Stalin's fired, I'm in charge! III 1/2- Tullius (Soviet) vs Marquo (Axis)

[TulliusDetritus]

Klydon, "AP reserve"? LOL What's that? [8D] I'm living from hand to mouth, literally. Yes, I've got 60 APs each turn, but when I finally click on the end turn thing *poof*... gone, vanished...

76mm, the Germans are, will necessarily be weak in some parts of the front. There's no way he can cover all that frontline. Impossible. And you are indeed correct. He has to know that is his weakest spot. Anyway, I have no idea at all about the next winter offensive. The first blizzard is basically a thuggish thing, no sophistication at all. Brute force all over the place. Still, as long as he's got (and this is inevitable), weak spots, a thuggish approach is possibly valid. In other words, my current plan is basically along these lines: trash every [weak] single enemy unit in sight. And every single turn...

And let's see what the Good Lord will provide [8D]

[TulliusDetritus]

I'm going to need some of your kind help, by the way. How many infantry corps should I be building in let's say the first 6 months of 1943?

Should I concentrate them in offensive roles? That is, they only should defend key places?

Right now I have 16 such infantry corps. I don't think they can leave Moscow area (a defensive but key mission). Not to mention that reassigning them to other Armies HQs is way too expensive [;)]

[Klydon]

Well, given you are tapped out on APs, it doesn't sound like you are going to get a lot built. There are some other issues. First, how are you on support units? Corps buffed up by sapper regiments are a lot meaner than corps with nothing. If you don't have a store of sapper units now, I would get some started to give them time to skill up so they will be ready to go when you do start building corps. The other support unit that might be tasty could be to build some tank regiments. Same deal. Build them now and let them train up.

Honestly, given the weakness of the German army, I would be launching limited offensives to "ground and pound". You want your corps making attacks with artillery support, etc. He is not going to have a huge amount in reserve mode simply because he doesn't have enough for it.

Your army is big enough (enough counters) so you don't really need to build a pile of new units. Just keep what you have to a point. I would say shoot for a minimum of 3 corps a turn, but no more than 4 a turn. (Will need to build support for those, so each corps actually cost a minimum of 13 points each).

Getting a pool of AP's gives the Russians a chance for some tactical surprises. How? Well, in a sector where the Germans might be facing a line of infantry divisions that can't put a lot of pressure on the line, the Russians come through and blow 100 AP to get 10 Corps built, transfers in 3 support each, and all of a sudden, the Germans are faced with a situation where the Russians can now concentrate their forces to slug their way through a line.

You need to grind, grind, grind imo.

[76mm]

I don't think you've shown us your unit density, but with that long front, and only 6+ million men, you must be spread pretty thin as well?

If so, personally I wouldn't build many corps at this point, maybe one or two per turn, until you get to 7 million men, along with one or two divisions to get your unit count up--just building corps without new divs will really thin out your line... And as many artillery divisions as you can. And I totally agree with Klydon re the sapper units.

[smokindave34]

I agree with Klydon. In my game with Q-ball (which is now into August '43) I was too timid in my attacks early in '43. You have to start attacking the axis units anywhere you can during the winter of '42/'43. Start draining his replacement pool now - this will pay big dividends late in '43 when the initiative fully swings your way. Also, your opponent is very low on armor (Q-ball had 5500 AFV's in July '43 and I have finally ground him down to 5000) so you should be able to use that to your advantage as he won't be able to commit strong panzer divisions to reserve duty.

Also, remember that the axis can still pack a punch at this point in the war. You will find instances where you may be able to cut off a few of his units. My advice would be don't do it unless you are absolutely certain you can hold the pocket through your opponents turn. You will soon have some strong guards rifle and tanks corps and you will be tempted to overextend them. Just focus on building morale/experience - you absolutely don't want to get them cut off and have them surrender. You will have plenty of time for encirclements and mass breakthroughs in '44.....

[randallw]

Think of a cavalry unit as being about 2/5ths the value of a rifle unit of same size type.

Concerning the rifle unit total you have about 380 divisions worth; a good target might be about 450, which will be a high AP expenditure, not to mention manpower and equipment absorption. The 18 tank corps is small too, as about 40 would be a good number. Again, APs, manpower, and equipment.

[TulliusDetritus]

Thanks for the kind help, advices [:)]

From what Randall has said, I should be getting to 450 rifle divisions, therefore I need to buy 70. Until the end of the year I can buy almost 30 rifle divisions (4 per turn).

