How to approach the winter of 1941 as axis

[parkingmyscooter]

It is amazing how important Turn 1 is for the whole campaign.

Here is where I was at T37
t37 map.png

I have a well developed Fort in Stalino, with units recovering around the city.
t3t stalino.png

Handling the Soviet Winter Counter Attack
I am not sure how the AI determines where it will attack. I know that when Leningrad has fallen, there will be counter-attacks in that area. Other than that, the AI attacked along most of the front, but seemed to be determined to take Orel, Kursk, Kharkiv and with a lot of attacks along the southern most area, SW of Rostov. It never broke through in a manner that threatened a large portion of my front.

[/quote]


Thanks Loutro - appreciate it. I'll admit to being a bit challenged here! That advice makes sense, and generally I'm reading that resting the PZ divisions is very important and maintaining control of important depots. Two immediate thoughts come to mind here:

1. It's proven impossible to rest units when it feels like my front is holding on for dear life. Even comparing the screenshots you sent...why does it seem like the soviet army in my game has WAY more units attacking? Obviously you had reduced the army more than I had at this point, but this difference seems enormous. See below screenshot for what I'm up against. It's like this all across the front. Just a TON of enemy units.

2. I haven't really used Super depots (I think when you put an FBD on a depot, right?) much. My understanding was that they don't actually add any freight but rather just prioritize the depot vs. others. And since really my whole front was under pressure, it didn't make sense to me. Am I missing something?

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I'm finally at the end of March...I've lost most of the key cities but am holding on (barely) to Zaporizhzhia and Dnepropetrovsk. Not sure where this leaves me for the spring...

[loutro]

1. It's proven impossible to rest units when it feels like my front is holding on for dear life. Even comparing the screenshots you sent...why does it seem like the soviet army in my game has WAY more units attacking? Obviously you had reduced the army more than I had at this point, but this difference seems enormous. See below screenshot for what I'm up against. It's like this all across the front. Just a TON of enemy units.

Are you playing with FOW off? I have it on so there are fewer units on the map. Some of those units you see are garbage units, 1-1 infantry or HQ. Still, there are a lot

2. I haven't really used Super depots (I think when you put an FBD on a depot, right?) much. My understanding was that they don't actually add any freight but rather just prioritize the depot vs. others. And since really my whole front was under pressure, it didn't make sense to me. Am I missing something?
20231227200716_1.jpg20231227200846_1.jpg

I'm finally at the end of March...I've lost most of the key cities but am holding on (barely) to Zaporizhzhia and Dnepropetrovsk. Not sure where this leaves me for the spring...

Super depots bring in a lot of freight. You can then move that freight to the front by reducing the depot priority from 4 to 2. Then change the priority back to 4 the next turn. I try to have one in AGC, Smolensk, and one in AGS, D-town. During the winter of 41 the Axis have everything against them; winter effects, poor supply, few reinforcements. Once you lose the cities, if the units are not in good defensive terrain, they are easy targets.

Smolensk Depot

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I try to get to Stalino BEFORE the mud turns, or right after. This gives the units time to fortify. The winter is survivable, but not easy to manage the first few times you play.

[parkingmyscooter]

[Deleting this post. I accidentally double-posted as I thought my original post didnt submit]

[Jango32]

Letting the AI manage anything for you as the player usually leads to disaster. Its depot management has certainly contributed...

[parkingmyscooter]

Thanks Jango and Loutro.

I find myself now in T51 (June '42), and I think my campaign has turned into a dud. I've tried a few probing attacks along several different fronts and don't see how I can make a breakthrough. Below are examples of the lines I'm against. CVs for the soviets are generally ~20 across the line.

It sounds like this is not typical? I am reading that by summer '42 you should basically be able to push very hard again. I feel like I did a decent job of reducing the soviet army with the initial campaign season, so feel a bit lost as to where I went wrong.

Jango32, to your point aside from taking a "first draft" of the air directives (which I then override) i haven't used the AI for anything.
Loutro, I have Fog of War ON...so surely there are many more units than this too! To your other point about Stalino, yes - I got there at turn ~18 or so and conquered the city around ~21, so just about what you indicated. Am I missing something about fortifying? My understanding is that units fortify automatically, so aside from building a few fortified regions at most important spots.

