Dog Fight - Ostkreig Tournament Round 1

[Dog Soldier]

Russian turn 6.
16:00 PM July 9, 1941
Normal Conditions
Visibility 3km.

Victory points after the Russian turn six



While 90% of the Russian army is still fixed, the Germans are moving fast toward chopping up the one Russian division inside Mogilev. This hurts more than it looks since this is the best Russian division. All I can do is blast the Germans with a few artillery shots. Only four batteries have ammo. I have moved my few troops released by the German attacks to block his next moves. His tanks are taking losses due to using them in assaults. That will be small comfort as the 10th Pz and 10th mot have large infantry units in good positions to assault the Russians next turn. The 10th Motorized is the biggest worry as I could not get troops into position to stop the surge when he crossed river. My attempt at an up front defense there was over whelmed. This may cost the game as I could have retreated away from the river to sit in the marshes. My weakened units were easily pushed aside by Germans on foot in transport mode.
Now it will be a fight to slow the German advance of the 10th mot enough to allow some of the city defenders to escape when they release next turn.

Retrospective....
My comments above were written at the time of the turn being played. I now can add further commentary knowing how things played out.

von Nev is right about my decision to move out of the trench position in the marshes. It was a calculation on my part to bring this unit forward in the rotation of Russian infantry that were firing on the Axis bridge engineers. If the 10th MD did not get a bridge this turn I would look brilliant. Since they did I am in deep trouble. Such is the nature of taking a risk. The risk would have been far less if all my units were not fixed for the first seven Axis turns. It was the fact that the Russian 13th army is fixed for seven turns that I took the risk.

The Axis attacks have been very good so far. The surge of the 10th MD was made in a very careful manner in regards to the ending positions. These units are going to be a bigger threat in the next few turns turns the 10th PD.

When reading Marty's comments I can not help but wonder. e did not seem to know the Russians were to remain fixed until each unit could spot a German unit for itself. the fixed flag in this scenario is probably set at the level of 13th Army. This simulates the paralysis in the Russian command at this time period.
In any case, much of the Russian losses in the coming turns will be due to surrounded units that get pinned behind Axis lines while waiting for orders (fixed). The best I can do is try to move them to a good blocking position (like stones in a stream) so they die well.

Dog Soldier