Russo-German War 1941-45 (Hellen [Germans] v. PO]

[Hellen_slith]

I created an easy-to-read version of what I consider the "basic" scenario briefing
and will post the entire, expanded briefing in an easy-to-read file later
here is basic information about the scenario, from the read me file (it is a two page PDF file that will open in a new window:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=19bclD ... 6vQbcquiJT

Near the end of Axis turn 11 now, end of July '41

Thought I'd give this Russo-German War 1941-45 scene a try ...
Against the PO is Russian, I gave him "Strong" intelligence and the "Cheat +2"

I'm not racing along for any attempted "quick" knock-out.
Keeping the Germans in check and trying to keep their supplies up
while the RR repairs try to catch up.

So far, the RR repair is going kind of slow, they are still about 50-70 KM from Minsk
at their farthest point ... but the mobile supply points help a lot.

So I am trying to "pace" the troops and keep them relatively fresh.

By reducing the map to "small" and hiding all units and city names,
the PO usually takes only about 2 or 3 minutes to move ...
except the last turn, the inter-turn cycle seemed to bog a little bit
when it was doing my replacement cycle ... that one took about 3 or 4 minutes
w/ the inter-turn routine taking a good full minute to resolve.

Main thrust is now for Smolensk. I think I can grab that w/in 4 or 5 more turns.

AGN is past Riga about 150 or so kilometers,
AGS is driving toward Kiev, still about 100 kilometers to go for Kiev

Odessa and Kiev w/in maybe 8 or 10 more turns.

[Hellen_slith]

Midway through Axis 17 now, Aug. 17 1941

Finally figured out the RR repair...
embarked, they have engineering % of b/w 42% - 49%;
disembarked, they have engineering % of 99% (but 0 move points) ...

So, if an EMBARKED RR repair unit does not repair rail around it (with its 45% chance)
it is disembarked ... and the next turn it usually repairs ... and is then
entrained to move again. Rinse, repeat. Now the repairs are going a bit better.

Crossed the Dnieper b/w Shklov and Mogilev ... this looks familiar
(kind of like Turn 1, around the River Bug?)

Odessa will fall in the next turn or two...
still about 80 KM away from Kiev and Leningrad ...

[DD696]

That is valuable play information you have uncovered. I asked about that a long time ago and was told it made no difference. I'll be trying that.

How are your panzer and mobile regiments working out? I found them to be easy pickings for Mr Elmer. I went in and changed them back to full divisions so that I could break them down when I wanted to do so. I also found it troubling that infantry division HQ's could not keep up with the division so I gave them more transport.

I'm only on turn 6 - playing very slowly having the forlorn hope that a patch might descend upon on. I tend to do a lot of tinkering with scenarios so I restart often. Perhaps some day I will play this thru to completion.

[Hellen_slith]

Well, to me, there is certainly a difference b/w a 45% engineering ability and a 99% ability.

I haven't had much trouble w/ the Panzers etc. I am going a lot slower than most play this scene ...

I am not running the panzers / mobiles out very far ahead...keeping infantry close.
I don't run the infantries too far ahead of HQ, either, I try to keep them w/in 20 or KM.

Biggest concern for me right now, is getting the RR artillery to the front.

Supply is good, the mobile supply points really help ... I just run them to
areas needing supply up, and sometimes those units are back to 100% supply or more in just a turn or two.

Today I noticed, at the Smolensk front ... wow, that looks just like turn 1 all over again!
Also I am very near taking Velikiye Luki (focusing more on an eastward movement w/ that edge b/w AGN and AGC.)

Well, I am determined to finish this one ... at the current pace, I might be able to finish in about six months LoL

[Hellen_slith]

Kiev area near the end of Axis 18

I should get both Kiev and Smolensk before Sept. 1, 1941

[Hellen_slith]

on Axis T27 now, have taken
Odessa / Kiev / Smolensk / Velikiye Luki

Elmer is putting up pretty stiff resistance;
maybe I am not being aggressive enough,
but I am pushing him back, slowly.

I noticed that when I took Smolensk, I got an infantry division placed there as reinforcement;
for Kiev, I got two infantry divisions placed there as reinforcements.

turning toward Bryansk with part of AGC, rest is heading for Vyazma
Leningrad will wait. Trying to get as close to Moscow as I can before Winter.

AGS will clean up the west bank of the Dnieper, then try to cross in a few weeks.
and will plow across at Kiev soon. Also need to clean out the Kiev Oblast area.

[Hellen_slith]

@Axis turn 30:

Elmer has fought his way back into Kiev.

He's pretty tough in this one with "strong" and "+2" settings ...

but AGC is halfway b/w Smolensk and Vyazma now,

So there's that.

[Hellen_slith]

Had a scary last night, trying to cycle Soviet's move 30....

