Tyrone vs MagicMissile

[tyronec]

Snow in the Cacausus, take a couple of hexes.

Deploying some Winterised Italians to guard my flank, it worked around Stalingrad so why not here.
Finns are set up for a counter attack up North.

[EwaldvonKleist]

Between Maikop and Grozny, we can witness the first Mountain panzer corps crossing the Caucasus, thus giving "Bergepanzer" a completely new meaning.

(Berg=mountain in German, but bergen=to recover. Bergepanzer=recovery tank)

[tyronec]

Mountains mean nothing to us, the Panzers scale more peaks ! - yes, Panzers are faster than Mountain infantry here, can advance 2 hexes instead of 1.

Not much else happens, the Soviets are not strong enough for a Winter attack.

[tyronec]

The lead Panzer fends off one attack OK.
Just seal off that 4 unit pocket and wait for better weather.

[MagicMissile]

Not going to lie. Seeing German armour slogging their way through mountains in the Caucasus in the winter of 41/42 feels so so
but retribution will come. Not sure how but it will come [:)].

Now when 41 is over I would like to write about it and what I think but I have so many thoughts that the post might be long like a book so not sure if I will find the energy [:)].

[MagicMissile]

But I can start with one thing.

How is the Soviet winteroffensive supposed to work? The German units are as strong as in the summer. I see some 7 strength units but I am not sure if they are 30 strength corps that have gone down to 7 or if they are 20 strength in which case 7 would be basically full strength. Most russian units in 4-7 strength range some higher but best odds 3:2 and Germany controls the air cannot attack anything will be a disaster. Done a few trials. 3 corps under Zhukov admittedly 2 attacked over a river but 1 got a 4-1 odds vs a rumanian division
couldn´t even move it ,a couple of other attacks also not very good outcomes.


The hoped for Siberians are good but too few and they arrive on 5 december can´t move that turn then it will take depending on weather and where they are placed compared to the front line at least one sometimes 2 turns before they are ready to do anything. One idea might be that they arrive one turn earlier and maybe consider giving them the winter specialisation for free.


I understand this is a very successful Bararossa and Russia is maybe too weak (but they were very weak in the real war as well) to do anything and admittedly the real war offensive wasnt all that great. I guess in game terms the Germans were pushed back 3 hexrows in front of Moscow and a few other places. But if the Russians have a hard time to inflict German losses in the summer and equally so in the winter when are they supposed to do it?


Finally we have the standard boardgame tactic if the Germans actually feel a bit threatened they just retreat a hex row per turn usually thinking they can easily get it back in the summer and the Russian offensive will come to nothing.


So any tips or tricks for the future are welcome [:)].

[Flaviusx]

What are your builds like? Because your army doesn't seem to be upgraded at all. I think the Soviets need to pump out 1 rifle Army with the highest level of antitank tech each and every turn until things stabilize, with the balance of production set aside for reinforcements and upgrades.

[Flaviusx]

That said, the early attack is a surprisingly good tactic and it caught you offguard.

Something for the rest of us to bear in mind if we try to do a runaway defense. Doesn't work if the German sees it and just goes in early. The frontier has to be covered sufficiently to discourage mud offensives, at least until maybe May. At that point, perhaps, you can start fading away into the interior.

[MagicMissile]

ORIGINAL: Flaviusx

What are your builds like? Because your army doesn't seem to be upgraded at all. I think the Soviets need to pump out 1 rifle Army with the highest level of antitank tech each and every turn until things stabilize, with the balance of production set aside for reinforcements and upgrades.

All units except the port garrison were 1941 when Barbarossa started. During the campaign built one army per turn 41 or 42 quality but that leaves precious little for replacements: 70% ofthe airforce shotdown and where to find the resources to rebuild them I have no idea. But anti tank might have been one solution.I havent played enough nor experimented so havent realized the difference between them so I always go just assault. Greedy with the tech want to just tech one infantry upgrade but that idea might have been very hurtful. Thanks for the tip. But with anti-tank wont the offensive during the winter be even less impactful.


