Waiting for the spring miracle... Oleg (Sov) vs Senno (Axis), NO Senno

[PeeDeeAitch]

Rats! I told him you plan to win.  Sorry...
 
[:D]

[PeeDeeAitch]

ORIGINAL: Oleg Mastruko
I am big fan of messy hand drawn AAR maps. I hate neat and tidy maps in AARs [:D]

Stick with the MSPaint arrows. I love them!

[JAMiAM]

Hi Oleg,

I'd give some advice, but since you're also playing as the Soviets against me, it would be self-defeating. Therefore, take this post as a complimentary thread post-count padding. Strictly to keep the morale up, you know...[;)]

[Oleg Mastruko]

ORIGINAL: JAMiAM
I'd give some advice, but since you're also playing as the Soviets against me, it would be self-defeating. Therefore, take this post as a complimentary thread post-count padding. Strictly to keep the morale up, you know...[;)]

Thanks James, I find your presence encouraging and mildly sedating [:D] Completely different to the impression you leave in the game itself as player. It's hard to imagine such a nice guy behind that ZZ Top look you had as avatar picture on the forum for some time (was that really you BTW?)

[Oleg Mastruko]

Now if someone tells me Germans are not supermen.... Leningrad, he just bulldozes his way forward, no subtlety, no flanking, no manouver, just brutal force attacking forward. And he will probably get there. His forces suffer no morale loss...

Obviously, since the morale in WITE is gained by winning, and having to fight day and night away from home with your buddies dying bad food no toilet paper and your wife back home leaving you for the drug addict member of the motorcycle gang does not affect morale as long as you win battles. Fritzes have no supply problems, no feelings, no brain, no soul, they fight like goddam robots....

Fatigue, if they suffer any, I must conclude it has no or negligible influence on their combat performance...

I really don't see what could I have done differently regarding LG defence. If anything, I alotted MORE units for this sector, and better units. I even transferred some of them very good Kiev tank and mech units here since his southern opening was pretty weak. I put them in good defensive terrain. I let them build forts, best commanders, tons of support units, best available C&C structure, whole nine yards....

He didn't outsmart me, he didn't flank me, he didn't do anything I could not predict....

And yet, his god in this game appears to be simply stronger than my god and there is nothing I can do. (May be logical after all since commies are atheists LOL!)

In the memorable words of Mongol leader Hulagu: "Our horses are swift, our arrows sharp, our swords like thunderbolts, our hearts as hard as the mountains, our soldiers as numerous as the sand. Fortresses will not detain us, nor arms stop us. Your prayers to God will not avail against us. We are not moved by tears nor touched by lamentations. Only those who beg our protection will be safe. Hasten your reply before the fire of war is kindled. Resist and you will suffer the most terrible catastrophes. We will shatter your mosques and reveal the weakness of your God and then we will kill your children and your old men together."

Now, imagine old von Leeb, AGN leader, saying this in his message to LG Front Commander LOL

This is funny and if you know von Leeb and imagine him saying this it's even more funny.

BTW I didn't see Hulagu on the list of WITE beta testers but he appears to have played WITE beta because above description is incredibly accurate regarding German soldiers in WITE summer 41!

WHAT DOES THIS FREAKING GAME WANT ME TO DO TO BE ABLE TO FIGHT SUPERMEN ON EQUAL TERMS? OK, lets forget fighting on anything remotely resembling equal terms, what do I have to do to inflict casualties, fatigue, bad omens, TOE losses, constipation, diarhhea, ANYTHING to these ubermen???

German supermen are simply unstoppable, and anyone saying otherwise is wrong.

OK rant over.

Having said all that, I don't feel too bad about LG. If he takes the city by brute force, there will be no encirclements and I will retreat in good order. Since his position elsewhere is not too threatening, him taking LG might in fact make the game more interesting long term. So, let him have it but the way the game allows him to take it - by ubermen force - frankly leaves bad taste in my mouth.

Nevermind, the blizzards will come and then I will have my own supermen. Hulagu will then be Mother Theresa compared to what my hearless ubermen will do to his German winter wussies.

Elsewhere, not much happened in the last couple turns. My retreats described above worked like charm, and he spent lots of MPs to just take the area I left. He had some half hearted and not entirely successful attempts at enciclements in the south, but the most interesting development is around LG at the moment.

[Oleg Mastruko]

OH and before someone says it.... I know that stacking units 3 per hex in 2-3 rows will make the units in the first row rout if they have nowehere to retreat. That's OK, I was ready to take that risk in some positions, simply because I wanted my second line to be as strong as possible by itself, not to rely on the retreating units from the first line taking positions in forts.

Take a look at the 3 unit German stack closest to LG. 25=78. There is no option to countarattack that Godzilla. They are 25=78, and have greenest possible morale flag (they are happier than after a visit to the best brothel in Berlin, expenses covered by OKH). All that after couple weeks of INCESSANT fighting through WALLS of SOVIET FORTS and seas of enemy soldiers. Now tell me these are not supermen....

[PeeDeeAitch]

Ahh, the Panzer Bulldozer.  God I love it.  There is a Lead Cross (1st class) in Senno's future.