Screen went black. I waited a bit, moved the mouse, no help.
"Not Responding" ...
so I managed to "minimize" the entire screen,
and then the program recovered, and Elmer carried on.

Soviet's PO moves are now taking about 5 minutes to cycle,
with the screen "minimized"; eight minutes w/ screen visible but all units / city names / sidebars "hidden".

Also had a "D'OH!" moment this morning.
Broken railroad hexes must be "in possession" of the Germans,
or they will not repair.

I usually keep "possession" OFF to enhance the "Fog of War" feeling,
but if a rail does not repair, then I have a peek to see why.

Have now retaken Kiev, am now driving on Vyazma.
Focus now is on AGC getting to Moscow.

With supply reduced now, b/c of weather,
I'm glad I "paced" the troops ... most are still
70% - 90%, if not full, and new mobile supply units have just appeared.

Moscow by Christmas or bust!

[Hellen_slith]

Beginning of Axis Turn 40 now ...

there were 5 or six turns w/ very little movement allowed
b/c of weather / storms / mud

The storms have finally cleared out.
News says ground is freezing, movement is allowed again

Spent most of the last 5 or 6 turns just digging in the mud.
So the turns went really fast.

Soviets (PO) is taking about eight minutes per turn to cycle now.

[Hellen_slith]

@beginning of Axis turn 45 now.

Vyazma has fallen. Recon units are about 100km from Moscow.
Heavy resistance there, and no supplies to speak of for the Germans.

Finally got a big chunk of AGS across Kiev.
I guess I should drive them toward Kharkov,
but I'm tempted to turn them north east to help out AGC.

Looks like long winter ahead!

PO is now taking up to 15 - 16 minutes per move,
and the last few cycle, the screen "blanks out" sometimes,
three or four times during the last PO move ...
even with all sidebars / city names / units etc. hidden from view.

Sometimes it recovers by itself, others I "minimize" the game window
and then the map comes back.

[Hellen_slith]

Axis turn 48 ...

got some paratroops on the west bank of the Volga
Rest of AGC is
driving slowly, slowly toward Moscow.
More resistance than you can see here,
fog of war is "on" and I don't want to spoil any surprises from Elmer by peeking

Rail is not repairing so good, except in north.
AGN is driving on Narva w/ rail right behind

AGS ... has split into AGS(north) and AGS(south)
AGS North is turning northeast, heading for Voronezh,

AGS South is just holding on the west bank of the Dnieper,
waiting for help to clean out resistance on the east bank there.
Heavy resistance down there.

Elmer is taking about 15-16 minutes per turn now,
more and more "blank" screens appearing ...
I guess because of the snow graphics all over the map.

[Hellen_slith]

on Axis turn 50 now ...
AGC has stalled out in Vyazma

out of supplies, out of ammo
trying to figure out how to stave off disaster!
Elmer is fighting hard!

[Hellen_slith]

Not much diff. now @ beginning of Axis 51 ...
but during the last cycle, I was trying to figure out
the "blank" screens that would appear near beginning of Soviets cycle.

So, I decided to leave units "visible" this time,
but still killed the "sidebars" ... I just left the 2D map at "small"
units visible, and sat back to watch Elmer move.

No blank screens. It ran much like you might see a replay of a PBEM move.
Even during Elmer's many long rail moves,
his ants scurried about, I watch some attacks, he then moved some more, etc.

And no blank screens.
Weird, that the "blank" screens occur when I "hide" units,
but this time, watched him play it out like PBEM.

Ok, well, I guess I will leave units "visible" while he moves from now on,
did notice that his cycle took a few minutes more with that ... up to 16 minutes that time.

I also decided to start a "mirror" game, with Elmer as Germans.
On turn 3 in that one, he has taken Riga and is pushing his armored recon in that one.
Will start a different AAR for that.

Have a great gaming day!

[Hellen_slith]

@Axis turn 63...

Elmer has driven AGC back almost to Vyazma.

AGC barely holding on.

RR repair: over the last 12 moves, Germans have repaired
zero rail lines, except in AGN.

Rail there is to Narva.
other rail is stuck, AGC rail halfway to Smolensk
AGS only one hex beyond Kiev.

Will see what the thaw brings.

[Hellen_slith]

on turn Axis 81 now.

The last ten or so moves, w/ no supply to speak of,
I spent the turns mostly trying out rail repair.

I found that stacking lots of RR embarked units
(five or six to a stack, next to broken rail)
nearly always repaired nearby broken hexes.

A stack of four, three, or two seemed to have
increasingly less chance to repair.

I didn't try stacking un-embarked RR repair units,
will try that next.

Oddly, a stack of ONE embarked rail,
ONLY repaired in AGN--consistently. All the others that were stacked
alone almost never repaired. A stack of the TWO rumanian
repair units, almost NEVER repaired, until the last few turns.

So I have finally almost gotten the rail to Vyazma,
and a few hexes past Kiev.

