A look at Barbarossa. (AAR)

[Red Prince]

ORIGINAL: gridley

Thanks Orm and Red Prince for this AAR.

You have highlighted a concern of mine though with your Finns. When we have the whole board in front of us it is easy to see the whole front...meaning it is harder to forget to move the Finns in your example. Not to say it doesn't happen with the board but I think there will be a lot more missed moves with MWiF just looking at a screen. Oh well, I'll just hope my opponent misses more than me.[;)] Anyway, I'm sure it's something us boardgamers will get used to in time.

Well, as to your first point, I'll admit there is some potential to forget units. However, the Main Form has Next/Previous unit arrows that can be used to move to the next selectable unit. I usually use these as an easy way to keep from forgetting anything. In fact, there were a few problems with Vichy units being 'forgotten' by the game earlier. They have been fixed, though, and in one of my test games I'm checking to see that the fix is complete. I think this won't be a problem very often.

In this case, the reason I forgot has nothing to do with the game itself. MWiF was fine. I was sleeping. [>:] Actually, I was putting together screenshots for this thread and just forgot to go back and move my Finnish troops. Minor Oops.

How are you two playing one another, swapping save files?

Yes. Orm has been working on the Hot-Seat mode for some time, now. A few weeks ago he made a few save games for me from the work he was doing so I could take a few screenshots for the Players Manual that required a Hot-Seat game.

So, we briefly discussed which rules to use, and he set up a Hot-Seat Barbarossa scenario. We're playing a full impulse at a time, using our judgement concerning Defensive Ground Support and interceptions for the other side. At the start of the next impulse, we make a save and send it out. I describe this as a "make-shift" PBEM game, since neither PBEM or NetPlay is quite ready for this level of play. If you trust your opponent (or if you don't care if he cheats [:)] ), it's a viable solution for the time being.

I can't really speak for him, but I think there were three reasons that Orm suggested we start this game and post the AAR:
1. There are only so many times you can play against yourself without just doing the same thing over and over again, so getting input from another person improves both testing and fun.
2. Forum members have asked, on occasion, how far along the game is. The questions tend to be things like: can a full game be played? It's hard to answer strictly in words, because there isn't much detail in just saying, "Yes", when it's also well known that there are still bugs to be fixed. So, in showing you this Barbarossa, we can let you see exactly how deep into a game we can get, and how well it plays. (Not to mention how cool it looks!)
3. It's fun. What more needs to be said? [;)]

[Centuur]

So, you're having fun... I would like to have some fun with it too... [8|]  Well, I'll watch you going trashing each other in this Barbarossa game. Personally I hope that you don't encounter any bugs... Would be very nice for Steve to get this result...

[Orm]

The USSR forces are retreating but the mud makes it a crawl backwards. Here is a picture of the central front. The German mechanized corps in Pskov was a tempting target but with the weather so bad I decided to leave it alone.

Due to the bad weather there was no impulse 6. It went straight from impulse 5 to 7.


Picture taken at the end of Allied impulse #7, May/Jun 1941

[Orm]

The Soviet Forces fall back 1 more hex. Due to the weather withdrawing more would disorganize part of the army.

No action on the north front except that by now 2 USSR factories have been railed to Murmansk since The Commander in Chief USSR Forces has decided Murmansk to be safe a safe haven from the Axis troops. He is also confident that the Western Allies will deliver the resources to Murmansk for that they have promised. Another factory has been railed to the oil fields in Baku.

Picture taken at the end of Allied impulse #7, May/Jun 1941

[brian brian]

I would have smashed the 'bait' ... IF there was another fast unit underneath the 4th GD MECH that could participate in the attack, for sure, almost an auto victory. With only the 4th GD MECH, you would still have 5-1 +1 on the 1d10 (I think, it's been awhile... +13 on 2d10), still pretty tempting to turn that into the 3rd Banner Army MECH. This would partially weaken the flank of Vitebesk, but that same flank is covered by a river line, so that would be OK.

Pskov is an infinitely better defensive position than Novogrod, though of course the Russians are hobbled by the set-up rules in the Barbarossa scenario.

In the far north, I would have taken the 3-1 possible on Murmansk, pure gold for the Axis with a win there in a campaign game, just one more city hex in this scenario. It is a common Russian mistake to forget that without the Finns on the map, all of them can be set up to take a shot at Murmansk on the DOW impulse.


