Soviet player wanted for '44 scenario

[nicks1]

[font="times new roman"]German and Soviet Turn 8[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]Germans continued digging deeper and deeper trenches.[/font]
[font="times new roman"]Rather impressed with the hex defending the Krakow-Vienna rail line.  1SS, 2SS, 116Pz and five Tiger Btn’s.  295 Panthers, 390 Tiger I’s, 125 Tiger II’s, 99 Elfant’s and 135 Stug III’s.  CV of 288[&o].[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]USAAF was stopped this turn over Germany.  262’s still haven’t been spotted.  Italian HI got whacked.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]Soviets did a rolling attack across several hexes.  Air bombardment, followed by art bombardment followed up by large tanks formations.  Total losses were around 600 inf each, 450 Soviet tanks and 150 German Panzers and a whole bunch of German artillery.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]The left bend of the Oder (two hexes N of the start of the Oder) was hit hard by Inf assaults.  High casualties for each side.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]The Pimple in the centre with 1 and 2 SS was vigorously assaulted by air, art and tanks.  200 Burning Soviet tanks later the corp was standing firm, having lost 40 Panzers in the Assault.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]The 12SS were again called into action N of Budapest.  200 burning Soviet tanks Vs 40 Panzers was the result.  Two Inf Divs reinforced the 12SS position.  They were smashed leaving them under ½ the strength they started on[:(].  The Pz Div attached to 12SS is also feeling very sick at about ½ strength[:(][:(].  No time for R&R for SS Pz Divs, but the others may be withdrawn.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]I did a check a few days ago leaving HQ reinforcement rates at zero to see what each side gets for the ’44 scenario.  From memory the Germans get around 700Inf and 250 art.  Panzer production ranges from 250-350 depending on what is built.  Soviets build about 1500 Inf and 300 art.  That is an indication of how much damage each side needs to do to each other each turn.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]Once the Soviet offensive really builds Soviet losses ranges from 1000-1500 inf per turn and 600-1000 tanks per turn.  Germans loose 1000-2000 inf per turn and 300-600 Panzers per turn.  Germans also loose 500-1000 art per turn.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]In one game I had a massive slugfest with a Soviet breakthrough around Breslau in summer ‘44.  In three turns the Soviets lost over 6000 tanks and the Germans around 3500 (that is very bad for the Germans).  Both sides start with large numbers of tanks and early quiet turns build these up.  These are generally the largest tank battles of any scenario as both sides are usually continuously grinding each other down in the earlier start scenarios.  Also both sides tank production has its heaviest tanks available from at start.  Tiger II’s just obliterate T-34 formations.  Put piles of them in key hexes the Soviets must take and let the fun begin[:D].[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]Both sides have a great deal of freedom on what tank and air production they concentrate on.  Pz IV’s are just rubbish by this stage of the war on the east front.  The debate is how much Panther Vs Tiger II production and what will be the main support tank to build.  I move away from Jpz IV’s to Hetzer’s.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]Soviets can decide to go all heavy in this scenario.  I tend to go heavy and get the JS II Pz grinders out and about in force.  There is a case for T-34’s as Soviet tank losses are huge in this scenario.  The JS suffers a surprisingly high burn rate so you can run short of tanks going straight to all out JS production.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]In the air only one plane can save the Germans.  However, you do need high 190A production earlier on as they are the only planes available to compete against the USAAF.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]Soviets have a range of choices in the air.  I have no personnel preference in these and tend to keep production as is for the most part.[/font]

[nicks1]

