3-1-8 Rkt Art III 0708
3-1-8 Rkt Art III 0708
2-3-8 Art III 0309
2-3-8 Art III 0907
1-10 mot AT II 0409
1-10 mot AT II 0409
2-10 mot hv AA III 0509
2-10 mot hv AA III 0607
2-6 Eng III 0907
2-6 Eng III 1105
0-1-5 Cons III 0714
0-1-5 Cons III 1014
2-1-10 Aslt Gun II 0208
2-1-10 Aslt Gun II 0208
2-1-10 Aslt Gun II 0209
Truck 0708
Airfields 0417,0714,1014
Me109G 0607
Me109G 0909
2x Me109G 1014
Fw190A 0714
2xJu87D 1014
5x Ju88A Off-Map
3x He111H Off-Map
All Other Units Per German OB

Dickenson Commentary

I base my setup on the most common thing the Soviet player does, which is expand the Lyutezh bridgehead to the north (0208) and break out to the east (0309, 0409 and 0509). Kiev will likely be assaulted across the river (from hexes 0507, 0606 and 0707).

Expanding the Bukrin bridgehead into hexes 0907, 1006, or 1105 is optional. Given this outline of Soviet intentions, my setup has to be flexible to deal with the best and worst results that can happen.

All hexes are made overrun-proof and those most likely to be attacked by tank forces have ATEC if needed. Hex 0209 is overrun-proof against weaker Soviet stacks in the exploitation phase, even if German units don't retreat into it to make it stronger.

Hex 0609 is the only hex that can be put out of supply if the Soviets make a deep exploit, so I put the truck counter in hex 0708. This will allow hex 0609 to be supplied if necessary; the truck can then withdraw to the rear.

It would take too many units to protect the rear cities (Fastov, Korosten, Zhitomir, Berdichev and Vinnitsa), so I covered only the two southeastern ones (Berdichev and Vinnitsa), which will serve as airbases. They can also serve as reinforcement staging areas if the more forward cities are lost. If the 208th Inf XX (hex 0409) remains intact, its ZOC will protect the other cities.

The Rkt Art is best suited for counterattacking, so it is placed in a safe hex in proximity to likely Soviet advance corridors. Hex 0909 can be overrun in the exploitation phase even with both Rkt Art stacked there-best not put them there.

I've left the three cadres as they are in hex 0207 to keep it from being overrun. I know I'm taking a chance on them being eliminated in a retreat, but you have got to take chances sometimes.

Holding Kiev is important so that it cannot be used as a Soviet supply conduit. The problem is that in order to hold Kiev you have to lower the Soviet odds against it; but a large commitment of troops deprives other sectors (especially the north) of much-needed units. This is a vicious cycle, because now the Reds can overrun hexes there or make successful attacks with fewer units, which frees more factors to attack Kiev... I came up with a compromise that is not great, but better than nothing: the German has to hope for good air and AA die rolls, while the Soviet gets bad ones on everything. With a lot of luck the Soviets might end up with a 6:1 (-2) and roll a 'L'

Judge's Verdict

Ed correctly identifies the most likely Soviet tendency, which is to break out of the Lyutezh bridgehead, but then doesn't do very much to counter it. Trusting to the forlorn hope that "208th Inf XX (hex 0409) remains intact" isn't promising; by using one or more Art XX's the Soviets can mount odds of 9:1 (-2) against 0409. This yields only a paltry 1/6 chance that the 208th will not be cadred.

Ed obviously believes that the Soviet player can overrun a 7-point stack. This is too bad, as it leads him to make some less-than-optimal decisions (such as not using the Korpsabteilung and sticking a 2-6 Eng III in hex 1105).

Why not just put the truck in 0609? Hex 0708 may seem safe since it can only be hit from one hex, and this across a major river, but in this scenario no hex on the front line is truly safe. The Rkt Art III's would be better placed in 0609, or in 0909 along with the extra Eng III from 1105. Better yet, move both Rkt Art III's and the Eng III to 0410 to assist the 208th in forming a roadblock against "the most common thing the Soviet player does."

Harrumph! I guess I'm being too harsh towards a setup that is, after all, the second best entry. Anyway, I like the 2-10 hv AA III in Kiev; at least it can retreat.

Verdict. 2nd Place

Training Exercise #2: The Battle for Kiev, 1943

Pukalo Deployment
Yanaway Deployment
Watson Deployment
Dahman Deployment
Jennings Deployment
Celebuski Deployment
Dickenson Deployment
Carrenne Deployment