1942 - The year of victory? (SOV AI)

[Jukipo]

Turn 107
July 4th, 1943

War economy. Loss of Baku crippled Soviet oil production. We have now enough oil production to fight this war on both fronts.

[Elessar2]

ORIGINAL: Jukipo

Turn 107
July 4th, 1943

War economy. Loss of Baku crippled Soviet oil production. We have now enough oil production to fight this war on both fronts.

While taking all of that oil down there would certainly have caused a virtually instantaneous drop in Russian oil output, seeing the Axis number there shooting up so quickly seems unrealistic to me. Assuming the Russians torched every single well the Germans would have to form a lot of repair battalions (requiring specially trained personnel) and ship them over there. Is there no such scorched earth in this game?

[Rosencrantus]

Usually capturing oil production sites result in them having 99 - 100 damage; practically unusable. I'll bet that he instantly prioritized repairs and that with the amount of oil in the Baku region that even limited repairs within 5-6 turns can bring in lots of oil.

[Jukipo]

While taking all of that oil down there would certainly have caused a virtually instantaneous drop in Russian oil output, seeing the Axis number there shooting up so quickly seems unrealistic to me. Assuming the Russians torched every single well the Germans would have to form a lot of repair battalions (requiring specially trained personnel) and ship them over there. Is there no such scorched earth in this game?

All oil production was 100% damaged. There was a milloin ton oil storage in the Baku area. Storaged oil was not destroyed. That million ton storage makes Axis oil store number to shoot up.

I priorized repairs on oil production. It takes over month to repair 50% of damages. In 3-4 months all damages will be repaired. There are 7 construction battalions repairing oil wells.

Once repaired Baku area production is 125.000 ton/week.

[bruceaboyd]

I love this AAR! Really well done and super explanations. I took your saved file from turn 98, and really learned and discovered a lot. My biggest problem was getting sufficient supplies to the troops and air. Typically, I got 2/3 of required supplies for the ground and about 1/2 of the required supplies for the Luftwaffe. Both with manual and the AI in replays.

Did you have the same problem, or did you find a solution? Interestingly by Turn 106, I had captured Baku and had, per your advice, waited until Turn 108 to capture the other oil cities. To my surprise, on Turn 107, the Soviets gained the initiative, The Axis scored a HWM of 801, but did not declare it a Sudden Victory. I played on the Axis has taken Stalingrad and Askatraska by turn 110.

PURE FUN!

Could you post a save file from say Turn 47, so I can try and duplicate your superb play?

Thanks for a really enjoyable game!

[Commanderski]

As impressive as this is and would still be no matter what the settings are I think you would have had a much more difficult time getting where you are now had you set the Soviet AI Morale to 111 instead of the 109 which you are using. You set all the other parameters at 111 where as Morale at 110 or higher would have made things a lot more difficult.

After this game you should try your next one with Morale at 110 and see if you can achieve the same results.

[Jukipo]

As impressive as this is and would still be no matter what the settings are I think you would have had a much more difficult time getting where you are now had you set the Soviet AI Morale to 111 instead of the 109 which you are using. You set all the other parameters at 111 where as Morale at 110 or higher would have made things a lot more difficult.

I had all parameters on 110 until turn 65 or so. I was advancing in Caucasus area. Then I noticed how computer teleported fresh fully supplied divisions in areas where supply would realistically be impossible. I had a working railnet and yet I had supply problems. Soviets didn't have even a mountain trail and they could teleport fullstregth tank corps over the mountains. How could you supply 200000 man army over Caucasus mountains? The immersion of a realistic wargame was gone. It was so unrealistic and frustrating, I almost quit playing.

Instead I changed morale to 109 and other parameters to 111.

[Jukipo]

I love this AAR! Really well done and super explanations. I took your saved file from turn 98, and really learned and discovered a lot. My biggest problem was getting sufficient supplies to the troops and air. Typically, I got 2/3 of required supplies for the ground and about 1/2 of the required supplies for the Luftwaffe. Both with manual and the AI in replays.

