Red River of Blood - Laits (G) vs HLYA (S)

[DeletedUser1769703214]

All are welcome, including LAITS, at any time.

Here are the settings for the game;

FOG of War: On
Movement FOW: On
Automate AI air assist: Off, you are free to use it during your turn if you like
Enhanced Player TB control: On

My fourth game with AAR. I have two AAR's as Germany and two AAR's as Soviet. My first Soviet game I did a withdraw strat with consolidation points. This game I will try something different. I have no illusions that the Germans can kick azz and take names in 41. I will try and survive until at least the Winter turns.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

Turn 1

Weather!!!!

LOL @ a weather post for the first turn. We all know the weather

[DeletedUser1769703214]

Turn 1

Events!!!

You know sometimes I really think this game doesn't like me. Look at these three events for the first turn. - 3 Victory points and - 3 AP right off the bat & I only opened the file

Far East -1 VP and - AP

[DeletedUser1769703214]

Turn 1

Events!!!! #2

North front -1 VP and -1 AP

[DeletedUser1769703214]

Turn 1

Events!!! #3

Transcaucasu -1 VP and -1 AP

Well that was fun.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

Turn 1 Beginning of Turn

Air Losses

Excellent job on airfield bombardment by the German player.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

Turn 1

North Beginning of Turn

Lots of Divisions routed out but are mere shells of divisions <13% ToE & depleted. Forgot to circle the ones that are depleted in the Western Front but pretty much nothing there is usable. Will take two turns to even get them ready for battle. That is if they can run fast enough to get away. Only 1 division is of any use to me from those routed out In WITE2 this isn't necessarily a bad move and am considering something like this in my next German game. Will see how this pans out first though.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

Turn 1

Minsk

Minsk taken and all divisions are depleted that are circled except for 1. That one is unready and 30% ToE. Now to see if I can run fast enough.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

Turn 1

Western Front pockets are small and easily eliminated turn 2 it looks like. Not any hope here with the tight rings of units around them of a rescue.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

Turn 1

Swamp Area

More depleted Western front units here too.

[Aurelian]

Just don't disband any HQs[:D]

[DeletedUser1769703214]

Turn 1

South

The Southern Front not released so will see how this goes down.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

ORIGINAL: Aurelian

Just don't disband any HQs[:D]

No kidding!!!! I have gotten upgraded HQ's in the other game though, so I think I will be ok.... I hope.

[carlkay58]

I too have considered an all out blitz going for Routs and not bothering with pockets as the Axis. I am interested in how this one will turn out.

[loki100]

ORIGINAL: carlkay58

I too have considered an all out blitz going for Routs and not bothering with pockets as the Axis. I am interested in how this one will turn out.

slightly by intent, slightly as my opponent won't give me pockets, I'm using this approach in my current game. I've just sent back my T14 with this loss table



my feeling is I am around 300k too low on Soviet losses due to the lack of pockets. While its clear the Soviets have a lot of weak shell formations left, they are in existence and claiming MP/CPP etc. But we'll see where it sits come mid-November (my feeling is I need their losses to be in the 3.2-3.5 million range)

edit - but I certainly don't worry too much at a pocket being opened (unlike in WiTE1), odds on most will surrender/shatter in any case in the next turn

[carlkay58]

Yes a Soviet division in 41 can possibly absorb and survive one retreat but after that it is too brittle for much of anything. If you can then hit them again before they are able to refit then they rout or are depleted. Once they recover from a rout they will likely shatter/surrender on the next attack. Routed and depleted units are hard on the Soviet player. Neither can use rail, both only have 8 MPs, and they are useless in combat. You have to get them somewhere safe but since neither can use rail you cannot send them to the Reserves. So they have to be able to refit somewhere and gain back enough TOE to be non-Routed/Depleted and then get sent to the Reserves. In the summer of 41 the Axis are usually moving faster than those units can move so they get caught up and essentially lost.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

ORIGINAL: carlkay58

I too have considered an all out blitz going for Routs and not bothering with pockets as the Axis. I am interested in how this one will turn out.

With the system only allowing down to a 50% ToE the control for the Soviets is limited for directed replacements to specific units. I believe I can micro manage the replacements but how many others will ever do that with the Soviets is another story. At 50% you can merge two divisions or brigades together so this is another avenue too. Against a good grinding German I believe this will be akin to a star dying.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

ORIGINAL: carlkay58

Yes a Soviet division in 41 can possibly absorb and survive one retreat but after that it is too brittle for much of anything. If you can then hit them again before they are able to refit then they rout or are depleted. Once they recover from a rout they will likely shatter/surrender on the next attack. Routed and depleted units are hard on the Soviet player. Neither can use rail, both only have 8 MPs, and they are useless in combat. You have to get them somewhere safe but since neither can use rail you cannot send them to the Reserves. So they have to be able to refit somewhere and gain back enough TOE to be non-Routed/Depleted and then get sent to the Reserves. In the summer of 41 the Axis are usually moving faster than those units can move so they get caught up and essentially lost.

Exactly. It is almost better just to disband them. Plus almost all the Armor and Mech wont ever fill out either. So it is a juggling act to use them where you can without losing them. Infantry is the backbone and that is what you need to keep juggling to keep up to strength. Everything else just supports that in my opinion.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

ORIGINAL: loki100

ORIGINAL: carlkay58

I too have considered an all out blitz going for Routs and not bothering with pockets as the Axis. I am interested in how this one will turn out.

slightly by intent, slightly as my opponent won't give me pockets, I'm using this approach in my current game. I've just sent back my T14 with this loss table



my feeling is I am around 300k too low on Soviet losses due to the lack of pockets. While its clear the Soviets have a lot of weak shell formations left, they are in existence and claiming MP/CPP etc. But we'll see where it sits come mid-November (my feeling is I need their losses to be in the 3.2-3.5 million range)

edit - but I certainly don't worry too much at a pocket being opened (unlike in WiTE1), odds on most will surrender/shatter in any case in the next turn

My sentiments is that you need 4,000,000 men at a minimum before Turn 25.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

Turn 1

Ground Phase

Soviets will be hugging the Germans in the South, Center and the North. I am sure there will be "Rivers of Blood" from doing this. I will be micro managing the ToE differently than my first game since I have learned a few things.

Here is a "hug" in the South. The Germans have a choice to either surround or expel. I believe the Germans will expel. BUT we shall see.