Axis war diary revisited

[Ketza]

Due to multiple patches and a recent renewed interest in the game I have decided to revisit doing an AAR. Some major changes in the game have been afoot and hopefully I can show a few new Axis players a few tricks on the opening moves as well has write something interesting. I do not consider myself an expert and certainly welcome comments as I am always looking to improve my game.

Here goes!

[Ketza]

Air Doctrine. here are changes I make. One small change make the percent to fly as low as 0.

[Ketza]

Although there is some conversation about the air war being broken or ineffective I have seen occasions where air does seem to make a difference in ground combat.

I have found in the mid to late war the most important aspect of handling the Axis air groups is keeping fighter experience and morale as high as possible. You can do this by manual upgrades and keeping your intercept high to shoot down as many Soviet planes as possible. Also keep your LW bases tight in case the Soviet player decides to bomb your airfields.

The first turn of the game is the best opportunity you have in the first few turns to shoot down Soviet planes before they scoot to the national reserve.

[Ketza]

Another important thing to mange is your TOE and AP usage. I like to kick it down right out of the gate in order to maximize keeping CVs up with the frontline combat formations.

[Ketza]

Something I like to manage. In a game that got in 1943 I had some sec divisions with CVs of 8.

[Ketza]

Initial attachments

[Ketza]

More

[Ketza]

Initial HQ changes. I have decided in this game to reinforce AGS with 2 Panzer divisions, 1 SS, 1 Mot and one Mot regiment.

[Ketza]

Phase one

In order to make as many large pockets as possible but not let units rout away I have changed the way I attack the border.

I do the attack in phases starting in areas where I want to capture "rout targets" to keep from bouncing routed units out of potential pockets. The marsh area is notorious for allowing leaking routed units the ability to escape. This series of moves captures a few of those spots as well as begin to form the Kovel and Brest pockets without using any mot units.

[Ketza]

Next I launch phase 2 in the 9th army area. Border attacks spring a mot division free with the goal of capturing rout areas as well as starting to form the huge center pocket.

Notice here I actually bombed the Soviet airfield before it was overrun. I usually wait to do this until after all border ground combat but this one needs to be overrun as it can be a rout site.

[Ketza]

Next phase 3 sends 4th army in. Unlike Pelton I like to get this pocket killed off on turn 2 and the progress forward during the surprise turn makes that task a lot easier. It also allows the airfield in the middle of the pocket to be overrun. With the initial phase moves anything that rots will wind up in the pocket. In this case one sec regiment will escape.

[Ketza]

Phase 4 shoots a motor division into the deep rear to cut off more rout areas before the big push by 16th and 18th armies.

[Ketza]

Phase 5 border attacks. 16th and 18th army brush aside the border forces with the low morale divisions. This leaves the 90+ morale divisions to exploit forward.

Its during this phase that the ports along the coast are taken out.


Well I lost my screenie of this area. Bummer. Well here is another to take its place

[Ketza]

Phase 6 switches to the south. Here again I make a lot of attacks to push back the Soviet line. This gives access to the airbases as well as pushes the Soviet backs using the cheaper attack costs that the surprise turn gives. It puts you in a better position in case your Lvow pocket is broken as well as makes it easier for your Panzers to burst through the front using less MP.

You can see here where carefull attacks and movement have allowed deliberate attacks by infantry against the strong Soviet mech units. This saves MPs for your Panzers to use as exploitation.

[Ketza]

After the infantry clears a path the 48th PZ blasts open a hole lead by third Panzer. 3rd Panzer has 3 attached Pioneers and wreaks some havoc.

[Ketza]

Next 46th Panzer drives down from the North and begins to close up the Kovel pocket. The pocket south of Rovno begins to take shape as well.

[Ketza]

Initial border attacks are over and here is the air tally from Air to Air and the one airbase overrun. 400 air to air kills may not seem like a lot but those are kills you most likely will not get air to air as the Soviet air force will most likely go into hibernation for awhile.

Phase 7 is bombing Soviet airfields with every plane possible. A good average amount of kills is around 3500 when all is said and done thanks to the new rules.

[Ketza]

Phases 8, 9 and ten are the final pushed with the Panzers in AGN, AGC and AGS.

[Ketza]

AGN and center final. All goals are met. Pockets look very secure. Very few routs will escape.

I usually opt to not attack Minsk and Riga with the rules changes. The chance of success at either location is a lot lower then earlier versions of the game. I would much rather have secure pockets.

A lot of testing has shown that trying to overreach with the center pocket can be problematic in the area to the southwest of Minsk. In this game I decided to play it safe and attack those Soviet units to feel more secure.

[Ketza]

In the south Kovel and Brest pockets are very secure. The pocket south of Rovno is actually a trap. It can easily be broken but its occupants are not going anywhere. An agressive Soviet may over do it here and wind up losing more units. I hope my opponent does that.

Lvow pocket can be broken down by the Rumanian border if the Soviets get lucky in a counter attack.