Hell on Earth (Axis) HLYA vs (Soviet) JubJub

[DeletedUser1769703214]

Turn 8 Real Turn

Ground Phase

Attack 10

11 & 13 PZ hasty attack on 244 Division which has a high defense. I leave Ground support on and get a retreat. Ground support from the Soviets would have made this and a few other attacks hold results I feel even though they would loose a lot of planes. Maybe I am wrong.

244 RD retreats across the river which is 100% perfect for my defense setup.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

Turn 8 Real Turn

Ground Phase

Attack 11

1st Mountain & 99 Light Division attack across river the 300 Rifle Division and get a retreat. Now I have the two forest hexes for defense.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

Turn 8 Real Turn

Ground Phase

I move up 16 PZ, 60 Moto, and LAH SS brigade for hasty attack on the Soviet units to the NE.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

Turn 8 Real Turn

Ground Phase

Attack 12

I hasty attack and get a retreat. Ground support still on which carried the attack it looks like.

Just a note during the turn I make sure to keep resupplying my air basses since they may run low on supply. Maybe I am just being OCD on the supply on airbases.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

Turn 8 Real Turn

Ground Phase

I move 16 Moto Division through the opening. I want to start dictating the retreat paths of my next set of attacks to the West.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

Turn 8 Real Turn

Ground Phase

I break down into regiments the 16 Moto Division and move regiment 3 to the NW into the swamp. I also move up 1/44 inf regiment to also dictate 309 RD retreat to the SE marked in orange since retreating units don't like to go into enemy ZoC's.

I also moved up the 262 Infantry Division for a Deliberate attack over the river of 309 Rifle Division.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

Turn 8 Real Turn

Ground Phase

Attack 13

I deliberate attack with 262 Inf Division and get a retreat to the SE as expected.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

Turn 8 Real Turn

Ground Phase

Attack 14

I bring up the Hungarian Cav and deliberate attack again and forces 309 Rifle Division to the SW as expected.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

Turn 8 Real Turn

Ground Phase

Attack 15

I bring up 2/297, 3/297, and Hungarian Cav and hasty attack 36th Tank Division. Ground support is turned on for this. I get a route and the way is open.

I have Mobile reserves here along with full MP's on the German Cav that is under 262 infantry division. But my wife is calling me to do things outside the house Going to save the turn and be back later this afternoon.

My estimate of 3 was too low on what I would bag. Looks like 7 Soviet Rifle Divisions at Kiev, along with 2 CAV divisions near Odessa. So far not bad.

[Beethoven1]

ORIGINAL: HardLuckYetAgain

I love playing with Soviets in rough terrain

Why would you not love playing with Soviets with the same deployments in all clear terrain? Then you can isolate the same units using fewer MP more easily, and they will have lower defensive CVs. If so, the rough terrain is a drawback for you, not a benefit. Am I missing something? Is it easier to herd units into pockets in dense terrain or something?

[Beethoven1]

ORIGINAL: HardLuckYetAgain

2 Cav Division captured successfully. It is a miracle that 1st Odessa Cav didn't route out. Plus I think 1/2 the population of Nikolave migrated out. The migration took forever to complete. I should have 8,000 more prisoners next turn if all goes well from these 2 Cav Divisions.

.

Herding the units into Nikolaev may have been a mistake, especially if a lot of population migrated out of Nikolaev. I did some tests a while back, and more population evacuates out and also more port/railyards get damaged (on average, with variation) if you take a city in a battle than if you take it when it is undefended.

In particular, if Soviets are defending with a small garrison (2000-3000 men) and lose the entire garrison defending the city, they will on average end up getting more manpower back than was lost int he garrison by around the time you get to winter '41 than if you they left the city undefended and retreated the garrison to preserve a unit. Obviously this is 8000 prisoners is more than 2-3000, so it is a bit more, but probably by some point in 1943 or so, jubjub will probably end up with as much manpower, thanks to the extra evacuations, as if you didn't isolate and destroy those particular units.

This is obviously not a huge thing, and it will take many turns before jubjub gets any real benefit from it at all, but nevertheless. Just one of those little (gamey) things.

You see, GAME IS RIGGED AGAINST AXIS [:D]

[DeletedUser1769703214]

ORIGINAL: Beethoven1

ORIGINAL: HardLuckYetAgain

I love playing with Soviets in rough terrain

Why would you not love playing with Soviets with the same deployments in all clear terrain? Then you can isolate the same units using fewer MP more easily, and they will have lower defensive CVs. If so, the rough terrain is a drawback for you, not a benefit. Am I missing something? Is it easier to herd units into pockets in dense terrain or something?

Find a Soviet that is close to me in the open and I will give you $1,000 dollars. I have learned over the years to play with Soviets in adverse terrain and to just own it. In the end the Soviets are going to be bleeding dry by turn 12ish if I can keep the pace. Thus I embrace, hold dear, and excel at punishing Soviets that use adverse terrain.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

Turn 8 Real Turn

Ground Phase

Moscow Area

I probe the area with 18th Moto Div to see if recon missed any units in the middle area. Don't seem to be occupied by any Soviets. I continue with my plan.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

Turn 8 Real Turn

Ground Phase

Moscow Area

I move up two Motorized Division from LVI Corps. Why just motorized? Because if Soviet Armor or Mech Division reserve movement I will get some nice tank kills I try to only attack CAV with a max of two units, 3 usually routes the CAV Division. I am using 2 because of the potential of Soviet reaction.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

Turn 8 Real Turn

Ground Phase

Moscow Area

I hasty attack 40th Cav Division and the pressure was too much to bear. It shatters.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

Turn 8 Real Turn

Ground Phase

Moscow Area

Please note that I had moved an infantry unit 2 hexes south of Vyazmia. This will force a retreat towards Vyazmia. This is not shown in the last picture and can barely be seen here. Hasty attack this Cav Division and it retreated to Vyazmia as I knew it would.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

Turn 8 Real Turn

Ground Phase

Moscow Area

I move the 10th and Totenkopf to the just vacated attacked hex and attack another CAV Division to the SW. I also put into place many other blockers around Vyazmia to ping pong the division around. Again, Cities have a high attraction for units to retreat too. In this photo you can see 7 Inf Division that I put in place before the Moto Divisions moved.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

Turn 8 Real Turn

Ground Phase

Moscow Area

Also note that I am "not" using Ground Support. Ground support would probably end up routing the unit if used. The unit retreats, ping pongs around a few hexes and finally comes to rest in Vyazmia. As expected with the blockers.

This is the 2nd time I have shown this in the game. Hopefully other German players can pick up on this and use it against those retreating Soviets

I will secure the newly formed pocket with Divisons and make sure it can't be opened. I have been beating up on those damn CAV divisions for a few turns now. This puts an end to these 3 Cav Div next turn plus the 1 that shattered this turn.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

Turn 8 Real Turn

Ground Phase

Rhez Area

I start clearing the Dense Woods west of Rhez. I turn on Ground support to draw out Soviet Fighters. I always try to get 2 German Inf Division to 1 Sov. There are other factors but that is pretty much my first rule on attacks. Will save you anguish most of the time if adhering to it.

[DeletedUser1769703214]

Turn 8 Real Turn

Ground Phase

Rhez Area

Still clearing the Dense Woods. Anywhere where I can attack with 2 German Inf to a Soviet Rifle Division I am doing it. Plane losses were all Ops and 1 Flak loss.