Road to Leningrad (Axis) Beginner AAR v1.11.03 (redrum68)

[redrum68]

Turn 4 Summary

Tips
- Ideally keeping army/panzer group HQs as close to the divisions in important battles as possible helps with leader checks so I moved most of the army/panzer group HQs closer to the front lines just west of Pskov. Though its probably best to not move them around all over the place to avoid wasting too many trucks.
- Resting or not using all the movement on a few panzer/motorized divisions can be useful so that the following turn they are much closer to max MP and then will hopefully take advantage of newly converted friendly territory to reduce MP usage.

Finns
So the top half of the Finnish Front is unlocked this turn. First, I reassign a few divisions to avoid command penalties and organize a bit better. Then attack along the weak spots along the front and move forward into those created gaps. This will force the Soviets to either back up their units or risk being pocketed next turn.

Germans
First, used the remaining AP to replace a few more leaders. The infantry then attack across the Pskov line especially focusing in the north and south so the bulk of the Soviet units in the center of the line can be pocketed. This goes very well and then a few panzer/motorized divisions surge through to create 3 small pockets. They aren't perfectly sealed but without sending more soviet units down to break the pockets, I don't think the units themselves will be able to break out. A few panzer divisions actually save most of their movement this turn to prepare for a thrust northeast towards Novgorod and Leningrad next turn.

End of Turn

[redrum68]

Oh and quick question, can FBDs only repair 6 rail hexes per turn? I had the MP left to repair at least 7 but the RRC option wasn't available.

[Karri]

ORIGINAL: redrum68

Oh and quick question, can FBDs only repair 6 rail hexes per turn? I had the MP left to repair at least 7 but the RRC option wasn't available.

6 is the max in the Baltics and 4 elsewhere.

[redrum68]

Ah ok. I'm sure that is in the manual somewhere. Though seems like something easy to add to the tooltip or info screen for FBD units.

[Telemecus]

6 is the mx from the railhead in the baltics, 4 elsewhere.

But you can repair up to 7 consecutive hexes of rail if you keep to the above limits.

[redrum68]

Turn 5

The main focus is finishing off all the pocketed armor and motorized divisions then driving northeast towards Novgorod and Leningrad. The Finns should be easily able to press forward as most of the Soviets retreated.

Turn Objectives
1. Clear pocketed Soviet divisions
2. Capture and hold Novgorod
3. Drive as far northeast towards Leningrad as possible
4. Capture Tallinn
5. Finns - pocket any remaining Soviet units and drive south towards Leningrad

Here is the start of the turn along the 2 fronts:

[redrum68]

Turn 5 Summary

Tips
- FBDs can only repair up to 6 hexes away from the rail head in Baltic and 4 hexes outside of that (I ran into the 6 maximum this turn). FBDs can also only repair 7 times per turn within those hex restrictions.

Finns
The rest of the Finnish divisions unlock this turn and easily surge forward. The 2 remaining Soviet infantry divisions are pocketed.

Germans
The infantry clear the pocketed Soviet units. A high morale infantry division is able to capture Novgorod while the rest of the Infantry and Panzer Corps drive towards Leningrad with a few minor battles. The 26th Infantry Corps captures Tallinn and then heads east towards Leningrad.

End of Turn

[Telemecus]

ORIGINAL: redrum68
Tips
- FBDs can only repair 6 rails per turn in Baltic and 4 rails per turn outside of that (I ran into the 6 maximum this turn)

Just to be accurate they can repair up to 7, they just cannot repair more than 6 hexes from the railhead at the start of the turn (or 4 outside Baltic zone)

In a game against a person the only difficult thing the Finns have to do in summer 41 is get past the Janisjarvi river line. If the Soviet side fortifies there the Finns do not have the guns to easily get passed it.

[redrum68]

@Telemecus - Sorry, I edited my post to clarify that its hexes from the rail head. Also just out of curiosity, is 7 repairs a hard limit or is that based on how much MP it takes to move and repair?

[Sammy5IsAlive]

That Panzer HQ on its own looks vulnerable if there is a healthy cavalry unit hidden in a stack somewhere close. I think you could have moved it 1 hex east onto the infantry division and it still would be in range of its units (if you didn't already do that after taking the screenshot). Although you seem to have soft factors (the little colourful triangles on the corners of the counters) on everything - are you playing with FOW turned off? No biggie if you are - that's a perfectly legitimate way to learn the game.

[redrum68]

@Sammy5IsAlive - Good point, it would definitely have been safer to move it 1 hex east. I'm playing with all default settings which appears to have FOW turned off. I think I glanced around to see if there were any nearby cavalry to the north and didn't see any so didn't think anything could reach it.

[redrum68]

Turn 6

The Soviets mostly back off but do pocket the infantry division in Novgorod but that should easily be opened. There should be some initial battles around the outskirts of Leningrad but mostly just marching infantry forward.

