Case Blue: Blind Sniper (Axis) vs Krupp_88mm (Soviet)

[Keunert]

you airfield attack will knock out the soviet air units for a month or two. they get roughly 20 planes a turn but the airforce is in a very bad state and your attack made matters even worse.

[balto]

A comment. As I looked at your post #18 I was thinking to myself "If Sniper used a Speed Card on the 24th, he could have severed that rail line just south of the 24th and te Russian 45th and 62nd would have been out of supply." But then I realize that the town NW of NOwy Oskol (??? Tscha) could be providing supply thus the 45th and 62nd would still be in supply. So I then sit there with my tables and I add up how much supply get to what hex and how much.., aggravating. Bottom line is only the 1/45 is in trouble.

My point is, do you think it would be helpful if there was a SUPPLY OVERLAY that would also work for enemy units? I think it would. For example, wouldn't it be great to click on the 1/45 Inf Reg and see the Supply situation, then plot your moves as such? Otherwise you have to do that adding up stuff as I was doing.

Great AAR. I cannot wait to see how that "Replacements at 25%" works for you.

[Grotius]

I dunno, balto, shouldn't we be guessing about the enemy's supply lines? I kinda sorta like things the way they are, but not sure yet.

[Blind Sniper]

Did you use fighters only, or bombers as well? How many did you use per airfield attack?

Only fighters but Italian squadron because there are fighters and level bombers in the same unit.
How many? It depends, the big units (around 50 a/c) when the airports have a strong defence.
I prefer to use LB and CAS to soften up the enemy defensive lines.

you airfield attack will knock out the soviet air units for a month or two. they get roughly 20 planes a turn but the airforce is in a very bad state and your attack made matters even worse.

Yes, it would be nice if the air units placement was not coded, in this way for the German would be more difficult find the enemy aircrafts.
In fact, after the first attacks (of course, having played as Soviet in a test game against AI I know how the units are collocated) I stopped to attack his bases without a recon mission first, therefore even if I know where are his bomber in the South of the map I don't have attacked them (a personal house rule).

As I looked at your post #18 I was thinking to myself "If Sniper used a Speed Card on the 24th, he could have severed that rail line just south of the 24th and te Russian 45th and 62nd would have been out of supply.

Not enough points for this card (IIRC are necessary 14 points), anyhow I don't have used all my card yet, especially for two corps with panzer divisions.

My point is, do you think it would be helpful if there was a SUPPLY OVERLAY that would also work for enemy units? I think it would. For example, wouldn't it be great to click on the 1/45 Inf Reg and see the Supply situation, then plot your moves as such? Otherwise you have to do that adding up stuff as I was doing.

Uhm...I would not, usually I prefer more FOW and guessing where the enemy supply are active or not is part of the funny [:)]

[Vic]

Actually you can select an enemy held hex and the press the supply layer button to get a prognosis how supply would flow out of the selected hex.

best,
Vic

[balto]

Hmmm, I will try that tonight. Thank you.

Sniper, there is no FOW element to Supply because your forces are the ones that block supply. So in reality, you have to do the math instead of the software.

I can tell no one likes this idea, so I will stop.

[Keunert]

an ennemy supply overlay would need a lot of recon.

in the mentioned situation west of Oskol the Soviet player has a usable rail line for supply or troop evacuation, two intact bridges and several roads. we can assume that the supply level will be full or high. no overlay or calculation needed so far.

In Tim there are units completely cut off from supply. but units have supply with them that allow two more turns of limited movement and fighting. the supply penalty will next turn easily be matched by the high (auto) entrenchment of inf in a city. if possible a two turn wait will make an attack on this hex costless.

[Blind Sniper]

I don't want to fight everywhere but I can hit the weakest points.

LI Corps will hold the line behind the river and will attack the 9th Guard Division in open ground, Von Seydlitz-Kurbach is overloaded (staff troop ratio below 1) and I transfered the 62nd Divison to XVII.
Moreover he has a very high intuition rating therefore I played the Promotions card on 71st Division, +8 exp!
The enemy division has been totally destroyed.

[Blind Sniper]

In this sector I avoid every forest or hill hex (even if the enemy units were weak), better to attack the plains & fields hex and moreover I want to take the bridge intact.
Unfortunately the 275th Soviet Division was well entrenched and with full organic, I send two LB units, made four artillery barrages but with scarce result, I taken the bridge wiped out almost all the enemy unit but I lost about 1000 men!! [:o]

I played the Speed card on 16th Panzer Division and its advance destroyed an infantry reggiment putting in danger the units in the forest.
Two panzer and one infantry divisions crossed the river.

