Sturm und Drang : Axis Perspective

[cpdeyoung]

19430616 : More preparation.

[Joshuatree]

Pardon me for asking, but I have to ask you this; why don't you attack? I'm a complete Noob at this game but I don't think Germany can hold out for long, just building units for a defensive line. It's not necessary to grab the Russians by the throat?
I'm puzzled. [&:]

[cpdeyoung]

Good question, and an easy answer : he is too strong for me.  Attacking is very expensive, and he has so many more disposable PP than I do.  German PP per turn is about 200 points, some turns more, some less, depending on how effective his strategic air campaign is.  There are no easy PP for me in the Soviet Union as he moved his resources to the east.  To reduce his PP I would have to take one of his big three cities, and I cannot imagine how to do this. His research is stronger than mine.  He has level 4 armor, and I expect to see L5 pretty soon.  I have not made L4 yet.  He has big friends across the seas, and I have my little buddies.
 
Gary is tactically adept, and I know that his defense will be efficient.  The counterattack would be brutal, and I would rather stand on the defense where I am than do so after wearing my troops out in an attack.  I will try and get a inter-turn snapshot of his lines in the next turn to show you what my "attackers" would face.
 
Chuck

[cpdeyoung]

19430624 : Still quiet.

[Joshuatree]

I see. I was afraid the game mechanics might be different from what I'm used to. But still, if you can't outproduce him, then it might be an even worse choice to just sit there and wait, because you *know* he will be even stronger the longer you wait. As in a truly "red wave" of attackers. The way I see it you only have a chance of beating him, no matter how small that chance might be, is attacking and especially outmanoeuvring and outwitting him. Now that's easier said then done [:D]
Now I'm used to Advanced Tactics where defensive units, such as Pak, machine guns and dug in Inf. (behind rivers and in forests, hills) can wreak havoc on an attacker. Long enough to grant the defender a victory.  
So, I'm very curious about the outcome of this AAR.
Good luck.

[cpdeyoung]

19430701 : We prepare for combat.

[Chocolino]

I really like your prudent and careful approach to the attack on the USSR. A line from Volhov to Odessa (after taking Leningrad) may be very similar in length to your current front line. But getting there.........

[cpdeyoung]

19430709 : Yep, we have an abundance of prudence, and suspect we will need it. It was a year ago that we made the attacks that got us to where we are now.

[cpdeyoung]

19430716 : Uninvited guests, again.

[paullus99]

You can't let him break your front & move into the Balkans - it will expand your frontline considerably & leave you with a very porous front. Of course, if he advances on too narrow a front, it may leave his flank exposed for a counterattack to cut him off.

[Joshuatree]

Yep, if he breaks though you're done. Then there is no way you can stop him anymore. The only chance is, is when he attacks on too narrow a front... then you might have a ... small chance of cutting his forward troops off.. I doubt it though. I'm glad I'm not moving the counters here [:)]

[cpdeyoung]

The Balkans are always a problem because of the expansion of the front.  The same problem affects him, of course, and despite the strong corps he shows to our front he has plenty of weaker divisions in the line in other places.  These are of minimal value in an offense.  I will have to attack at every chance I see.  I have all my Panzer Korps at full strength after the build up, and his should lose effectivness as he attacks.  He is strong, but I have not yet seen the operational goals of this particular attack.  Time will show us what he is up to.
 
One thing I have been handicapped by is a complete lack of any feedback on my Luftwaffe participation against the strategic bomber offensive.  Has my commitment meant anything?  Will pulling them out have an effect?  Without any way of knowing it is difficult.  One would think a B-17 on the ground would be countable!
 
Chuck

[James Ward]

The question, as always on the East Front, is "Do you have enough space to trade?"
This game is definately different than your first one. I think it could go down to the wire. Production is definately against you now so fighting a one front war is very important. I don't think you could stand a two front war of attrition for to long.

[cpdeyoung]

19430724 : Two coups for the Red Army.

[cpdeyoung]

19430801 : We continue to shift units to react to the more active Soviets.

[cpdeyoung]

19430816 : Are we ready for the next Soviet probe?

[cpdeyoung]

19430916 : The staff must have been busy, forgetting the 19430901 briefing! Here is one for 0916, which shows the Germans, Italians, and Romanians playing musical chairs as we attempt to get the Romainians out from between the two wings of the Italian Army.

In the text below "We 16" should be "We have 16".

[Chocolino]

I am dying to see who cannot stand the quiet any longer and strikes first in Russia. It looks like a powder keg full of powerful units.

I am really amazed how you can keep up with writing 2 AARs at the same time while actually also playing those games..... (I struggle with one already)

[cpdeyoung]

19431001 : Uninvited guests again.

[cpdeyoung]

19431016 : We advance a bit to take Kiev.