2x3+ Team Side Game - BOTH SIDES

[Telemecus]

For information only - Team Allocations for turn 17 attached.

[Telemecus]

T017 Axis Administrative Reorganisation Time!

Below are some of my responses at the time of how we should reorganise the Axis forces for the winter. While that is still months away, the admin to prepare for that starts now. In particular the scheduling and use of rail cap which will be constrained for many turns now needs to start now.

Axis Supreme Command
Come blizzard we will want all Finnish units (including coastal brigades) at the front not in garrisons (the long front probably means they cannot spare any). And they will need to be in Kannas or Karelian armies to not have a battle penalty - all their corps are already in their armies. This means 48 command points in total in the Finnish command.

I count after withdrawals in the next few turns Karelian army will have 12 command points and Kannas army 11 command points used. In addition there are five command points of Finnish units that can be assigned from direct assignment now in Finnish High Command. This makes a total of 28. So there is space for 20 command points more- which could be up to 10 German infantry divisions or less if some units in the Finnish HQs need to break down to regiments. 3 of these divisions could be arrivals which can be assigned there at no points cost.

During the blizzard the Finns should have 2 army HQs and 3 corps HQs. The ratings of the army leaders are so good that units can actually have better ratings check probabilities directly assigned to armies so can be used for that (and inspite of the army direct penalty). 4 of these HQs should be enough to keep all units up to the no move line in HQ range. The fifth HQ ideally should be one with their best leader right at the bottom edge of the no move line with German units directly assigned to it south of the line - so that Finnish SUs can be committed to help German units south of the line. If there are Finnish units to spare these can be left on reserve at the bottom of the no move line to reserve activate over it too.

If this is the case then there is no need to assign a German corps to Finnish armies. If the Finnish HQs cannot be in HQ range of all units then you may want to reassign XXVII to a Finnish army (as a corps from 9th army needs to be reassigned anyway). Or if you can afford the railing cost assign another 9th army corps as then you can reassign the divisions which come with the corps for free. Also assign SUs to corps before reassignment (as costs points afterwards), and ideally ones that withdraw/disband during or shortly after blizzard.

However using all Finnish corps and army HQs means there will not be one spare for auto rail repair with their auto construction (like the RHGs for Germany).

Axis Supreme Command
Just did a quick look over this morning on how many German units can fit in to AGN

16 Army - has 11 divisions but two are very high morale and should be reassigned to OKH for the winter. This leaves 18 command points - the remaining six can be used for more units or breaking units down to regiments

4 Panzer Group - for the moment assume this stays in AGN unless our 1942 plan says otherwise. Some motorised may be reassigned to OKH so there should be lots of room for German units. However it only has two corps HQs, so for full use can also use the army HQ as a third "corps" HQ if needed

2 Army (or another) reassigned from AGC - it currently has only one corps HQ, while 9th and 4th army have too many, so may want to reassign from 4th or 9th army to 2Army while still in AGN (it is cheaper) and this would need to be done sometime anyway. After reassigned to AGN you could assign XXIII to 2nd army (zero points) - once AGN has four armies there is no room for an independent corps. There should be lots of space in here for more units.

18th Army - has best leaders so worth moving to southern end of AGN. It also has the best units many of which should be reassigned to OKH in rear. This means 18th army has lots of space for more units too.

Space in the armies above can be used for breaking down units to regiments, or assigning forts as well as other units.

As German units in AGN (and FHC) may go static in 1942 it is worth only assigning to them units that withdraw or disband to avoid paying the one point to go unstatic when they do so.

After turn 24 Kesselring will probably be appointed AGN leader. With his high political ratings army leaders can be replaced more cheaply. This means army leaders with higher political can be appointed more cheaply. Which then means better corps commanders (usually with higher political) can be appointed more cheaply. However higher political usually means higher costs to remove units assigned to them. So ideal is to get the final assignemnts before they are given better leaders.

Once an army is moved from AGC to AGnN there will be four armies in AGC meaning there is no command penalty on its commander. So it makes sense to appoint a better leader probably Reichenau - and do the same procedure for leaders down the chain of command.

