When to throw in the towel?

[Jeff Panzer]

Hi Guys, I have played the 41 campaign as the Germans, about 6 to 8 times never getting past 9/42. Anybody have kill ratio that would
help to detrimine as the German when to continue past 12/41? I beta tested Second Front about 11years ago,
the AI is much improved as the Russians or they cheat more. Any thoughts?

[Ed Cogburn]

Originally posted by Jeff Panzer:
Hi Guys, I have played the 41 campaign as the Germans, about 6 to 8 times never getting past 9/42. Anybody have kill ratio that would
help to detrimine as the German when to continue past 12/41? I beta tested Second Front about 11years ago,
the AI is much improved as the Russians or they cheat more. Any thoughts?

I don't have a kill ratio, it just boils down to who holds Leningrad and Moscow at the beginning of the '41 blizzard. A kill ratio is a *very* bad idea, as the Axis can't sustain a battle of attrition against the USSR, which is exactly what happened historically. For the Axis its all or nothing, Moscow or bust. Taking Leningrad, but not Moscow is iffy, but could lead to victory in '42.

The AI is not particularly good and it does a lot of cheating. It can't play the Axis at all and plays the Soviets badly.

Also, the next version will have some things that will definitelly alter play balance, like changes to the combat routine, etc., so it may be that you'll have better (or worse!) luck with the next version.

[Gordon_Wiking]

For some reason, I am not very good at this, and can never make moscow in 41. I engage in massive, sweeping encirclements, destroy tons of Russian troops, but eventually I bog down with supply problems.

Anyway, this time I went with a new strategy.

its the first week of October, I am on the verge of taking leningrad, and have taken Kharkov, Stalingrad, and the city above Stalingrad(I forget its name). I did not hold the last two cities, but by destroying the t-34 factories in Kharkov and Stalingrad, I think that I am in good shape. There were two in both of those cities. Now, there is only one active T-34 factory.

I am also about to take the caucus oilfields. Only problem is that in the first week of october it decided to snow. I hope that it not a bad omen for an early blizzard.


So anyway, being unable to ever take moscow, the question is this: Does Moscow=Stalingrad+Kharkov+Caucus oilfields?

I doubt I will hold the caucuses throught the winter, but I believe that point is simply that the damage will have been done to his winter offensive and production.

Also, if he conducts his winter offensive towards leningrad, there is a chance that I can actually win this thing during the winter by grabbing all the victory points except Moscow and Gorki.

We will see.

I am also using a new tank procurement strategy. Since most of the 41 battles are encirclement battles, often against weak forces, I have the Panzer Divisions using the weakest tanks first. I want to use up all the crap. As a result, I have over 500 IIh's in the pool which I can deploy in spring 42 and hopefully use to win the war.

[sbond]

it will be interesting to see how your tank reserve works in 42. but I see little to no reason why you can not obtain a quick victory in '42. Keep us posted on the reserve

[This message has been edited by sbond (edited November 20, 2000).]