Barbarossa or bust!!!

[MarkShot]

I woke up this morning an old man, an old war gamer.

It is time to stop dicking around with smaller toy scenarios.

It's true. I am scared of the USSR. I have been playing MIUS around Kharkov, and WITE-2 around Leningrad for a long time. I could to walk to Leningrad blind folded.

But this morning, I have given the order to the General Staff, Barbarossa is on. This will be no HOI4 against an AI which cannot even defend Luxembourg. This is the pilgrimage that every war gamer must make once in his life.

Vorwärts!!!

[Fraggo5]

So…..No early end campaign of not ? that is the question.

[MarkShot]

Took the default as 2by3 released, but I ain't going to be early. If the USSR is early, then I probably need to go back and do some more training.

Actually, I enjoy WITE-2 very much. The losing has been lots of fun too.

[06 Maestro]

Hey M.S.

If you have not played the grand campaign beware of the looming first winter. If you start digging in by mid-October you should be fine. If you continue the attacks into mid-November, the Red Army (and attrition) will cripple you.

I finally got this game about three weeks ago. Lost (as Axis) by Jan '42 once and was heading that way again. Today, I got an auto victory in July 1942 (as Axis with 120% moral). Another issue was cropping up--fuel. Had I not won there would have been shortages within 3 to 4 turns--so August '42. Next time I will use trains a bit more and pay even closer attention to the depot truck use.

PS, fort level 1 cannot be increased by armies on assault mode. Levels 2 and 3 seem to work much better in protecting units from General Winter. HQ's need construction units for entrenchment.

[MarkShot]

Hey M.S.

If you have not played the grand campaign beware of the looming first winter. If you start digging in by mid-October you should be fine. If you continue the attacks into mid-November, the Red Army (and attrition) will cripple you.

I finally got this game about three weeks ago. Lost (as Axis) by Jan '42 once and was heading that way again. Today, I got an auto victory in July 1942 (as Axis with 120% moral). Another issue was cropping up--fuel. Had I not won there would have been shortages within 3 to 4 turns--so August '42. Next time I will use trains a bit more and pay even closer attention to the depot truck use.

PS, fort level 1 cannot be increased by armies on assault mode. Levels 2 and 3 seem to work much better in protecting units from General Winter. HQ's need construction units for entrenchment.

Thank you for the tips. The fort level thing I had never noticed before while playing scenarios. I often use my AP to max out assault commands. But it makes sense that they are for the attack.

[06 Maestro]

I woke up this morning an old man, an old war gamer.

Vorwärts!!!

There are worse things, much worse things, to wake up as. To ensure you keep waking up, self-discipline must be deployed. Ballance of time/activities is the key--gotta keep moving.

Vorwarts is the lifelong call.

[MarkShot]

I woke up this morning an old man, an old war gamer.

Vorwärts!!!

There are worse things, much worse things, to wake up as. To ensure you keep waking up, self-discipline must be deployed. Ballance of time/activities is the key--gotta keep moving.

Vorwarts is the lifelong call.

Yep, 4 cardiologists predicted my death at 15 years ago. No doubt, they failed to know that WITE-2 Barbarossa awaited me. So much, for medical experts.

I been studying the map, objectives, and ingress. Supply and rail lines are going to be a big part of this. The Balkans along with the line Pskov and the port of Riga look very inviting along with the rail straight into Ukraine. One almost get the impression that the Russians where not eager to be invaded or make it easy.

[MarkShot]

This is my first time working with non-German HQs, CUs, and SUs.

I remember for WITW, you could SUs across nations, but there was a hit to do so.

Can I do so in WITE-2? (Don't know as I am on the first turn.) And should I?

If I do the SL trick=0 will they go up to their respective national senior HQ or all the way to OKH?

This is my first time using TB, there is no ground activity in WE (white). Should I just transfer all that I can East?

Thanks.

[tm1]

This is my first time working with non-German HQs, CUs, and SUs.

I remember for WITW, you could SUs across nations, but there was a hit to do so.

Can I do so in WITE-2? (Don't know as I am on the first turn.) And should I?

If I do the SL trick=0 will they go up to their respective national senior HQ or all the way to OKH?

This is my first time using TB, there is no ground activity in WE (white). Should I just transfer all that I can East?

Thanks.

Hell no you need to keep it up or you lose points, you need to keep all TB up to there levels or you lose multiple points.
Good luck with the invasion

[06 Maestro]

I been studying the map, objectives, and ingress. Supply and rail lines are going to be a big part of this. The Balkans along with the line Pskov and the port of Riga look very inviting along with the rail straight into Ukraine. One almost get the impression that the Russians where not eager to be invaded or make it easy.