Did you have the same problem, or did you find a solution? Interestingly by Turn 106, I had captured Baku and had, per your advice, waited until Turn 108 to capture the other oil cities. To my surprise, on Turn 107, the Soviets gained the initiative, The Axis scored a HWM of 801, but did not declare it a Sudden Victory. I played on the Axis has taken Stalingrad and Askatraska by turn 110.

PURE FUN!

Could you post a save file from say Turn 47, so I can try and duplicate your superb play?

Thank you for your compliments. Turn 98 is deep mud turn, so there is supply problems everywhere. You have to wait until ground becomes dry.

Someone else reported the same bug. He had over 800 VPs and there was no sudden victory. It may be a bug. I stayed under 800 on purpose to keep playing.

My AAR and the summer '42 campaign begins on turn 43. Here is the save.

[Jukipo]

Turn 107
July 4th, 1943

Losses in May and June (turns 98-107)

Axis losses:

men 275,000
guns 4,400
AFV 1600
planes 700

Soviet losses:

men 850,000
guns 20,000
AFV 7,700
planes 3,800

[Jukipo]

Turn 107
July 4th, 1943

Astrakhan was captured. Our panzers have crossed Volga. More enemy units were surrounded in the Kalmykia area. Enemy losses are 50000 men and 300 tanks this sector. Our losses are about 9500 men and 130 panzers.

[Commanderski]

I had all parameters on 110 until turn 65 or so. I was advancing in Caucasus area. Then I noticed how computer teleported fresh fully supplied divisions in areas where supply would realistically be impossible. I had a working railnet and yet I had supply problems. Soviets didn't have even a mountain trail and they could teleport fullstregth tank corps over the mountains. How could you supply 200000 man army over Caucasus mountains? The immersion of a realistic wargame was gone. It was so unrealistic and frustrating, I almost quit playing.

I rarely get that far as I usually change my strategy or an update comes in that I want to use...[:)]

With the losses you are inflicting did you try to pocket more or push your way through?

[Jukipo]

Turn 107
July 4th, 1943

XXXXVII PzK was assaulting Voronezh. We took heavy losses, over 3000 men. Luftwaffe shot down about 240 enemy aircrafts during the battle.

There have been more enemy fighters over the frontline in the last weeks. Our air combat losses were 61 planes this week. The enemy air combat losses were 602 planes.

[Jukipo]

With the losses you are inflicting did you try to pocket more or push your way through?

It's kind of mix I think. I try to pocket if I can. I also attack weak formations with force to make them rout or shatter. I try to keep the loss ratio as high as possible, so I can win the attrition war. It's slowly working, Soviets are not getting as much replacements in 1943.

I try to follow historical route in my game. My objectives were Leningrad, Moscow and Rostov in 1941. Casucaus and Baku in 1942. I didn't want to win sudden victory in June 1943, because I think Stalin would not have surrendered in similar situation.

[Jukipo]

Turn 108
July 11th, 1943

The battle of Voronezh continues.

[Jukipo]

Turn 108
July 11th, 1943

Stalingrad - Astrakhan sector

[Jukipo]

Turn 109
July 18th, 1943

Northern part of Stalingrad was captured. We managed to make a hole to the front line and drive through to the weakly defended city.

More enemy formations were surrounded this week.

Some of our infantry divisions have only 5000 men left. We are going to sent them to Axis Reserves to refit.

[Jukipo]

Turn 109
July 18th, 1943

Voronezh was captured.

The enemy is attacking near Lev Tolstoy. XXIV PzK was sent to the area for possible counter attack.

Another major enemy attack is going on in the south. Chertkovo is in danger.

[Jukipo]

Turn 109
July 18th, 1943

The enemy has formed a bridgehead over Volkhov river.

[Jukipo]

Turn 110
July 25th, 1943

OOB

[Jukipo]

Turn 110
July 25th, 1943