2nd Try vs AI Normal

[Flaviusx]

Just want to throw some screenies out here for now. This is on normal/normal.

For starters, here's the VP situation in late November. Axis AI chose military independence, I went with Moscow. The difficulty of the game seems to vary a bit over time based on decisions, and the Axis AI made things a bit easier for itself somewhere along the line. So it is clocking in at 92 to my 103.

I'm not quite at double their VPs. Hoping to clinch a major by February.

[Flaviusx]

Situation up north.

[Flaviusx]

The center.

[Flaviusx]

And the south.

[elmo3]

Impressive. Thanks for the screenshots.

[MrLongleg]

What a nightmare for the Germans. 9th army totally cut off. If that would have been reality in 41 you'd be in Berlin Spring 42

[76mm]

I'm playing the AI normal/slow right now--it is really beating me up in September, when we don't get any new armies. Hopefully I can hold on a few more weeks...

[Flaviusx]

ORIGINAL: 76mm

I'm playing the AI normal/slow right now--it is really beating me up in September, when we don't get any new armies. Hopefully I can hold on a few more weeks...

Key to riding the dry spell out is defensive posture, terrain, and fortifications.

Very easy to stop the Axis cold up north. In the center I was counterattacking from early July on and gradually burned out AGC.

The south sucks. Was seriously considering diverting forces from the center for a while and taking the PP hit for doing so. You just don't get much down there in relation to the space covered and it's wide open. Even defensive posture doesn't make a huge difference.

Blowing the bridges on the Dnepr helps some, but they'll be in your face regardless.

I think against a human player you need to build forts down there. I put up this magnificent fort line in front of Moscow that turned out to be totally unnecessary.

[elmo3]

In my first game my Southern Front was literally wiped out almost to the man. This game I have diverted a couple of armies from Central to Southern and it's going much better down there. Unfortunately the Germans just broke through up North and we are in full retreat. Might restart and not worry about major garrisons and focus on reducing posture costs as we discussed in the other thread.

[Flaviusx]

Now in mid December and the Soviet steamroller is, well, rolling.

26 Axis divisions in the deadpool. Just last turn I destroyed a stack of 9 infantry divisions from the 9th Army.

[Flaviusx]

Stick a fork in this digital German, he is done.

Going to just stop here and try the Germans again. And then maybe it is time for PBEM.

[76mm]

ORIGINAL: Flaviusx
Very easy to stop the Axis cold up north.

I played solo against myself in one game, and one game against the German AI; in both games I stopped the Germans well short of Leningrad, but the Finns activated anyway; when playing against myself, I (as German) easily took Leningrad with the Finns. I think this is a strange design decision for the "historical" mode.

Ultimately, playing against the AI normal/slow, the AI crushed me by November--hardly any encirclements, just a meatgrinder. About to start a PBEM against MichaelT, your thoughts will be very welcome!

[Flaviusx]

Strange, the Finns didn't give me any troubles. The Leningrad MD troops by themselves kept them at bay. Stack 3 high in two hexes just north of Leningrad.

Right now I'm giving the Germans a shot, it's a whole different game. Very annoyed by how quickly the Soviet AI drops garrisons in every major city, Riga, Minsk, Odessa, not to mention spamming forts far more quickly than a human Soviet can at 1 hex per turn at most.

[olivier34]

AI on normal ? In my game, Odessa, Minsk were left empty. Fortified zones empty in the north and the south. In the center I had to play again a turn. At first the Mogilev fortified area was easily taken. When I restart, I found a much better line of defense, even if I found a weak spot.
Anyway, I don't like to play the AI so much but in this game It's still fun.
I don't know if I will play my next game against myself or jump into a PBEM without knowing nothing about the soviet side. (this could be fun, even more realistic)

[Flaviusx]

The Soviet AI just hates me I guess, lol. Not giving me any freebies.

[76mm]

ORIGINAL: Flaviusx
Strange, the Finns didn't give me any troubles. The Leningrad MD troops by themselves kept them at bay. Stack 3 high in two hexes just north of Leningrad.

Against the AI the Finns left Leningrad alone, but attacked in Karelia and had basically wiped out my troops there.

But when I played as German (against myself) my Finnish troops made short work of the Sov troops near Leningrad, so watch out if you are playing PBEM.