Move-wise FitE

[larryfulkerson]

Now to move the 611th AA unit.  Out of all the options I like 5 the most since it completes the surround on the
Soviet division on an important road junction:
 

[larryfulkerson]

Now to move the land combat units. AGN is the first. For now let's move it thusly:

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the equipment of the 23rd Korps unit ( think of it as a traffic cop, a sometimes engineering unit, and a minor ferry unit with support squads ):

[ I wouldn't want to lose any of those support squads but I don't mind using HQ units as stopgap finish-a-known-winning-surround on a unit ]

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the possible moving spots for the 23rd Korps:



Out of all the choices I like 5 the best since it's the least danger to the 23rd Korps, it would
deny the Soviet MP unit the favorable terrain in a retreat and I gotta move a unit there
anyway to start a surround on the Soviet MP unit and the Soviet division there.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the 206th Div. They are all stacked in the same hex. They would have to move
probably too far to take part in any battles in the first combat round so that brings us to
what else we can do with them. If they don't move at all and the first combat round costs
10% of the turn then that would cost us about 2 movement points that we will not be able
to take advantage of. I recommend we move them.

These guys are the first land combat units in the order of battle to move and I like to
start at the North end of the frontline when I'm planning my moves so as a personal
preference I'd like to see them on the northern end of the front lines. So I've decided to
get them started moving north as in the picture below: [ also, I like to stack my divisions
so that the combat units are in the same hex as the HQ for the DIV. But conversly, I
don't like to stack more than one division per hex when moving them. Just something I
do and maybe there's advantages to stacking 9 guys in each hex but I've found that
doing that causes traffic penalties. ]

[larryfulkerson]

Next is the 251st DIV. The movement costs shown in the picture are for a combat unit
not the HQ unit. And as you can see none of the combat units can move AND participate
in the first combat round ( because to do so would cause the turn to be 50% consumed (or
at least a significant proportion of the turn). So I suggest we move them toward the front
but at the same time place them where they won't cause any traffic congestion. If needed
we can move one of the traffic cops ( like the 23rd Korps ) into the hex to alleviate the
traffic penalties. In the case of the 251st maybe we should just save the moving of the
entire DIV to another time, after we've moved everybody else.

[larryfulkerson]

Next the 254th DIV. As you can see in the picture below, the movement cost pathfinding
shows no traffic penalties for any of the combat units ( the entire division is stacked in
the same hex ) so moving them ( the entire division ) toward the front isn't a problemo:

[larryfulkerson]

Next is the 207th Sec Div. Here I have depicted the before and after of the moves to
show you what I decided to do. The HQ and one of the Regiments is all that I moved so
I can still attack in the first combat round with the regiment that didn't move. Plus I've
got a pretty good surround started on two Soviet units:

[larryfulkerson]

Here's a movie of the 207th Sec. Div. moves:
 

[larryfulkerson]

Next is the 291st Sec. DIV. As you can see from the picture below this Security DIV has
only two regiments who are composed of a relatively small number of regular Rifle
Squads instead of Heavy Rifle Squads so this DIV isn't up to taking on a regular Soviet
division. More along the lines of chasing down partisans, converting hexes to friendly
status, and mopping up the enemy remnants of battles. Think of a beefed up police SWAT
squad.

[larryfulkerson]

I was thinking of moving the 291st Sec DIV as in the picture below so as not to lose any
movement points from the first combat round and to keep them out of the way of any
moving combat units. We can move them some more later, after we've moved
everybody else first.

[larryfulkerson]

Maybe I should step back now and explain the big picture somewhat. Below is a chart of
the objectives in FitE and a rough draft of the routes to get to them. I stold this picture
from my AAR against Okimaw. In the real world Hitler and OKH concentrated on the
objectives instead of trying to concentrate on the destruction of Soviet units. Grabbing the
objectives will decrease the replacement rate of the Soviet army ( usually 5% per city,
sometimes 10% as in the case of Leningrad ) and that's important. But the German army
will become outnumbered as the turns become 10 or so. The perficiency of the Soviet
units is somewhat less than the German army but that's offset by the number of Soviet
units. And the Soviets get a boatload of reinforcements every turn starting in turns 10 or
so.

So I'm thinking that both the capture of objectives and destruction of Soviet units is the
goal of the Axis but it's situation dependent which gets priority. If the destruction of the
road blocks would delay the advance UNDULY then maybe they should be bypassed
instead.

[larryfulkerson]

At the start of the scenario the Soviets are outnumbered and the strategy is for the Axis
to outflank the Soviet units and destroy them with the capture of objectives as the 2nd
objective. The Soviets will have to depend upon the rivers and other natural terrain
obstacles to prevent their destruction so they will be blowing bridges and leaving behind
units as road blocks as they retreat to their final defensive line(s). A large proportion
of the Soviet units is the unmovable fortresses that live on River hexes and road
junctions. So they are outnumbered and outclassed from the start. Plus there is an Axis
shock bonus that further hampers the Soviets.

The objective for the Axis air forces is the destruction of Soviet aircraft primarily, and blowing bridges to prevent the escape of Soviet units as a secondary objective.

I hope for the Axis to be in the outskirts of Riga by turn 3, Minsk by turn 5, and Smolensk by turn 7 or so.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's a comparison of the respective Infantries. You can see why the Axis would want
to destroy as many Soviet combat units as possible even from the start. The Soviets
have a lot of them and are going to get a lot more as time passes.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's a comparison of a typical infantry unit from each side. As you can see the Soviet
division is outclassed in nearly every category. In proficiency, readiness, movement
points and recon the German unit is better. The German unit has Heavy Rifle Squads vs
regular Rifle Squads and since the recon level is higher, the German unit will probably
shoot first in combat(s).

[larryfulkerson]

As you can see, the Soviets have the edge in the NUMBER of armoured vehicles from the
start of the game.

[larryfulkerson]

But looked at in detail you can see that the Soviet tank isn't in the same class as the Axis
tank. Proficiency, readiness, and supply from the start is better in the German armour.

[larryfulkerson]

And when we look at the numbers of aircraft, it seems that the Soviets are leading the
field. Simple inspection will show that the Axis doesn't have any Strategic bombers...
most of bombers are are medium range bombers whereas the Soviets have some
Lancasters. Not that they will use them in a strategic role necessarily.

Also, most of the Soviet fighters are I-16's which aren't as good a fighter as the Axis
ME-109. Also, it might be good to keep in mind that a good proportion of the Soviet
aircraft will be destroyed in the early turns of the scenario. Thousands of them.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's a comparison of a typical fighter squadron from both sides. I was surprised to find
that the Soviets have bombers lumped in with the fighters. The Soviets have to
remember that attacks further than about 33 hexes will leave the fighters fighting at a
severe disadvantage. I've heard rumors that launching attacks at long range will result in
the fighters fighting at strengths of 1 instead of their usual value and that they tend to get
shotdown in large numbers. I believe it. Another querk of the TOAW game engine I
guess. Anyway, a comparison of the ME-109 and the I-16 shows that proficiency and
readiness are severely lower in the Soviet side. So the Soviets may have numbers but
the Axis has better planes and pilots.

[larryfulkerson]

Now maybe a word about the theater options available to both sides. The Germans have
none at the start of the scenario. The Soviets have two but I don't reccomend that they
take either of them. To do so might result in the Swedes and the Turks fighting against
the Soviet Union.