Now, I keep ONE stack of SIX embarked, repairing in one place,
and another stack of FIVE repairing in another place,
and the Rumanians stack of TWO repairing (they finally got past Odessa).

Seems like you have to have a stack of at least FIVE together,
to have a sure chance of repairs in that area.

[rhinobones]

Do you ever find that all this fiddling around with railroad repair units a distraction from the point of the scenario, i.e. the invasion of Russia? Set the rail damage events to something less than 100% and spend more time moving combat units rather than manual laborers. There are other ways to simulate supply and logistics.

Regards

[Hellen_slith]

Well, at first, a bit, but now that I've got them stacked
and repairing much better, it is pretty easy to handle. Only takes a minute now to check them and move them up.

But now that I finally got AGS gassed up and ready to roll to Kharkov,
I got hit with a MASSIVE amount of units in reorganizing "orange" status.

So I've spent about thirty minutes so far,
just clicking through "next unit" = "<orange?>" then I press "D" to dig in.
click "next unit", rinse, repeat.
Or, I find a formation that CAN move, and move or press "D" to dig in.
Only about halfway through the OOB that way so far for this exercise.

This is where I wish there were a button to just "DIG ALL" and just be done with it in one fell swoop.
I think I'll go ahead and finish that up without any more digging, the rest are not really in danger.

Now that I've built the AGC rail to Vyazma, I will move that stack of RR repair to AGS
and work on the railroad down there to get it built for the Kharkov thrust.

These last 20 or so moves, b/c of the snow / weather / supplies,
I haven't done a lot of movement, mostly "digging in".
Finally took Bryansk, though, that was worth two infantry divisions that appeared as reinforcements there.

All the Italians are in the rear, cleaning up any Soviet "remnants" that reappear.
Hungarians + Germans are working on D and Z towns, while Rumanians are just bottling up the Crimea.

Should get interesting once all the snow melts and things dry out for another summer offensive.

[tyronec]

The last ten or so moves, w/ no supply to speak of,
I spent the turns mostly trying out rail repair.

I found that stacking lots of RR embarked units
(five or six to a stack, next to broken rail)
nearly always repaired nearby broken hexes.

A stack of four, three, or two seemed to have
increasingly less chance to repair.

I didn't try stacking un-embarked RR repair units,
will try that next.

I can't fathom out quite how this works either.
It does seem that repair works less well during the early moves of the game, one possible explanation is that uncaptured rail hexes slow down the conversions in some way. Maybe the engine tries to repair those hexes and those attempts get wasted.

[Hellen_slith]

Well, keep in mind, that there is only a CHANCE of repair. It is always a dice roll.

Lately, I have started keeping engineers in line in front of the RR repair stack (on the broken hexes that I hope will be repaired by these lazy bums), crossing my fingers, and just hoping they repair. There is nothing to figure out, other than they might repair or might not. Just have to stack them. I have read (I think) that having a supply unit chit nearby or with the repair unit also increases chance of repair. But there is NEVER a 100% certain chance that they will repair, that I know of (in this scene).

ANYWAY,
The last time I took a snapshot of AGC / Moscow,
it was T63 (Jan. 25 1942) and snow on the ground.

It is now T98 (May 27 1942) and most of the mud has dried out.
The option to start Case Blue has been presented as a theater option. AGS is not ready for that yet, I don't think.

In AGC, practically ZERO overall eastward progress,
although I have "flattened" out the front and gotten rid of that nasty bulge at Vyazma.

AGS has FINALLY taken D and Z towns, is now on the outskirts of Kharkov.

In AGN, somehow, the Finns laid down their arms. White chits are off the map.
Only Germans remain north of Leningrad. Not sure how I let that happen, but it did.

Ah, well. I was able to advance the game so quickly b/c during some of the winter months,
it was easy to cycle my move (b/c I couldn't move most of my units.)
And, Elmer really picked up the pace too, taking maybe 3 or 4 minutes during the almost cease-fire phase.

He's back to taking 15 minutes or so to do his dance.
Taking me much longer now for my moves, so the pace will slacken,
but with these lazy holidays, I just watch football while moving these chits around.

Sometimes I read my book while Elmer does his move.
Usually takes me about 30 - 45 minutes for my move, then his move takes about 15 minutes.
So averaging about a turn per hour now. Currently still a German marginal victory.
Approximate turns remaining: 308

[Hellen_slith]

@Axis turn 106 (June 24, 1942)

Finally got past Kharkov.
Stalino is the closest "factory" target now ...
also approaching Tula in the AGC

have about 10 German divisions on the way to Stalino,
along with Hungarians to screen their north flank
Will probably start steering the rest of AGS toward Stalingrad.

looks like Soviet air production is increasing,
going to have to work on AS this turn, too.

Approximate turns remaining: 300
still a German marginal victory