Stalin's in the gulag, I'm in charge! II - vs 2ndACR (Axis)

[TulliusDetritus]

Production. I am not really paying attention to these screens [&:] Are these numbers good or bad? I have no idea! [:)]

Oh, I've got 1.609 T-34s and 617 KV-1s in the pool [X(] That has to be a good thing, I suspect.

[TulliusDetritus]

I just counted them: I still have 15 Rifle Divisions attached to Stavka itself. Either I might form other Reserve Armies (let's say 3 regular armies) or reinforce the Reserve Armies already operational.

And 10 Cavalry Divisions (not counting the reserves of the Fronts. As above, more cannon fodder I might put to good -or bad- use) [8D]

[Klydon]

How is your truck ratio TD?

If you don't have much for KV formations, I think there is a heavy tank support unit either in play or coming soon if you want to put them to work. [;)] One word of caution is they are not very reliable (reflected in the damaged section), but if you got them to burn, what the heck.

I believe the Germans are going to feel this is more like 1943 than 1942 once the fun starts back up.

[TulliusDetritus]

Truck ratio? Hmm, I am embarassed! [:D] I think you're talking about the numbers we can see on the screenshot. Really, I still sort of ignore some things. 102k (102k). I think.

Well, I don't know what's going to happen. 2ndACR has started some probe attacks this last turn. Most of them HELD. The thing is... even if I am forced to retreat I will have fortified hexes behind (and that's possible because the rifle brigades are digging). And of course tons of strategic reserves ready to help. Not sure a German offensive might work. BUT that's something I truly ignore. We will see [:)]

[Klydon]

Yep, that is the number I was after.

You don't want the first number smaller than the second by a lot or it means logistics issues when you start looking to advance. So far, so good. For now, you will likely want to hold off on forming more tank corps and towards the fall, depending on how things go, you will want to plan accordingly for when mech corps become available. They absolutely suck down trucks at a huge rate, but they are also probably the best all around unit the Russians get. (Tank corps have a tendency to be more "offensive oriented" and not very good on defense while mech corps are much more well rounded).

[TulliusDetritus]

I see, so I should stop creating Tank Corps? Well, 7 is fine, I guess. In theory there might be only 2 axis of enemy advances (or main threats). I could send to each zone 3 Tank Corps + 5 Cavalry Corps [:)]

As for the reorganization of the Red Army, I kicked the Tank Brigades from the Armies. I wanted the infantry to have tank support, but in fact you can have that buying Tank Bns (support units). This has been almost done, except in the Southwestern and Southern Fronts (next turn/s).

My next objective: buying more support units. Especially Mortar, Anti-Tank, Rockets, Flamethrower [8D]

Oh, and perhaps I should put the very good leaders in charge of Fronts (currently in charge of Armies: Rokossovski, etc.). That's another objective methinks.

[Flaviusx]

I make two dozen of em, myself.

You are going to be short on trucks. Even if you stopped making any new units right now, you WILL be short on trucks. (The truck shortage will appear in due course as you get better TOE for your units.) Don't stop just yet, 7 tank corps is manifestly insufficient.

There is really no way to avoid this. The game, I am convinced, flat out does not give the Soviets enough trucks or the breakdown rate is too high.

Alternately, you could try something totally different: don't make any tank or mech corps at all -- substitute cavalry corps for them on a 1:1 basis, that is to say, raise another 40 odd cavalry corps. Disband all the tank brigades, too. You still won't have enough trucks; but it won't matter that much.

That will give you a mobile force that doesn't rely on trucks. Cavalry corps are surprisingly strong and mobile.

[randallw]

As I mentioned before ( probably in this thread! ) the first TOE for tank corps is bad, about the strength of the 1941b tank division ( 6100 men ). 