Supply is the biggest challenge. With only 4 German RR engineer units and few double track RR routes the choices/decisions are somewhat limited in this area. I can say that more depots at, or near, the front is the preferable situation. This cuts down on demand for trucks and allows for quick refitting--especially when winter hits. There are some areas of prospective winter front line areas that are rich in rail yards, and even roads.

The RR engineer companies on auto mode can accomplish a few good things--for a while. I found that by concentrating their activities can actually help. For instance, attaching the A.G. North RR units to a corps of the 16 Army (corps to the northern end of front). I will then attach the A.G. Center RR units to a 9th Army corps that is adjacent to the 16th Army. This works well until the front has stabilized for a time--then the RR units are in the way and endangering themselves--time to send them to a higher HQ or a corps in the rear.

Regarding Riga--take it on the first turn. Although not historical, it seems any major port city that comes under threat is rapidly transformed into a mighty fortress. The rules and details are not quite clear to me yet, but I can say it immediately turns into a pain in the ass. Better to split the 4th PZ Group to ensure the capture of Riga and Duogvalis on turn one even if that mean the delay of taking Pskov by a turn.

Inflicting permanent losses on the Red's is the goal--along with maintaining the German Army in every way. The proper balance of these goals are the key to eventual victory.

BTW, IMO, the German Army conducted a near perfect campaign in Russia for the first 5 months. The great error was the continuation of the offense past mid-October. Had they dug in the '42 campaign season would have had more options for Germany. They likely would have had well over 300,000 more men and the Soviets many thousands less. I do believe that Leningrad could have been, should have been, taken in 41. Other than that, and the winter carnage, the historical campaign is worthy of copy.

[MarkShot]

Getting ready to wrap up the first turn. I took Riga, Minsk, Lvov, and have a near pocket in Lithuania as I just need an armored unit to close the coastal ports before Riga. And have a large pocket in Biyalystock region. It looks impressive, but we all know how this will turn out.

I have a question. Forgive my ignorance, but why is the South locked? I am assume this is to mimic history. If so, what history ... just a link would be great.

Thanks!

[Teo41_ITA]

The south is locked because the Romanians and the 11th Army only entered combat on July 5th. So, technically speaking, they should be locked for the first 2 turns instead of just the very first one.

[06 Maestro]

Getting ready to wrap up the first turn. I took Riga, Minsk, Lvov, and have a near pocket in Lithuania as I just need an armored unit to close the coastal ports before Riga. And have a large pocket in Biyalystock region. It looks impressive, but we all know how this will turn out.

I have a question. Forgive my ignorance, but why is the South locked? I am assume this is to mimic history. If so, what history ... just a link would be great.

Thanks!

Good start. Going forward, regardless of the main geographical objectives for the campaign, encirclement battles should be the focus. Big or small does not matter. What matters is that the Red Army's losses are permanent. Encircle for one full turn then destroy/capture them. Destroying one small pocket upon creating it may occasionally be a good idea for freeing up units but generally speaking ensuring total elimination is the best way to go.

In my recent game that ended on turn 55 Axis forces were actually a bit larger than the Soviet forces. This happened even though I sent extra units to Finland and the Balkans. 750 points were required for victory, and I had 759. So, if units can be spared, the added points from the TB could be decisive.  

[Platoonist]

I have a question. Forgive my ignorance, but why is the South locked? I am assume this is to mimic history. If so, what history ... just a link would be great.

https://www.operationbarbarossa.net/rum ... july-1941/

After spending the latter part of June mobilising, the Rumanians launched their first serious attacks across the Prut River on 1st July, although several more minor exchanges had occurred prior to this date and the air battle in this sector had begun in earnest on 22nd June. The Rumanian forces (Army Group Antonescu) on the Rumanian border launched their offensive against the Soviet’s Southern Front, supported by the German 11th Army (Schobert, with seven German divisions). Although the German 11th Army was technically subordinate to Army Group Antonescu, in reality it received (and acted on) direction from von Rundstedt in Army Group South.

[MarkShot]

So, I am using manual TBs in my campaign which playing scenarios I have obviously never done, but for national reserve.

Now, your maintenance target is specified in CV. I will assume that is attack CV. So, a ground unit displays CV in the ComRep or on mouse over. How does one find the value of an AG's CV?

Thanks.