And yes the early attack was a stroke of genius as I wrote above somewhere it was the two last turns of clear weather that hurt alot so even a late april start things might have been kind of ok. Tyrone have played really well and how he has managed to build such an insane amount of axis minors for garrison I really don´t know (see screenshot)

[tyronec]

axis minors for garrison I really don´t know (see screenshot)

I transferred some production to all of the 4 of the Balkan minors, keeping them between 50-100% manpower.
They have done almost all the anti-partisan and guarding air units since Barbarossa, and just about no front line duty.

[Flaviusx]

The idea here is that the reserves all come in as assault, and over time those can become your offensive mainstays as far as infantry goes. But you need to get in the AT infantry to hold the passive sectors.

I don't think it is worth upgrading the rifle corps. It's a big sink for little return. They are just garbage with 20% experience. Indeed, I think it is better to disband the lot of them and replace them with 35% experience cavalry. I really think these prewar rifle corps need to be set at 30% experience, just like the reserves. 20% is pathetic.

It's 36 production to upgrade a rifle corps to 41 tech. Multiply that by, what, 30 or so?

It's a lot of points for a unit that ends up being 2 strength.

[tyronec]

Usual one hex advance.
Kill off most of the pocket.

[tyronec]

Usual one hex advance.

[MagicMissile]

Yes the germans are unstoppable in the caucasus. Maybe I should just give Baku up not sure what to do .

Feel a bit stymied in the west as well. After the Sardinia campaign I was happy until I realized resource points don´t lower morale. So I still need Sicily and something else and now Italy is so full of units and airplanes there is no room for the allies to land and its only early 42 with German economy at 450-500 something not taking any significant losses its hard to see the situation will get any better any time soon.

The need to try to relieve the russians is great so that means going into France 42 possibly but the Axis have a larger and better airforce and army and supply situation so bad in France so not sure how that is supposed to work out in any good way. We will see. I think I regret not going for Portugal and Spain earlier actually. At least should have taken out Portugal to have the option to go into Spain later. Well it is not too late is is an alternative. Start a campaign in Spain while keeping an invasion threat to Italy and later in France to try and stretch the axis a bit. But maybe unrealistic and advice appreciated [:)]

[tyronec]

Yes the germans are unstoppable in the caucasus. Maybe I should just give Baku up not sure what to do .

I think if Axis take Baku the game is as good as over. The oil is important, also Turkey joins Axis which gives an opens up a new front in the middle east.
Not sure how things are going to go in Russia when the Spring comes, certainly I can gain ground using the Luftwaffe but don't know what it will be like if it is just land forces.
Waiting with interest for your land invasion...

Last turn of Winter, and not before time. The game has been a bit slow lately. Just waiting for that CLEAR turn.
The Panzers continue their drive through the high mountains and take a couple of hexes this turn.

[tyronec]

First turn of March was mud, nothing happens.

Second turn and get a CLEAR in the Cacausus. Cut through the Soviet lines and split them into 3 pockets. They won't all hold but should be able to seal off properly next turn. Expect can start assaulting Baku in April, weather permitting.

[MagicMissile]

Not fun was just going to retreat. A bit lucky to get a cold turn in both March 41 and 42 but well done. Any good general need a bit of luck [:)]. Well that does it for sure don´t think the Russians will get very close to Berlin in this game...

[tyronec]

Mud in the Cacausus.
Get the pockets sealed off properly, no attacks.
Elsewhere just waiting for Spring.

[tyronec]

More mud so very little happens.
Allies take Portugal.

[MagicMissile]

Mmm took Portugal. Didnt really know what else to do. It is easy to take with no drawbacks really. You can get into Spain or invade France from there it is a VP hex and the only cost was 70 landing craft and I am sure you can do it with less.