Caspian Crusade

[Flaviusx]

ORIGINAL: 821Bobo

I put always 2 armies in that area and didnt help me. When GHC decide to divert 4. Pz group south they will pocket them. As far as I can remember, both MT and Pelton did it to me.

You need to do it in depth, and be prepared to counterattack. Any Axis advance here will necessarily be channeled into more open terrain and be vulnerable to counterstrokes. I've never played against MT, but have played Pelton, and it worked well enough against him. So well, in fact, that he abandoned his drive north of Vitebsk completely. Indeed, MT kind of did the very same thing against Pelton in his recent game, and turned the area into a brick wall. You will need to send more and more stuff up here as time goes on, though.

[821Bobo]

Sorry but deep defence on turn 3 between Vitebsk and Velikye Luki is not possible.

[Flaviusx]

ORIGINAL: 821Bobo

Sorry but deep defence on turn 3 between Vitebsk and Velikye Luki is not possible.

With 36 divisions between three armies, yes it can be done. And you don't wait until turn 3. You go nuts starting on turn 1 and keep on packing stuff into the area.

This is why the landbridge is so weak. Nothing goes there. It's screened by the survivors of West Front and little else. I rush literally all my reserves north.

[Michael T]

End Axis T5 (17th July 1941) Clear

Generally this turn saw minor gains across the front as we approach the end of the supply leash.

AGN: The Finns surge ahead and cut off 3 divisions. The Panzers crawl forward and the Inf are finally catching up. Should be able to begin the grind towards Leningrad next turn.

AGC. The spearhead continues on its north eastern tilt and another small pocket is formed around Rzhev as we drive toward Kalinin. We may have to consider coming to a halt next turn to await the Inf and build up some supply. One pesky Soviet ID really screwed up our advance just to the south of Rzhev this turn. If not for that unit we would have been in Kalinin. They deserve a citation.

AGS. The Soviets appear to be holding the Dneipr line. So we creep up and prepare for a crossing on T6. I expect that M60 will don the running shoes and retreat another 4-5 hexes east in his turn though. Interesting to see what he does here now. Run or try and hold that line. His track record in the south indicates he will run. Odessa fell this turn quite easily to the 22nd AL Div. Always nice to get that city early. It can be a pain sometimes.

Overall I am pleased with progress. The only real annoyance so far being the failure to get in to Kalinin this turn.

[Peltonx]

Average advance in north and south.

Amazing advance in center, can't really get any better then that. Sure M60 screwed up, but you took advatege of it big time. It will cause him to throw everything but the kitchen sink to save it. Which will cost him Leningrad and south.

You have a possible shot at Moscow if he screws up again, nice job.

[timmyab]

You didn't make it to Kalinin by turn five.Must try harder.[:D]
I'd be surprised if Moscow doesn't fall now.A drive North East also looks tempting.

[Ketza]

Wow.

I never would even contemplate that kind of advance in the center.

I must be doing it wrong [:D]

[smokindave34]

Amazing progress in the center - I'm happy when I capture Smolensk on turn 5! M60 has some tough decisions to make.

[Peltonx]

ORIGINAL: Ketza


I must be doing it wrong [:D]

No M60 is hehehehe

I don't think he learnt anything from our game(Pelton vs M60 AAR). I am kinda surpised really by his poor play.

I expected a much better defence, kinda sad really.

I was hoping MT would have picked someone better at SHC like yourself Katza, Bomazz or Hoooper. Someone undefeated and not average.

This really does not seem to be much of a challance for MT, almost a waste of time really.

[Balou]

ORIGINAL: Michael T

End Axis T5 (17th July 1941) Clear

AGC. We may have to consider coming to a halt next turn to await the Inf and build up some supply.

What are your settings for "AC required to fly" ? Even though you may spare some fuel by not using all MPs every turn, I try to figure out the nature of your Pz/Mot Div warp drive.

[Michael T]

AC settings are 5%. With an eye to very efficient mech movement, concentration of air refueling and what remains of HQBU you can manage a warp drive here and there. All one need do is apply brain. Nothing more than that [:)]

I have just received M60's T5. He broke the Rzhev pocket and is defending the Dneipr line in the south.