Turn Objectives
1. Pocket remaining Soviet divisions around Lake Peipus
2. Break Novgorod pocket and establish a bridgehead across the river to the east
3. Drive infantry as far northeast towards Leningrad as possible and begin attack around the outskirts
4. Finns - finish off pocketed Soviet units and push towards the no attack line

Here is the start of the turn along the 2 fronts:

[redrum68]

Turn 6 Summary

Finns
The 2 remaining Soviet infantry divisions surrender and units drive towards the no attack line.

Germans
The remaining divisions around Lake Peipus are easily pocketed and shouldn't be able to break out. The Novgorod pocket is broken and the infantry division is sent east across the river to establish a crossing which the 56th Panzer Corps is moved to Novgorod to take advantage of next turn (should refuel to over 50%). The rest of the divisions are pushed towards Novgorod and encounter some weak resistance.

End of Turn

[Telemecus]

ORIGINAL: redrum68
@Telemecus - Sorry, I edited my post to clarify that its hexes from the rail head. Also just out of curiosity, is 7 repairs a hard limit or is that based on how much MP it takes to move and repair?

Hard limit. Testing can show even when you do have enough MPs/RRV in an FBD and it is range of the railhead you still cannot repair the 8th consecutive hex of a rail line. I suggested putting it in the updated manual but not checked if it is - it certainly is not documented otherwise.

[redrum68]

Hard limit. Testing can show even when you do have enough MPs/RRV in an FBD and it is range of the railhead you still cannot repair the 8th consecutive hex of a rail line. I suggested putting it in the updated manual but not checked if it is - it certainly is not documented otherwise.

Interesting. It seems like an unnecessary limit as MPs would restrict it to I think 8 max anyways. The whole max hex distance from railhead also feels kind of gamey like its putting hard limits on how fast the germans can advance/supply rather than more organic system. If the Russians just run away and offer no resistance, I would think the Germans could figure out how to repair a few more hexes away from the railhead.

[Telemecus]

ORIGINAL: redrum68
Interesting. It seems like an unnecessary limit as MPs would restrict it to I think 8 max anyways. The whole max hex distance from railhead also feels kind of gamey like its putting hard limits on how fast the germans can advance/supply rather than more organic system. If the Russians just run away and offer no resistance, I would think the Germans could figure out how to repair a few more hexes away from the railhead.

Remember with several FBDs you can double (or more) them up on one line. So if not limit could even be 16, 24 etc. Although you would have the cost of not having rail elsewhere. But if you really want Moscow say it would be a way to guarantee it.

Personally I would get rid of the FBDs as units in the game (betrays the bopardgame heritage) and just specify which rails you want to prioritise and they would appear automatically in the map according to your specifications. No gamey (or otherwise) moves with counters then.

[redrum68]

Remember with several FBDs you can double (or more) them up on one line. So if not limit could even be 16, 24 etc. Although you would have the cost of not having rail elsewhere. But if you really want Moscow say it would be a way to guarantee it.

Personally I would get rid of the FBDs as units in the game (betrays the bopardgame heritage) and just specify which rails you want to prioritise and they would appear automatically in the map according to your specifications. No gamey (or otherwise) moves with counters then.

Fair point. Agree on getting rid of the FBDs as units. You could even argue to do something like the further from the railhead the repair, the more it costs as that would then promote more even repairs across the front vs focusing on a single line towards Moscow.

[redrum68]

Turn 7

Not much Soviet movement. Should be able to drive units along the east and west of the river to try and trap the Soviet units there. Then time to begin preparing to siege Leningrad!

Turn Objectives
1. Clear remaining Soviet pockets around Lake Peipus
2. Drive northeast to cut off rail access to Leningrad
3. Use 56th Panzer corps and a few infantry divisions to drive northeast along far side of the river to trap Soviet divisions

Here is the start of the turn along the 2 fronts:

[redrum68]

Turn 7 Summary

Germans
The remaining Soviet pockets around Lake Peipus are easily cleared. The bulk of the AGN surges forward to cut off rail access to Leningrad and prepare to siege. The 56th Panzer Corps and an Infantry Corps drive northeast on the far side of the river threatening to pocket the Soviet divisions there if they don't withdraw. Siege of Leningrad should begin next turn and the plan is to strike primarily the southeastern edge first as the units/forts are weaker there. The Germans should be able to cut off the remaining Ladoga ports over the next turn or 2.

Questions
1. Tips on sieging Leningrad?
2. I'm thinking this is a good time to learn SU and/or air mechanics to help siege Leningrad (really haven't used either much so far). Thoughts on which is more important and best way to tackle them?

End of Turn

[eskuche]

Reassign pioneers and heavy artillery to your strongest corps and perhaps individual infantry divisions. Here you can probably go directly for the Pavlovo backdoor. Deliberate Attack with six ID from two hexes. If they’re from different corps they can contribute additional support units but take a minor (3-10% ish if same army, more if not). Once you take the osinovets port supply will be cut off making the other battles easier.