Aside from using the superdepot concept, I'm just not sure what I would do differently in another playthrough. I think I did alright in my supply lines, which I've added below in case that's the issue (from an earlier turn in the middle of the winter)

I appreciate your help, I can imagine diagnosing issues from afar is challenging!

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[parkingmyscooter]

Hmm - well I think I've found at least one difference.

All my fortified zones have a CV of 1. It looks like yours has a CV of 24. Maybe that might make a difference....how did you get that set up? Could that be a driver of how I lost so much ground in the winter?'

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[loutro]

In large cities I put one fortified zone with an HQ and usually one other unit. I add a construction SU, a Flak unit and sometimes a Pioneer unit to the Fort. This helps increase the value of the fort. Good supply makes a difference. I would have to re-read the manual again to determine what impact they have on defense. The fort zones may help you in cities, but that won't help much out in the open. And if you built a string of them say between D-town and Z-town, you'd be using a lot of pioneers to fill them, as well as supply and manpower. So not convinced that would help.

Fortified zones are a mystery to me. In some cities they have large values like the one you see in that image. In others, I can't increase their value at all even with SUs. Page 229 of the manual details the fort building process.

Just curious...in your game options, are the soviets at 100? As you mentioned, seems like you have a lot more visible units than I did.

[parkingmyscooter]

Fortified zones are a mystery to me. In some cities they have large values like the one you see in that image. In others, I can't increase their value at all even with SUs. Page 229 of the manual details the fort building process.

Just curious...in your game options, are the soviets at 100? As you mentioned, seems like you have a lot more visible units than I did.

Interesting - yeah for whatever reason I found the manual’s description of the mechanics of fortified zones difficult to follow. So they are mysterious to me too, but at least now I’ve learned to add some pioneers to them.

Yep, difficulty level is set at normal and is 100 for all the components.

[parkingmyscooter]

I wonder…is there anything I need to be doing with the production tab? I literally have not touched it…but presumably it’s there for a reason.

[loutro]

You can’t alter the production data, it’s set by the game.

FWIW, I got to Stalingrad in September of 42 and came to a screeching halt. No supply, all units virtually useless. I went back to December of 41 and am trying to take Rostov by March 42 so I can build up the rail roads and have Rostov be a super depot. I put almost all of my reinforcements in AGS and Orel is under severe pressure now.

This game can be annoying st times….

[Jango32]

You don't have enough depots either close to the front line or in rear to serve as intermediaries. So you can't accumulate a ton of freight in the rear on one turn to send it to the front line the next.

[parkingmyscooter]

You don't have enough depots either close to the front line or in rear to serve as intermediaries. So you can't accumulate a ton of freight in the rear on one turn to send it to the front line the next.

Interesting - that should be easy to fix. Thanks for the advice. I would have guessed there was so little freight in the system to begin with that the concept of accumulating it wouldn't be possible, but my assumption was wrong!

Loutro I hear where you're coming from! I feel the same

[coolts]

I think that taking Leningrad in 1941 is a must. This does 2 things:

• 30 points (it is a game...)

• It frees up 4th Panzer Armee

In my current game, I took Leningrad on Turn 21.
After Leningrad falls, I keep 4th Pz Arm near Leningrad until early 42. I put the panzer divisions in towns with supply and HQs. They build up their TOEs. The infantry divisions from 4th Pz I use to help defend and then counter attack until that front settles down. Then I move 4th Pz Arm to the South.

If you can hold Rzhev, D-town and Z-town, you should be in good shape for 1942. If they fall, your problems begin. Supply becomes an issue as those towns have multiple rail stations which brings in more supply. Where are your nearest depots behind those cities? How is your rail setup?

If you lose those cities, you then have to give ground and managing your front line can be problematic. What shape are your units in?

I watched this guy in his latest Axis PBEM game. His opening turn and setup helped me understand and see how important the first turn can be.

His setup turn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11X-mbp ... 56&index=2

Turn one. I know it is a long video, but I used his opening moves and it made a difference
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlAgcQR ... z5&index=2

I do enjoy this game, but have one issue. If I cannot at least replicate the historical outcome in a game, I find that frustrating. I should be able to get to the outskirts of Moscow without some crazy plan of play or having use gamey mechanics to beat the AI.

Who's the video from? The links don't work. Strategy gaming dojo?