[font="times new roman"]German strategy[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]Forward defence has been tried over and over.  You can never dig deep enough in time and you start out of position to set-up strong lines.  I have shoved increasing numbers of SS and Pz Divs into Rumania and the Carpathians to try and stop the Juggernaut.  Against the Computer, piece of cake.  A Human player just grinds you out leaving you with no quality units to defend Germany.  Rumania is a little more interesting as it has some very defendable hexes.  However, every time I defended Rumania I felt I had just wasted German resources for no good effect.  Soviets will always take Rumania before the end of Summer.  Rumanian oil would be great in winter, but over summer the effect of losing Rumania is not so great.  [/font]
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[font="times new roman"]When playing a backline defence down the Oder and the Danube it is vital to understand the rail net and how to maximise German defence advantages to that.  There are only three routes into Germany.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]1 – Through Budapest/Vienna.  Stop the Soviets at Vienna and this front can be closed down until the end of the game.  This is the first front which the Germans can gain air superiority and keep it.  Do that and the Vienna line can be held indefinitely, even through blizzards.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]2 – Krakow/Breslau and the southern Oder.  There is a mixed bag of defence strategies through this region.  There are mountains, cities and rivers to delay the Soviets with.  Maximise the advantages of all three and the soviets can be halted at the southern Oder until winter.  It then becomes much harder and lack of supply makes moving to entrenched second lines even more difficult.  I also tend to defend a line for too long leaving the retreat more treacherous.  Once below level 3 entrenchment it is no longer viable to stick it out.  There are three or 4 strong defence lines that can be built here back to Dresden.  Try to maximise each one.  Lack of supply can make this impossible to achieve.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]3 – Danzig/Stettin Northern Oder.  There are only river lines here to defend you against the Soviets.  Also you have generally committed all your best formations to the centre.  However, the North must be carefully defended.  The rail net is a critical component in setting up defence lines here.  This is generally the first line to really bust open.  Don’t despair, you have entrenched Berlin (Haven’t you!) and you only lose Stettin in the N for a long period after the Order is finally broken.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]Air campaign.  The USAAF must be stopped.  German oil is the only thing that stands between you and utter annihilation in late ’44.  You don’t have enough inf and art to hold any line so your Panzers must be fuelled-up and ready to go.  You can get to 70 oil.  This can keep you in the game much longer than the Soviets expect and can even allow counter-attacks to destroy wondering Tank armies.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]Berlin can hold on for a surprisingly long time when isolated.  Just remember that the Soviets can win without Berlin if they take Hamburg.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]Early game counter attacks.  There are three locations for viable counter attacks in the first 5-6 turns.  After that you need all Pz on deck for defence lines.  Around Krakow the Soviets may advance quicker than Inf, however, this is the most high risk area as the Soviets have abundant air and Tank armies in this region.  On the Hungarian plain there is only one rail line.  Low supply tank armies are particularly vulnerable to the one-two of knock out supply and then clean then up in following turn in this region.  Southern Rumania also has opportunities.  The Soviets often find taking Ploesti in a dash to tempting to resist.  Soviet tank army in Ploesti can be cut off and destroyed very quickly.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]My personal view is that these counter attacks often only drain resources from key units prior to the main battles beginning.  Avoid these unless you see a sure thing.  Put yourself in a position to take advantage but only pull the trigger if the Soviets fall into a trap.[/font]

[nicks1]

[font="times new roman"]Soviet Strategy[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]Attack-Attack-Attack[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]Germans must be ground into dust and beyond.  Once you start destroying 1500 inf and 500 Pz a turn then you are set on a clear path to victory.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]The Germans will still be very strong over summer.  Advances must be careful.  A reckless Soviet can lose several Tank armies and delay his advance by critical turns.  The Germans have the best 8 units in the game (7 SS Pz and GD).  Obliterating these units leaves the Germans with no unit that can stop Soviet advances.  Plotting multiple hex advances behind German line can seem like fun, but is a sure way to lose a Tank army.  It can be very useful if you think Berlin is under-defended and you can get a clear shot at it.  But otherwise it is usually better to advance hex by hex and grind the Germans out.  In the games I have played the Soviets have forced the surrender of a surprisingly small number of German units.  It is generally rare to see the historical breaking of the order and dash to Berlin on any part of the map.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]I have won as the Soviets by By-passing Berlin and Taking Hamburg.  Don’t rule this out, but you need large numbers of Inf armies to defend the rail line to Hamburg.[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]Warning: the permanent HQ next to Berlin will re-appear even when destroyed.  At least it does on my system.  I had a tank army overrun this HQ and stop in the hex.  The next turn my tank army was replaced by the German HQ and the tank army and contents were never seen again.  This makes the sweep around the West of Berlin a bit trickier.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]Other than that the main motto is to ignore losses and to keep attacking no matter what.  The Soviets generally only start to feel attrition pain in their unit sizes around December.  By this time the Germans are on their last line with last reserves.  Just keeping punching until Germany falls.[/font]

[PaxMondo]

Thanks for sharing this, particularly about that re-appearing HQ thing.