Axis Supreme Command
While it is true that using armies of Rumanians would mean they just get routed and leave huge gaps there are good ways to use them nevertheless

i) Mountain units are still very good - probably know that already
ii) Cavalry units are very good behind the front line as reserve activators, If you make sure they have the full MPs they will usually activate once a turn and provide that little extra CV to tip the balance of battles.
iii) Allied infantry can be used simply as a way to eat up MPs and get routed away - but you still need a German infantry line between or behind them
iv) stacked with German units
vi) digging in lines to which the front line will fallback on
vii) as reargruards you do not mind losing - and that Soviets do not want to spend time encircling and forcing to surrender
viii) As dummy units to get the SUs - you do not care about their CV but they get another HQ in on a battle with all of their artillery and other SUs added to it. Battle penalties apply only to CVs, not disruption by artillery!

It is worth remembering that morale penalties from first blizzard do not apply if morale is less then 55 - which is most of your allies. You would rather see a Rumanian than a German die, so let them take the attrition. And they will have all summer to recover while in garrisons then.

Key to this though is you mix them up with Germans. Put allied units into German HQs, and German units into allied HQs.

I do need to know for this turn as now is when I would start railing units south to take over garrisons. Let me know if I should carry on or just not bother?

[Crackaces]

Here is an example of all the details above making a small difference in outcomes ....
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T017 Axis Tambov Bombing


Managed to get some interceptions of their bombing near Tambov - 4LW provided some good fighter cover so having a forward base with fuel makes a big difference.

[Crackaces]

Again attention to detail brings better outcomes ..
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T017 Axis Yaro Bombing
One thing that cannot be determined is flak vs fighters. But in my experience fighters and flak tend to cause turn aways along with shooting down platforms .. then there is the logistics phase where damaged aircraft might be scrapped. Each battle adds up ... that turn 70 we could be bombing the Urals [:'(] .

[Telemecus]

T017 Axis 3 Panzer Group Build Up

Yet another disappointing build up - for those movement points at start of the turn you might as well have not bothered.

[Telemecus]

T017 Axis Rumania Rail Bypass

The Rail bypass around Rumania is complete

[Telemecus]

T017 Axis

[joelmar]

@crackaces

"Optimizing the Luftwaffe takes a tremendous amount of attention to detail. If the Kabuki dance is not enough detail to overwhelm the player .. then managing all the pools and optimizing the applications of platforms to specific jobs will .. I contend that if one player is paying attention and the other player is not .. then a real difference of outcomes becomes slowly apparent."

Wisdom talking here. Can be applied to so many areas of the game. How many useless debates on balance could find some benefit from that idea? [;)]

[Telemecus]

T017 Axis Finnish Advance

The Soviets decide to stand their ground as the Finns cross over the Svir river. Even in bad supply they continue to inflict damage on the Soviet forces pushing them back up to 20 miles.

[Telemecus]

T017 Axis Yaroslavl

Yaroslav still has industry! But defensive CV of 81 ...

... but von Manstein makes short work of it and begins the pull back of his motorised units to winter quarters.

Soviet Centre Commander
Yaroslavl fell this week. Despite our valiant troops fighting like Russian steppe bears, 3 Panzer and 6 Infantry divisions (150,000 men) led by von Manstein proved too much.

[Telemecus]

T017 Axis Moscow Defences

There are no plans to continue the offensive after the mud - so we are hunkering down for winter. Infantry divisions are broken down to regiments. And in front of Moscow, 30 to 40 miles behind the front lines, we are digging in a stop line which takes advantage of a string of size 4 towns. They offer full protection to one unit from the effects of full blizzard and can shelter our best troops in winter quarters and allow them to play a part in the defence of Moscow at the same time.

[Telemecus]

T017 Axis Voronezh Pocket

Our latest pocket is secured, again. Some units are "herded" in, and a ring of contravallation spreads out to stop any one from outside trying to break in. Some motorised is driving out to winter quarters - but painfully a lot has to stay behind to hold the pocket.

[Telemecus]

T017 Axis Poltava Pocket

The Spanish and Rumanians bring to an end the very long saga of the Poltava pocket. Just in time for the rail repair.

