Help me understand AO re: Belgorad

[RAL]

I noticed in the Soviet Decisive Victory AAR that emcgman had taken Belgorad. In planning to do so myself, I'm not sure that I am interpreting the AO restrictions properly.

Please give me some help on this one. I am in Turn 1. All game settings are default.

The two HQs controlling units in the area are the 21st and the 28th. Clicking the three flags and future turn buttons on these two HQs shows that neither can ever support units near Belgorad. So my main local unit concentrations are simply out from ever taking the town. Is that correct?

In fact the only units that appear to be allowed into Belgorad are attached directly to the 5th SW Front HQ.

In other words to assault Belgorad I have only a handful of units available that I have to move quite a distance. The local units can perhaps knock out a few of the fortified hexes but can't move into them once reduced and certainly can't approach the town.

Just looking to confirm this for now, or get my thinking corrected. Thank you.

[JSS]

Your initial assessment is correct.  Only the combat units directly assigned to SW Front HQs can attack Belograd.  
 
=> Word of caution on doing this very early:  Germans receive 57 Infanterie Division for your effort!  
 
A better course of action (IMHO) is to take Lannaya (7,35) first.  This releases three Russian Rifle Divisions to SW Front.  SW Front also receives a strong mobile Corps around turn 11...  With the three extra divisions and the mobile Corps in place, you will be in a much better position to deal with 57 Infanterie Division (and anything else the invaders are throwing at you!).
 
JSS

[Gregor_SSG]

ORIGINAL: RAL

I noticed in the Soviet Decisive Victory AAR that emcgman had taken Belgorad. In planning to do so myself, I'm not sure that I am interpreting the AO restrictions properly.

Please give me some help on this one. I am in Turn 1. All game settings are default.

The two HQs controlling units in the area are the 21st and the 28th. Clicking the three flags and future turn buttons on these two HQs shows that neither can ever support units near Belgorad. So my main local unit concentrations are simply out from ever taking the town. Is that correct?

In fact the only units that appear to be allowed into Belgorad are attached directly to the 5th SW Front HQ.

In other words to assault Belgorad I have only a handful of units available that I have to move quite a distance. The local units can perhaps knock out a few of the fortified hexes but can't move into them once reduced and certainly can't approach the town.

Just looking to confirm this for now, or get my thinking corrected. Thank you.

An attack on Belgorod was not part of the plan for the Kharkov offensive. As JSS has stated, you can do it if you are patient, although the actions of the Germans in the south might create a greater need elsewhere for those units.

However, there is a variant in which the Soviets make a grab for Belgorod. This variant expands the AOs of those Soviet units in the north and makes an assault on Belgorod much more feasible. If you have this variant though, it still might pay to be patient. The German player will face almost overwhelming temptation to move as many units as possible as far south as possible, to help defend Kharkov. Delaying a turn or two before attacking might well make your job easier.

Gregor

[RAL]

JSS & Gregor_SSG

Thanks so much to you both for the rapid and insightful answers. My wargaming dates back to AH's Afrika Corps but none at all for many years and I am just delighted by the game as well as the quality of information on the forums. There's just something about those turn based hex based games that really draws me in and Kharkov is a big step forward.

I'm sure I'll have lots more questions to ask.

[Avatar47]

In general, even with the AO for Belgorod, I don't go for it unless the germans have moved the vast majority of their units south to help the defense of Kharkov. And even if they have moved most units south, I only go for it much later, and with as much of the surprise factor as possible. 

[RAL]

Yes I can see that unless you want to move a lot of forces a long ways the opportunities are nonexistant, at least during the first six turns.  I put one unit up there on the south side of the bridge however and the Germans have kept several units in the area so there may be some value to the threat if the Axis overdefends.  thanks for the response Avatar 47

[Gregor_SSG]

ORIGINAL: RAL

Yes I can see that unless you want to move a lot of forces a long ways the opportunities are nonexistant, at least during the first six turns.  I put one unit up there on the south side of the bridge however and the Germans have kept several units in the area so there may be some value to the threat if the Axis overdefends.  thanks for the response Avatar 47

You could always knock off a few forts and move some guys around to keep the Germans honest, even if you have no intention of a serious attack. That's one of the benefits of the AO and Mystery Variant system, your opponent has to take seriously the threat of the the different variants.

Gregor

Gregor