TopEverest vs Admiral Kamikaze - the rematch

[Telemecus]

ORIGINAL: Twigster

With maybe 2 exceptions, I have only used it to quickly get minor ally garrison units forward. It is pretty steep expenditure-wise.

It is - it is just that now it is relatively cheaper compared to HQ buildup. It is only less thantwice as expensive now. And infantry divisions after travelling 50 hexes or so motorised then demotorise - so they never run out of fuel like a panzer division does and end up with 1 MP. So it has some compensatory advantages. While HQ buildups were cheap enough there was never a reason to use temporary motorisation. Now, at least, it mya be worth experimenting with again?

[topeverest]

Thanks gents.

With my trucks barely over 100%, I would have to see a huge exploitation opportunity before I would spend on it. That said, if my upcoming attack goes well, I would be a fool not to do it.

ORIGINAL: Telemecus

ORIGINAL: Twigster

With maybe 2 exceptions, I have only used it to quickly get minor ally garrison units forward. It is pretty steep expenditure-wise.

It is - it is just that now it is relatively cheaper compared to HQ buildup. It is only less thantwice as expensive now. And infantry divisions after travelling 50 hexes or so motorised then demotorise - so they never run out of fuel like a panzer division does and end up with 1 MP. So it has some compensatory advantages. While HQ buildups were cheap enough there was never a reason to use temporary motorisation. Now, at least, it mya be worth experimenting with again?

[ericv]

9. Beginning to investigate how to use Rocket launcher division and breakthrough artillery division. I need to test. I don't know their range or how to use. Example should I attach one to each army or create armies of artillery and rockets?

I usually create one army dedicated solely for artillery/rockets per front. That would make 10 artillery armies or so in total. An added advantage is that you can stuff this army with artillery regiment support.

To use artillery divisions and brigades : the artillery unit has to be adjacent to or one hex away from the hex you want to attack. Then just select it like you would selec the regular attacking units.
For example: Maximum attacking one surrounded hex, can be done with 6 hexes stuffed with 18 infantry/cavalry/tank units and 12 hexes filled with 36 artillery brigades/divisions.

Finally are these units you put in reserve status to limit enemy attacks chance of success?

If you put a unit in reserve status, it can be added to any attack by your units or defense of your units in case of enemy attack. The reserve unit does not have to be adjacent but I am not sure about the maximum distance.
There are some conditions that need to be met.
1. There will be a diceroll for the activation, this diceroll depends heavily upon the initiative rating of the leaders of the hq-chain of the unit. Sadly, most soviet leaders have a really bad initiative. But there are some 6's and even some 7's. You will see a lot more german activations as they have a lot 7's and 8 initiative rated leaders.
2. Reserve activation costs AP. So I think if you have 0 AP. Reserve activation will not happen no matter the diceroll.
3. Maybe other factors. I am not sure.

Looking forward to your offensive! Am I correct in remembering reading an AAR oby your hand in WITPAE? I am playing the grand campaign now against the AI. A monster of a game.

[ericv]

BTW : Good job on the Guard infantry Corps and your trucks.

after doing an offensive and moving the front line a couple of hexes, you will burn ALOT of trucks resupplying the front units, before the railroad has had a chance to reach the new frontline again. So I wouldn't dabble too much with motorisation.. Spare your trucks wherever you can.

[EwaldvonKleist]

2. Reserve activation costs AP. So I think if you have 0 AP. Reserve activation will not happen no matter the diceroll.

That is new to me. Are you sure&and where do you know this from?

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: EwaldvonKleist

2. Reserve activation costs AP. So I think if you have 0 AP. Reserve activation will not happen no matter the diceroll.

That is new to me. Are you sure&and where do you know this from?

Section 15.5 .. it is MP's not AP's .. min 3 MP's .. in that section is constraints on distance 3 attack 6 hexes defense; odds restrictions before adjusted AV; leadership checks, and checks MP's to expend vs a die roll but no AP's expended ..

[ericv]

@Ewald and Crackaces.

You are right. In my rush to post some useful tidbits, I confused MP's with AP's

[topeverest]

4 turns until summer season

Vehicle pool 124 (118)

National morale - German morale settling toward 65 (for the year).


A - 3 of the four turns in May including the next one have been clear across all sectors, and 1 was half).
B - Germany took advantage of the reshuffle in the south and push Russian units to the Don from Stalingrad and Rostov
C - Germany broke through towards Kerch and compelled a soviet withdrawal past Novorossiysk. Line stabilized 20 miles west of Taupse on the Black Sea
D - Steppe front arrives and is deployed to the future attack
E - Corps building program ends. 65 guard infantry corps of 83 inf corps, 5 guard of 37 armor corps, 5 guard cavalry corps of 20 cavalry corps
F - found myself in need of additional armies to get all commands under CP limit. Built 6 more.
G - built first heavy SU regimets
H - corps units are resting on rails refitting still, though I had to deploy 2 cavalry armies to stem the tide at the Don between Rostov and Stalingrad
I - plan to finish the organizational elements for summer season over next two turns and then begin deploying for the season.

[topeverest]

Germany had material success here as described above

[topeverest]

I am hoping to break though the enemy line and capture 10 - 20 units and force a general withdrawal in one sector.

I am not hoping for a hex by hex slog even if that is what is likely.

ORIGINAL: ericv

BTW : Good job on the Guard infantry Corps and your trucks.

after doing an offensive and moving the front line a couple of hexes, you will burn ALOT of trucks resupplying the front units, before the railroad has had a chance to reach the new frontline again. So I wouldn't dabble too much with motorisation.. Spare your trucks wherever you can.