Klydon, as I have said, I am living from hand to mouth, not enough APs [:(] The consequence of the summer campaign? Loss of lots of counters. I must replace them first or I don't think I will get anywhere. Therefore I could not focus on buying support units, creating more corps (especially cavalry). In fact the air force has been ignored as well, NO good commanders could be appointed for fronts, etc. Simply put, the APs were only good to keep the head above the water...

I am not sure this is about right (in fact it has to be wrong). I am literally struggling to get what the Red Army actually HAD. And I don't think I will do it, not even close (and especially in time, and time is essential if I want to get to the Reich).

So once I have bought enough rifle divisions I will start buying the Corps and support units: in theory like 3 per turn (I mean corps + SUs). 12 per month, 36 per trimester, 72 in half a year.

smokindave34, I must attack this winter yes or yes. If I don't do that I'd better give up right now: the current frontline in spring 1943 is catastrophic... If I can have two units stacks (and I am not counting the corps, which are available) along the whole line, an offensive is possible. No matter the fortification level, a German regiment generally cannot resist the attack of 4 rifle divisions. Therefore, there must be lots of potential victims. And yes, I know this is not about big breakthroughs. The Red Army cannot afford this kind of war as yet.

[Klydon]

If you decide to build rifle divisions and then some rifle corps, I would not use the new formations to form the corps. Put them in the line and pull some of your veteran units out and use those instead. The rifle corps that you form from such units will be a lot further ahead than just using green troops to form one up.

[M60A3TTS]

Don't forget the artillery divisions.

[TulliusDetritus]

Buy buy buy buy! LOL Have you guys heard of the economic crisis? [8D]

Ok, you leave me no choice... please, give me your wallets, watches, rings and socks!



Yes, I have to use the veteran formations to form the Rifle Corps. Sound advice, thank you [:)] I am already buying Artillery Divisions.

[Walloc]

I have a feeling TD would have liked a historical reinforcement schedule.. [:D]
 
Smiles,
 
Rasmus

[TulliusDetritus]

ORIGINAL: Walloc

I have a feeling TD would have liked a historical reinforcement schedule.. [:D]

Smiles,

Rasmus

Nah

As you can see, attacks should really be possible. I have chosen a small portion of the front, early november. NE Stalingrad: Marquo had boldly sent the poor hungarians to meet the unkown. Didn't he know I have gathered in this area tank armies and cavalry corps? In the middle of that formation there was a German unit... as if that was going to save them! Needless to say the Germans were trashed as well [8D] 9 retreats, 1 held (in fact 3, the same hungarian unit held three attacks).

[CarnageINC]

Hey TD!  Its good to see you around the forum again [;)].  Looks like quite the battle your facing, good luck sir.

[TulliusDetritus]

The good (or funny) thing is that he had panzer units in the vicinity... but I suspect they turned southwards... which leaves his trashed units in the north rather defenseless...

I will let him advance if he wants to... retreating my forces to the two flanks, ral lines that is. Empty space, no rail line. He is not going anywhere unless he takes the rail line in the east (Astrakhan) or the one in the west, both defended...

Hey Carnage, yes, it has been a tough struggle. Still, given that this is virgin territory (I never got to these dates), let's see where we are are in spring [:)]

[TulliusDetritus]

In the south I should be planning this:

[TulliusDetritus]

In fact his whole position lies on two rail lines... not that far. Should I be able to advance 4 or 5 hexes, I might succeed

Or, the threat alone might invite him to sort of retreat. Or reinforce that part of the front, of course.

[Schmart]

You need to find the weak spots in his front, but I like the idea of massing your armour in the sentre (Saratov). Use them to drive a giant wedge west into his lines. This will unhinge his positions north and south of the wedge. Secondary offensives just east of Rostov (driving north) and east of Moscow (driving south) should make his positions completely untenable. He will either retreat, or you will destroy those fronts piece-meal.

[TulliusDetritus]

Schmart, yes, I indeed have to attack these weak spots. Anyway, attacking from Moscow should be harder, as that is where he is more strong. Now on the last 3, 4 turns he has started pulling back his forces but he was massing both infantry and armored forces.

Moscow area. As you can see he is adjacent to West and North Moscow hexes. But of course I have one Guards Rifle Corps in each hex.

In theory I should be pulling back part of these Rifle Corps and use them to trash his forces in the aforementioned weak spot (no matter the command penalties, as I cannot afford to reassign them to other HQs [;)]). We will see.

During the summer the area was a miasma of sh*t. A command chaos. Now it's 100% fixed at the frontline at least. No command penalties, no overloaded armies.

[TulliusDetritus]

This is how the front looks like. The north. You can see the tank brigades gathered around Yaroslav. No APs = no more tank corps [:(]

[TulliusDetritus]

The center