Stalin's in the gulag, I'm in charge! II - vs 2ndACR (Axis)

[TulliusDetritus]

76mm, these are the losses, etc. Don't forget I will be using Big Anorak's blizzard rule. But yes, the winter should be terrible the same Well, at least this is what I hope!

[Q-Ball]

You're in good shape, you lost lots of hexes, but that's no big deal.

I think your strategy was correct, in that taking Leningrad is priority #1 for the Axis. It is a big population and production center, and helps greatly in your defense by freeing the Finns.

As the game progresses, it's also important for defending Finland, which will become a priority for the Axis. The Finns are tough, but their achillies heel is pitifully low replacements. They can be ground down.

In 1944, the Axis can set the Finns up on the 3 hexes of the Neva River line. Finnish units in Heavy Urban and accross the Major Rivers will be very tough (though vulnerable in Winter...). Up North, there are several 4-hex wide chokepoints with good terrain that make an approach from that direction problematic for the Russians. It also doesn't get you closer to Vyborg, which is the main objective in 1944.

[cookie monster]

RR Brigades will work out of Stavka & Front HQ's.

It's probably better to have them work out of Stavka for flexibility for the First Winters gains.

I've had Stavka RR Brigades fixing rail by Baku! When Stavka was in Moscow.

So that's how much operational flexibility you get.

[TulliusDetritus]

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

You're in good shape, you lost lots of hexes, but that's no big deal.

I think your strategy was correct, in that taking Leningrad is priority #1 for the Axis. It is a big population and production center, and helps greatly in your defense by freeing the Finns.

As the game progresses, it's also important for defending Finland, which will become a priority for the Axis. The Finns are tough, but their achillies heel is pitifully low replacements. They can be ground down.

In 1944, the Axis can set the Finns up on the 3 hexes of the Neva River line. Finnish units in Heavy Urban and accross the Major Rivers will be very tough (though vulnerable in Winter...). Up North, there are several 4-hex wide chokepoints with good terrain that make an approach from that direction problematic for the Russians. It also doesn't get you closer to Vyborg, which is the main objective in 1944.

What I don't know is this: hadn't I reinforced the north and the center maybe 2ndACR would have concentrated more forces here and tried to grab Moscow or Leningrad (or both).

I only know what happened: a main thrust in the south (well, he kept Panzers in the north, but in a passive role, which should be a mistake per se). But was this his original plan? Or when he saw I massively reinforced the Leningrad and Moscow approaches maybe he was "invited" to advance towards a very weak south? In fact on my first AAR I had said this: I will ALWAYS use this strategy on the first 17 turns of the Grand Campaign. If I were to start a third game I would do exactly the same [:)] Now if that hypothetical 3rd opponent sends let's say the 80% of his armored forces to the south... I will simply concentrate forces there (as long as I 100% know Moscow and Leningrad are 100% safe). If it's not the case, then it will be a free ride for him. Simple as that [8D]

ORIGINAL: cookie monster
RR Brigades will work out of Stavka & Front HQ's.

It's probably better to have them work out of Stavka for flexibility for the First Winters gains.

I've had Stavka RR Brigades fixing rail by Baku! When Stavka was in Moscow.

So that's how much operational flexibility you get.

I didn't know that: the STAVKA thing. In fact I have only assigned support units to Armies, NOT to fronts. So during the mud there's going to be a massive reorganization. I am going to assign 3 or 4 RR Bdes to Front HQs and like 10 to Stavka [:)]

[cookie monster]

The Front attached RR Brigades only work there local area.

Stavka go 900 miles.

I fixed rail in my first game from Stalingrad to Poland, so I should know it by now.

[Klydon]

I don't know that I would attach so many rail repair guys to Stavka and the reason is that they serve a dual purpose with armies in helping to dig and in repairing rails. Stavka, they are only going to repair rails. Not saying don't assign a few there, but I would not go crazy with it.

As far as what his objectives were and what actually happen, that is something he did state, but we can't tell you. You are of course free to ask him and he might tell you. I will have comments on this at some point, but obviously can't here at the moment.

Right now, I think the Russians are going to hurt and abuse the Axis in the winter. Unless the Axis have a great 3 turns of snow and he manages to pull a rabbit out of the hat somehow, then I think the Axis are in deep, deep trouble.

[randallw]

Front HQs 'hold' a maximum of 3 construction units; anything above that they may run away and move up/down the command chain, unless you lock that HQ.
 
There's also a minimum amount that HQs like to have; Stavka requires none so those 10 you put there may run off to a Front HQ; Fronts attempt to collect and keep 15.
 
