Taming the Tiger or Slaying the Bear......loki100 (Axis) vs Speedy (SU)

[Speedysteve]

A small update from the Soviet side. We're up to the end of November 1942 now

As Loki said it's been a relatively quiet and calm few weeks. I've started to make a few attacks here and there but the factors influencing the extent of my attacks and where they will grow in intensity are:

1.) Getting enough of the 'War Winning' formations built, in play and in the right place - Mech and Tank Corps, Artillery Divisions and enough Rifle Corps (still stuck at the 41 limit).

2.) Trucks - naturally still a 'challenge' right now. Tough balance this as I need the above formations to advance but things like Mech Corps love trucks.....The faster and more I build and utilise the more strain it puts on my truck pools which affects supply and motility....

3.) National Morale - Still a substantial difference between my enemy and me right now. Luckily, come January 1943 the Axis realise they will lose the war, their replacements aren't as well trained and they drop 5 NM points. Huzzah.

4.) VVS - slowly upgrading the fighters to modern variants and deploying the planes to where they need to be on some newly built airfields as well.

It will be a gradual process here.....

A small little map update below showing a nice little Bridgehead some Rifle Corps occupied a week ago.....when the rivers freeze I can have some more fun across the Front:

[Speedysteve]

OOB:

[loki100]

well the missing part of this report is that the Red Army is fleeing the battlefield



under the hammer blows of the new German strategic offensive

[Speedysteve]

Errr massive Abwehr BS reporting here....Take that Counter-attack of yours near Dybaltsevo....You lost 117 demented tractors....you reported destroying 369 shiny, state of the art Soviet Tanks....in actuality 211 of them were merely damaged by driving into each other due to.....over-intoxication of their drivers.....Abwehr at work readers....be warned....

[loki100]

As we all know, so many bands and authors struggle with the second album or book. often the first has a lot of pre-production experimentation and ideas while the second needs to be produced to some sort of timescale.

Well ... we enter the second winter and (pause for dramatic chords) the question is will it be difficult for the Soviets or the Axis. Will the Axis emerge at the gates of Moscow and Stalingrad ready to sweep to victory in the summer of 1943 ... or

will we lose Orel?



basically all the combat elements were flattened leading to a rapid retreat by the attached catering corps and medical staff ... the good thing is this shows that the Soviets are indeed sliding into the long prepared trap. Confidence is so high that some 10 divisions are ordered to move back to France for a wee break.

[Speedysteve]

Hi All,

So the slow building up of my Forces continues....It's delightful now I'm starting to have the tools for success at my disposal - Mech Corps, Tank Corps, Artillery Divisions etc.....even nice to see Heavy Tk Rgt's (useful as SU's attached directly to the Armoured Corps) and Guards Airborne Divisions saying hello as well. On the detailed ground and air level some nice planes are starting to arrive (and will do soon) such as La-5's and the Yak-9 is a nice addition in a few months time. Of course the LW still rules the skies for now and the Axis acquire some very fine AFV's in the next 6 months such as Tigers (already around although not seen), Panthers, the nice workhorse of Pz-IVG/H's, Nashorns etc...nonetheless we will prevail......huzzah.

Due to OpSec I can't show individual unit detail right now but the slow battering process has begun...I need more Rifle Corps to do more but it's a start....once the Rivers freeze down south I can do a bit more there too....showing the VP's too as, naturally, they're crucial to the initiative change and ultimate victory:

[loki100]

Mid-December 1942

Most posts from my pov would now be rather repetitive but worth a few comments to fill things out.

So far, the Soviets haven't attacked in a sustained manner. Orel has been lost, there is clearly a large build up between Kharkov and Stalino and they tried to exploit their win at Orel.

No point overdoing the VP analysis, but it drives my limited choices.

Heres the T79 summary.



Its clearly re-assuring to see the Red Army still fleeing the battlefield but the key is the initiative change total. It was clear this is so low that the Soviets would have got an auto-win in Jan 43 if they held the initiative. I reckon that holds for April 43 too – after that I get a small safety margin.



So I lose strategic agency, no cunning retreats and hitting back when the Soviets over-extend, not least there is precious little reason for them to risk over-extending.

Till I get the Stalingrad manpower bonus (handily this arrives even without Stalingrad style losses), my German manpower pool is constrained but most formations are over 55% TOE. The entire northern half the front is static, I have level 3 forts in good terrains, defensive fall back positions etc, and nothing really to lose there.



The Soviets could pay quite a high price for a slow move to knock out Finland and take Pskov and Talinin.

Now I do firmly think that overall the key transition points in the game are easier to grasp once you have played them – and here I have the advantage of my vs AI axis game. In late 42-mid 43 the Ukraine is high risk for both sides.

