Remove German Assault Army Designation in Winter

[billrco]

I am near the winter of 41/42 as the German player. It seems to me that I should remove remove the Assault Army designations in order to be able to build fortifications higher than level one. Actually, I think that an Army not on the active offensive any time of the year should not be on Assault Status. Does this make sense?

[AlbertN]

If you're confident enough, keep the 4 Assault armies through, if you need the forts.
But ultimately Germans need freight, more than forts. Especially when to dig is hard in snow.

[homer82]

I do but this is only against the AI, I'm not quite ready (soon though) to go PvP.

My logic is while I will launch spoiling attacks during winter, this is just to maintain a stable line and not give up too much real estate. Stability requires higher fort levels and thus preferably non-assault armies. Do keep in mind that come late spring '42, you'll need up to 30 AP to reactivate those armies. Ain't winter fun!

[loki100]

generally I'd agree with AlbertN here. The level 2 fort protection is a bit of a red herring - its real but that is not how to minimise the impact of the winter turns.

The key is the quality of your logistics system and how easily you can repair badly hit formations, if that rotation is set up and can be maintained you'll blunt the threat relatively quickly.

So I personally would keep them on assault and save the AP. Having had a couple of games into 1944, the lack of AP is an enduring problem for the Axis so the cost of re-activation, and permanent loss of assault status for one of the Pzr armies would really put me off

[Fraggo5]

Loki has it nailed with the advice about logistics, i've had two successful winter campaigns as the axis with well supplied units. Remember to rotate units in and out of your line to refit in a depot with a HQ present and you'll do fine .

[AlbertN]

There is also another factor.

To dig forts past level 1 you need supplies. It eats supplies.

So either you have already kind of prebuilt forts, or you'd rather sit in a Fort lvl 1 with a higher supply / ammo level; than to have your units invest portion of their ammo and supplies to dig in forts.

If you are just in need of 'preparing' the forts before winter, shift the Corps HQ to a non assault Army. Have them dig up to whatever you wish, and then switch them back to Assault HQ Army.

Last but not least do not see 'Assault' as 'Attacking'.
Assault = easier rolls for anything, in attack and defence. And about triple CCP build up. High CCP helps mitigating fatigue, attrition, etc.

Ideally Axis (I believe - but may be wrong here) wants to get 4 Assault Armies and stick to them up to '45.

[MechFO]

I am near the winter of 41/42 as the German player. It seems to me that I should remove remove the Assault Army designations in order to be able to build fortifications higher than level one. Actually, I think that an Army not on the active offensive any time of the year should not be on Assault Status. Does this make sense?

The design choice was made to artficially and massively reduce German defensive values in the first Winter, but the attack capability is left untouched. Thise means forts are of limited value except where it can stack with terrain, so swamps and heavy woods.

In the open your best defence is with max CCP counterattacks by infantry or mot divisions, no tanks. Here the forts only benefit is to shield your infantry from attrition. Build a series of well supplied strongpoints and use these as bases to counter attack and seal off penetrations. Your main weapon in the middle and south are your Assualt Armies.

Put your Panzer units on 50% TOE and park them out of the way. If you leave them on full TOE they will suck a lot of freight drawing tanks that soon get damaged and sent back to the pool.