Collecting support units is like a little game in itself. [:D]

[TulliusDetritus]

Ok, there is a MASSIVE reorganization. Up north, the 7th and 23rd armies facing the Finnish have been attached to STAVKA itself.

[TulliusDetritus]

In Leningrad area his forces have retreated some hexes, behind the Luga River. His Panzers had taken this hexes when he charged like a bull in the center.

The case is now I am 2 hexes closer to Berlin! [:D] If he wants these hexes again he will need to dislodge me... mud... CV divided by 8... please go ahead...

I am also diverting most of the 49 Army (attached to STAVKA) to the south to cover the positions held by Northwest Front armies. There is a massive accordion movement. The turn will take time [:(]

[TulliusDetritus]

Now the Northwest Front is covering the area between the Lakes Ilmen and Selinger. Perhaps this front is too "short" [&:]

[TulliusDetritus]

Maybe I'm rather crazy but I am going to launch a small operation

Yes, mud next turn but I'd like to know who runs faster in the mud... German infantry (retreating to save their lives) or Soviet cavalry

I might bag 2 German infantry divisions... The place? The one which is way too empty: Voronezh area.

So I oficially start Operation "Watch Out, Monsters Under your Bed!"

Hmm, and if this operation does not work maybe he'd be diverting forces near Stalino to the threatened area...

[center][/center]

[Klydon]

It sort of depends on what your approach is with fronts/armies. In the past, I have had a tendency to make sure I don't overload fronts as I go along. That means I have a lot of armies in the line that are directly attached to Stavka, which is not necessarily a good thing.

I have not gotten a good feel on the difference between leaving fronts overloaded compared to those that are not.

Figure part of how much frontage a Front has with 3 armies full up (36 divisions) also depends on how much depth you are going with. A narrow front might be no more than 12 hexes wide (3 divisions per hex) or even narrower if you keep some reserves to switch out on tired units. (Probably no less than 9 hexes). If you go 2 divisions per hex, then you get a frontage of 18 hexes or so. Going longer, you could easily get into the mid 20's per front, especially if you do checker boards, etc.

Along with all this, it depends on where you are looking to launch a winter offensive. Personally, I like launching a heavy attack along that rail line just south of Lake Ilmen with Pskov as the target while also trying to launch an attack along the Gulf of Finland headed for the Narva river area. This will certainly get the attention of any Axis opponent since the only supply line would then be through the 1 hex opening just north of Pskov. Very handy to make the Germans back up from Leningrad. If you are planning something like that, then I would say NW Front is good on frontage.

[TulliusDetritus]

This is the half-ar** plan. I will possibly bring more hordes. The idea is that the units that cannot infiltrate will be next to German units, like leeches... So there should many units in the front line.

[TulliusDetritus]

Klydon, I haven't calculated the whole thing but I suspect not overloading fronts is almost impossible (at least on 1941). You can have Stavka armies between two fronts, right, but the boss in charge of this high command is not that good. And the distance... I think I will have 4 armies per front: 96 CP [:(] That will be the maximum.

The fronts will all of course be different. Since I concentrate my forces around the most dangerous units (Panzers), these places will have more units. The fronts which face only infantry can be lightly defended. So it all depends on the enemy forces. In other words, I don't like uniformity. I concentrate my hordes [:)]

[TulliusDetritus]

Ok, done. Well, I'd like to think it's 100% done but since I'm a sick bast*** I very much suspect I will end up bringing more hordes [8D]

[Mynok]

That will certainly put a crimp in his crumpets. [:D]

[Ketza]

He has a gone a steppe too far me thinks.

[Klydon]

ORIGINAL: Ketza

He has a gone a steppe too far me thinks.

Clever! Hehe

There is not enough command space not to overload fronts not only in 1941, but even into 1942 and 1943. In fact, you may also be short of Army HQ's as well in 1941.

Part of the question is does a Russian overload all his fronts a little or some a lot while leaving others right at the limit? I have a tendency to go with the latter, especially when trying to straighten out my command structure. (Something I am still working on learning, but I don't overload new fronts that come in).

[TulliusDetritus]

Turn done. In the south, to protect Stalino this is what I have done. The Western and Bryansk Fronts will need to move like an accordion on the next turns. That or I will need many APs [:(]

[TulliusDetritus]

ORIGINAL: randallw
Front HQs 'hold' a maximum of 3 construction units; anything above that they may run away and move up/down the command chain, unless you lock that HQ.

There's also a minimum amount that HQs like to have; Stavka requires none so those 10 you put there may run off to a Front HQ; Fronts attempt to collect and keep 15.

Collecting support units is like a little game in itself. [:D]

Randall, all the HQs except the Stavka are locked. And given that these HQs already have sappers and RR brigades they shouldn't be sucking these units from the Stavka.