Laugh n a 1/2 - Manstein63 now allowed

[terje439]

Turn 10

Overall
Things are not progressing very well, and the combination of reserve activation from Sean, and my dice rolls compared to his is not making me happy. Not much I can do about that really, but I will keep slugging it out untill it is time to run away again, and hope for a better -42. But if we take LG, I will still consider it an ok -41 (for me that is [:D]).
The USSR launch 6 attacks, and score a 66% success rate with 2 helds, 3 retreats (Rumanians) and 1 rout (a Pz Div!!).
Our 47 attacks only gains 18 helds, 21 retreats (about half being deliberate attacks...), 4 routs and 4 surrenders.

USSR units in pockets at start of turn
5.

USSR units in pockets at end of turn
7.

Losses
USSR : 72.000 troops, 781 guns, 1.005 AFVs, 60 AC.
Axis : 34.000 troops, 201 guns, 202 AFVs, 46 AC.

USSR units destroyed
2 Rifle Divisions, 2 Motorized Divisions, 1 Tank Division.

German Pools
Manpower : 1.052
Vehicles : 169.961
Armaments : 90.328
Hiwi : 64.759

[terje439]

Turn 11

Overall
Sean keeps falling back, which means that I have to spend MP to move up to his lines, which are then behind a river with atleast a lvl 1 fort. That again means that I need to make deliberate attacks, and that again means that I cannot attack the same turn as I move up to the line. As a result the number of attacks I can make is not nearly high enough to cause the casualties I should be making. The good part of it all I suppose is that it does seem like LG will fall. The poor Fins try to breach the USSR line in the far north, but are constantly victims of reserve activations.
Once more Sean lashed out at our Rumanians, and his 6 attacks all scored retreat results. Our 27 (!!) attacks only managed 9 helds, 15 retreats, 1 rout and 2 surrenders this turn. Not good.

USSR units in pockets at start of turn
5.

USSR units in pockets at end of turn
3.

Losses
USSR : 97.000 troops, 1.060 guns, 328 AFVs, 134 AC.
Axis : 37.000 troops, 280 guns, 127 AFVs, 51 AC.
I am taking far too high casualties. Granted that alot of these are Rumanians, but the ratio is nowhere near good enough at the moment.

USSR units destroyed
4 Rifle Divisions, 1 Tank Division.

German Pools
Manpower : 340
Vehicles : 167.153
Armaments : 86.068
Hiwi : 69.193
Here the main concern is actually the Hiwi pool. Too low, and that is gonna bite me when I start using them...

[terje439]

Turn 12

Overall
Back at screaming at the computer again. It does not help much, but it does makes me feel better [:D]
I swear this game hates me sometimes (see below).
Sean reopens the small pocket from last turn, and falls back once more to another riverline. Allthough all I lose are 0s and 1s, I AM starting to feel some of the frustration Napoleon must have felt in 1812...
The USSR makes 8 attacks and score 8 retreats (!!), we only manage 44 attacks this turn, and the results are not at all gooe enough, 13 helds, 33 retreats and 1 rout. It gets worse, look at the losses report below...

USSR units in pockets at start of turn
0.

USSR units in pockets at end of turn
8.

Losses
USSR : 80.000 troops, 1.244 guns, 429 AFVs, 163 AC.
Axis : 45.000 troops, 419 guns, 212 AFVs, 125 AC.
Sean is protecting the Red Airforce rather well. Sure that is another thing that will come back and bite me later on.

USSR units destroyed
4 PVO AA Regiments.

German Pools
Manpower : 670
Vehicles : 164.739
Armaments : 85.818
Hiwi : 73.550

[loki100]

this is fascinating - in that, as ever, reading about something not going right is so much more interesting (for the reader) than of a perfectly executed plan.

However, I'm still struggling to understand how this game fits together (I think I finally understand the mechanics in isolation), so am intrigued as to why you think its proving such a struggle to get a sustained offensive going?

[randallw]

Playing as the Soviet side I rarely get the combat rolls that your ( Soviet ) opponent seems to get. [:'(]

[terje439]

ORIGINAL: loki100

this is fascinating - in that, as ever, reading about something not going right is so much more interesting (for the reader) than of a perfectly executed plan.

However, I'm still struggling to understand how this game fits together (I think I finally understand the mechanics in isolation), so am intrigued as to why you think its proving such a struggle to get a sustained offensive going?

Easy one to answer. Although the answer comes in three parts (Hey, for a GG game only 3 parts IS easy!!) [:D].

1. I am not a good player, espesially my -41 offensive is abysmal as the Axis.
2. Sean IS a good player.
3. I am not used to the USSR counterattacking.

1+2 alone spells trouble, add #3, and you see why things are going poorly.
I think that Sean has judged his opponent very well, and realized that by counterattacking he is "stealing" away the initiative to some extent. He did that for some turns, and now he is doing what every Soviet player should learn to do, he is trading space for time, knowing very well that time is on his side, not mine. In the open he uses the checkerboard defence, which makes it harder for me to isolate his units (not impossible, but harder), and he uses the rivers to his advantage.
When someone like me plays the Axis, that plan of his works very well.
For my own defence though, if I take LG by -41, I am still content with the season, although I would have prefered to have killed of atleast 100 more divisions.


Terje

[terje439]

ORIGINAL: randallw

Playing as the Soviet side I rarely get the combat rolls that your ( Soviet ) opponent seems to get. [:'(]

Heck, as the AXIS I rarely get the rolls he gets [:@]


Terje

[terje439]

Turn 13 aka well, goes without saying that Sean would get lucky on another dice roll or three...