[nicks1]

[font="times new roman"]German and Soviet Turns 9 and 10.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]Clash of the Titans[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]Air campaign over Germany:  both an additional hit on HI and oil was received.  HI was for several turns reduced below 80[:(].  Many factories have not experienced growth in the last few weeks.[:@]  Hitler summoned Goring for an early retirement party.  Goring then discovered what early retirement means in the Reich.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]Fortunately for the fortunes of the Reich Me 262 super-weapons made their first appearance over Germany.  USAAF was stopped cold by those brave pilots[:D].[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]Budapest/Danube fronts[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]These two turns saw the 12SS inflict huge material losses on the Soviets.  Over 5 weeks close to 1,000 Soviet tanks have been left burning on this small front.  The Soviets are now pushing S and W of the 12SS to find a weakness in the defence lines.  The line has not moved but higher German losses have been reported across this broader front.  Area S of Budapest has so far suffered the worst of it with several Inf Divs reduced below half strength.  The two Inf Divs with the 12 SS are below 50 size and the Pz Div is below 500.  They are still fighting away for further glory.  The 12SS has proved insurmountable to the Soviets[&o].[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]Southern Oder E of Breslau.  Large scale battles across this front.  On Turn 10 the 1SS, 2SS and 116 Pz Div were forced to retreat[:(].  The way is now clear for the Soviets to advance to Vienna.  A Hungarian corp in the Mountains close to the SS Pz Divs was also forced to withdraw.  It did not put up much of a fight (Hitler considers the traditional Roman decimation practice on these units to stiffen their backbone[:@]).  The 116 Pz Div has been withdrawn for R&R on the West front.  It has been shattered and the 2 SS Divs are also hard done by.  I May have left them there a week too long.  They lost 100 Panther’s, 100 Tiger’s and 20 odd Elfant’s and 30 odd Tiger II’s over their 5 week ordeal as the speed hump against all the Soviets could throw at them.  The upper Oder is under serious assault now.  Several Inf Divs have been badly hit and withdrawn.  However, defence lines are still holding strong, 5e along the front remains.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]Northern Oder, Stettin front.  This region has received its first air attacks.  No substantial assaults have yet been attempted across the Northern Oder.  This will soon change as Soviet supply is about to catch with the Soviet units that have made it to the Oder.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]Central Oder.  No Soviet units have ventured into this region.  Lack of viable supply prevents a useful Soviet presence[:D].[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]Belgrade has also fallen.  No Germans have been spotted throughout Yugoslavia.  However, with the loss of Belgrade and Helsinki German resources are down to 90.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]Turn 9 losses[/font]
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975 1032
238 549
612 149
106 272
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[font="times new roman"]Turn 10 losses[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]Both lost over 1,000 inf, art losses similar to turn 9, same as air losses.  350 Pz losses (Nooooooo!) Vs 550 Soviet tanks.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]Soviets are now destroying more than the Germans build.  The next step is to increase losses to beyond what the Germans can tolerate.[/font]

[nicks1]

[font="times new roman"]Red Alert! Red Alert![/font]
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[font="times new roman"]The Soviets have broken through German lines[:@].  N both the northern Oder region and S of Budapest the German line has been breached[X(].[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]In the N this is mainly due to the early errors I made which build up to bigger problems later in the game[:-].  [/font]
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[font="times new roman"]Losses were 1500 inf for the Germans and 1000 inf for the Soviets and about 300 tanks each.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]These losses and breakthroughs put the German lines in difficult positions.  However, not all is lost.  I had hoped to keep these lines until just before mud.  They are not the critical lines which must be kept at all cost, but it is painful to lose them early.[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]In the air war the 262 knocked down all US bomber groups[:D].[/font]

[PaxMondo]

Can Zeberus provide some maps?  Would be great to see some of this ....

[Zerberus_MatrixForum]

I will do my best, when I will get the new turn.
 
Then I also will try to give a short summary about the soviet point of view.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Zerberus

I will do my best, when I will get the new turn.

Then I also will try to give a short summary about the soviet point of view.

PLEASE!!!

That would be great to hear from STAVKA!!

[nicks1]

I too will try to bring maps to the table[:)].
 
I didn't want to pre-empt my lines.  I will show my orginal defence lines for all to see.
 
I have been busy doing my annual taxes[>:] but hope to get a turn off to Zerberus tonight.  Also, I have in the bunker feeling sorry for myself after the Soviets early breakthroughs.  I have made sweeping hand movements across the map of Europe ordering counter attacks everywhere.  Generals don't seem to be listening to me anymore.  Mmm, what's that ticking sound[&:].
 
I think the trains filled with Tigers will be heading to the Northern Oder.  This is still going to be a fun game[:D].

[PaxMondo]

This is a VERY ineresting game so far. [&o]  Great stuff, keep it coming![:D]

[nicks1]

Hi all,
 
I was late getting my turn back to Zerberus[:-].  I was able to do copy screen on my old PC but am having trouble on my laptop.  I will continue my investigation and hope to bring a highlights reel of the game so far.
 
Many Tiger I Btn's were seen heading to the Northern Oder front.  Several Pz Div were also sent N.  There were no counter-attacks to try and plug the holes.
 
