BrianG vs Bobo

[timmyab]

It would be interesting to see some maps bobo. I know it's difficult sometimes when you've got your back to the wall but I think the second half of 42 is the most exciting part of the game if playing the 260 version and the Soviet player should be feeling the pressure in a closely contested game.

[821Bobo]

Dont worry Tim I will post every turn.

[821Bobo]

30.4.1942 - 6.5.1942

Snow in North zone allowed Axis to launch few successful attacks against my lines. Nothing extensive.

[821Bobo]

7.5.1942 - 13.5.1942

First little disaster. Clear weather in South zone was exploited by Axis and 11 rifle divisions are doomed. I have launched few counterattacks but most of my mobile forces were in the mud zone and therefore had not enough MPs. 1 Panzer division was forced to retreat and the Rumanian armor division 3 times (w/o routing [X(]) My most exposed units have retreated to north and east.

[timmyab]

Thanks. It'll be interesting to see how the 'disaster' unfolds. I'd still back you to get at least a draw out of the game.

[sillyflower]

ORIGINAL: 821Bobo

It is worth to rebuild cavalry corps if destroyed? It's 70APs(I need to rebuild the cavalry divisions as well) per corps.

I like to have several cavalry armies. The Pro's have 5 with a total of 20 cav xxx in our game against Disgruntled Vet ( compared to 4 armies with 16 tk xxx)and I'm thinking about army no.6.

They are only 35 AP not 20 once the costs of new units goes back to normal in Dec '41(????) - divs are 10 each and 5 to make the corps. Then another 3 for the SUs.

In '42 you can expect CVs of between 6-9, and they become 12-14 after the big upgrade in early '43. These are higher than the tank xxx at this time.

The first advantage of CCs is mobility. Inf xxx can end up with only 9 MPs or so if they fail their admin roll. Tanks are faster in the open (if they have the fuel) but not in bad terrain and need 16 MPs for a full attack instead of 6. Tanks are also a lot more brittle in defence.

The 2nd advantage is that they use very few trucks which are the only resource the Russians lack after Spring '42 unless the game is going really badly for them. The fact CCs cost loads of ARM is therefore an irrelevance by then.

[821Bobo]

I did rebuild them. However it seems to be problem to get them to 100% TOE and therefore the CVs are only 4-5. Railing them to Ural would probably solve this but I can not afford it.

[sillyflower]

there are always shortages of things like MGs. Best way to build CV is to win combats. Use their mobility to pick off the weaklings or the over-exposed and morale and experience will rise. With that, CVs rise.

[821Bobo]

No chance for that, he is very cautious and only exposed units are panzer spearheads(and few times Romanians). Of course I am hitting them if possible from turn 1.

[821Bobo]

14.5.1942 - 20.5.1942

Mud and quiet everywhere.
Here is the whole front overview and OOB.

[821Bobo]

21.5.1942 - 27.5.1942

Well end of May and we have snow in North zone. [8|] Panzers broke through my defense line which have resulted in my retreat. I have done successful attack for boosting my morale. [:D]

[821Bobo]

28.5.1942 - 3.6.1942

Last May turn and mud everywhere.
Axis motorized units are concentrated in Orel and Donbass sectors. There is a huge bulge containing 3 fronts with very weak flanks(basically no forts). Because of bad mobility in mud and the unpredictable random weather I could not have retreated from there. Looking back I should have had railed some units out of there at least.
I saw the disaster coming but failed to react.

[821Bobo]

4.6.1942 - 10.6.1942

Next week Brian managed to pocket 7 armies! I could probably temporary break the pocket but it has not been certain and therefore I resigned on it.

[821Bobo]

63 rifle divisions doomed (7 armies) + few tank regiments. Together nearly 700k men. [:(]

[timmyab]

Ouch! That's got to hurt.
This is still only a temporary setback though if you get your 42 strategy right from now on.
When playing strong Axis players, I think Soviet players should not be looking to hold position in the South, but should continue the summer 41 strategy of strategic withdrawal. It's going to get realistically uncomfortable playing the 260 version, but those last cities are very tough nuts to crack. Stalingrad, Yaroslavl, Saratov. At least one of these will be needed and by the time the Axis player gets to them (if he ever does)the red army will be a monster. Basically you need to continue trading space for time until Autumn 1942.

[821Bobo]

Now I am running, but its not easy to retreat in mud when there is possibility of clear weather.

[loki100]

ouch indeed

With random weather, I find the late spring-early summer 1942 is a bit like playing chicken ... made worse as the German player sort of knows the weather for a given turn while you have to guess. If you're lucky with the mud, it may take him a few turns to digest that huge pocket and time is now your friend.

In general, adds to my fears about trying to hold anywhere west of the Don bend after the winter battles. One turn with well rested Pzrs and you can be faced with a major crisis. But of course, you also need to keep the Germans as far west as possible so that time and distance can come to your rescue in the rest of 1942 ... never an easy balance to strike

[821Bobo]

11.6.1942 - 17.6.1942

3/5 of the pocket has been cleared and I started slowly retreating behind Don.
Lots of rifle brigades had been build this and in upcoming turns.

[821Bobo]

18.6.1942 - 24.6.1942

Slow retreat in the south continues. Mud in the central zone gave one more week of life to the remaining units in pocket.

[821Bobo]

In the other sectors Brian in doing only few attacks here and there. Then he usually falls back one or two hexes to avoid my attacks. However sometimes I have the opportunity to strike back.