Moscow '42 AAR: Sukhinichi II : We Will Rescue You

[Dog Soldier]

Epilogue

This game was going well enough for the Russians even though the 83rd Cavalry had some bad luck. Being spotted early (dusk of the first day) tipped my hand allowing some small German units to move down the road over night and at dawn to slow the cavalry and recall the 18th Panzer Division infantry back to the main road leading into Sukhinichi. German artillery disrupting the cavalry squadrons the second day and the cavalry’s slow recovery from that disruption nearly caused a disaster. These two events eventually lost the game. The Russians never got as good a jump on the 18th Panzer Division that I was seeking along with isolating the Sukhinich garrison. It was close for a long while in terms of victory points, but I was eventually unable to achieve what I had hoped against a good player like Strela. He recovered nicely, then pushed his advantage against my other infantry divisions with the strong German infantry recently brought from France.

The Russian cavalry are key to a Russian win. Keeping the Germans guessing where the cavalry will strike can spread out the Germans, or pin their units from strong offensive actions. The Russian player must balance this effect with the need to give the cavalry time to achieve something in victory point terms.
Keep the cavalry concentrated, scout ahead with the light tanks, then hit the Germans hard where they are vulnerable and grab some victory point locations.

The same can be said for the Russian infantry divisions. Although far less mobile than the cavalry, coordinating their attacks with the cavalry’s main move can place a strain on the German forces where the Germans cannot react to everything with sufficient forces.

Strela played for time around Sukhinichi. I could not force him give up any victory point locations around the village to maintain the integrity of his forces. The Russians had to take them from him.
The 18th Panzer Division’s attack up the hill was expected in my plans. Unfortunately the 328th Rifle Division was not up to the task of a fighting withdrawal and maintaining good order to counter attack in support of the 83rd Cavalry Division’s move along the main road behind the bulk of the 18th Panzer Division. Had the 328th been able to keep their troops from disruption, a strong counter attack by them would have prevented the 18th Panzer from redeploying enough forces to disrupt the cavalry, forcing the cavalry to retreat and regroup as they did in this game.
The German artillery should share credit in breaking up some of the Russian moves and suppressing Russian units for rallying in greater numbers.

It was a close thing for a while there. Just not enough good order Russian troops could be brought to bear on the Germans to overwhelm a point in their line, precipitating a disaster for the Germans.

Dog Soldier