The lack of defensive terrain gives the attacker the ability to exploit breakthroughs but both sides can be the attacker. So I'm prepared to be aggressive, use the last turns when Soviet morale levels give me routs off retreats to run up their losses.



More to the point, I'm prepared to gamble on creating pockets. Here if the Soviets are building up around Kharkov, they actually have limited reserves at Orel.

So T78 saw 2 Pzr Armies strike back.



By T79 seems like I might get two slow Rifle Corps – well thats something, especially added to the mess I have made of the local Tank Corps and the routs.

[Speedysteve]

Hi All,

Small update from a frustrated Soviet player right now....I feel our game has turned into WW1! [;)]

I didn't even contemplate rescuing the 2 cut off Rifle Corps. The enemy strength around them was just too strong and sustaining c.10:1 losses for a pointless attack is something I won't do anymore.

I say WW1 since the lines are relatively static with a well entrenched enemy in level 3 forts across the whole map. At this stage of the war I don't have the strength to penetrate most defences and with the NM difference being so vast I can rarely achieve even 2:1 advantage on raw CV which makes it pointless attacking since I know I'll just get decimated losing at a ratio of roughly 10:1 from recent experience. The irony is that due to Loki not really advancing in 1942 he's in an incredibly strong defensive position. His forces aren't spread thin. They're heavily entrenched, with reserves in a fully supplied and active rail network.

It will just be a SLOW gradual progress westwards taking 10 miles here or there until things 'even' out a bit more.

Here's an example of the area around Kursk. Even if I did push a unit back it would be pointless advancing into the hex since Axis reserves would then send my men reeling destroying too much for the limited successful attack to be worth it.

[jubjub]

ORIGINAL: Speedysteve

Hi All,

Small update from a frustrated Soviet player right now....I feel our game has turned into WW1! [;)]

I didn't even contemplate rescuing the 2 cut off Rifle Corps. The enemy strength around them was just too strong and sustaining c.10:1 losses for a pointless attack is something I won't do anymore.

I say WW1 since the lines are relatively static with a well entrenched enemy in level 3 forts across the whole map. At this stage of the war I don't have the strength to penetrate most defences and with the NM difference being so vast I can rarely achieve even 2:1 advantage on raw CV which makes it pointless attacking since I know I'll just get decimated losing at a ratio of roughly 10:1 from recent experience. The irony is that due to Loki not really advancing in 1942 he's in an incredibly strong defensive position. His forces aren't spread thin. They're heavily entrenched, with reserves in a fully supplied and active rail network.

It will just be a SLOW gradual progress westwards taking 10 miles here or there until things 'even' out a bit more.

Here's an example of the area around Kursk. Even if I did push a unit back it would be pointless advancing into the hex since Axis reserves would then send my men reeling destroying too much for the limited successful attack to be worth it.

The morale on your guards units should be 60 vs the german base 70. It's really not that big of a gap, and with a few victories, their morale can go even higher. You also won't have to wait long until the German NM drops to 65 in '43.

[jubjub]

The morale on your guards units should be 60 vs the german base 70. It's really not that big of a gap, and with a few victories, their morale can go even higher. You also won't have to wait long until the German NM drops to 65 in '43.

Also, if you stick a guards cavalry corps or two into the breach, they are very difficult to dislodge. Load it up with AT SU's, and it is very costly to counter attack. Guards rifle corps are also extremely difficult and costly to attack, but you need to make sure the flanks are secure, or he'll attack the flanks and surround it!

[loki100]

ORIGINAL: jubjub
...

The morale on your guards units should be 60 vs the german base 70. It's really not that big of a gap, and with a few victories, their morale can go even higher. You also won't have to wait long until the German NM drops to 65 in '43.

one reason I'm taking routs as a good outcome is to slow this process - I realise I am sacrificing the long term for the short term but I either more or less hold this line till April or its game over on the initiative switch. Heinrici's little bunch are in the 80s but then he does tend to win his battles.

Quick check and by eye something like 80% of my German infantry divisions have morale>70 (the exceptions are mostly the LW formations) so since I have decent supply the drop should be relatively slow.

Crudely the Soviets need to get a combat tempo and I have no interest in making it easy [;)]

But really this has been a re-enaction of WW1 since May 42. I was wading through multiple defensive lines and reserve reactions looking for an advantage really up to early Sept 42 when I pulled back.

[Speedysteve]

ORIGINAL: jubjub

ORIGINAL: Speedysteve

Hi All,

Small update from a frustrated Soviet player right now....I feel our game has turned into WW1! [;)]

I didn't even contemplate rescuing the 2 cut off Rifle Corps. The enemy strength around them was just too strong and sustaining c.10:1 losses for a pointless attack is something I won't do anymore.

