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Western front

Tired troops and poor entrenchments make this a potential danger zone. However as the Bryansk front comes online, the Western front can contract and cover less territory more deeply.

Bryansk front

Newly created, this front will fall back from southwest to northeast, helping the Western front.

Southwestern front

The river is forded and we will have to start falling back.

Southern front

He may just be able to reach Rostov before mud.

Crimea

Very low priority. I don't want too many troops here that can be put to good use elsewhere.

Sapper battalions are ok, but I would rather disband them and have half as many sapper regiments to be honest. (Although I do form a pile of sapper regiments during 1941 for use later during the winter counter offensive and to use with Cav Corps).

One thing missing from your armies (or you didn't mention it) is you want to put some RR construction brigades in them to help your guys dig in better. I usually run 2-3 per army.

I would consider leaving about an army in Leningrad behind the river. Need to get that port hex on the western shore of Lake Ladoga fortified in a hurry, but you need to look at delaying him as much as possible. Make him spend several turns trying to reduce Leningrad if you don't really intend to fight for it. The reason you would want to do this is if you just "give" it to him, he will have a chance to take it on the run and keep going with his attack with several good turns of weather left.

Hopefully you have your industry out of Leningrad and also have been moving it in the south. The Germans are not exactly advancing at a lighting quick pace, but their advance has been steady and they have been playing "meat grinder" on your army, chewing up as many of your units as they can.

Turn 11, 8/28/1941

The reason for the SU unit structure is to use what is already available. For the first 17 turns there simply isn't time to create new units and train them. So we have to distribute what we have. And experience is always at a premium for the Soviets. RR construction units, the few we have, are in Front HQs.

Leningrad

Leningrad is surrounded, but not isolated. It is completely void of industry and lightly held by a few divisions and brigades.

Western Front

The western front is looking better and better. I don't think he will reach Moscow.

Southwest

We run the risk of delaying one more turn. Hopefully there will be no large pockets.

South

Panzers in the Crimea? Yes please.

ORIGINAL: sveint

Turn 11, 8/28/1941

The reason for the SU unit structure is to use what is already available. For the first 17 turns there simply isn't time to create new units and train them. So we have to distribute what we have. And experience is always at a premium for the Soviets. RR construction units, the few we have, are in Front HQs.

Two points on this.

First, that new support units need time to gain experience and fill out is exactly why you want to form them fairly early. This way they will be that much better when it comes time to mounting your winter counter offensive against likely dug in Germans and also be available to go into any Cav Corps you decide to form. (talking mostly sappers here). Don't get me wrong; there is such a thing as overdoing it, but not to build any or extremely few is not good at all either.

The second is one of the things the Russians need to do at every single turn they can is dig in. Many of these newly mobilized/rebuilt/destroyed shells do not have much of a construction factor, yet you need them in the line digging. One of the ways you can help with that is to have support units that do have a good construction value available that help them out. That means RR brigades and also sappers. Both have advantages in that the sappers also help in combat (but can be destroyed) while the RR brigades are safe from destruction when it comes to digging from what I have seen.

One final observation from the cheap seats; Empire101 appears to be a inexperienced Axis player. He isn't pushing you as hard as a lot of Axis players you could face in a game. I have no doubt in his next game he will do better, but my point is that while you got away with not using every opportunity to dig in against this particular Axis player, you may not be as lucky depending on who you get as the next Axis player.

Thanks Klydon, I appreciate every opportunity to learn. I'll try to distribute at least one RR unit and maybe more sappers to Army HQs next turn.

And yes I'd say both players are slightly inexperienced. Makes for a good fun game. This is my first non-AI game and by far the one that has advanced the furthest.

Industry: so far we have only lost one city, I think perhaps 4 Armament and 4 HI or thereabouts.

Turn 12, 9/4/1941

A few pockets are made, but overall the defense holds.

Leningrad

Moscow fronts

Bryansk front

Southwest front

As expected, a breakthrough. But it's not pushed too hard: no pockets yet.

Southern front

All quiet.

Crimea

Crimea is abandoned to strong Germans forces.

Turn 13, 9/11/1941

Not much happening. Leningrad is isolated with 6 brigades and 1 division.

Leningrad