Edit: Murmansk is an even juicier target when disorganized Reserves deploy there, giving the attacker even better chances.

[Orm]

ORIGINAL: brian brian

I would have smashed the 'bait' ... IF there was another fast unit underneath the 4th GD MECH that could participate in the attack, for sure, almost an auto victory. With only the 4th GD MECH, you would still have 5-1 +1 on the 1d10 (I think, it's been awhile... +13 on 2d10), still pretty tempting to turn that into the 3rd Banner Army MECH. This would partially weaken the flank of Vitebesk, but that same flank is covered by a river line, so that would be OK.

Pskov is an infinitely better defensive position than Novogrod, though of course the Russians are hobbled by the set-up rules in the Barbarossa scenario.

In the far north, I would have taken the 3-1 possible on Murmansk, pure gold for the Axis with a win there in a campaign game, just one more city hex in this scenario. It is a common Russian mistake to forget that without the Finns on the map, all of them can be set up to take a shot at Murmansk on the DOW impulse.


Edit: Murmansk is an even juicier target when disorganized Reserves deploy there, giving the attacker even better chances.

Unfortunately I lack fast units. And the 3-2 AT would have been stuck in an bad place and abandoned. I had no other unit available than the 4th GD. And since I picked which optional rules we play with there would have been no guard banner army if the battle had been won. Besides. With so few regular corps in defence for the central front I felt that the 4th GD was needed there.

Edit: I didn't feel I had any units to spare to defend Pskov. I didn't really had any for Novgorod either but I railed the Ski division there so Red Prince could not just take it with an out of supply units like he captured Pskov. If I had just placed that division in Pskov it would in no real way had defended Pskov. I am gambling on that he will not have time enough to actually attack Novgorod (this turn).

Picture of Pskov area at the beginning of Allied land movement of Allied impulse #7, May/Jun 1941

[Red Prince]

It seems that things are looking up. My soldiers' prayers paid off, and it looks like Fine weather for the continued German offensive. I spent quite a while being tempted by my O-Chit, but I think I can do what I want without using it.

On the Northern Front, the XLVIII Armored Corps reinforces Pskov. It is now out of supply, but now that it's the 9th impulse of the turn, I don't expect to get much more use out of it. Besides, the face of the Northern Front is changing: Mannerheim, having gotten word that Murmansk is attempting to become an industrial center, is leading a force into Karelia for the purpose of disrupting the rail lines to the northern port. Estonia is now in German hands, and with the Finnish troops bolting for the back way around Leningrad and Novgorod, the Front is beginning to stabilize.


Picture taken during Land Movement of Axis impulse #9, May/Jun 1941

[Red Prince]

At Minsk I have been given a free ride by the retreating Russian Army. This 7:1 attack should work out well.

Picture taken during Land Combat Declaration of Axis impulse #9, May/Jun 1941

[Red Prince]

In the Ukraine, I'm hoping that I can punch through the center of the line. It's a risky 40:16 (2:1) attack, but Rundstedt is waiting nearby to reorganize whoever survives. Odessa, finally at my feet, is a 3:1 attack led by the (expendable) Rumanian Army.
-----
Edit: Again, I've forgotten about Defensive Ground Support. [:@] When it came time to commit for offensive, I realized I had to use my Stuka. I didn't want to, because I can't cover him with FTR, and the USSR could bring 2 FTR to the fight. However, I'd missed the nearby LND, and so I have to commit mine, just for the chance to change the odds to 45:19 (and keep a shot at 3:1 with Fractional Odds).

Also, it's dinner time here, so I'll get to the actual combat in an hour or so. To be continued . . .


Picture taken during Land Combat Declaration of Axis impulse #9, May/Jun 1941

[Red Prince]

I'm having issues with my wireless, I'm afraid. I'll post the rest of the impulse in the morning.

[brian brian]

thanks guys! always fun to kibbitz over someone else's game...

I'm guessing Steve is worrying over that Russian FTR in Vitebesk and it's blank units-in-hex display?

[Orm]

ORIGINAL: brian brian

thanks guys! always fun to kibbitz over someone else's game...

I'm guessing Steve is worrying over that Russian FTR in Vitebesk and it's blank units-in-hex display?

