Power of the Dark Side, Stephan61[A] vs Stamb[S]

[Stamb]

South.

Like always in this game (this AAR) so far, main action is in the South.

I am simple man. I see Axis allies (useless in my mind) i attack.

axis allies can surprise.png (3.86 MiB) Viewed 1105 times

Or they are not useless?

[Stamb]

After getting into pretty big troubles during previous turns, on t12, Axis units were so close to each other that i was unable to find any gaps and it prevented raids with our lovely cavalry.
But this turn, this turn cavalry is BACK!

battles in the south map.png (1.46 MiB) Viewed 1099 times

+ battles

battles in the south.png (1.21 MiB) Viewed 1099 times

Awesome result. Fuhrer gonna be in rage

[Stamb]

T14

North

Axis were slowly taking control of the hexes, one by one every turn.
But minor river + lvl 2 fortification + airborne corpse + great commander to maximize chances of passing different checks and as a result we finally got so much needed hold.

great hold by Vasilevsky.png (4.17 MiB) Viewed 1092 times

This time there were 2 divisions instead of 1 on our bank of the river.
Luckily they were forced to retreat. But it was very close battle

Leningrad counter attack.png (3.67 MiB) Viewed 1092 times

[Stamb]

I had some problems with a freight in one of the depot and by flying air transport missions i noticed that there are much better a2a trades than in typical battles.
Great news for us. If only i had more transport groups i would just fly transport missions to kill more UFOs

how to deal with OP axis fighters.png (497.89 KiB) Viewed 1090 times

[Stamb]

Center

By using our best units i was able to cut off 1 regiment and 1 unidentified unit.

what is that unit.png (926.66 KiB) Viewed 1083 times

How we can identify it?
Just make a simple hasty attack.

its a regiment.png (3.34 MiB) Viewed 1083 times

And we got an order to attack.

1st attack.png (2.35 MiB) Viewed 1083 times

Regiment retreated to a hex with another regiment.
Now they are in 1 hex and do not have any other hexes were they can retreat. It means that it is time to activate 100% ROUTE mechanic. We just need to win this battle. And 10 CV in light woods is not joke.
Time to be serious.

2nd attack.png (2.83 MiB) Viewed 1083 times

[Stamb]

Also there is counter attack near Smolensk. I am sure that i just got lucky not to get any reserve activation.

counter attack near Smolensk.png (3.52 MiB) Viewed 1080 times

[Stamb]

South

This is what i saw when i got a turn.
Our cavalry divisions were beaten and trapped in a pocket.
In theory i could commit heavily and push Hungarian brigades to open a pocket. But in that case i would expose much more forces and risk to doom even more units.

Most of Axis units are low on CPP.

axis cpp.png (4.38 MiB) Viewed 1073 times

It was mistake from my side to send so many cavalry units to make a pocket during previous turn. I could isolate Axis with less forces. I was pretty unhappy with my mistake.
But i have one theory. If this units surrender then they do not count in a total limit for a cavalry? If this is a case then i can build more cavalry, even if it is expensive and costs 8AP for 1 unit.
And then got this surrendered units back as a shells that i will have to fill with new equipment and men.
So by losing more cavalry i am actually allowed to have more of them.
Truly power of the Dark Side

[Stamb]

If we are going to lose this units then lets drain enemy CPP, especially when they have green label with it!

multiple attacks.png (248.43 KiB) Viewed 1071 times

Also notice that i move one cavalry to a hex to the South.
Why? To make Axis spend additional 50% CPP by making an additional attack.
So instead of 2 attacks there will be minimum 3 attacks.

[Stamb]

Speaking about enemy attacks

Model himself decided to stop an attack vs our mighty cavalry unit!

i like cavalry!.png (1.04 MiB) Viewed 1058 times

Also we can see that somebody hates NKVD so much

lots of hate for nkvd.png (1.58 MiB) Viewed 1058 times

Romanians made an attempt to cross Dnipr, but failed.

romanians fail to cross Dnipr river.png (1.82 MiB) Viewed 1058 times

[Stamb]

In return we isolate enemy and route him

isolated and routed.png (1.63 MiB) Viewed 1055 times

And another battle vs Axis allies

axis allies are back to normal.png (1.07 MiB) Viewed 1055 times

[tm1]

I am beginning to worry about you Stamb since I'm a Darth Vader loyalist, I enjoy the dark side so I believe that this is not the case as you have in fact joined the " Jedi ", return to the dark side now before its to late


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anALWMR860s

Seriously though you seem to looking good so far

regards

[Stamb]

Once you taste dark power you can not stop. You just want more power!
And by reading my dark book (game manual) i found something very very interesting about Soviets.
Gonna try to use it in my next turns and see how it goes.

[Stamb]

t15

Center:
Again there were pretty low CV infantry divisions. I decided to attack them and basically it was 50%/50% chance to get reserve activation from mobile units that were behind frontline.
In that case i had to make second attack.

1.png (1.42 MiB) Viewed 987 times

[Stamb]

South

Typical South action.
Use cavalry to isolate enemy and route it.

isolated and identified by a cavalry.png (2.02 MiB) Viewed 986 times

and routed.png (2.27 MiB) Viewed 986 times

and one more unknown unit.png (547.99 KiB) Viewed 986 times

and obviously routed.png (1.59 MiB) Viewed 986 times

[Stamb]

And there were a couple of other routes, no point of showing them. Just isolate and route. As simple as that. It is pretty broken game mechanic, IMHO. I would prefer just higher losses if unit is forced to retreat but has no hexes to do so.

Here i just want to show you how enjoyable it is to have many cavalry units on a map.
It is just such an adorable view.

did i tell already that i am in love with cavalry.png (678.38 KiB) Viewed 985 times

[Stamb]

and by doing this move we assassinated another general

killed with a cavalry raid.png (862.45 KiB) Viewed 983 times

[Stamb]

Also there was a major pullback.
I think it is mobile forces that went to refit.

units refit.png (3.38 MiB) Viewed 982 times

[Stamb]

And it is funny for me that Romanians were not able to push across major river while each of my attacks against same major river made them route, except of one unit which retreated. Even if some of them were in lvl 1 fort.
My best allies!

routes.png (1.18 MiB) Viewed 981 times

[Stamb]

So by making pockets, getting into pockets, going forth and back it is Sep 28 already. And i still hold D,Z cities. I could not even hope for a better result. Axis forces were also pretty exhausted at this point which gave me hope that maybe i can hold this cities. There is minor problem that rail line to D city is not working because of enemy presence. But i still had around 15k freight there. And each turn i was losing around 2k freight to supply nearby units which are obviously on priority supply 4

[Stamb]

t16

North

Another great and much needed hold by Vasilevsky

1.png (1.09 MiB) Viewed 972 times