Soviet losses have been far too mild in the game so far.  I had a poor set-up in the Northern Oder and S of Budapest.  This was caused by my early mistakes in rotating units in and out of West front and rotating types of equipment.  Managing this is critical to german success.
 
In the Northern front I only had a SS Pz Grd Div supported by some Inf in the breakthrough hex.  And what was worse it was only armed with Hetzers and Nashions.  I generally have a Pz Div in every hex along this front, but was caught two turns short and had to make due with some SS Pz Grd from the West front.  S of Budpest was similar with only 1 Pz Div and some Inf covering each of certain key hexes.
 
I also have a Pz Div full of Pz Iv's in the front line.  I hate having to do that.  I misused by tank production and am short of main battle tanks.
 
I need to prey for a long mud season.  That always frustrates the Soviets.  Mud is only a few turns away.

[Zerberus_MatrixForum]

To play this scenario as the soviet player is very strange, compared to other games. Your pools are full with everything, you have the air superiority and you only have to advance in the first turns.
 
Now I have reached the german main battle lines along the lower Vistula, the upper Oder and the Danube. Last turn I could cross the Vistula east of Stettin and I could establish a bridgehead south of Budapest.
 
This turn (blue arrows) I continued my attacks arround Budapest. Surprisingly there were only small battles. Only some german fake units stayed along the Danube. This fact was not realized by the soviet air recon ... So finally Budapest is fallen, another lost aircraft and artillery factory for the Axis (and - more important, a big manpower city).
Next serious line of defense seems to be arround Vienna (3 SS PzK).
 

 
In Pomerania I was able to broad my Vistula bridgehead, now the important railline southward to Upper Silesia will be repaired in some turns. Until now my advance there was stopped due the lack of supply.
 

 
German losses are terrible because the overhelming quantity of my guns and my bombers (no german airplane was seen in the last months (with exception of the air defense over the Reich).
 
Losses this turn:
 
1615   478
  253   230
  849   117
   55    260
 
 
My English is a little problem, but nevertheless questions are welcome ...
 
Cheers,
 
Z.
 
 

[Zerberus_MatrixForum]

05.10.1944
 
Snow!
 
Mud was expected for this date, but luckily I got this additional turn for further action. Nick had taken back his troops behind the Oder. In Hungary and Austria he is now defending a line between Vienna and Lake Balaton. In the South the soviet tank groups reached Italy and started the attacks against Trieste to cut off the last raillines.
 
Action of this turn
I started attacks everywhere, mostly with no territorial gains, but with heavy losses for both sides, which is irrelevant to me but existential for the Axis.
North of Berlin I was surprisingly able to cross the Oder and to push back the defending PzKorps (mostly filled with Infantery, which was heavily bombed). If I plotted correct, now 2 tank armies and an infantery army should be west of the river. I hope that this breakthrough will bring Nick in a lot of trouble. Next week we will have mud, so I hope, that he will not be able to cut off my spearhead with an fast counter attack.
 
 
 
 
 

[PaxMondo]

Oh dear, the defense depth in the North looks thin ... this looks bad for the GER.

[nicks1]

Apologies for extended delay.  I have been away for extended holiday.  We finished the game just before I left as the Soviets had broken through in the N and west front broke.  Zerberus and I will be looking to start a new game in near future, probably a '41 scenario.
Small errors I made early in the game stacked against me at the end.  A year without playing it can make one rusty.  That was the case with west front where I had forgotten the strength difference between snow and mud.
 
Next game should be a ripper.  I will also be looking for oppenents for a '44 or '43 scenario in near future.
 
Thanks Zerberus for the game.

[PaxMondo]

Great game.  Thanks for sharing.  next one, a few more screenshots if you can.  even if they are belated ...  THANSK!

[nicks1]

Summary of last two turns (from memory).
First bad weather turn was snow.  It is rarely snow and this really hurt in this situation.  Soviets broke through in the N.  smashed a 6 entrench level pz corp with SS pzgrd, Pz Div, three inf and Tiger and Panther btn which was behind river.  Three Soviet tank armies marched through gap.  German turn - Mud.  No opportunity for the quick counter attack.  I had very strong formations nearby.  Northern front was basicly lost with that weather combo.  Then in soviet turn the west front popped.  I had forgotten about leaving the level high over mud turns.  I don't think the 1,000 point drop in requirement counts for mud turns but I had withdrawn the 1,000 points.
I was hoping to give Zerberus for a tougher defence.  German army in the end was still in reasonable shape and the German airforce was close to cutting lose on the eastern front.