Overall
Thank you WitE, kick me when I am down why don't you [:D]
Well, last turn I thought that Seans rolls cannot keep being this good. Talk about being wrong. Let us take it step by step.
1. 3 of 4 attacks in the LG area gave the USSR a 3.5 OR BETTER CV multiplier.
2. After trapping some of my panzers in the centre, the weather roll gives...mud...
3. A few more 3x CV multipliers in the south.
Result;
We only take one hex in the LG area, although that hex should allow me to unravel Seans defences there atleast. I am going to lose 3 panzer divisions and a Corps HQ, and I take loads of losses this turn.
Sean once more attacks in the south, then falls back. 10 attacks nets him 1 held and 9 retreats. We launch 52 attacks for an abysmal result of 22 helds, 25 retreats, 2 routs and 3 surrenders. On the "positive" side, a few of those held results are desperate attempts to free our trapped panzers, so in my book, they do not really "count".

USSR units in pockets at start of turn
3.
Notice how every turn this number is lower than the number of USSR units in pockets at end of the previous turn...

USSR units in pockets at end of turn
0.

Losses
USSR : 109.000 troops, 1.452 guns, 411 AFVs, 257 AC.
Axis : 52.000 troops, 593 guns, 232 AFVs, 93 AC.

USSR units destroyed
1 Mountain Division, 1 Rifle Division, 1 Guards Rifle Division.
Yes, just what the USSR needs now, guards forming allready [8|].

German Pools
Manpower : 1.268
Vehicles : 167.857
Armaments : 86.077
Hiwi : 73.993

[Tophat1815]

Whats the supply level of the cutoff panzers? No aerial resupply possibility at all? I don't remember divisions being removed automatically after just one turn of isolation,or has it always been that way? If so you should probably play me next and you'll get a major victory and ego boost.[;)]

[Disgruntled Veteran]

He wont be able to destroy 3 pz divisions in the mud. Maybe...[&:]

[Michael T]

This is exactly why I won't use random when German. The 3 Pz are probably safe. But if it were one on its own it would be kaput. Lucky he is in woods.

[M60A3TTS]

Saper222 has attacked as Axis successfully in the mud, so maybe see what you can bring against the cav or tank division.

[randallw]

Offer a surrender! Your opponent will be so confused he'll think it's a trick, so he'll surrender before you do.

[terje439]

ORIGINAL: Tophat1812

Whats the supply level of the cutoff panzers? No aerial resupply possibility at all? I don't remember divisions being removed automatically after just one turn of isolation,or has it always been that way? If so you should probably play me next and you'll get a major victory and ego boost.[;)]

Not too good thanks to the max 5MP away from rails to be able to fly suplly missions rule...
No, they will not be removed automatically, but he has a chance to attack them and force them to surrender.

Terje

[terje439]

ORIGINAL: Disgruntled Veteran

He wont be able to destroy 3 pz divisions in the mud. Maybe...[&:]

He should not be able to reach x4 CV multipliers either [:D]


Terje

[terje439]

ORIGINAL: Michael T

This is exactly why I won't use random when German. The 3 Pz are probably safe. But if it were one on its own it would be kaput. Lucky he is in woods.

Well, it makes things more exciting and challenging, but when it happens like this, well it suck [:D]
I hope he does not manage to kill them off, will see when the next turn is ready, but decided to leave the HQ alone just to get the three divisions together.


Terje

[terje439]

ORIGINAL: M60A3TTS

Saper222 has attacked as Axis successfully in the mud, so maybe see what you can bring against the cav or tank division.

I could not bring alot at all, and the attacks all failed. Oh well.

Terje

[terje439]

ORIGINAL: randallw

Offer a surrender! Your opponent will be so confused he'll think it's a trick, so he'll surrender before you do.

[:D][:D][:D]

[terje439]

Turn 14

Overall
I swear snails make better progress than me at the moment. Oh well, the good news is that the panzers survived, and we took some more hexes in the LG area, but I am now starting to wonder if I will fail to take the city this time as well. I fear time is not on my side now, and I have to consider a frontal assault, something that will be costly at best.
Sean keeps attacking, and lashed out 7 times this turn for a score of 3 helds and 4 retreats, while we only managed 34 attacks for a result of 10 helds, 22 retreats and 2 routs [8|].

USSR units in pockets at start of turn
0.

USSR units in pockets at end of turn
1.

Losses
USSR : 27.000 troops, 563 guns, 37 AFVs, 114 AC. ???? This seems wrong
Axis : 34.000 troops, 273 guns, 114 AFVs, 91 AC.

USSR units destroyed
None!

German Pools
Manpower : 681
Vehicles : 168.448
Armaments : 78.037
Hiwi : 76.868

[terje439]

Turn 15

Disclaimer
Game patched to latest Beta.

Overall
And the USSR runs east once more. This is not only annoying, it is preventing me from killing off USSR units. I do not like it. Although, if I can breach the Volkhov line (lvl 0-1 forts only) next turn, I will be able to cut LG off from the supply network. I do however need to get better CV adjustment rolls if that is to have any chance what so ever. This turn Sean launched 7 attacks and scored 1 held and 6 retreats, while our 68 attacks only gave 24 helds (half are deliberate attacks...), 40 retreats, 3 routs and 1 surrender.
Oh, and alot of my panzer units are now REALLY worn down...

USSR units in pockets at start of turn
1.

USSR units in pockets at end of turn
2.

Losses
USSR : 109.000 troops, 1.360 guns, 520 AFVs, 286 AC.
Axis : 51.000 troops, 510 guns, 166 AFVs, 108 AC.
The high casualties are mostly (about 50%) taken by our "brave" Rumanians.

USSR units destroyed
1 Rifle Division.

German Pools
Manpower : 1.314
Vehicles : 168.838
Armaments : 72.483
Hiwi : 77.270