[JAMiAM]

ORIGINAL: Oleg Mastruko

ORIGINAL: JAMiAM
I'd give some advice, but since you're also playing as the Soviets against me, it would be self-defeating. Therefore, take this post as a complimentary thread post-count padding. Strictly to keep the morale up, you know...[;)]

Thanks James, I find your presence encouraging and mildly sedating [:D] Completely different to the impression you leave in the game itself as player. It's hard to imagine such a nice guy behind that ZZ Top look you had as avatar picture on the forum for some time (was that really you BTW?)

Yes, that's really me. It's an older picture though. These days the beard is more like Gandalf's, or Dumbledore's, and I keep it tied together in rubber bands or braided to reduce the crazed look caused by the flyaway effect...[:D]

I'm glad I can offer some sedation. Usually, I'm accused of sedition, but in your case, I think you've got that aspect well-covered![;)]

[Oleg Mastruko]

I read your AAR PDH, and it appears Senno is heavily drawing from your experiences and leadership. The encirclement attempts in the center and south he tried to pull off were almost exact copies of yours. LG is more of a brute force affair, akin to Q-Ball's latest game (where he also appears to be nigh on unstoppable, even by stacks with defensive value of 30 over a major river (!!!!!!!!!!!!!).

I see your future as lecturer at OKH officer school in Potsdam.

[PeeDeeAitch]

I will lecture from a bar stool in a beer cellar somewhere - much more suited to my style.  I will call my lecture (pauses to drink) "The Crazed Dogs Attack - Bulldozing Your Way to Victory!"

[Sabre21]

The Germans were better trained than their Soviet counterpart at this stage of the war, but by no means were they supermen. I've frustrated quite a few German testers and guys like Pieter and Flavio have learned to do the same. Right now there is enough concentration of German forces in that area to take the city before mud hits. I don't know what the fort levels are but from what I see based on what both of you have here, both hexes of Leningrad should fall in 5 turns, maybe 4 with a little luck. At this point all you can do is hope he makes some grevious mistakes.
 
As for the Soviet deployment, you have nobody digging in on any of the ports that are key to the city's survival and those units along both sides of the Neva should be level 4 forts by know with strong infantry stacks in each. The city is doomed if the German gets across the Neva and takes that port where your Army Hq is.
 
The current Soviet deployment south of the city is just begging to get trapped. The bulk of the strength is on the front row with little real depth and once thru it the panzers will be free to encircle that horde. 
 
Oleg..while the Germans are extremely difficult to play against in 41 (as they should be), they can be slowed down to a crawl. There are tactics and counter tactics each side can use to overcome the other. What it boils down to is who makes the fewer mistakes, although the Soviets can actually make a few more than the Germans can and still come out on top.

[Oleg Mastruko]

Sabre this screenshot is at the beginning of my turn. During my turn I took care of those units "begging to be trapped", but as for the rest of your post, I agree, he will probably take LG. He'll do that by brute force alone, which I am not sure how the game should really work. Some weeks ago the community was saying "LG can't be taken against human" but in recent HvH games we see a trend of LG routinely being taken, by hook or by crook, ie by encirclements and mobility or simply by brute force alone! It appears that taking LG will become a routine thing for German players.

It will make this particular game more interesting, so in the name of more readers to this and Senno's AAR let him have it if he wants it this badly... [8D]

[JAMiAM]

ORIGINAL: Sabre21

I've frustrated quite a few German testers and guys like Pieter and Flavio have learned to do the same.

Yeah, I'd say you've frustrated me. By not taking up my challenge of finding a strong Soviet player, that is. Pieter and Flavio too, since neither of them have sent me a turn in almost three weeks. Of course, if that is strong Soviet play - boring a waiting Axis player into submission - than you guys have written the book on it...[:D]

Anyhow, since Speedy (who's never played the Soviets before) has taken up the challenge, I hope, and expect, you and the others to coach him safely from the sidelines so that he has all the guidance he needs...[;)]

[/thread highjack]

[Mynok]

Well, some of us have definitely been coaching Senno up on his use of the Germans. You do want us to show him how to make supermen out of them right? [;)]

[Sabre21]

ORIGINAL: JAMiAM

ORIGINAL: Sabre21

I've frustrated quite a few German testers and guys like Pieter and Flavio have learned to do the same.

Yeah, I'd say you've frustrated me. By not taking up my challenge of finding a strong Soviet player, that is. Pieter and Flavio too, since neither of them have sent me a turn in almost three weeks. Of course, if that is strong Soviet play - boring a waiting Axis player into submission - than you guys have written the book on it...[:D]

Anyhow, since Speedy (who's never played the Soviets before) has taken up the challenge, I hope, and expect, you and the others to coach him safely from the sidelines so that he has all the guidance he needs...[;)]

[/thread highjack]

I think we've all been burned out pretty good but I'm regaining another wind here and may in the not distant future look for a game.

