Bleeding out the Soviets? (against a challenging Sov AI)

[SchDerGrosse]

So I am a beginner to intermediate player and started the GC playing the Axis on challenging difficulty.

My plan was to capture Leningrad before the first sudden loss check, leave Moscow alone and cause havoc on the southern front by encircling as many enemy units as possible.

It is T12 and the my advance is turning into a grind (low supply, low CPP etc.).



And this is the losses screen:



I feel that I have chosen a wrong path to victory, because forming pockets takes up precious time and I dont seem to be achieving anything by doing them. The Sov AI receives at around 200k manpower a turn, which (due to the diff setting) it can immediately use to raise fully fleshed out new divisions, and also place them on the front line without restriction.

I really dont know if the above observation is true and how should one approace a game played against the AI.

One thing I would really want to avoid is lowering the difficulty. On normal the Sov AI just crumbles to dust if you are at least semi-competent at the game.

Should I keep doing what Iam doing and hope for the best? (gaining 525 WP until the end of the 1st winter will be very tricky even if I can capture Leningrad).

[dankhippos]

On Challening the AI has the ability to teleport. So it will be imperative that you seal your pockets or create tight ZOC lock so the Soviets down magically vanish. Right now your biggest issue is you own Logistics. From the map you gave it looks Like you are Missing Kiev in the South, Gomel In the centerish, And shimsk and Tallinn and Velikie Luki in the north. These rail yards are vital for your troops to have combat staying power. Without supplies and ammo, your Combat value will drop, preventing you from completing your goals.
Recommendations
1.Take Kiev
2. Clean out Estonia quickly to allow those forces to be transferred to Leningrad front.
3. Pocket the Soviet Bulge between Minsk and Smolensk.
4.Secure level 2 and above railyards listed above.
5. Rest some troops while attacking with others.
If you have any more questions feel free to ask

[SchDerGrosse]

On Challening the AI has the ability to teleport. So it will be imperative that you seal your pockets or create tight ZOC lock so the Soviets down magically vanish. Right now your biggest issue is you own Logistics. From the map you gave it looks Like you are Missing Kiev in the South, Gomel In the centerish, And shimsk and Tallinn and Velikie Luki in the north. These rail yards are vital for your troops to have combat staying power. Without supplies and ammo, your Combat value will drop, preventing you from completing your goals.
Recommendations
1.Take Kiev
2. Clean out Estonia quickly to allow those forces to be transferred to Leningrad front.
3. Pocket the Soviet Bulge between Minsk and Smolensk.
4.Secure level 2 and above railyards listed above.
5. Rest some troops while attacking with others.
If you have any more questions feel free to ask

Thank you for your answer!

My biggest question is whether it is worth concentrating on pocketing Soviet units at all? I mean, big pockets, maybe. But what about smaller ones, like 8-10 units? The Soviets have more than enough men and material to just recreate these units next turn as it costs the AI 0 admin points to form new divisions.

As for bigger pockets, my mobile units have at around 25-28 movement points which pretty much prevents me from doing larger encirclements.

[Sammy5IsAlive]

Thank you for your answer!

My biggest question is whether it is worth concentrating on pocketing Soviet units at all? I mean, big pockets, maybe. But what about smaller ones, like 8-10 units? The Soviets have more than enough men and material to just recreate these units next turn as it costs the AI 0 admin points to form new divisions.

As for bigger pockets, my mobile units have at around 25-28 movement points which pretty much prevents me from doing larger encirclements.

I think that it is worth pocketing
1) High offensive CV infantry - these units will usually have better experience/morale and whilst the Soviets can replace them in terms of men/counters it takes a long time for them to get back to equivalent levels of quality.
2) Tank/Motorized units for trucks