The Great Patriotic AAR II (No Michael T please)

[governato]

The FZs in Leningrad are useful only to bring the fort level up to 3 and need other units with a high construction value (25+, check on the right hand side of the TOE screen) to get the job done. They do not do much by themselves.
Once an hex gets to Fort level 3 the FZ should be disbanded (it takes at least to Turn 14 to get to Level 4). A cheap way to save on evacuating troops would be to lower the max TOE to say 75%. That would prevent too many reinforcements to be sent to LGD but will keep the units in ready status. Also, refit only the LGD units with morale 45+. Merging depleted units is another option as space shrinks.

[hfarrish]

Right...and unless you are really going to commit to defending the space I'm not sure they accomplish much, since they won't get far without units to be digging in tandem. That said I could be missing something.

[Tarhunnas]

ORIGINAL: hfarrish


Of course, it doesn't look like there is much up there period in terms of serious manpower...out of curiosity, Tarhunnas, why so many FZs on Leningrad? Seems like an awful lot of APs to give up for a city you would be unlikely to hold no matter who the opponent was...

I usually try to hold the place, so I built them early, but in retrospect, they were probably a bad investment,

[Tarhunnas]

ORIGINAL: hfarrish


Is the industry out of Leningrad? One thing to consider is that trying to move a huge quantity of troops out now will drain the ability to evac industry - I tend to prefer doing a phased withdrawal rather than simply pulling up stakes and bugging out. This keeps him fighting to some extent up there, gets most of your men out and doesn't overtax the rails.

The important industry is out. IIRC a few ARM left and the veichle factory and the BA factory.

I never use rails to bring troops out, I use rails to move troops to the front!

Seriously, moving troops, infantry anyway, is so cheap it hardly affects the rail cap.

[governato]

ORIGINAL: Tarhunnas

Seriously, moving troops, infantry anyway, is so cheap it hardly affects the rail cap.

True! But once he gets close to the 'backdoor' then moving units in/out by rail will be difficult.

Btw, A FZ alone has a construction value of 15/turn. It takes 200 'Unmodified' Construction Points (possibly spread over a few turns) to go from Level 2 to Level 3. So a FZ needs additional units and SUs to dig.
A FZ +3 sapper Rgmts + 2 good IDs together have about 120-140 CPs. Then it'd take another ~ 8 turns to get to a level 4 FZ as it need 5 times more CPs (15.3.2.1).

[Encircled]

I'm not sure that this is the place to have a go at Michael T, but the criticisms levelled by Flaviusx and Tullius are very valid.

Tarhunnas knows what he is doing, and he's being destroyed. He's tied by house rules that are completely in favour of the Germans in '41.

At the very least, you have to play with non-random weather to give the Russians a chance, especially with the complete logistical fantasy that is being used.

[Balou]

Don't you think Tarhunnas did know what he was doing when accepting the rules ? I think he knew. And he accepted.

[Encircled]

If he accepted to debunk once and for all the theory that the Germans are biased against in this game, then fair play to him.

I think he thought that they wouldn't affect the game that much.

This game proves that its a killer for the Russians.

Whatever floats peoples boats, but its supposed to be a contest between two players, not a total massacre.

[TulliusDetritus]

ORIGINAL: Balou

Don't you think Tarhunnas did know what he was doing when accepting the rules ? I think he knew. And he accepted.

He thought he knew... Now he knows [:D] For all I care this should help the game so fair play.

[Balou]

I think he thought that they wouldn't affect the game that much.

Maybe Tarhunnas could answer to that. Because I consider this AAR as one of the most interesting I've ever seen. 2 vets, a set of rules that largely forces the Sovs to do as their historical counterparts (copyright TD), and the Axis which does what they should/could have done.

[randallw]

Is it not ironic that some people who are the most vocal about parts of the game that seem to favor the Soviets win, as the Axis, again and again? [:'(]

Maybe it's just from that they spend so much time playing and study everything.

[Encircled]

Oh, its a fascinating AAR

Its going to be a rather short one I fear though!

[TulliusDetritus]

ORIGINAL: Balou

a set of rules that largely forces the Sovs to do as their historical counterparts (copyright TD), and the Axis which does what they should/could have done.

Eh!!?? Not sure you are really interested in improving the game [:-] I guess Michael T should have been appointed as Boss-in-Chief of the Wehrmacht... "Herr Hitler, step aside. Danke..."

Really sorry to hijack the AAR, Tarhunnas [:)]

[Tarhunnas]

Turn 8. Map before Soviet moves.

My front is falling apart. Panzers are crashing through the lines everywhere. Michael T seems to have switched to a raiding strategy, quite rightly I would say, as the bulk of the Red Army has been destroyed. Kharkov is taken, as I feared, and Leningrad cut off.

[Tarhunnas]

The pockets are looser now, and I can break most of them, but I am afraid it will only bring temporary relief. I get an opportunity to try out the nifty paradrop pocket closer to isolate his panzers and break the pocket (west of Orel). Map after Soviet moves.

[Tarhunnas]

Losses turn 8.

[Tarhunnas]

OOB turn 8.

[Tarhunnas]

Michael T has offered for me to surrender. I will accept. We did say no quitting, so I was prepared to continue to a computer generated end, but I am happy to accept his offer. I see no way to turn this around.

Michael T is really an outstanding player! Hat off to my opponent! It is extremely embarrassing to have been utterly crushed in 8 turns! I think I will give this up and pick up croquet or something. [;)]

I have invited Michael T to comment on the AAR.

[M60A3TTS]

All due congrats to Michael T for an efficient conquest by a highly skilled player. That said, a lesser Axis player would have accomplished the same thing, just in a longer span of time. The isolation rules of WiTE does not allow the Red Army to fight a forward defense stategy. Anything along those lines is suicide, plain and simple. I was surprised when Flavius said he would not accept the rules as the Axis player because of the winter rules/conditions. I never felt the Soviet player would stand a chance to make it that far, or if he had his army would have been so gutted as to make an effective blizzard offensive all but impossible.

In any case, this doesn't take away from the fact that you're an excellent player too, Tarhunnas. Hats off for accepting the offer to act as human sacrifice in this grand experiment.

[TulliusDetritus]

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