FITE Chambers vs Fulkerson

[Silvanski]

ORIGINAL: Zorchi

Since larry didn't manage to capture any of the major objectives by the 48h turn things were bound to change in favour of curt......

Now the only thing left is straightening lines in hopes of prolonged agonising fight, leapfroging fronts back to berlin...

It sure would be interesting to see a FITE bout go beyond 1942

[Zorchi]

The problem is, we know the effort is lost. Sure id like to see the whole 42 and even 43 as heavy tanks start pouring in as reinf...most fite games end before any tigers and panthers start roaming the steppes. The question is, will curt and larry see enough fun in that drive to berlin to invest massive amounts of time to play the game to its bitter end or will they just quit and start a new one...

My guess is probably not as the game is getting unbalanced after turn 48. They should make some house rules to restrain soviets in some way. Perhaps some battle rules that would hinder soviets or inflict more casualties to them, like only frontal attacks and no explicit flanking attacks(turns 50-150), +no arty support in exploitation of the breach that was made the same turn, putting say 20% of airforce to rest at turn 100 and 40% at turn 150, etc. ... Only your imagination and willingnes to do it is the limit.

At least the arty part is not too unhistoric, as although the soviets did manage to grasp the usage of combined arms, the timing of operational procedures involved in massive operations was frequently off sync even at the end of ww2.

From designers perspective, id like to see TO to force japan into the war with the soviets in manchuria instead of attacking pearl harbour. This would have the effect of hampering the soviet reinforcements. This TO would appear say in october if axis progress would not be sufficient and would disappear on 7.12. After that the TO should still offer direct soviet confrontation with japan but in ever less significant manner as americans would start shredding japans resources. It depends on play testing but the soviets should have the TO option of more american equipment shipments and subsequently say +2 force supply on soviet side. And if moscow falls imminent american entrance to war (in addition to turkey on axis). This would result in say 4-8 turn delay with which manchurian divisons would be freed and reinf would increase to levels which are say at the soviet turn 60(with moscow fallen afcourse).

Needles to say this would be a map for pro soviet players as the conditions would be quite stringent in order to win as soviets.

[Da_Huge_D]

Update? Larry?

[larryfulkerson]

I shipped some reserves into the Leningrad area and managed to seal off the holes for this turn at least. Here's the Leningrad situation as it exists after Axis turn 58. So far so good. The Soviets are still pushing to the south and I expect another hole to open momentarily.

[larryfulkerson]

The site of the red arrow in the picture below is the site where the Soviets have been pushing the Romanians northward. I expect that they will open a hole in the next Soviet turn.

[larryfulkerson]

Hitler says that the drive on Stalingrad will be postponed until better conditions in 1942, or at least until this Soviet winter offensive is ongoing. Here's the two Soviet driving forces trying to meet in the middle and pinch off some Axis assets to kill.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's an abbreviated picture of the Axis turn 58 losses so far:

[Raindem]

Soviet Offensive, Update Turn 59 -

Although it may not seem like it from Larry's perspective, my offensive is starting to peter out.  On the Leningrad front my river crossings have utterly failed.  And without a threat into the German rear my frontal attacks to the east of there were doomed as well.  I made a few small gains immediately south of Leningrad but I didn't even come close to re-establishing the rail link, which was my original objective.

In the south the situation is not as ominous as it appears for Larry.  He has successfully halted my northern drive from Rostov, and the northern pincer never did gain traction.  On Turn 58 I committed my armored reserve just to try and make something happen.  The best I could muster was a miniscule encirclement of some Axis minors that were left stranded on the east bank of the Don.

I'll be attacking in places for a few more turns just to straighten out the line.  But the drama is over.  Larry has survived to Soviet winter counteroffensive.

[larryfulkerson]

The Soviets are on the move in the area of front lines south of Murmansk. Here's a shot showing how the Soviets have encircled a Finnish regiment and are probably going to kill it before I can save it from destruction.

[larryfulkerson]

In the Murmansk area itself the Soviets are outflanking the Axis defenders with some mysterious unit(s) and I think I'm going to have to break down one of the units into smaller units and go deal with the outflankers sometime soon.

[larryfulkerson]

The Soviets have awakened the sleeping defenders to the northeast of Leningrad with their pushing to the north, their outflanking attempts, and outright attacks. This area was formally quiet and a sleepy corner of the war but now it's front page news.

[larryfulkerson]

The Soviet winter offensive has pushed back the front lines I had established to what they are now. Axis forces were mauled and several divisions are now skeletons and have only an HQ unit in them. The HRS's on hand is only 38 now and it's going to take dozens of turns to build the divisions again.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's the moves minimap movie from turns 56 throu 60 showing the front lines collapsing in the deep south:

[larryfulkerson]

Curt has enough units that he can hold back some for reserves which makes his front lines nearly impenetratable and I have put together a picture of the front lines that you can find here:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/uj5mwbkjt ... urn 65.GIF

So I'm kind of at a loss as to where to attack and even what my next strategic move should be.  I'm open to suggestions from anybody willing to profess one.

[Karri]

Leningrad...

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: Karri
Leningrad...

Thanks Karri. But I've slept on it and have come up with my own plans for the conquest of Russia. I've put together a picture of my plans and needless to say it's CLASSIFIED to Curt until after turn 80 or so. I've attached the plans so the non-Curts can peruse it easily. I've designated the immediate objectives in the green circles and the axis of proposed advance by the green arrows.

[larryfulkerson]

As you can see from the picture below the Soviets have the advantage of air power. It's only a matter of time before Axis planes will have to concentrate themselves in only one area for self-protection else they will risk certain destruction. Either that or I'll have to pull them back to Berlin entirely. I'm playing it by ear at this point.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's what remains of the 3rd Romanian Army after the Soviet Winter '41 offensive:

[larryfulkerson]

I blasted a couple of holes in the front lines near Leningrad but the Soviet still own the rail junction I wanted to get. Maybe next turn.

[larryfulkerson]

Hey you guys: quick question: Are 1941 partisans supposed to show up after 1941 ( it's Feb. 1942 right now )? Well, maybe he's a partisan that showed up last Dec. but I'm just now finding him ????