[Sabre21]

ORIGINAL: Oleg Mastruko

Sabre this screenshot is at the beginning of my turn. During my turn I took care of those units "begging to be trapped", but as for the rest of your post, I agree, he will probably take LG. He'll do that by brute force alone, which I am not sure how the game should really work. Some weeks ago the community was saying "LG can't be taken against human" but in recent HvH games we see a trend of LG routinely being taken, by hook or by crook, ie by encirclements and mobility or simply by brute force alone! It appears that taking LG will become a routine thing for German players.

It will make this particular game more interesting, so in the name of more readers to this and Senno's AAR let him have it if he wants it this badly... [8D]

That's good to hear that this was at the start of your move. Your real weak spot from what I saw was the area just a couple hexes south of the Neva east of his panzers. I'm sure you blocked that.

I would be wary of a hook up across the Neva or due east then north to take the ports.

[Klydon]

Getting to the point that a hook attempt is going to be a trap. 

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

ORIGINAL: Oleg Mastruko

Now if someone tells me Germans are not supermen.... Leningrad, he just bulldozes his way forward, no subtlety, no flanking, no manouver, just brutal force attacking forward. And he will probably get there. His forces suffer no morale loss...

Obviously, since the morale in WITE is gained by winning, and having to fight day and night away from home with your buddies dying bad food no toilet paper and your wife back home leaving you for the drug addict member of the motorcycle gang does not affect morale as long as you win battles. Fritzes have no supply problems, no feelings, no brain, no soul, they fight like goddam robots....

Fatigue, if they suffer any, I must conclude it has no or negligible influence on their combat performance...

I really don't see what could I have done differently regarding LG defence. If anything, I alotted MORE units for this sector, and better units. I even transferred some of them very good Kiev tank and mech units here since his southern opening was pretty weak. I put them in good defensive terrain. I let them build forts, best commanders, tons of support units, best available C&C structure, whole nine yards....

He didn't outsmart me, he didn't flank me, he didn't do anything I could not predict....

And yet, his god in this game appears to be simply stronger than my god and there is nothing I can do. (May be logical after all since commies are atheists LOL!)

In the memorable words of Mongol leader Hulagu: "Our horses are swift, our arrows sharp, our swords like thunderbolts, our hearts as hard as the mountains, our soldiers as numerous as the sand. Fortresses will not detain us, nor arms stop us. Your prayers to God will not avail against us. We are not moved by tears nor touched by lamentations. Only those who beg our protection will be safe. Hasten your reply before the fire of war is kindled. Resist and you will suffer the most terrible catastrophes. We will shatter your mosques and reveal the weakness of your God and then we will kill your children and your old men together."

Now, imagine old von Leeb, AGN leader, saying this in his message to LG Front Commander LOL

This is funny and if you know von Leeb and imagine him saying this it's even more funny.

BTW I didn't see Hulagu on the list of WITE beta testers but he appears to have played WITE beta because above description is incredibly accurate regarding German soldiers in WITE summer 41!

WHAT DOES THIS FREAKING GAME WANT ME TO DO TO BE ABLE TO FIGHT SUPERMEN ON EQUAL TERMS? OK, lets forget fighting on anything remotely resembling equal terms, what do I have to do to inflict casualties, fatigue, bad omens, TOE losses, constipation, diarhhea, ANYTHING to these ubermen???

German supermen are simply unstoppable, and anyone saying otherwise is wrong.

OK rant over.

Having said all that, I don't feel too bad about LG. If he takes the city by brute force, there will be no encirclements and I will retreat in good order. Since his position elsewhere is not too threatening, him taking LG might in fact make the game more interesting long term. So, let him have it but the way the game allows him to take it - by ubermen force - frankly leaves bad taste in my mouth.

Nevermind, the blizzards will come and then I will have my own supermen. Hulagu will then be Mother Theresa compared to what my hearless ubermen will do to his German winter wussies.

Elsewhere, not much happened in the last couple turns. My retreats described above worked like charm, and he spent lots of MPs to just take the area I left. He had some half hearted and not entirely successful attempts at enciclements in the south, but the most interesting development is around LG at the moment.

Ahhh... Oleg...

The Leningrad is 99% sure gone...

Both Andy and I told you that you need to dig around Leningrad very early (preferably on day 1 of campaign)...


BTW, two very very important axioms:

#1
Never ever underestimate your opponent!

#2
Hope for the best but plan for the worst!



Leo "Apollo11"

[karonagames]

#3 A bad workman blames his tools.

[Oleg Mastruko]

ORIGINAL: BigAnorak
#3 A bad workman blames his tools.

True, but with bad tools even a good workman can't do much [;)]

If you think 25=78 stack is OK, after daily fighting through bazillion forts and swamps for many turns (weeks), with shining green morale, then fine, I rest my case. These guys don't suffer anything from their war experience - no losses, no morale drop, no nothing. Fatigue? If they are fatigued, I don't see it affects them much. For me these are supermen, and the game gives me zero possibility of counterattack, seriously reducing my options to digging and retreat.

I can work with that, Big, and I am doing pretty good in this game overall. However it still leaves bad aftertaste, and being opinionated and loudmouthed I will keep on repeating that....