Case Blue: Blind Sniper (Axis) vs Krupp_88mm (Soviet)

[Keunert]

i think you had extremely bad luck to lose your panzer unit. would you mind giving some more info how this happened? what was your loss acceptance? the best i managed was to push back axis units, but your Panzer wasn't even surrounded?? did it surrender while retreating?

my soviet units in this sector have suffered massive ap and combat penalties so far.

[abulbulian]

Why does lone artillery fight so well? Earlier in your post you mentioned this strange feature and to never attack it without an arty barrage or air strike. But you didn't explain why. Is this a bug or problem in the game mechanics that needs to be fixed? In theory it should be much easier to overrun such units with tanks and or masses of infantry.

[Blind Sniper]

Heavy rain here, I can continue to play [:'(]

Can I ask how you're using Hungarians and other Axis minors? I'm interested because my Minors have taken some casualties in my game, and as a result their Spirit has gone down 1-2%. Do you avoid attacking with Axis Minors?

At the moment they play a difensive role but the armored divisions that are good enough, I'm playing card to boost their morale.

i think you had extremely bad luck to lose your panzer unit. would you mind giving some more info how this happened? what was your loss acceptance? the best i managed was to push back axis units, but your Panzer wasn't even surrounded?? did it surrender while retreating?

He attacked my weakest point, a lonely regiment unit with Nebel as support that withdrew, then he surrounded the panzer units and attacked the regiments with everything, art, air and a massive amount of units, they lost the combat and no space left to retreat...
Good move by him because even if has been costly for both is a Russian victory anyway.

my soviet units in this sector have suffered massive ap and combat penalties so far.

I think the luck is rather important for the Soviet, huge penalty in the first turn in the key sectors and you are toast, if he is free to move can withdraw and able to counterattack like Krupp.

[Blind Sniper]

Why does lone artillery fight so well? Earlier in your post you mentioned this strange feature and to never attack it without an arty barrage or air strike. But you didn't explain why. Is this a bug or problem in the game mechanics that needs to be fixed? In theory it should be much easier to overrun such units with tanks and or masses of infantry.

Because it has several infantry subunits but they shoud not fight so well, I don't know if is a bug or works as intended.
Basically if a full division attack it should be retreat and not stand even if well entrenched, imho.

Anyhow it happens agains but this time with a AT unit, low ent value in the plains & fields, readiness around 70 (?) and only 20 AT guns left, no infantry or other type of guns in the unit, only these two subunit and stop.
Well, it repulsed a whole infantry regiment without a single loss, about 2400 men and 25 guns (I lost 100 men), if I remember correctly I attacked this unit with 60 APs left.
Ok, another reggiment, same target but this time I destroyed it.

The kind of units are too strong for my taste, but it is only my personal sensation after some turn played, too early to tell if is only bad luck or something wrong.

[Blind Sniper]

A little revenge at least! [:D]

The regiments surrounded are free!
These troops have been able to hold against the odds, this heroic action give the chance at the German corps to enclose and then destroy the enemy, around 9-10 enemy units have been wiped out from the map.
The enemy has been pushed behind the river.

[abulbulian]

I've posted a thread about how to determine if your units will be able to attack after they move. I've trying to determine an approach that will help me in moving the right units (APs left) in position where I want to attack. It's happened a few times I've guessed wrong and moved a unit and it could not attack due to insufficient APs. Knowing the sufficient APs to still attack is my holy grail. In hind-sight it's a move I would want back because I planned to attack with it after the move.

Thanks for any advice. Nice AAR. [:)]

[Keunert]

He was able to kill two of your 11th Panzer regiments?

[Blind Sniper]

Thanks Abulbulian [:)]

Knowing the sufficient APs to still attack is my holy grail. In hind-sight it's a move I would want back because I planned to attack with it after the move.

I think until you have enough points to enter an hypothetical hex you can attack, therefore if you have a unit with 100 APs and want to attack an enemy unit two hexes away and one hex (all terrain are plains) at the start of the turn was occupied by the enemy you have to pay 25 for the first, 40 for the second (enemy ZOC) and you still have 35 AP to attack the enemy, I think will be three rounds of combat.

[Blind Sniper]

ORIGINAL: Keunert

He was able to kill two of your 11th Panzer regiments?

Yup, are you kidding me? [:'(][:D]

[Blind Sniper]

In this sector he managed to push back the 16th Panzer, another situation where lonely unit can be repulsed if heavily attacked, this guy is defending every inch of the of mother Russia. [:)]

He is using the 9th Army like a carpet, this defence surely will eat my AP but not all these units are in good shape.

[Keunert]

[8D]

no sorry, this Pony makes me feel like an idiot.

[Blind Sniper]

I'm trying to cut is carpet and pocket another 5-6 units, I attacked a big stack with LBs to reduce their readiness, this time I don't want another cutoff spearhead, 16th Panzer takes a break.

The unit on the hills will be in trouble If I can get Lisitchansk and its bridge, again no direct attack on them.

Anyhow I changed my tactic, no more front line hexes with a single unit, always two or more; surely my advance will be more slow but the enemy counterattack will be costly as well.

I need more infantry here therefore the 340th Division under 4th Panzer Army will join the XI Corps.

[Blind Sniper]

A few enemy units destroyed and a solid bridgehead.
56th Soviet Army seems very strong, Rostov will not a esay affair.

[Blind Sniper]

Here you can see the partisan activity behind my lines, I hope to destroy it next turn.

[Blind Sniper]

Erich von Manstein plays Gamble, wonderful card! [8D]

[Blind Sniper]

This time the Soviet has been able to hold the position but lost a lot of men.

Another +4 XP for the 46th Division, they are training hard.

No hurry.

[Blind Sniper]

PP: 23 left

Losses
German
Infantry: 18900
Tank: 255 !!!
Gun: 220
Air: 80

Russian
Infantry: 84000
Tank: 340
Gun: 1025
Air: 160

Oil left: 40K

Be careful when you move your ships, they eat a lot of fuel especially when you move them without check the available ports [:-]

[rominet]

ORIGINAL: Blind Sniper
Losses
German
Infantry: 18900
Tank: 255 !!!
Gun: 220
Air: 80

Russian
Infantry: 84000
Tank: 340
Gun: 1025
Air: 160

Ouch [X(]
In 4 days only and before the soviet turn, rather high as losses report.
Thanks for AAR.[:)]

[Blind Sniper]

Ouch
In 4 days only and before the soviet turn, rather high as losses report.

Yes, he wants to fight for every hex therefore respect the other AAR the losses are very high.

I just opened the third turn, overall losses:
Russian: 91.300
German: 24.300

[Blind Sniper]

Again no good news for me!

Weather: Heavy precipation [:(]
Orders: same
Oil: +16600 [:)]
Replacements: very few respect the previous turns, now I think it will be the normal rate
Reinforcement unit: 13th Romanian Division