ORIGINAL: M60A3TTS
@HLYA: I've largely been on sabatical, so stop moping.
Thank you for a reply M60. Welcome back!! I will now put on my happy face
ORIGINAL: M60A3TTS
One would find it hard to criticize your defense of Leningrad, aided in no small part by Brian's bewildering decision to drive his panzerwaffe into the backwoods of Torzhok in 1941, effectively killing any chance of taking Leningrad or Moscow that year.
As to your northern position, I would question sacrificing guards cavalry corps in that pocket, although I am well aware that you and I place a differing value on their importance. What I have found is that guards cavalry are in a better position during inclement weather and moving away from a functioning railhead to advance and engage in combat later in the war (43-45). Part of that is due to the cost of deliberate attacks by cavalry remaining at 6 vs. 16 for the armor.
Yes, I don't put high value on Cavalry in general. They are great for what you mentioned above and I have a nice cadre of other Cav Corps(12 more Corps). But I don't mind losing what I have there for the delay in and around Leningrad. Once lost they should be back in shape by the end of the year.
Thus Guard Cavalry made it look even better enticement for Leningrad to be encircled. I cared not if the Germans direct attacked or cut off the ports. What I do hope at a minimum is for the Germans to take to 2nd week of July to eliminate Leningrad. If the 3 PZ Corps(estimation from the "ctrl + 3" function, since I really don't do much recon now since I am sure of my lines) are held here to the end of June at a minimum then that will meet my minimum expectation.
ORIGINAL: M60A3TTS
Why do you have three units in each hex along the Finnish No Attack Line? That means once you are squeezed to 3 units a hex, your defenders will rout or surrender that much sooner.
Very good question indeed. It is multi faceted.
1st, actually it is ALL hexes are stacked 3 high in Leningrad. With all the hexes in and around Leningrad filled with units any attack by the Germans would route the Soviet unit to the east instead of into Leningrad proper. Thus freeing them from the pot if you will. Any unit hungry German would not want to attack to lose a "juicy" morsel
Since I had the front line stacked with large defense values and after Brians first attack sending the first set of 3 units far to the east it looks like he made the decision to cut off Leningrad proper. He wanted to force surrender all the units I guess. If he pursued a direct frontal assault all of those Guard units and units in general would 100% route to the east. So I set it up to go either way. With few towns in the north those units route way to the East on to a rail hex normally. Once they rally they are ready to go south
2nd, Many of those units in the rear were brigades set at 70% and division set at 20% TOE along with some AT Brigades set at 20%. If Brian wanted to cut off the ports these units can do one of two things. They can be ported out quickly being under 300 capacity OR they can be used to bring a front line division back up to full strength. Matter fact all units that are killed I use as replacement brigades/Divisions to my other Divisions on the map. It is a nifty replacement system once set up correctly. Many of these 20% TOE replacement divisions are nearing 40 experience so not much of an experience hit either
This replacement system is an excellent way to keep an offense going. You really only have to worry about the fatigue since you replace back to full every turn. I now have division at 20%, 30%, and 40% TOE in key areas of attacks. I do the same thing for my Armor Corps. Every Turn they are full strength.
Not to mention this is how you can get your Armor Corps high in Experience pretty quickly. Yes, when you convert 3 armor brigades into an Armor Corps your experience goes through the floor. Now if you take the corps and add in your top experienced armor brigades you start to quickly bring that experience up. I guess I should stop giving out too much information
3rd, There was an opportunity to use the 6 Cav Corps to try and do an offense towards Finland. Finlands border with Leningrad was only guarded by Regiments. Instead I decided to use them just to cause loses to the Germans. I have pretty much shunned attacking any other nationality besides the Germans until turn 53. (I should have tried Finland, that would have been interesting to say the least. But kind of defeated my purpose of inflicting loses on Germans)
ORIGINAL: M60A3TTS
You seem a little too ready to write off Leningrad. You know that you don't need those ports like you used to as airhead supply is available now. Personally, I would already have corp-ed the guards rifle divisions along the Neva and be dug in for a long siege. Two armies, airbases on two hexes and a rifle brigade on each of the four hexes along the Finnish line will give you what you need to make the Axis player have to really work at digging you out.
Haven't written it off. Just my expectation is Panzers till the end of June and most Infantry to Mid July to be kept in Area. Anything beyond that I am ESTACTIC. I have been up in the air about making a Corps in Leningrad. At this stage of the game I feel it is better used around Moscow and or Stalino. I really debated about Corp'ing up the whole defense of defending the ports. But I didn't and may be forced to pay the price here in a little bit. Many of my resources now are tied up in the Center and South
