The initial setup:
-> I plays vs myself
-> All the new rules are on
-> Intelligence is on low (decreased from medium)
-> If in the result of a battle the enemy is destroyed or had to withdraw but the attacker had not been able to move onto the hex the defender cannot move into the hex next turn. This is the rule I have always used playing boardgames and there is a clear logic behind it. In reality there are no hexes or movement points. The fighting is done in the perimeter and once the enemy is overrun the perimeter is secured. Therefore I think it makes a lot of sense to cheat the engine by introducing this rule.
Special House Rule for T1&T2
-Soviets are limited in movement. They cannot do strategic movements.
OKH (Germans)
1. Free form. Germans are allowed ahistorical freedom as to strategic objective till September 1941. This means in practice I will do a full-blown attack (commiting most of the German armoured and motorized divisions) on Moscov through Baltic countries supported by a limited push from HG Mitte.
Kiev and Leningrad are secondary objectives.
2. Should I fail the above by September I will draw my new orders from the predefined historical ones. This should simulate Hitler's and OKH reaction to a fiasco of a big push towards Moscov.
STAVKA (Soviets)
1. Also ahistorical approach but on the initial phase. So no counter-offensive in the first turns.
However this does not mean the Soviets will be purely defensive. As in real life the Soviet forces will do some counterattacks to assess the enemy's center of gravity and to disrupt whenever possible.
2. Generally the voluntary withdrawals will not be allowed. However having in mind the shock effect and the lack of communication movement "backwards" towards enemy will be allowed.
General remarks
1. Player should always use the power of encircling of the enemy. I have found it to be the key to delivering devastating blows and creating gaps in enemy lines. Divide your units into 3 and use them for encircling the enemy. Thus you will be able to get the bonuses from attacking from all sides (or at least 4 sides) plus the encircled units will be much easier to be destroyed.
2. Plans are useless but planning is the key (plus using the center of gravity theory).
Plans usually crumble the moment they are started being executed. However all the planning is the key. The good planning provides for an exercise of logistics and both strategy and tactics. Where to best hit the enemy? How to best do it? What means are necessary to deliver?
And what are the alternatives?
3. Being flexible. So your master plan went to hell as the bridges were blown by the enemy and the Panzers were bogged into some unimportant mop up fighting? What to do now you may be asking yourself. Adopt, adapt and improve maggot! Check point 2 above, gather the means to execute the new plan and prepare for another failure. Repeat the exercise till you drop
This is the German plan for T1 to T6