It is not a blank units-in-hex display. There is only one unit there, the FTR. You see part of the factory symbol. It marks that there previously was a factory in that hex but that it has now railed away. Here is a picture of it that I removed the units from so the factories show better.

[Joseignacio]

F*ck! I forgot that...[:o]

[Joseignacio]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

As a Russian, I wouldn't fall for the bait... [:-]

I would. As far as I see it the mech and the other russian unit should be enough to kill the german mech, and the zoc downstairs, along with the woods close to the russian armor protects from too much risk to the stack. Besides, the climate seems to worsen...

On second thought maybe not, after the russian commented his situation...

[Red Prince]

Okay, folks. I'm back online (for the time being), so here's what happened with my attacks:

Minsk, defended by a single out-of-supply CAV, folded to my awe-inspiringly dominating forces!!! Oops, got carried away, there [:D]

The assault on Odessa left the Rumanians (and a few Nazis) disorganized (-/1S result), but converting the 'Shatter' result to a 'Retreat' result instead meant that both the 62st Soviet Garrison Reserves and the 3rd Cavalry Reserves will no longer trouble my trek across the steppes (for a few turns, anyway).

North of Odessa, after an attempt to intercept my Stuka failed, and after both sides made an attempt to kill off some LND firepower with AA, the final odds were 43:18. That's a 2:1 Assault (I had to check the rules, but I forgot that I needed more ARM to choose the table, and I had an ARM and a MECH, while he had an ARM -- MECH only count if the enemy has no ARM), with a little less than a 40% chance to be 3:1. Either way, it was not a good bet, but I was starting to feel a little happier when I got that 40% on the Fractional Odds roll. I started dreaming of a high roll that would let me Shatter his units out of the way.

And I didn't get it. Turns out this was less than intelligent, as attacks go. Not only did I fail to kill any Russians, but I lost my Heavy AA division, too. It was either that or an 8-4 INF (white print), and I prefer to keep the higher mobility and all-purpose attack factors available. I'll just have to let the Luftwaffe deal with enemy bombers.

My mistakes on this attack:

• I forgot about Defensive Ground Support
• I didn't use the right units to let me choose the CRT
• I really shouldn't have tried it in the first place, I guess (I figured the end of the turn would come soon, and if I got lucky, there would be a nice big hole to drive through during the July/August sun. Oh, well.

So, it was left to Rundstedt to try to repair the damage. He did his best, recharging supplies and morale for the 4 units that remained from that disastrous attack. He should have had them all shot!

In the north, von Leeb reorganized the XL Mechanized Corps and the LXII INfantry to help reinforce the Baltics, while one of the Panzer groups made its way south, transfered to Rundstedt's offensive.

I'll post the current battlefield in a few minutes.

[Red Prince]

Finnish Borderlands:

All I have left is the northern hexes, and then Finland is complete once again. Here you can see the mouth-watering targets the 2nd Ski Division can hope for:


Picture taken at the end of Axis impulse #9, May/Jun 1941

[Red Prince]

Poland and the Baltics:

You can see the Panzer group moving south. It's fast, and should be on the frontline in 2 more impulses. Yes, this means it isn't getting used in the meantime, but I realized I had set up to try to make large gains on both fronts, and that just isn't practical. I think I've moved up far enough for the time being in the North. I still have useful troops there, and if I can get these units into the fight by July/August, I can still get some very good use out of them yet.


Picture taken at the end of Axis impulse #9, May/Jun 1941

[Red Prince]

The Ukraine:

And, finally, the Southern Front. Again, I've shown where those Panzers are. They might have been farther from the front lines if it hadn't been for the disaster, but then they might not have been needed. Here you can also see that I'm not really brilliant with my Artillery units. I haven't quite figured out yet how to account for their slow movement. Well, I guess they'll have a little time to catch up now.


Picture taken at the end of Axis impulse #9, May/Jun 1941

[Red Prince]

Here's an overview of the entire battle zone. It shows what lies ahead, if I can break through the lines somewhere -- anywhere. These cities are going to start getting filled up soon. I really need to make some progress during this turn and the next, or I'm not likely to get very far at all.
-----
Edit: The current Victory Totals stand at 32-10 in Orm's favor.

Picture taken at the end of Axis impulse #9, May/Jun 1941

[composer99]

I wonder if Orm will also risk a late-turn attack to try and smash a German spearhead if he can set up a blitz somehwere.