The Anti Bolshevik Crusade - Tarhunnas vs Q-Ball (no Q-Ball please)

[neuromancer]

ORIGINAL: Tarhunnas

Losses after turn 17. Just over 3 million (I made some unnecessary attacks to bring it over 3 mil [:D])

There are no unnecessary attacks! If you have the chance to hurt the enemy, then hurt him!

[:)]

I'm not sure how well that theory works in reality, but its pretty sound in the game.

Who says you can't attack in mud?

I do it quite a bit actually. Always as a planned attack (not Hasty), and usually with as many units as I can line up. I look at their fort level, terrain, and supply, and then at the relative health of my own unit(s) - combat ready % and supply - and if it looks good, go after vulnerable units. I've even attacked some stronger units with larger combinations of troops. About the only thing I'm leary of in mud is high forts and attacking across a river (although I have on occassion, with adequate numbers).

Its worked quite well for me actually, sometimes getting a rout with lots of enemy casualties with few (sometimes none!) to me.

Comment: In my view, it is not really realistic that players should have a complete picture of the other sides recon flights. Perhaps there should be a chance of 30% or so to detect enemy recon flights?

As the Germans I find you have so much recon ability I start at one end of the front and proceed to the other surveying the front line- typically one hex behind the units in front - and looking around randomly in the backfield. I specifically recon airfields if I'm in the mood for some bombing, but as I do that immediately it wouldn't make any difference.

The AI doesn't care, but against a human knowing where I'm looking would be nearly useless.

[Tarhunnas]

Turn 23. November 20 1941.

Deutsche Reichsbahn is now selling train tickets Berlin to Moscow! The price includes a free Adventure pack (value 15 RM). Adventure pack includes:
* Watching sullen Russians by the roadside
* Eating the same healthy food as the soldiers at the front
* Getting shot at by partisans
* Sleeping in a ruin
* Tour of the Kremlin, including betting on the setting of the time fuzes on the Soviet demolition charges (if they don't go off during your tour, you win a free ticket for a revisit).

[Tarhunnas]

Turn 23.

The Soviets have been making some attacks, and what's worse, they have pushed back two infantry divisions. That is ominous, if they push us back during snow, how bad won't it be during blizzard...

Map before German moves.

[Tarhunnas]

The south after Axis moves. Not much happening. I cancel all offensive activity and concentrate on consolidating.

I have a bad feeling about this blizzard. There are hordes of Soviets, just look at their frontline. My lines are way too long, mostly because of the Crimea problem. What's worse, I can't shorten my lines very much without retreating to Dnepropetrovsk, and that feels a bit drastic. I will just have to tough it out and be prepared to give ground.

[neuromancer]

December and January look to be a pretty hard time for you.  I don't think you're dug in enough and will be doing a lot of falling back.  You did extremely well but I think you may have pushed a little far.  I certainly understand why you did, but it meant that you didn't ig in enough an I think that will cost you.
 
Means you will likely have to give ground.  Now you are the one who needs to preserve your strength for later counter-attacks.  And in the spring, come at the Bear like a Lion!
 
 
Loved the bit about 'adventure tour', I LOLd.  [:D]
 

[Sabre21]

If I was the Soviet player, I would be placing my shock army along with a couple other fresh armies up near Kharkov..probably hit just south and north of where those mountain units are. Once that line is broke forcing those mountain to fall back or get enveloped, I would head south west towards D-town. I would also strike out of the Crimea pocket, get across the river and go for D-town with the intent to link up with the Kharkov assault.

The threat appears to be building in the Kharkov region but not so much from the Crimea, so he might be just trying to retake Kharkov. None the less, I would place a few forts or put a couple Rumanians up there digging entrenchments between Kharkov and D-town just in case.

[Ketza]

A tactic that works well is falling back and letting him get adjacent but being unable to do deliberate attack. Counter attack him in the open with no forts and fall back again. Worked well in my game vrs 76mm. Also use your air force do not send it to the reserve. Those tactics worked well under the old Blizzard rules anyway [:'(]

[jonreb31]

The Red Army is in fairly good shape for the foreboding blizzard.
I'd be most worried about your Crimea situation. Once the Dnepr freezes those Romanians won't know what hit them.

[Mynok]

You've done well getting your railheads forward in the center. Be curious where they stand in the south where you are likely to feel a LOT of pressure.