[topeverest]

I cant seem to find the comment, but I recall a question on Admirals edition of War in the Pacific

I have played that game and its predecessors for 10+ years. I believe it is the first Matrix title I played. As far as that game, it is the best period naval and air simulation hands down - and a game specifically designed for PBEM. It is of superior design and playability. I designed a few narrowly used mods with relatively major changes within a small group of players and became very familiar with the game engine itself. The game eloquently facilitates the strategies and tactics players deploy. At present, we are designing a speculative Japan invades USA scenario for private pleasure.

AE is a highly recommended game for all who crave an excellent master simulation on Pacific WW2. Please advise or PM if there are specific questions.

[M60A3TTS]

ORIGINAL: topeverest

I am hoping to break though the enemy line and capture 10 - 20 units and force a general withdrawal in one sector.

I am not hoping for a hex by hex slog even if that is what is likely.

ORIGINAL: ericv

BTW : Good job on the Guard infantry Corps and your trucks.

after doing an offensive and moving the front line a couple of hexes, you will burn ALOT of trucks resupplying the front units, before the railroad has had a chance to reach the new frontline again. So I wouldn't dabble too much with motorisation.. Spare your trucks wherever you can.

As is true with birth control, hope is not a method.

[topeverest]

HAHAHAHA!

Well Said!

ORIGINAL: M60A3TTS

ORIGINAL: topeverest

I am hoping to break though the enemy line and capture 10 - 20 units and force a general withdrawal in one sector.

I am not hoping for a hex by hex slog even if that is what is likely.

ORIGINAL: ericv

BTW : Good job on the Guard infantry Corps and your trucks.

after doing an offensive and moving the front line a couple of hexes, you will burn ALOT of trucks resupplying the front units, before the railroad has had a chance to reach the new frontline again. So I wouldn't dabble too much with motorisation.. Spare your trucks wherever you can.

As is true with birth control, hope is not a method.

[topeverest]

Here are specifics why I think I can get a breakthrough.

1. Germany has limited reserves and isn’t defending in depth
2. Deploy strength against weakness. I won’t try to breakthrough in a location that is heavily defended or defended in depth. As attacking season starts, use single units per hex and pulse in the turn before the attack
3. Recon – you cant do too much recon to determine the best lace to attack along a line. This requires forethought in deploying my VVS airbases
4. Mass airpower – especially FB, F, and DB for both ground strike and interdiction
5. Use HQ buildup on all units attacking for the first turn
6. Attack along a front 20-30 miles (2-3 hexes) and then pour through with follow-up troops. Use a fan (or pincer approach – if two breaches are planned)
7. For the breakthrough attack use start with 2 - 3 brigade attacks per hex targeted. This increases enemy disruption and reduces both supply and forts. Only do one attack per brigade, so they can pulse back for main assault.
8. Actual unzipping attack, 3 guard units with at least 15 attack – armor preferred attacking at least 6 units.
9. Do not pulse into hex until all three are taken.
10. Push forward with follow-up attack armor, mech, and cavalry. Push past enemy units paying ZOC cost so that you can do follow-on attacks and ensure that those troops retreat away from the breakthrough hexes and allow at least one hex window with no enemy ZOC for rest of troops to move freely through the line and create havoc.
11. Attack in another location about 10 hexes distant with same tactics and pincer. Having a single pincer hex exploited by armor is sufficient, but the better the separation the better chance of success
12. Use linear attack tactics elsewhere to tie down enemy forces you don’t want to respond
13. attack strong units in pocket to lower supply in first turn.
14. max out interdiction with fighters.

[topeverest]

Next turn is clear - so begins the summer campaign season...

Mud season summary
1. Mud season was remarkable since May only 1 turn of full mud and 75% full clear turns
2. Germany had broad success in the caucuses and clearing out the Russian elements west of the Don
3. Russia completes its build program and as noted previously there is a strong component of infantry guard corps but underrepresented with armor guard corps and cavalry guard corps.
4. Russian armor spent the entire mud season in refit and still many of the units have not acquired full experience and morale. I didn't do anything different with them than other units, but I assume the morale reduction for building armor corps is the reason. Many units could still use a couple months more. 3 non guard armor corps are still approaching 50 Exp / Mor, and another 20 are under 60.
5. Russian cavalry corps and divisions are all up to maximum as a comparison
6. Russian infantry corps - about % of them are at least three points below Morale / Exp limit even after the mud season
7. I did not plan as well as I thought I did. Turns out I needed 8 more armies to be built. Only six of which were built and deployed. Some of those guard infantry corps will not deploy in armies at the beginning of the season
8. I also did not have enough A's to do HQ buildup yet
9. Russian strength is still mostly off the MLR - but close to it - on rails
10 Russia plans to absorb the German attacks and launch their own within a few turns


Aside - June and Germany morale still 67. I thought it would settle at 65 this year. Perhaps I am wrong.

[topeverest]

Here is the campaign map with relevant activities since the mud

[topeverest]

So I calculated all my destroyed units by tallying up the register. I hadn't been tracking.

410 total units destroyed excluding units I disbanded.

173 divisions
97 brigades
28 fortified regions
6 corps level units
105 support units

[M60A3TTS]

One strange thing I see is it doesn't appear that your Kalinin and N. Caucasus Fronts are full strength. Are most of your fronts at 90CP now?

[topeverest]

This is yet one more thing I am working on.

here is a view of last turn.

ORIGINAL: M60A3TTS

One strange thing I see is it doesn't appear that your Kalinin and N. Caucasus Fronts are full strength. Are most of your fronts at 90CP now?

[topeverest]

I must not understand national morale in v1.09



I was under the understanding that
1. Germany went to 65 in 43
2. Russia gained 1 per month until it reach 65 starting in Jan 43

Clearly that isn't the rule, but I cannot find any update.

[:(][:(]