Operation Barbershop - Carnage(Ax) vs. Redmarkus(Sv)

[notenome]

Don't manually upgrade air. You do not have that luxury as the soviets. You need every damn AP point especially when corps creation comes around. If you want a particular air group to upgrade just set it to automatic and it should upgrade eventualy.

[Redmarkus5]

Eventually doesn't ever seem to come along though, and my obsolete aircraft are being blasted from the sky.

Vs. the AI, I started building up a store of AP from around turn 15 in preparation for the Corps upgrades and I had enough to build Corps in the key sectors when the time came, IIRC.

[randallw]

It might be best to have the older-aircraft units sit in the reserve for awhile.

[notenome]

I just let my older airframes get blasted. They do no good sitting in the production pool, and the game doesn't separte pilots and airframes. So if I loose 800 I-whatevers to knock out 20 experienced luftwaffe aircraft, thats 20 more than I would have if I let them sit for 4 years in Narnia national reserve. Plus I have never heard a Soviet player not complain about AP constraints come 42, and the Red Airforce is just too massive. Not a humanitarian point of view, but hell comrade, the revolution demands sacrifices from all.

[jomni]

I'm playing against the AI, Jan 1942 and I have so many AP.  (400+)
I have the liberty to shuffle armies to different fronts, manually upgrade air groups, assign SU's, build units (no need to manually build at this stage anymore though since I have so many).  No constraints at all. But I guess I have to see what happens as I go though 1942.

One thing about upgrading air groups for the Soviets early on is that you don't have enough modern planes to replace them all.

[randallw]

Don't worry about having too many points, you'll be using them through 1942.

[Redmarkus5]

TURN 11

Small advances by the enemy in most areas - I guess he's refitting and getting ready for a final effort before the mud comes. He's been asking me where I keep my reserve infantry via email, but does he know I don't have any? Still, every breakthrough has been met by a new line of defenders so far.

One unexpected direction is the enemy's break into the Crimea, where there was zero defence in depth. This might be opportunistic, or he may have a plan to cross the Kerch and go for the Caucasus early, but he needs to make sure that I don't retake the entrance to the Crimea come winter, or he'll be in trouble.

About four more turns till the mud arrives, I believe... I think Leningrad has a chance of holding. Not sure how much effort will be made towards Moscow. The southern area of operations is the most challenging at the moment as I really didn't plan to divert forces down that way.

[Redmarkus5]

TURN 12

The pressure resumes around Leningrad as Carnage attempts to cut the city off before the mud turns arrive. If the front before Moscow holds up next turn, I will divert more reserves to this sector.

[Redmarkus5]

In the centre Carnage continues to grind forward. He is closer here than the Germans were historically at this stage and has learned the lessons of the earlier campaign and no longer leaves gaps wide enough for my cavalry to exploit through.

[Redmarkus5]

In the south his diversion of the bulk of his armour into the Crimea has won him that territory but delayed his advance towards Rostov by at least two turns. My line is still weak here, but at least it's a line again, and my cut off units running free in the rear might slow him further.

[Redmarkus5]

And here is the situation along the whole front...

[Redmarkus5]

One observation based on my experience vs a human player and from reading some of the other AARs is that the game seems to reward 'innovative' defensive techniques such as the 'carpet defence' or the 'checker board defence' over the creation of a series of defensive lines behind natural obstacles. As I was told by one tester, defend in a line vs. a human player and he will tear you apart. This is patently true, but I still refuse to resort to gamey tactics - I would prefer to lose.

My suggestion (repeated) is that a few factors should be used as force multipliers to encourage more historical game play:

1. When units are stacked together their total CV should be greater than the sum of their individual CVs.

2. When units are located immediately adjacent to other units (i.e. not depending on ZOC to cover gaps, but forming a contiguous front line) their CV and morale should also be boosted.

3. When units are positioned in depth (i.e. they have friendly units on 3 or more hex sides, they should suffer some kind of penalty to reflect the confusion and delays that result if you have two other divisions sitting astride your lines of communications. This would encourage players to leave a space between their defensive lines.

4. When units stack in a city hex (urban or heavy urban) they should receive benefits and once pocketed, city hexes should keep adjacent units or those with line of supply to the city in full supply for at least one turn.

There are surely other changes needed, but the three above should encourage less gamey tactics, IMO.

[cookie monster]

I disagree for a divison to have to fight a number of battles over 30 miles would allow less progress than one big battle at 10 miles.

The checkerboard as a delay tactic has merit.

[Redmarkus5]

I didn't say that the checker board tactic has no merit. It's just a-historical and board gamers were already complaining about it 40 years ago when I first started playing. I have no doubt that if I used it, I would be doing better than I am now in the game, but I refuse to use it anyway as it goes against my personal gaming code of honour.

TURN 13 - North

Carnage continues with his push to isolate Leningrad, making further progress. He has a good chance of cutting the city off before the mud turn, IMO.

[Redmarkus5]

CENTRE

The push towards Moscow also continues to grind along. Maybe it's wishful thinking that I will regret later, but there's a sense of desperation coming from the German moves now. I'll take that back if he breaks through and takes the city!

[Redmarkus5]

SOUTH

Carnage has sensed weakness down here and boldly thrust his panzers forward to capture Stalino. Some of my industry had not yet been evacuated, but the bulk had been.

However, he apparently didn't reckon on the reserves I have been rushing south by rail for the last two turns, and I was able to make the final rail moves and de-train at the front with enough MP remaining to effect a weak double-envelopment of his advance units. This was supported by units pulled off the line, along with some bypassed divisions.

The big question for turn 14 will be how much support Carnage had in place for this thrust (was it planned or was it opportunistic?) and whether he can break through both lines of encirclement. The lines are weak and incomplete, but the distance the enemy has advanced in one bound is quite significant.

If he fails to break through the second line, I MAY have my first opportunity to kill a panzer division or two, especially if I can keep them in place until the mud arrives... Seems unlikely though

[Redmarkus5]

FRONT

And this is the overall picture along the whole front.

[Redmarkus5]

Phase lines for turns 1 through 13. The situation down south will most likely be rectified by Carnage in turn 14. (Note the T14 line on the map should read T13. I can't fix it without messing up the JPEG...)

[Klydon]

Nice last map!

That motorized division in Stalino looks like it is in serious trouble. Motorized divisions are not panzer divisions, so they are far easier to deal with if the Axis are not careful. Will be interesting to see what his follow up is, but a nicely executed trap will certainly get his attention I am sure. In hindsight, he probably should have used the panzers to pocket the defenders on the river, but oh well. I am sure both of you are learning a lot. I know I am following this AAR.

[Ketza]

Amazing map.