Beginner Playing Soviet Minsk Campaign

[MolotovCocktailParty]

Hello everyone, I've been reading around the boards which has been helping me learn the game. Although I find the manual helpful, I find it lacks the "captain obvious" aspect of telling me which buttons to press, and where to find what on the screen. In any event, I was able to win a decisive victory in the tutorial, so I figure the next step is to acknowledge that learning this game is an organic process and the best way to learn is by screwing up the first few times around. (Especially while I wait for dlazovs's fantastic pdf tutorial to be released)

That brings me to the Soviet side of the Minsk campaign which I am playing on normal mode. On my first turn the Axis has trapped my front line in a giant pocket which I guess I can only be forced concede. I am vastly outnumbered in terms of combat forces and am incurring disproportionate losses to the AI. My only way to rationalize this is that the scenario is meant to be historically accurate. Following the advice thread "how to organize Red Army on Jun 22" tm.asp?m=2650748 "

Here is the checklist of what I've done:

1. Put aircraft upgrades to manual
2. Put the entire airforce on national reserve ( I don't understand why though)

As you can see from the attached photo. I don't see any point in holding Minsk unless I want to get crushed, so with no knowledge of advanced strategies I am going give it up with the intention of setting up a giant defensive line on the eastern front. If I may ask a few questions to the board members asides from "what is to be done". Here is what I would ask:

Am I supposed to "wait around" and pull my forces back until the tide turns in later stages of the campain? In this respect should I pull back the forces on the southern railroad closer to Minsk?

The combat value of the enemy Panzer division far exceeds anything I can throw at them. Again, wait to a later date engage?

Should I preserve my raildroad movement points.

What is the real harbinger of my forces going to be?

Any advice is greatly appreciated - I just can't sit around and read that huge manual anymore.

Best,

E

[jomni]

Those air force settings aren't useful for a short scenario like this.

I've played this scenario as Axis and lost all of them.  You need to actually delay the Axis. 
Prevent them from taking Minsk in the first turn.  Try to delay them in the 2nd turn as well. Don't just give it to them.
If they take Minsk in the 2nd turn, make sure they don't get the other major objectives at the back (you can conentrate most of your troops here).

[henri51]

I haven't played the Soviet side in this scenario, but the name of the game for the GErmans is to move as fast as possible, so the obvious aim for the Soviets is to delay them as much as possible. So force the Germans to have to attack to move forward, a checkerboard pattern of your units is probably good. You will lose Minsk but make him fight for it, and try to make sure that he never reaches the objectives at the map edge. If you can't figure it out, let the AI play itself and you will see how the Soviets get a decisive victory.

Henri

[hgilmer3]

Yes, I think a major checkerboard defense here would work.  Make them fight for every hex because even an easy fight for them eats up their MPs.