I say WW1 since the lines are relatively static with a well entrenched enemy in level 3 forts across the whole map. At this stage of the war I don't have the strength to penetrate most defences and with the NM difference being so vast I can rarely achieve even 2:1 advantage on raw CV which makes it pointless attacking since I know I'll just get decimated losing at a ratio of roughly 10:1 from recent experience. The irony is that due to [;)]Loki not really advancing in 1942 he's in an incredibly strong defensive position. His forces aren't spread thin. They're heavily entrenched, with reserves in a fully supplied and active rail network.

It will just be a SLOW gradual progress westwards taking 10 miles here or there until things 'even' out a bit more.

Here's an example of the area around Kursk. Even if I did push a unit back it would be pointless advancing into the hex since Axis reserves would then send my men reeling destroying too much for the limited successful attack to be worth it.

The morale on your guards units should be 60 vs the german base 70. It's really not that big of a gap, and with a few victories, their morale can go even higher. You also won't have to wait long until the German NM drops to 65 in '43.

Sure and agreed that Guards are delicious…..BUT my points above are relevant to this since it’s hard to get Guards units when I can’t succeed in many attacks due to facing Talos on defence across the front

[Gam3r]

ORIGINAL: Speedysteve
I say WW1 since the lines are relatively static with a well entrenched enemy in level 3 forts across the whole map. At this stage of the war I don't have the strength to penetrate most defences and with the NM difference being so vast I can rarely achieve even 2:1 advantage on raw CV which makes it pointless attacking since I know I'll just get decimated losing at a ratio of roughly 10:1 from recent experience.

You stuck almost at the same line as i do, but driving Jubjub out of Voronezh

[DeletedUser1769703214]

ORIGINAL: Gam3r

ORIGINAL: Speedysteve
I say WW1 since the lines are relatively static with a well entrenched enemy in level 3 forts across the whole map. At this stage of the war I don't have the strength to penetrate most defences and with the NM difference being so vast I can rarely achieve even 2:1 advantage on raw CV which makes it pointless attacking since I know I'll just get decimated losing at a ratio of roughly 10:1 from recent experience.

You stuck almost at the same line as i do, but driving Jubjub out of Voronezh

@Speedysteve so you are just waiting on the NM change then? I take it that you are not attacking on how I am reading this.

[Speedysteve]

Negative. The statement was getting at if the odds are only roughly 2:1 (raw CV) my chance of success is slim due to the above factors. It would be unwise to not attack at all. I'm just selective. Here's last turns attacks for example:

[Speedysteve]

2:

[Speedysteve]

Well the Glory of 1943 is upon us!

This is the year when the Soviets can begin to do something tangible......this is due to a combination of factors such as NM changes, artillery and truck production increases and perhaps most importantly the ability to produce large numbers of war winning combat formations such as Rifle Corps, More Tank and Mech Corps, more Artillery, Rockets etc etc....you get the picture[;)]

I have been mass producing Rifle Divisions to meet the 1942 limit levels knowing that the limits of these formation significantly drop from 1943 onwards. As such I had a decent cadre (and still do in Reserve Box) to use as on field conversions to form Rifle Corps and attach Bde's as SU's to the Corps. I spent over 3 hours this turn on admin alone converting and forming stuff up costing me over 400 AP's.....

[DeletedUser1769703214]

ORIGINAL: Speedysteve

Negative. The statement was getting at if the odds are only roughly 2:1 (raw CV) my chance of success is slim due to the above factors. It would be unwise to not attack at all. I'm just selective. Here's last turns attacks for example:

Had to make sure You are doing what I was hoping you were doing.

[loki100]

ORIGINAL: Speedysteve

...

I have been mass producing Rifle Divisions to meet the 1942 limit levels knowing that the limits of these formation significantly drop from 1943 onwards. As such I had a decent cadre (and still do in Reserve Box) to use as on field conversions to form Rifle Corps and attach Bde's as SU's to the Corps. I spent over 3 hours this turn on admin alone converting and forming stuff up costing me over 400 AP's.....

...

something worth noting here. The Soviet player loses the ability to raise Rifle brigades (of different types) at the end of 1942 permanently. Certainly worth making sure you have these as they incredibly useful going forward as direct attachments or as emergency reinforcements (you def need to use them this way in Hungary).

you can always get more divisions if you need. Simply break apart a Rifle Corps and don't reform it, so its not correct that you lose the capacity to raise them

[Speedysteve]

Yes I forgot to point out I also maxed the Rifle Bde production in time as well