Assistance on game play

[EpiScope42]

After numerous attempts, I can not figure the game out. By 1943, no matter which side I play, I'm not able to maintain any offensive power.

In 43, the Axis took Stalingrad, 3 Soviet Armies, level 3, 2 Soviet Tanks, Level 2, outside of Guryev (at 70% readiness and 70% morale, supply 7,8,9) had a Romania Cav (level 2) (readiness 30%, morale 1%) along the road in the marsh. The 3 Armies and 2 Tanks (each with 2 strikes), did 7 points of damage but took 10 points. This is just a typical example and one where I thought the Soviets could actually defeat a unit. Elsewhere, things are worse, even with Soviet air and arty.

I try to have HQs, have readiness around 70% or higher, air and arty. I do try to up research.

Seems that I am not understanidng something fundamental about the game.

Any specific advice?

[Sugar]

Yeah, you might have missed the importance of readiness for the combat results. Readiness is depending on XP, supply, technology (like infantry- or armored warfare for your ground combat troops), the linking to an HQ, its rating and xp. HQ-Rating is also influenced by the "Command and Control" tech; for every lvl the rating increases by 1, and 1 lvl of xp equals 2 rating points.

For the Axis player it`s most important to keep the supply lvls reasonably high (deep in foreign territory, i.e 5 or higher); keep your HQs in towns and cities, use 2 HQs for HQ-Linking to improve supply at the front line. I highly recommend to attach the most valuable units you want to attack with to your best HQs at the start of the turn.

For the Sovyets it`s best to keep your HQs in the back to avoid being destroyed by air attacks and keep your units close to towns and cities/ports for reasonable supply.

Use the terrain to your advantage, many tiels provide boni to your defense value, like swamps do against tank attacks (but decreasing values against air- or artillery attacks).