Breaking the Stalemate on the Eastern Front

[alexvand]

So I've reached 1943 in my current game.

The German offensive into Russia wasn't super successful, they had reached the factory line and have now withdrawn back to the Dnieper and established a solid defensive line.

The Russian's have a few more fighters, but the Germans have quality. So the Russian's can contest the air battles, but not count on winning.

The German's have lots of tac factors available, at least three times what the Russians have.

The Russians have many more corps than the Germans, at least 50% more, but the German quality is superior.

How do the Russians go about breaking this stalemate?

(The Western Allies are doing their part, Italy is on it's last legs, significant numbers of German corp are tied down in Italy and France, large numbers of German Fighters are contesting a large Strat bombing campaign, At least 4 BP a turn are arriving in lend lease. Lots of Amphib are going to be in position for a major invasion of France in 1944.)

[Numdydar]

Wait for nukes [:D]?

[Orm]

I say that USSR should make sure that the stalemate continues for a while longer. Kill Germans when you can but take no risks. Pin down the German army and let the Western Allies do their thing.

Getting all Soviet artillery onto the map can be a great help against German air superiority.

If Germany really refuse to attack then you could attack towards Finland. He should have a hard time getting reinforcements to that theatre and you might have room to manoeuvre and therefore make use of the fact that you have more land units.

[NCommander]

An o-chit could be used if you can spare the BP to build one, but holding the Axis war machine is your best bet until he's forced to withdrawl forces to fight out the war in the west.

[AlbertN]

I agree, O-Chits usually are the only way to shatter defence lines.
But as the USA are coming in force, there is no rush. Time is against the Axis and their situation does not look bright in '43 if they're at the Dnepr already.

[Centuur]

ORIGINAL: Orm

I say that USSR should make sure that the stalemate continues for a while longer. Kill Germans when you can but take no risks. Pin down the German army and let the Western Allies do their thing.

Getting all Soviet artillery onto the map can be a great help against German air superiority.

If Germany really refuse to attack then you could attack towards Finland. He should have a hard time getting reinforcements to that theatre and you might have room to manoeuvre and therefore make use of the fact that you have more land units.

Agreed. But most important is to keep on building you airforce. Get at least 1,5 times more FTR's than the Axis has got on the front and together with a healthy number of bombers (especially the TB-3's are very fine planes, together with other LND they can strike almost everywhere on the frontlines) you will have air superiority and than the tide turns rather spectacular. The USSR can steamroll towards Berlin in 1944, if you have the patience.

Offensives look nice, but they are a one go item, and I wouldn't build them with the USSR before 1944 comes around.

[Ur_Vile_WEdge]

You don't need to make big counterattacks in 43 unless your position is precarious somewhere else. You should (as the allies overall) be massively outbuilding Germany at this point. Wait. Build. Don't stick your neck out, and just let the overwhelming force you'll have in 44 do its thing. You can cover ground really, really fast when you have a decisive advantage in force.

[brian brian]

But you do need to attrition the Germans. 6 Soviet Infantry Armies walking up to a Panzer stack and attacking it at even relatively low odds starts to put the fear into the Feld Marschalls. It is truly a pity that MWiF doesn't have the Guards Banner Armies yet. They are like having the Berserkers in Squad Leader a little. It's a psychological game sometimes.

Oh and it helps a lot to have the red-factored Tank Destroyer divisions backed by an Offensive Chit for those SS Panzer stacks, but I think they arrive in 1944.

And of course, Winter Is Coming...

[composer99]

If you want to build and use offensive chits, it would be to launch a series of 2:1 and 3:1 attacks up and down the line, trading cheaper militia, garrison, and infantry for armour and mech.

Or you can just launch those sorts of attacks anyway, without the o-chit. Just not as many of them.

[Klydon]

Lot already covered, but a few observations from the cheap seats.

If the Russians don't have 1 O-chit, then build 1. Don't plan on using it, but the Russians having a chit will have an impact on Axis defenses to a point and also make the German start sweating a bit because of the potential of the O-chit.

An attack on Finland is a good idea. Threatening those ore shipments in the Baltic is another good idea. It will cause the Germans to spread their fighter cover even more. Same with a threat against the Rumanian oil of you can swing it.

Not sure what rules you are using, but setting up the ability to invade in the Black Sea and the Baltic may cause some concern as well.

Do the Russians have their paratroopers and the T-3's on the map? Again, another way to spread the battle field. (Handy against Finland if you decide to go that way).

If the Germans have panzers in the line (or a HQ) and you are playing with the oil rules, look to use the artillery to try to disrupt them from time to time, especially late in a turn.