[Scook_99]

Success breeds success. The turn 5 you see is made possible by the extra encirclement on turn 3. MT is following the "path of least resistance", but with the situation, I would put most of my troops in a direct path to Moscow, but that forces a northern pincer around Moscow and makes MT only to have to 'force' a southern pincer. Good luck to Russia, he's going to need it.

Edit: And I am stealing some of this in my game. Turn 2 you only need to advance to keep the Landers rolling. North If Vitebsk is usually weak like this on turn 3, even if covered with airborne troopers.

[janh]

ORIGINAL: Michael T
AC settings are 5%.

Have you turned off interdiction and are you providing bombing/support a lot? Or using the bombers more for air supply?

[Michael T]

Pretty much just Air Supply and ground support very spareingly. Interdiction is on.

[wac29]

It's funny how many axis players have gone almost full circle back to keeping panzer group 2 fully north of the Pripyat marsh. The panzer ball strategy of 1942 has moved into 1941 now with PG2 not even attempting to cross the Dnepr south of Mogilev but joining PG3 straight towards Moscow. PG4 even is in on it sometimes too.

[Ketza]

I had a player recently Panzerball me in 1941 with groups 3,2 and 4 all driving for Moscow.

I stopped him cold and held Moscow and Leningrad. One Axis of approach is not a good idea.

[Flaviusx]

You need to at least threaten Leningrad and force the Soviet to commit lots of troops there, imo. Ideally you take the place and then switch PG4 to advance to Moscow. The advance in the center tends to stall much past Smolensk for a bit until rail lines catch up. MT is operating at the outer limits of his logistical capabilities now I suspect, air supply notwithstanding. But he's thrashed the Soviets in doing so, is well positioned to take Leningrad, and then go for the blow in the center.

The only question in my mind at this point is if he can take Rostov before the year is out. But if he cripples the Red Army further north he can deliver the coup de grace in 42. This game is already starting to snowball.

[hugh04]

My take on the axis in 41 is that you need a good mix of panzer thrusting for pockets and infantry grinding to produce casualties. The soviet's have alot of men to lose and alot of units to play with. There is a fine line to having enough of an army to solve problems and not having quite enough.

If you concentrate your axis armor too much in one place, defending against an all infantry attack elsewhere becomes much easier. The infantry grind creates opportunities for panzer punctures and the threat of panzer punctures across a broad front makes more targets for the infantry grind. Too much axis concentration in 41 is not a good strategy.

vandev

[Peltonx]

ORIGINAL: wac29

It's funny how many axis players have gone almost full circle back to keeping panzer group 2 fully north of the Pripyat marsh. The panzer ball strategy of 1942 has moved into 1941 now with PG2 not even attempting to cross the Dnepr south of Mogilev but joining PG3 straight towards Moscow. PG4 even is in on it sometimes too.

Bomazz did the panzer ball and was stopped cold short of Moscow.

Its a short minded gamble that will always fail vs a good SHC player.

There is 2x as many manpower centers in south. If MT fails to take Moscow hes done, but in this case because of M60's poor use of the 20-30 extra units in the south hes toast.

As Katza pointed out stopping this move is easy.

MT really needs to go vs Katza, Flaviusx or Bomass.

[Peltonx]

ORIGINAL: Flaviusx

You need to at least threaten Leningrad and force the Soviet to commit lots of troops there, imo. Ideally you take the place and then switch PG4 to advance to Moscow. The advance in the center tends to stall much past Smolensk for a bit until rail lines catch up. MT is operating at the outer limits of his logistical capabilities now I suspect, air supply notwithstanding. But he's thrashed the Soviets in doing so, is well positioned to take Leningrad, and then go for the blow in the center.

The only question in my mind at this point is if he can take Rostov before the year is out. But if he cripples the Red Army further north he can deliver the coup de grace in 42. This game is already starting to snowball.

Its a copy of another game M60 has played [8D]

No real surpises other then the fact hes falling for the same moves.