Part 1 - Begining Failures and disappointments:
The price tag at first kept me at bay. I am a great fan of the old WITE and WITP classics. I bought both the modern versions of WITP and WITP:AE and play it consistently. So when WITE was announced I was estatic and couldn't wait. Then the price was established. The Screen shots and development discussions showed a game with the same concepts as the original WITE which was great, but compared to WITP:AE I felt the price overreached.
However, I finally bought the game because despite the price I know, as with any games from Gary would be fun to play. My style of gaming is "bigger the better". I hate small scenarios because I believe they are just teasers for something bigger and better just on the other side. So I always jump into the biggest scenario available which in this case just so happens to be the grand campaign. Of course I never read the manual until I start playing
1st Game - Duration 2 Turns
Analysis: Learned the difference between hasty and Deliberate attacks. Noticed that it might help to actually attack the soviet airforce
2nd thru 4th Game - Duration 3-4 Turns
Analysis: Practicing Encirclements and continued evaluating attacks on soviet airforce.
5th Game - Duration 1 Turn
Analysis: The Soviet 127th Infantry Division, south of the marshes, withstood 3 deliberate assaults. Frustration got the better of me.
6th Game - Duration 9 Turns
Analysis: Initial Encirclements successful, but increased soviet unit building slowed advances outside Pskov, Smolensk and Kiev. Frustration got the better of me.
7th Game - Duration - Current game (beginning of real AAR)
OVERALL ANALYSIS: The Game in General
1. I find it challenging and therefor highly entertaining
2. I wish Germans had more control over industry options and ability to create its own units. Soviets can, why not Germans?
1st Turn Analysis:
1. Destroying less than 5500 soviet aircraft on Turn 1 is a fail. Turn down air availability to 10% to provide more aircraft for the attacks.
My own strategy: 1: Start on Rumanian front (don't forget to bomb sevastopol area) - If soviet losses less than 1600 AC before moving north to using the German Aircraft in attacks = FAIL
Air Attack Strategies:
1: Bomb AF closer to front lines, then push farther out.
2: Bomb larger AF first (More bombers are initially available thus increasing initial enemy losses)
3: Bomb each AF only one time until all AF have been bombed at least once.
4: When looking further east to bomb, hit fighter AF first
5: After all AF within range have been bombed once - continue bombing all AF until you run out
6: No AF should have more than 20 AC that are within range (not always possible due to randomness)
2. Don't concentrate on encirclements - Push eastwards. Turn 3 is when you should have a couple large encirclements. but keep pushing eastwards.
3. The original attack lines are actually worth maintaining. AGN (Riga - Pskov - Lenningrad), AGC (Minsk, Smolensk, Moscow0, AGS - (Kiev) - Don't concentrate your armor thinking you can just bully your way through. The AI is somewhat effective and will concentrate where you do. It's like sending out a 3-4 receiver set in a football formation. The goal is to spread the defense and attack where he is weakest. Same principle applies.
4. Don't be afraid to break down your divisions into regiments. Start checker boarding the rear encirclements to free up full divisions in order to push them eastwards. Your panzers will need support so they can also continue their own advancements. If you think ahead, you could actually see 2-3 encirclements and be knocking on the doors of Pskov, Smolensk and Kiev by the end of Turn 3. Being so spread out the soviet AI won't be able to create enough new units to adequately defend all 3 cities on Turn 4.
5. 2nd Army and reserves - its your call. I'm pushing all these north in preparation for the drive on Lenningrad. Lenningrad is my only real goal before the first winter. So you could say Moscow and the DNEPR are just elaborate diversions.
Actual AAR *CONTINUED* next
