Razing the Reich II (no Manstein63)

[timmyab]

This game looks like a total bust for your opponent. You should easily qualify for the 1942 sudden death victory condition.

[Michael T]

Yes, I think he will struggle to avoid the 42 Sudden Death conditions, unless there is a very big breakthrough for him soon.

[Icier]

Just noticed that your air combat losses are only 3 to 1!...you must doing something right.

[Michael T]

The air war has been brutal. Pleasing is the operational strength of the Luftwaffe, under 2K. Goering shot himself in the foot a few times sending up unescorted missions, resulting in scores of downed nazi bombers and high morale soviet fighters.

[Michael T]

End Soviet T16 2nd Oct 1941 (Clear)

All quiet on the Janis front. The Finns must have finally been hurting after 16 or so unsuccessful full scale attacks on the same hex…

Not so good news in the Valdai. The Hun has trapped around 20 divisions in a pincer operation between 4th and 3rd PG.

2nd PG has been reinforced with 2nd and 5th Panzer (as I thought would be the case) and has made deepish penetrations in the Vyazma/Kaluga region. I may well lose another bunch of divisions here as I have refused to withdraw from the salient formed by the advancing Hitlerites.

In the south not much to report. Just the continuing grind east.

The Soviet OOB hits 5 million but this may well dip down again sharply if I lose 40 odd divisions in the Valdai and the Vyazma region. But the mud turns are close so I should be able to recover these loses in time for the final snow offensive in November.

[Peltonx]

WoW is the game so unbalanced for the Russian side to win so easly?

[M60A3TTS]

Don't let bad decisions turn into a debate over balance. Running headlong into Lake Ilmen isn't winning rave reviews at this point.

[Peltonx]

ORIGINAL: M60A3TTS

Don't let bad decisions turn into a debate over balance. Running headlong into Lake Ilmen isn't winning rave reviews at this point.

True after all the logistics cuts its impossible even vs and average Russian player.

[swkuh]

True after all the logistics cuts its impossible even vs and average Russian player. ??

Maybe... True, after all the logistics cuts its impossible, even vs. an average Russian player.

[Peltonx]

ORIGINAL: rrbill

True after all the logistics cuts its impossible even vs and average Russian player. ??

Maybe... True, after all the logistics cuts its impossible, even vs. an average Russian player.

[Michael T]

End Soviet T17 9th Oct 1941 (Clear)

The end of the 1941 summer campaign (maybe). Fairly quiet on the Leningrad front. I begin the process of withdrawing my Guard RD’s from the Janis line.

The noose around the Lake Seliger pocket is now an iron ring. Before it closed completely we slipped out some troops and moved in an airbase. Supplies were flown in so the pocket might survive the mud season with luck. All up 11 RD, 1 Cav and 1 Tank X are doomed.

East of Moscow the Hun are content to take Vyazma and cut off another 2 RD plus bash up the odd hex or two, the MLR is stable.

From Tula to Kharkov not much to report other than grinding.

But trouble south of Kharkov. The Panzers must have finally gotten some gas. So the Hun make a B-line for Stalino bashing in the front to the extent of some 40 miles. Very reluctantly I relinquish my grip on Z-Town and the last few hexes of the Dnepr bend. Damn it. To try and hang on would have presented too great a risk. So we pull back and have to give up a big chunk of territory. Reinforcements are being poured in to the area between the Hun spearhead and Stalino. Stalino must be held. Stalin has ordered it.

Even though this game is random weather there was not a single mud turn all summer. So I think the weather Gods are smiling on Sean and I am wary of a surprise clear turn popping up in the October mud period.

There won’t be anymore maps now till the snow weather or unless he lucks out with a clear turn in this supposed mud phase. Just written reports for a while. Also Sean will be away for a couple of weeks without access to the game so things will be on hold for a while.

Stavka won’t be idle though….

[Michael T]

Rest of the map.

[sillyflower]

ORIGINAL: Pelton

WoW is the game so unbalanced for the Russian side to win so easly?

MT is playing an inexperienced opponent.

My game as R vs MT is better evidence that game is still unbalanced in favour of the Nazis. I'm surprised (or not) that you haven't said so

Actually, neither proposition is evidenced by either game

[charlie0311]

These two games show us (again) that the exp/skill/knowledge of game mechanics of the players is to determine the outcome.

IMO, the game is itself is well balanced. advantage Sov, yes, but they did win the war.
Axis players can really make things "difficult".

[Peltonx]

ORIGINAL: charlie0311

These two games show us (again) that the exp/skill/knowledge of game mechanics of the players is to determine the outcome.

IMO, the game is itself is well balanced. advantage Sov, yes, but they did win the war.
Axis players can really make things "difficult".

+1 I completely agree.

morveal has made a weak unplayable game GREAT.

morveal [&o][&o]

[Michael T]

I realized too late that this Manstein (Sean, and a relative novice) was not the same Manstein (a crusty vet) I knew from the early days. But still it's been fun. And at least with Sudden Death his pain will be short lived.

As for balance, I think it's as close as it ever has been. Games between players of significant unequal skill will result in the better player winning.

As for games between players of equal skill the balance still favors the Reds for novices and below. Beyond those levels the decision about the mild or stock blizzard is a critical pathway. As a Russian player I would not ever agree to playing with mild blizzard against a top German. Suicidal IMO.

So IMO a game between two top players with stock blizzard would result in the most unpredictable outcome. I don't think this has ever been the case since release.

[M60A3TTS]

ORIGINAL: Michael T
As for games between players of equal skill the balance still favors the Reds for novices and below. Beyond those levels the decision about the mild or stock blizzard is a critical pathway. As a Russian player I would not ever agree to playing with mild blizzard against a top German. Suicidal IMO.

Fortunately there are no top German players out there that require mild blizzard. Well maybe one. [:'(]

[Michael T]

Turn 18 is mud right across the front. The two RD pocket east of Vyazma surrenders. Thanks to the airhead supply the Lake Seliger pocket held out against at least 10 assaults. The airfield hex itself came under heavy attack but held on. More supplies will be flown in. It would be cool if this pocket could hold on till the snow. No other action to report and Sean is on a break and won't be back till the 30th Sept.

[Michael T]

T18 Done (23rd Oct) Mud. Soviet OOB hits 5.2 million. Sean will be back in a couple of days so this game will get moving again soon.

[Michael T]

Sean is back and the game is moving along again.

T19, 23rd Oct 1941 ended without incident as it was mud right across the front. Some concern for next turn though as predicted weather for Central Russia is snow! So much for the mud season...

The weather Gods are certainly sympathetic to the hun in this one, no mud at all during the summer and now it looks like some snow in the mud season. These days, any German who prefers non random weather is nuts.