First try

[Arstavidios]

Well, it looks like leaving fortified zones can be costly.
Each time you lose a hex you lose the whole 1800 men. so all along the front this may mean massive losses.
12 hexes lost this turn means 12 fortified zones disappeared. They also soak up a lot od admin point if you cover the whole 100 + hex of the front.

However in many places the soviets just bounced on my lines, and it seems the places they broke through were because I messed with units moving them around in the blizzard.

some of my corps were mixed up, so I swpapped divisions moving them around rather than reassigning them to a corp which would have cost me some AP.

I seems that most divisions that broke down were in that case as they either had just moved around or were not within reach of their HQ.

also I had not deployed reserves.
I played the few last turn in a bit of a rush and left mant of these details by the side. I want to see if a properly set up line makes much of a difference.

If I manage to get beeter results against the AI, it would be interesting to see how a human soviet player would do.

Those parts that had been properly set up seem to have done quite well.

[ComradeP]

For exemple only 36 76mm AT guns captured does not seem quite correct. I would have expected a couple of additional zeros to the figure.

Keep in mind that the figures are all, in a way, relative to what's still available for the units after the equipment is possibly used by vehicles. For example, Marders also use Soviet guns.

[karonagames]

The AI will bounce off for a couple of turns, but she is probably reducing fort levels. By about 6 turns of attacks she will start making dents. In one test, I held a line in front of Moscow for 6 turns but she got to Rzhev in 4 turns!

[Arstavidios]

Winter is going be long for sure.
Here are a couple of combat results from the same area.
First one held second one not. I don't know if the fortified areas made a difference or not.
second division was weaker and faced a much stronger soviet assault.

What buggers me is the difference in the final combat value that was achieved in those combats.
It seems I screwed somewhat in the case of the second division which I think did move during the german turn whereas the first one did not, though I'm not 100% sure. Otherwise it's more or less the same story, terrain army, supply lines.

Looks like the troops that broke had similarly final combat values in the 30s whereas others that held easily had combat values of 80 or 100 + At first glance I would guess moving the divisions around in the blizzard seriously reduced the effectiness of the units.

There may be many other possible factors including bad die rolls. But I'm trying to understand what's going and how to use the troops efficiently, and how to screw things up which I am already good at doing without any help[:D]

[Arstavidios]

Meanwhile down in Crimea the Rumanians perform well even though, the soviets might not have been in good condition.

[Arstavidios]

Mutiple attacks on the same unit seem to wear down troops quite fast though. with final combat value at 136 for the first round 78 for the second round and 68 in the third round in an other fight.

[karonagames]

oops wrong thread sorry

[ComradeP]

One of the things you'll really start to feel in the winter is the Soviet +1 bonus to odds if at least 1:1.

[Arstavidios]

What does the bonus do?

[BletchleyGeek]

Manual Page 214:

Note that for the Soviet player as attacker, if the actual modified CV ratio is greater than 1:1, due to Soviet attack doctrine, one level will automatically be added to their side of the ratio. For example, a 1.5:1 ratio will become 2.5:1 for determining the winner. This means that the modified CV ratio displayed for Soviet attacks will either be less than 1:1, in which case they lose the battle, or 2:1 or greater and they win the battle.

and the "designer's note" in page 215:

The Soviet ability to force a retreat at a 1:1 modified combat ratio may seem a huge advantage, but remember that the attack doctrine that allows this also normally results in lower final CV due to more exposure to defensive fire causing additional casualties. Also recall the multiplying impact of fort levels on defensive CV and the fact that engineer ground elements can reduce man made fort levels during the battle. For the Soviets, getting those sappers in action is the only way to reduce fort levels if the defender is not forced to retreat and can make the difference in reaching the elusive 1:1 ratio.

[Arstavidios]

thanks.
looks like I'm in for some serious manual reading.
Things getting in regularly. I'm now having a look at leader and it looks like many of could be replaced by much better ones.
Also starting to look at the support units.
I think I've wasted quite a few administrative points so far and I could have much better overall leadership.

What are the important factors for leaders in higher hqs?
I suppose Combat factors may not be that important for Army group leaders or higher except for the units the control directly which are not that many. How about army HQs?

[karonagames]

re leaders, the corps commanders will probably be more effective with higher infantry/mech ratings depending on type. Initiative influence reserve activation and support unit activations.

Higher HQs influence MPs with Admin and initiative.

