation in the center. That combined with re-org of 2GP and 3PG has meant almost no movement in weeks!
No the Russians have a large wall of troops there....
Trying to reposition 2 PG and 3PG so we can bypass the river and break through the open ground just north of Minsk.... just need a few clear weeks in a row....

Not much else happening. 18th Army sprints north and find a small Russian Army around Talinn. In the south still consolidating gains.... in the mud. We did push a few divisions across the river south of Kiev just to frighten the Conscript Army there.

Here's  the first 40 days of the offensive.... still think I'm behind and must keep up the pressure on the Russians.....

[BanzaiCat]

It looks like you withdrew a bunch of Finnish divisions when they were on the cusp of victory...could they not advance further? Looks like you pulled three or four divisions out, leaving a hole which his one division gladly filled.

[Crossroads]

^^ This is in area the game's taking some liberties btw, as historically Finns launched their attack into Karelia not in June but in July 10, 1941. No big deal, enjoying this DAR immensely  O0

[Barthheart]

It looks like you withdrew a bunch of Finnish divisions when they were on the cusp of victory...could they not advance further? Looks like you pulled three or four divisions out, leaving a hole which his one division gladly filled.

Yeah the Finns are allowed to only go so far then you have to stop attacking or face penalties.

There is a German unit attached up there so I thought I'd try and push it beyond the "NOGO" line to see if the penalty applies to it. It does so I had to pull it back.

So now I'm shifting a few of the eastern most divisions to the Leningrad area in case I can get the Finns released then they will all fall on Leningrad from the north.

[Boggit]

I said this on Jason's thread, but Vance it applies equally to you:

"A brilliant AAR, well written, great humour, and an excellent read. Well done. O0 I look forward to your next instalment."

Thanks for such an entertaining read. :)

[Barthheart]

Thanks Boggit. Glad you're enjoying it. I just wish I had more time to devote to playing a writing it up.

[Barthheart]

Aug. 1 1941

We've been at war for just over a month now (and longer at this DAR thanks to me  :-[ ) and I'm feeling a bit bogged down.... at least in the middle.

With some better weather this round I did manage some small breakthroughs in the middle. 2nd and 3rd Panzer Groups shift north an try to get back out into tank country.



In the south 1st Panzer Group, tired of waiting for the infantry to catch up, sweeps across the river and up behind Kiev. Maybe that can spook the Russians enough to shift some units from the center.



And ya gotta love this massive pocket. 4 entire armies cut off in the marshes with little hope of rescue. I think I'll just let them rot there....

[Barthheart]

Aug. 5th, 1941

So here comes one of the dreaded Fuhrer Conferences where he can change the entire set of victory conditions on me.



Here's what it's all about:



So I choose to kiss ass as much as possible to keep things on an even keel. 70% of a good out come and I roll 89!
So the Corporal accuses me of being a spineless suck up and changes the game plan. Instead of Leningrad being the focus of the war now it's Rostov.



This is not so bad as most of the Russian army seems to be busy in the North.

[Barthheart]

First thing to do is surprise Jason with a shift in the operational boundaries for 4th Panzer Group. It's an expensive card to play but will let me push all of 4th PG across the North/Central boundary and swing behind this little adventure that he has begun along the boundary.

[Barthheart]

Next up is to continue to swing 2nd and 3rd GPs north a bit to get through the new gap I'm opening. Need to break off this "finger" off that's poking where it shouldn't. Also you can see how low my PP level is getting... need to be carful I don't run out or decisions will be very hard to steer my way....