VERNICHTUNGSKRIEG!!!!! (War of Extermination) HLYA (AXIS) vs M60 (Soviet) (M60 welcome)

[HardLuckYetAgain]

Turn 6 completed real-time turn

Bryansk has all industry still in place, yummy

I didn't take a snapshot of Z-town industry but it has all industry in place too. Not to mention Kiev is now an open city but the Heavy Industry has been taken out.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

Turn 6 completed turn

Bryansk Recon in force to see what is there. Like usual I'm 98% certain this is all there is. But I always walk my units to see if ZOC exists

[HardLuckYetAgain]

Turn 6 completed turn real time

After the Recon planes come home and the dust settles I'm left with the following that I normally study for about 30 minutes to sometimes a few hours to work out the paths ahead of time. Let's take a look here at how I saw this playing out.

1st the Railroad here is super helpful on the retreat paths presented on the unit setups. If you follow the blue lines most units will retreat down the rail. There were a few instances I had to dictate the direction of retreat with a well-placed unit but hopefully, you will be able to tell in the ending photo. If you want me to type out all the attacks in a row I can do that but is very tedious. Hopefully, you can get the idea from the before and after snapshots.

Orange = Combat Units
Yellow = HQ's and normally the end of the combat line, not always
White = empty hexes and this tells us a great deal.
Blue lines with arrows = retreat path envisioned for those units
Black lines = The Bryansk Highway

[HardLuckYetAgain]

Turn 6 completed turn real time

I was two units short of being satisfied but this will have to do. Yes, the pockets can be broken that is ok since I'm really going for units and the more he stays close the more I like it. Why, because the railroad gets closer each week and I don't have to chase these little f'rs all the way to the Urals.

The bottom pocket is an open pocket but those units are not going to have the mps to get out.

I didn't have the MP's to take out Bryansk Urban hex but I did take the industry next to it and cut the only rail link out of Bryansk. Unless some messed up code allows the industry out because the RR is next to it the Industry should be considered dead. I know I had one game where at Stalino the Industry could get out and I don't remember the details now. Now the threat is on Kaluga and Tula too

[HardLuckYetAgain]

Turn 6

Leningrad after Recon bomb

Orange = combat units
Yellow = HQ's
White = Empty spaces
Blue lines = retreat priority
Black lines = Leningrad Highway

I aim to surround some units since that is my primary object and the railroad plays really nice here also.

****PS Units with a retreat option of "open terrain with rail" or "Forest terrain with rail" will almost always retreat to the "forest with rail" if you are curious. Not always but almost

[HardLuckYetAgain]

Turn 6

Leningrad after my turn up north.

If the encirclement is broken then that is fine like I have said before. But Leningrad is now in the beginning stages of the end.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

Turn 6 real time

Currently, I have the following units surrounded. I call them onboard prisons & yes I know about the attriting of these units but they will be held for a few turns for a specific reason.

A total of ~58 Divisions and/or Brigades are currently surrounded

~39 Infantry Divisions
~ 7 Tank Divisions
2 NKVD Regiments
6 Airborne Brigades
2 Moto Divisions
1 Cav Division
1 Mountain Divison


***** I estimate there are 2-4 armor/moto/infantry divisions in the swamp I just cut off this turn.


If Leningrad gets cut off I see another 8 Infantry division and or brigades, 1 Moto and 1 tank Division

****** I haven't calculated Industry yet but I'm pretty sure I'm getting close on break-even point and many more targets of opportunity are in my sites now. I normally don't follow industry that heavily but the area around Bryansk was 2 objectives of mine in one. The first being surrounding units.


Pictured below are the 13 "Prison R Us" mugshots.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

Turn 6 ground loses

[HardLuckYetAgain]

Turn 6 Air loses

almost 1/2 the loses for fighters were Finns . AGAIN!!!!! OMG I Gotta work on them. I do sux at this game

[HardLuckYetAgain]

Turn 6 OOB

[HardLuckYetAgain]

Turn 6 ending remarks

I took some chances here in the center since the center seems to be stacked with excellent leaders. I have seen Zhukov, Kuznetsov, Eremenko, and Tolubukin just to name a few. Not to mention the unit strengths are off the charts for some of the frontal infantry so that right there tells me they are well led. But I now threaten Kaluga and Tula within easy striking distance. At Bryansk I took a chance to bite off the tail end of the proverbial Soviet snake. I just hope the snake doesn't turn around and bite my azz.

At Leningrad the beginning of the end is at hand and the next few turns will be getting into position then the death strike. I don't foresee this taking very long at all with ample time for other sectors.