[Tarhunnas]

ORIGINAL: neuromancer

December and January look to be a pretty hard time for you.  I don't think you're dug in enough and will be doing a lot of falling back. 

Yes, you are correct about the digging in. I will have to fall back in some places.

ORIGINAL: Sabre21

The threat appears to be building in the Kharkov region but not so much from the Crimea, so he might be just trying to retake Kharkov. None the less, I would place a few forts or put a couple Rumanians up there digging entrenchments between Kharkov and D-town just in case.

I think he figures he can blow the Rumanians away with what he's got on the Crimea front already. I fear it is too late for fort building now, construction is very slow in snow.

[Tarhunnas]

ORIGINAL: Ketza
A tactic that works well is falling back and letting him get adjacent but being unable to do deliberate attack. Counter attack him in the open with no forts and fall back again. Worked well in my game vrs 76mm. Also use your air force do not send it to the reserve. Those tactics worked well under the old Blizzard rules anyway [:'(]

Yes, I am thinking about doing that in selected areas. I saw that in your AAR, and if it worked under 1.03, it will sure work under 1.04.

ORIGINAL: Mynok
You've done well getting your railheads forward in the center. Be curious where they stand in the south where you are likely to feel a LOT of pressure.

Rails are fine in the South. I am working on the lateral lines now, to be able to transfer troops and it also gives additional anti-partisan security to have alternative routes to each section of front if one line is cut. The north - south line via Sumy is finished already.

Map at start of turn 24 after recon but before Axis moves.

[Tarhunnas]

The German army is well prepared for winter. Everything else is defeatist talk.

http://www.brickarms.com/Toys/minifigs/Wilhelm.aspx

[Tarhunnas]

Turn 24.

Only moving units around a little in preparation for the blizzard. I have moved some German units to the crimean front. The good thing here is that fortification levels are good, as the Rumanians have been standing there digging for a good while.

Edit: I see that I used the word "good" three times in a sentence. My literary style needs improvement. [;)]

[Tarhunnas]

One thing that is a little strange is that I see no guards units at all. There should be some by now, one would think. Might they be hiding in a woods somewhere sharpening their bayonets and practicing shouting "Urrah! Za Stalina!"?

Meanwhile, our recon patrols have found some Soviet propaganda posters. This is obviously ridiculous. Our troops can stand a few degrees of cold!

[neuromancer]

[;)]
 

ORIGINAL:  Tarhunnas
The German army is well prepared for winter. Everything else is defeatist talk.

Heh, that is about it.
 
Like the little lego guy.  But was Wilhelm a winter '41 soldier, or winter '42?  Actually as he seemed to have a MP-43 / StG-44 / MP-44 in his left hand, I would assume he's from at least the winter of '43-'44.
 

[Tarhunnas]

ORIGINAL: neuromancer

[;)]

ORIGINAL:  Tarhunnas
The German army is well prepared for winter. Everything else is defeatist talk.

Heh, that is about it.

Like the little lego guy.  But was Wilhelm a winter '41 soldier, or winter '42?  Actually as he seemed to have a MP-43 / StG-44 / MP-44 in his left hand, I would assume he's from at least the winter of '43-'44.

I guess he is late war, but he kind of looked cool!

Going seriously OT here, but there is more cool stuff in Lego. Look at this:
http://www.mechanizedbrick.com/series_one_t34.html

[neuromancer]

Wilhelm does look nifty, and Lego is very cool, so much can be done with it.
 
My only complaint about the tank?  The antenna will get wrecked if the turret rotates.  Which is pretty minor complaint.
 

[Klydon]

Careful, those Hungarian motor units are leaving. 

[Mynok]

They do make flexible antenna. [:D]

[Tarhunnas]

Turn 25. First Blizzard turn.

There has been a nasty development. I forgot to guard the little port of Ochakov, east of Odessa, and the Soviets have made a landing there. Though I strongly suspect the Soviets can easily succeed in an opposed landing against the Rumanian garrisons that I typically leave at such places, so I am not so sure it mattered that it was unguarded.

Anyway, that is one more problem on the Crimean front. As if I didn't have enough trouble there. It is good I have completed the railway circuit, so a Soviet advance to the rail line won't cut the rails to the whole army group.

I have compiled a map of the current frontline, so that it will be possible to make a map of changes during the winter offensive. Hmmm, wonder if I left enough room to the east... [;)]