Romanian Corps hold the line.

[Blind Sniper]

Now my target will be the 12th Army because between Lisitchansk and Artemovsk the terrain is suitable for a panzer attack and if I can get the bridges close at the cities his 37th Army will have supply problem.

Again artillery/LB not so incivise trying to soften up the target but especially again an artillery unit was able to save his units from destruction because it hold against a full motorized division inflicting huge losses [:@]
Remember: never attack a hex with artillery without barrage/air support, even if you win the losses will be high

[Blind Sniper]

Here I just want to break the line and cross the river, it happens but with little damage for the enemy.
The Italian units hold the line.

In the South I'm not happy with my attacks, yes a lot of rivers and the penalty for crossing is big but still not happy, we shall see next turn.

[Blind Sniper]

Here I don't want to rush because it would be costly take the enemy ground, I managed to gain a hex but using almost all my artyllery, I tryed the same tactic in a second hex but I really made very few damages, forest and mountain give a very good protection.

Rumanian leaders played cards to boost the morale and the XXXXII Corps start to trainig the 46th troops (+4 exp).

I have to think how to defend the Crimea once conquered, I think all the Rumanian troops plus a German corps.

[Blind Sniper]

My naval units will stay away from combat for a while, the enemy is too strong [:'(]

I'm splitting my Hungarian/Italian/German security divisions all around the map to control the key city/ports and to contrast potential partisan activity.

All my motorized/panzer division are in 100% replacement priority and I played the Panzers card (+25 Pz IVg and 5 Marder II).

PP: 10 left

Losses
German
Infantry: 8100
Tank: 30
Gun: 45
Air: 45

Russian
Infantry: 45900
Tank: 80
Gun: 530
Air: 160

Oil left: 49K
Moving all stuff is very expensive, around 30K in just one turn!

Finally first turn end! [:)]

[Blind Sniper]

Yes, it would be nice if the air units placement was not coded, in this way for the German would be more difficult find the enemy aircrafts.
In fact, after the first attacks (of course, having played as Soviet in a test game against AI I know how the units are collocated) I stopped to attack his bases without a recon mission first, therefore even if I know where are his bomber in the South of the map I don't have attacked them (a personal house rule).

Sorry, I forget that is possible to handle this German advantage, simply start the game with free setup, the Russian player can relocate his air units (no hide them) in this way the Germans fighters have to recon the base first.

[Blind Sniper]

This turn start with very bad news!

Weather: clear
Orders: same
Oil: +11600
Replacements: 1200 inf and only 10 tanks

Bad news
Partisan activity immediately show up!
Then not only the C&C penalty seems don't have touch the Soviet but he was able to counterattack and destroy my 11th Panzer Division spearhead and encricled other two 71st Division regiments, last but not least almost all Russian units avoid pocket traps.

Great, this is the challenge what I'm looking for [:)]

[Blind Sniper]

North

Here the situation before my turn.

I immediately reformed the 11th Panzer subunits lost, 2 PP spents, of course they will have the best replacements priority for the next turns given that are totally empty.
Anyhow this sistem works, only panzer and motorized divisons have received fresh tropps, maybe is possible to keep a reserve for emergency preventing the replacements flow.

[Blind Sniper]

Here you can see the 299th artillery unit that received a good amount of supply, now with 2/3 of stockpile ready I can try to soften up an enemy unit, in the previous turn I moved it 35 AP and the I fired.

[Blind Sniper]

I'm trying to take ground with minimal losses but rarely is easy.
16th Panzer Division join the IIL Corps, now we have a good commander with beautiful units.

I don't want to push too hard because now we are well aware that Russians can ruin your day, is not WitE where you can run almost safely your units around the map.
One Russian Tank Corps has been treat badly.

Nine hexes to Voronezh, 13 turns left.

[Blind Sniper]

Here you can see my poor regiments depleted and encircled, I have to rescue them and give a break.

[Grotius]

I think I see some Hungarians in your screenshots. Can I ask how you're using Hungarians and other Axis minors? I'm interested because my Minors have taken some casualties in my game, and as a result their Spirit has gone down 1-2%. Do you avoid attacking with Axis Minors?