The armies and corps that have the "must gain/must hold" objectives probably need most of the "7+" ratings you can give them.

[Arstavidios]

An other turn done
So I tried to patch the holes and restore my line.
However the soviets keep pushing and losses are heavy. almost 200 000 men this turn. I think most of the men were lost to the blizzard.
North or South are more or less holding so far, with the holes contained. centre is starting to show signs of blowing appart.
So a general withdrawal might be considered.

I only have a little other 2 000 000 men ready in the german army that's one third of the army out of action in addition to the losses, two weeks into the blizzard.
I had put some forces in reserve mode but nothing happened. So I guess Von Fubar is at work again. Any idea on what I'm doing wrong? I turned some units in reserve mode. Some where adjacent to units attacks and had not moved for turns tet no one seems to have moved.
So linear defense does not seem like a good idea. Looks like the only thing to do is to run the blizzard turns and and count the surviving noses once mud comes in.
however i'm quite sure I'm messing things up seriously here.

Down in Crimea the Rumanians got plastered and had to withdraw. A third of the fortified zones I had build are gone, which adds quite a few casualties to the list. Maybe they should be used well behind the line to build a fall back line were you can safely withdraw your units.......

So except from not attacking the soviet union in the first place, any idea would be welcome.

I should also think about patching the game. Might help

[karonagames]

The first blizzard you experience is always the worst! As long as your units are not routing and the Reds can't do double attacks, you just have to figure a way to maintain a line and not expose yourself to breakthroughs from Cavalry and tank brigades.

Depending on your leaders, roughly 1 in 3 of your reserve units should trigger. Are you seeing no activations at all?

I can take a look at a save if you like.

[Arstavidios]

I had a look at a the combat results. So maybe I just missed something. I did not watch the turn resolution itself.

An other turn

First blizzard is certainly the worst but if it lasts too long it will be the last.
AGC started withdrawing, some serious cracks along the line, losses keep mounting. Red army is now about twice the size of the german army which saw its numbers fall by over 700 000 men in less than a month.

many of those men should be disabled. A couple of infantry divisions dot caught along the front and are now isolated. It's going to be hard to reach them.

Trying to stand and fight does not look very promising so I'll keep withdrawing while I can still maintain some cohesion along the front.

So far the AI has proved a decent opponent and is giving me a sound beating right now, it's clearly trying to pocket some of my troops, and I'd better run fast although some unitswill probably get gobbled.

So far the outcome of the campaign looks pretty reasonable to me. other players may do better or worse, most probably better

I've not been doing any micro managing of support units, air units and leaders so far and there still many things which I'm probably still missing

So I'll see if the German army still is in recognisable shape when good weather comes in 1942.

[Arstavidios]

some partisans are also starting to pop up and making a mess on my railways. DSo I'm redeploying security units to the cities and some units are getting on the chase.

[karonagames]

I can still maintain some cohesion along the front.

Maintaining cohesion is the key. If you have to retreat to do it, so be it.

[Tokugawa]

Can you post a picture of the front at the moment ?

[Arstavidios]

The two isolated german divisions were eaten up. I am withdrawing in the centre and South while I can still do it in good order. so I'm losing some ground but saving troops.
Some reinforcements are starting to show up un Germany. I'm leaving them there for now. Don't want them to freeze to death in the Blizzard. Many frontline divisions are now down to half strength. Most losses are disablement, and should come back but those men are not in the front line so better to run a few hexex by myself rather than be kicked off by the AI. I hope this may also disrupt offensive strength as they will have to run after me before they can hit me, so that's as much pounding saved. Fortified lines proved costly. with many men lost when they where overrun. I might have been a better idea to keep this men for after the blizzard., but then maybe this helped me absorb the first shock. In the North the lines are holding. I hope to maintain myself there.

Partisans messed up with my rail lines and the Rumanians are giving way down crimea, so that's to good reasons to retreat west. The question is how far. Smolensk or Minsk, Kharkov or Kiev [:D]
I'll see. Most important is to maintain the army in good shape, and by withdrawing I'm also shortening the front for the coming campaign.

I'll try a few counter attacks on the soviet spearheads in order to keep them honest. If there's no disaster striking the army should be in reasonable shape once the weather improves and men recover from frosbite. Meanwhile the whole AGC ant AGS are walking hospitals.

how long is it going to be before the two eliminated divisions come back?

[Arstavidios]

I'll post some screenshots later today.