[loutro]

I think that taking Leningrad in 1941 is a must. This does 2 things:

• 30 points (it is a game...)

• It frees up 4th Panzer Armee

In my current game, I took Leningrad on Turn 21.
After Leningrad falls, I keep 4th Pz Arm near Leningrad until early 42. I put the panzer divisions in towns with supply and HQs. They build up their TOEs. The infantry divisions from 4th Pz I use to help defend and then counter attack until that front settles down. Then I move 4th Pz Arm to the South.

If you can hold Rzhev, D-town and Z-town, you should be in good shape for 1942. If they fall, your problems begin. Supply becomes an issue as those towns have multiple rail stations which brings in more supply. Where are your nearest depots behind those cities? How is your rail setup?

If you lose those cities, you then have to give ground and managing your front line can be problematic. What shape are your units in?

I watched this guy in his latest Axis PBEM game. His opening turn and setup helped me understand and see how important the first turn can be.

His setup turn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11X-mbp ... 56&index=2

Turn one. I know it is a long video, but I used his opening moves and it made a difference
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlAgcQR ... z5&index=2

I do enjoy this game, but have one issue. If I cannot at least replicate the historical outcome in a game, I find that frustrating. I should be able to get to the outskirts of Moscow without some crazy plan of play or having use gamey mechanics to beat the AI.

Who's the video from? The links don't work. Strategy gaming dojo?

Night Phoenix
He just started a new axis GC

https://youtu.be/FcMOl2Wuxr8?si=gqEg9PGIV6g_CvkK

[M60A3TTS]

When I play as Axis, I find it essential to have the ability to download the game data from the commanders report to a spreadsheet. Do you have that ability?

[coolts]

Thanks Jango and Loutro.

I find myself now in T51 (June '42), and I think my campaign has turned into a dud. I've tried a few probing attacks along several different fronts and don't see how I can make a breakthrough. Below are examples of the lines I'm against. CVs for the soviets are generally ~20 across the line.

It sounds like this is not typical? I am reading that by summer '42 you should basically be able to push very hard again. I feel like I did a decent job of reducing the soviet army with the initial campaign season, so feel a bit lost as to where I went wrong.

Jango32, to your point aside from taking a "first draft" of the air directives (which I then override) i haven't used the AI for anything.
Loutro, I have Fog of War ON...so surely there are many more units than this too! To your other point about Stalino, yes - I got there at turn ~18 or so and conquered the city around ~21, so just about what you indicated. Am I missing something about fortifying? My understanding is that units fortify automatically, so aside from building a few fortified regions at most important spots.

Aside from using the superdepot concept, I'm just not sure what I would do differently in another playthrough. I think I did alright in my supply lines, which I've added below in case that's the issue (from an earlier turn in the middle of the winter)

I appreciate your help, I can imagine diagnosing issues from afar is challenging!

Two things spring to mind from your screenshots:

1. logistics. You don't seem to have enough depots. Near the front I have one every 5-7 hexes to smooth out supply. you can start removing some back line ones as the front moves and you want to free up trucks.

Your units are out of fuel. Again supply is everything. Use air drops, use RAD units attached to Corps, etc.

2. Daunting Soviet lines. Don't be scared. Target weak spots, concentrate infantry, punch a hole either side of a few stacks and send the mech and panzers in, break them down, surround, isolate, and destroy next turn with infantry. Repeat this for a month or so and you should see the AI lines thinning out on other fronts as it rushes to refill its lines ahead of you. When you are feeling like a rider of Rohan at Helms deep in AGS vs a billion orcs, look at the front in front of Moscow /Leningrad. Notice it getting weaker there? You are having an effect.

3. You are not concentrating your mobile forces for maximum effect in the screenshots. You need 2-3, with at least one of them broken down for a strong one hex pocket. If you are going for a double stack, double the units you need.

Use the infantry to make the hole. Save your Panzers for securing the pocket.

In spring '42. you might have to make big efforts to isolate one hex at first after mud. Then two, then three. By late July you should hopefully have a snowball effect going again. It takes time. Baby steps.

Also you wont need to hibernate again in the winters from then on. Winter '41 is its own unique thing in-game. Winter offensives after that can pretty much go on as normal snow turns bearing in mind reduced MP and trucks, etc.