I'm across the Dnieper in 3 places now and will show the overall picture of all fronts in a few turns of what I did. The rail line for the Crimea has been cut sealing the fate of another 2 Arms and 2 HI and I'm behind Z-town in force (with all industry still in place) and now pose a threat to Stalino tri-town.


PS. Someone please fix the JU-52's. They are next to worthless in current state & glad I learned to play without them long ago.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

ORIGINAL: timmyab

I just realized why you chose your avatar. You like to play with your food before you eat it

What do you think about the Prison camps? Think I'm playing with them too? ;-P

[timmyab]

I think all's fair in love and war

Thanks for the education re retreat priorities. I hadn't realised that rail is the first priority. This takes some of the guess work out of planning a defense.

I have often thought it would be nice if you could specify where individual units will retreat, maybe subject to a leader rating check.

[AFV]

ORIGINAL: HardLuckYetAgain

Turn 6 ending remarks

I took some chances here in the center since the center seems to be stacked with excellent leaders. I have seen Zhukov, Kuznetsov, Eremenko, and Tolubukin just to name a few. Not to mention the unit strengths are off the charts for some of the frontal infantry so that right there tells me they are well led. But I now threaten Kaluga and Tula within easy striking distance. At Bryansk I took a chance to bite off the tail end of the proverbial Soviet snake. I just hope the snake doesn't turn around and bite my azz.

At Leningrad the beginning of the end is at hand and the next few turns will be getting into position then the death strike. I don't foresee this taking very long at all with ample time for other sectors.

I'm across the Dnieper in 3 places now and will show the overall picture of all fronts in a few turns of what I did. The rail line for the Crimea has been cut sealing the fate of another 2 Arms and 2 HI and I'm behind Z-town in force (with all industry still in place) and now pose a threat to Stalino tri-town.


PS. Someone please fix the JU-52's. They are next to worthless in current state & glad I learned to play without them long ago.

What is wrong with the JU-52s?

[HardLuckYetAgain]

ORIGINAL: timmyab

I think all's fair in love and war

Thanks for the education re retreat priorities. I hadn't realised that rail is the first priority. This takes some of the guess work out of planning a defense.

I have often thought it would be nice if you could specify where individual units will retreat, maybe subject to a leader rating check.

So you are looking for the detailed view of the two thrusts I made on Leningrad & Bryansk?

[smokindave34]

Your panzers are at Bryansk at turn 6 - did you do HQBU's with the units in AGC?

M60 is in trouble. Not only are you pushing very deep early in the game you've pocketed a lot of units and he gets very few reinforcements for the next few turns. Not sure if he'll be able to hold on.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

ORIGINAL: smokindave34

Your panzers are at Bryansk at turn 6 - did you do HQBU's with the units in AGC?

M60 is in trouble. Not only are you pushing very deep early in the game you've pocketed a lot of units and he gets very few reinforcements for the next few turns. Not sure if he'll be able to hold on.

I have done a total of (2) HQ BU's up to turn 5. (1) in the North and (1) in the Center.

I have said many times that the Soviets have a serious lack of units early game and until the re-borns show up along with turn 10+ reinforcements the Germans need to take advantage of the "GOLDEN Turns" turns 6-10. Onboard prisons will be held open for a bit even though it will tie up some of my units. But by doing so the re-borns of these prisoners will be delayed to at least the mud turns since the reborn is a variable of ~6-15 turns that I have noticed playing the Soviets(Cav re-born is much shorter, like 3-5 turns)

I'm sure M60 will do just fine. Bringing down the Soviet bear has to be brought down by a thousand cuts and I will more than likely mess up soon enough. Not to mention M60 is a very good player.

[Dinglir]

I really love the detailed reports you do on the preparations. I am sure this will help a lot of players improve their game. I have certainly picked up a thing or two.

Keep it up.

[Telemecus]

ORIGINAL: AFV
What is wrong with the JU-52s?

Damage/reserve too easily in great numbers from even one mission - and do not repair on an airbase (except for some limited circumstances) - not WAD.

[HardLuckYetAgain]

ORIGINAL: Dinglir

I really love the detailed reports you do on the preparations. I am sure this will help a lot of players improve their game. I have certainly picked up a thing or two.

Keep it up.

Recon and planning is so important for the Germans I can't stress this enough. 90% preparation and 10% execution.

I will do the two detailed attacks on Leningrad & Bryansk real quick tonight on my step by steps so people can see the moves. But I don't know if I can continue through the whole campaign because it does get pretty tedious.