[Telemecus]

T017 Axis Mius

With the unusually good weather predicted for the central weather zone, Kempf builds up his XXXXVIII Panzer Corps consisting of the Liebstandarte Adolf Hitler motorised infantry division, the Scandinavian volunteer motorised infantry division of SS Wiking, 16th motorised infantry division and 11th Panzer division. Maybe this is payback for Rostov's remarkable good fortune with the weather?

[Crackaces]

When you look at the below diagram -- 144 bombers no results -- about 14.5% bomber losses. What is not shown is all the "turn away" results from being unescorted vs fighters. I think there is a GG die roll and if failed the bombers go home before bombing ...
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T017 Axis Saratov Bombing

The bombing is not going well now - but the Yak-1 factories are at a much lower level of production than they would have been if it were not for the bombing campaign.

With a suitable staging base, Saratov would now be in fighter escort distance. But not having used the logistical cycling of air bases means it is difficult to get one close enough with all the fuel wanted. This a detail that needs to be attended to every single turn.

Soviet Air Commander
Axis seams intent on bombing the Yak 1 factories at Engels,etc. they can grow to 25 but are at 14 right now, they only need 1% damage to stop expansion. I've put two air bases covering the 2 city hexes, but it seams the Axis just does night bombing as well. I recommend filling all those airbases with good Fighters, and set some of then to night mission, and/or Both night and air. There is also PVO regiments, these seam better thanks to the 85mm anti air.

[Crackaces]

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T017 Axis Kirov Bombing?

Other big targets seem to have no fighter defense? Building on existing big damage levels makes the bombing much more effective.


Damn! 2 hexes short on Kirov! 1 hex short!

[Crackaces]

Myself, I do not try and apply real life principles to a game, and I see WITE simply as a very complex game. For example, all targets are treated the same with the same logic. There is some optimum number of platforms to commit to an attack and some optimum result. If you get into "real life" then the manpower bombing does not make sense at all. It is one thing committing 1,000 bombers to a T70 plant deep in the heart of the Soviet empire .. it is quite another hitting a city of 1M people as a general target. IN the latter case, the more the merrier produce more dead and wounded citizens. Actually, in WITE the perfect Manpower target is not a huge city, but lots of small towns that multiple small raids produce results. This was a strategy in the 8MP game.

[Telemecus]

T017 Axis Rail Repair

With the end of Operation Bronze Charger in the north and the pulling out of motorised units offensive operations are largely over for 1941. Only in the south, where Rostov stands out as the missed objective for 1941 and we are much closer to our start lines, are there plans for operations into the snow. As such rail repair ceases to be about supporting advances. Instead it will be primarily about reducing vehicle use by bringing as many branch rail lines as close to the front as possible. And secondarily providing redundancy in the rail network to avoid problems due to partisan activity.

One FBD at Moscow and one east of the Donbass remain at the disposition of our ground commanders. The remaining two are still under control of the Supreme Axis Commander to finish a lateral rail connection running from north to south.

[Telemecus]

T017 Axis Winter Railing

Already our railways are shaking to a different rhythm. The railways are now switching to their winter timetable. The first of our elite infantry and motorised units are seen on rails going WESTWARDS as they are scrambled to their winter quarters. Most will be reassigned to OKH - their commands will find new roles as infantry commanders during the blizzard. They will be split into regiments and sent to garrisons to prevent partisan activity.



Meanwhile the troops who had been minding the garrisons during the summer, mostly allies and security, are being sent the other way to take the winter attrition on the frontlines. Railway capacity will be maxed out for many turns, and the sooner this swap around can be done, the sooner the winter army will be digging in for blizzard.

This turn is only a small start without any daisy chained moves, it will get much quicker from next turn. And will need a lot of time on my part to schedule and calculate rail cap to maximise throughput as well as points for the reassigns. Next turn the torrent of allies moving out of garrisons starts!

(Watch out for timmyabs comments on this!) [:D]

[Crackaces]

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T017+ Axis F2 Fighters



Our F2 fighters, which have not been swapped for a while, are starting to max out on morale and experience is climbing to match - although this airgroup, which was latest to arrive is trailing behind.