Not One Step Back...Maybe. No MT

[mmarquo]

I am going to play MT "cold" as the Soviet. Any words of wisdom before and during the defense of Rodina will be appreciated.

1. Any new units to build?
2. Advice on command cards?
3. Leaders?
4. General Soviet strategy or tactics?

AAR to follow...much thanks. MT is a very experienced gamer who has a knack for squeezing every possible advantage out any system. I expect to lose and end up in a gulag, but want to learn the system. Thanks.

[:)]

[RCHarmon]

I'll let a more experienced player give you some advice. If none will then I will tell you what I know.

[mmarquo]

Please, do not be shy [:)]

[Isokron]

1: Dont build any units for a while, better get integrity up on existing (exception is if some tank corp lack sub units). Later you might want to transform some motorized divisions into tank corps. Probably disband a few fighter units to build up the others. Disband any infantry divisions that take a beating (losses regiments and/or get low morale/integrity on remaining regiments). Generally try to have all your units >70% integrity to avoid breakage. Disband tank brigades to build up tank corps instead (tanks losses ~20% efficiency from experience loss when transfering but gain 40% efficiency from corps stacking bonus).

2: Fronts play experience cards on their most valuable armies. Try to get those armies to full staff first. I usually try to get one elite army with a good leader that get all the experience cards from its front and stavka and fill it up with tank corps+artillery+aaa.

3: Make it a priority first turn to replace all front leaders with organization <40 (there is one with ~35 that can stay a while). Then replace as many of the lowest org army leaders as you have good org leaders left.

4: Attack hard around Kharkow (both north and south), also attack bulgarians in the north. Limited attacks where you can get three sides and assembly some artillery behind the front elsewhere. Be ready to fallback to better ground instead of taking huge losses, this will mostly be needed in the south to begin with.

[RCHarmon]

First off get a map mod. The map that comes with the game is greatly defficient. You need to be able to see clearly the river lines and the size of rivers.


The Axis has a long ways to go. It is almost an impossible task. Buy your time and wear down your opponent.


The Soviet Navy is a supply hog. Use it only when needed.


Learn to blow up bridges with your airforce (bombing). The Soviet airforce must be built up first. You will easily eventually to decimate the German Air Force (a bit unhistoric in my opinion). Keep AA around your impotant bridges. Be sure to blow bridges that you pull back from.


Massed artillery, and I mean massed, follwed by ground attacks can decimate a German infantry division in one turn. Problem is is that you need time to set up to get it right. In the early game the Soviets will be doing a lot of fallbacks and retreats.


Look at the map from the perspectives of supply and railroads.



Hold Svoboda and Kamensk. These are important railheads. A soon as you lose both of these any armies in the center of the map will be virtually unsupplied. That is, the center of your forces cannot hold a position south of Voronez and north of Rostov with the rail lines cut. See Map. I made maps, but I don not know how to load them up.

[RCHarmon]

Rostov is the doorway to the south and to the oil fields. The Axis needs to take it as early as possible. The longer it takes the harder it will be. Two bridges supply the city keep both open. Loses do not matter. Hold the city.

[mmarquo]

First turn done - I had a surprisingly rich choice of generals to choose from, so the C/C structure is much better. I have learned to tone down the quantity of attacks; artillery prep seems mandatory for 2 hex attacks, maybe not for 3. I broke 2 German divisions on the first turn by prepping with artillery, then a massed attack witch failed but so seriously depleted the fascists that a followup attack even at a cumulative total of over 300 (counting the first one) broke the units with trivial losses.

Will post a map after next turn. House Rules:


If the Axis does not achieve all the following territorial objectives at some point in the game then they lose. If they do achieve the territorial objectives the normal victory conditions apply, VP etc. However if the Axis achieve an Auto Win, that would override the conditions below.

The territorial conditions are these:

Germany must at some point capture OR isolate OR get adjacent to Stalingrad.
AND
Germany must at some point capture OR isolate OR get adjacent to Maiko.
AND
Germany must at some point capture OR isolate OR get adjacent to Grozn

Soviet Conditions:

Soviet 57th and 6th Armies (including all attached units, no reattachments out if the command of these HQ's allowed ) must remain West of the Donetz for the first 6 turns unless Axis units cross the Donetz south of Izium or enter hex row 50 north of Izium.

These two armies must also make 3 land attacks each turn for the first 3 turns with at least 6 regiments in each attack. For each hex the Axis leave empty at the end of the Axis turn that lies adjacent to the units of 6th or 57th Army one attack is considered done.

Cheers

[mmarquo]

Okay - Turn 3. MT crossed the Donetz thus freeing me of the house rule obligation to keep the 6th and 57A west of the Donetz. Time will tell if he crossed a turn or 2 too early. He concentrated all his panzers except the Rostov units into 2 pincers hoping to cut off a large pocket. Fortunately I was able to extricate all of the armor but the infantry is lagging and probably many divisions will not make it out.

Questions:

1. Is it better to defend in checker board or a blanket? I learned very quick that stacks at this point are futile - just swept aside so I figure to let him have to chew through a blanket of units. Good or bad idea?

[Isokron]

Personally I always aims for stacks although you might have to retreat them a hex or two to keep the germans from easily overrunning them. Dont think I have ever seen the soviets crushed so fast around Izzium though. You should probably have tried to hold on to those forest hexes harder. Also remember that the soviet units arent really worse than the german ones as long as they are properly led and supported so you can do some pretty nasty counterattacks if he runs right up to you, esp if you have some tank corps+artillery in place.

[mmarquo]

As above we are playing that the Soviets are constrained to stay west of the Donetz for 6 moves and must launch 3 X 6 regiment attacks/turn with the 57th and 6th Armies unless released by the conditions above. This means that MT was able to simply shift armored divisions around without any retreat or reaction, and then launch a massive pincer attack. And the C and C issues really handcuffed me.



We are doing this mostly so that these armies are forced to carry out the initial STAVKA attack towards Kharkov; the forum seems to suggest that the game is perhaps a bit too hard for the Axis so losing these armies as historic) may balance the game. What do up think?

[Isokron]

Yes I think the scenario might slightly favour the soviets, probably not after a thus big encirclement though(reading the mt thread). Also from my limited experience hardcore supply seems to favour the german player quite a bit.

[RCHarmon]

Playing the Soviets with hardcore supply is enough of a handicap already. No other special rules are needed. Just wait until Michael realizes how effective blowing bridges are.

An engineer unit will need 3 turns to build up enough supply to rebuild a bridge over a major river. Two such bridges down and it is a death sentence. Major rivers may need 2 engineer units to baby sit the bridges.

You have lost engineer units in the pocket. Rebuild them. You will have to use cards to do it. Cover every bridge with engineers (attached to fronts or Stavka) and AA units. Build these units as needed.

Your game will be as good as over if Micheal starts blowing bridges.

[mmarquo]

Time will tell; right now the C/C penalties are filling me - can't run, can't counterattack...

[mmarquo]

I shudder to think what is being posted in MT's AAR. I am perhaps doomed for 3 additive reasons:

1. The C/C is grievously impeding my retreat;
2. Our house rule has caused me to lose 3 Armies in May;
3. Perhaps I could otherwise deal with 1 and 2, but we are using Hardcore Supply - which I have completely mismanaged but am learning.

Of course MT is a formidable opponent under any circumstances...

I have Rostov ringed with fortifications so maybe it won't fall too easily. Further I am giving up Kerch/Peremkop so reinforcements are on the way.

Cheers