[TulliusDetritus]

What the heck! I keep terrorizing 2ndACR's forces (and most of them are German, not weak allies)

- 1 routed
- 10 retreats
- 7 helds

[TulliusDetritus]

Soooo, first experiment! [:)]

To meet the first threat aka Panzers near Velikie Luki, I am bringing:

- 1st Guards Army
- 3 Shock Army
- 3 x Tank Corps
- 3 x Cavalry Corps (one of them are Guards)*

* I took the screenshot before sending the Cavalry Corps that's why they are not here.

Perhaps the units I'm bringing should NOT be next to the front-line units, by the way. Maybe I should have left one empty hex between them. Oh well.

[Klydon]

Bleh.. I didn't realize there were just 7 tank corps. Yeah, that isn't enough.

[TulliusDetritus]

Ok, then I will go on a shopping spree. More Tank Corps, please! [8D]

And Reserve Armies sent to the second main threat (Bryansk area):

- 1 Shock Army
- 4 Shock Army
- 3 x Tank Corps
- 3 x Cavalry Corps (one of them are Guards)

Here the reserves are NOT next to my front-line armies (ergo, not a carpet). Let's see what happens [:)]

EDIT: oh, the [Western] Front Reserves are between the front-line armies and the Reserve Armies (3 x rifle Div + 1 x cavalry div + 2 x tank bdes)

[TulliusDetritus]

A difference between the two places I have reinforced. The first in fact looks like some sort of carpet. The second does not.

Let's see what's more efficient.

Anyway, as for the carpet, on the next turn I plan to leave at least one hex between the different lines.

[TulliusDetritus]

[center]Turn 49[/center]
[center]21 may 1942[/center]

I skipped last turn as well: mud [&:]

Now yes, clear weather. 2ndACR started [?] his offensive, apparently. Yes, in the places where he had concentrated his panzers. Good news for me, I suspect [:)] One attack worked, the other was repulsed: the 45% of the enemy tanks were lost [8D]

I had said I would leave perhaps one hex between the different lines (Volkhov front-line armies - Volkhov reserves - Reserve Armies). Hmm, the thing is there are many fortified hexes. I don't want to leave them unless I am forced [:)]

[TulliusDetritus]

Oh, in fact I have another game. The first German turn was sent. I still have to make my [first] turn.

And given that I had said to Ketza that I would be starting a game vs him (if he wanted that is) I have to explain why I am playing this game [:)]

A tester [Northern Star] PMed and asked me if I wanted to play the Road to Moscow thing. She wanted to test something (what, I don't know). I said I prefered to play ONLY the first 17 turns of the Grand Campaign. And that's what we will be doing.

So I guess I will soon let you know that Leningrad, Moscow and Rostov were captured. In every game I have started (two so far), I always assumed these places would be lost. This time it's no different [:D]

And perhaps this is a record on these AAR boards: Northern Star managed to massacre on her very first turn... 7.104 planes LOL!

[Ketza]

Wow 7104 that is a record.

No worries about a potential game. There are lots of opponents around.

[TulliusDetritus]

Yes, I know there are many players around (luckily). But I try to keep my promises [this is the Cyber Space but still...]. When my game with 2dnACR will be over we might play (if you want, it is up to you, of course) [:)]

[TulliusDetritus]

And the enemy activity near Bryansk: concentration of panzers II. I suspect he might want to form a small pocket here. Only the theoric southern pincer attacked. One attack repulsed here as well.

[TulliusDetritus]

Oh, the Stavka HQ is touring the whole front. I noticed there were many AA Bns in this HQ. And given that buying many different support units for my Army HQs is one of my objectives right now, I have decided to assign 1 AA Bn to each Army HQ.

In theory these AA Bns should protect my front-line divisions, if not totally (an illusion, I know), at least a little bit. In WitP the air forces are the REALLY decisive units [:)]

P.S.: my Air Command HQs already have 1 AA Rgt + 1 AA Bn (since summer or autumn 1941).

[TulliusDetritus]

And two Tank Corps have been created this turn: 40 APs [:)] The 9th and 10th, therefore yes, I have 10.