Eastern Front 1941-1945 Scenario. v4 11/2015

[r6kunz]

Governato
Just a quick download, and read of the PDF. Looks fantastic, cannot wait to dig in. The sort of scenario that is a "worth the price of admission". One of the reasons that makes TOAW still exciting...
cheers

[governato]

v3.01 Minor update: Changed Factory units icon to Fixed Artillery so they will not retreat.

[governato]

Make sure the following options are selected before you start the game, I am not sure if some get reset
with the new AA executable.

[governato]

Get new version 3.2 in the top post!

This new and hopefully truly final version addresses two important points that emerged after feedback from playtesters, especially a game with sealclubber (who plays the Axis like a mofo) and reading the excellent book 'Kiev 1941' by David Stahel. This will be the version I
will send to the Game depots in two weeks. Overall this update should only affect the strongest Axis players, those that are able to use the TOAW engine so efficiently to obtain a truly unhistorical fast rate of advance for the Wehrmacht. Hopefully these changes will make the game more fun and realistic.

1) The Kiev Military District Formation and some of its units have now slightly higher proficiencies, making it less likely that they will all go into reorganization on turn 1. Historically the Kiev M.D. offered the strongest resistance during Barbarossa. This is impossible to replicate if this formation goes into reorganization on turn 1! A really good Axis player will be able to take advantage of this situation encircling a large part of the Red Army in the South and tilting the scenario permanently (and unhistorical) in his favor... unless the Red Army runs back all the way to Moscow and the Don.

2) Especially if the above happens, it was then too easy for the Axis to advance much further East than historical during the first 10-15 turns. This is possible because the TOAW engine allows both sides substantial units movement even at low supply levels. Historical records show instead that the strained logistics severely slowed the Panzer
spearheads once East of Minsk and the Dnepr. This is now modeled through an extensive use of 'refugees' events during Summer 41. These events slow down Axis movement on roads and reduce Axis supply East of the Valdai Hills - Smolensk - Dnepr line. The area covered by refugee effects shifts further to the East in late Summer, and then disappears after the
rain season.

One can see the effects in the image from a test scenario. When the refugee event is on (on the left) the supply levels decrease faster than in the standard case (right). The cost in MPs to enter a road hex is also doubled (remember that in v3.4 the supply level in an hex is connected to the distance in MPs from the railheads).

3) As pointed out in Stahel's 'Kiev 1941', in EF v3.2 a substantial number of Panzer replacements arrive in September (when Hitler released an existing tank reserve) and are not in the replacement pool from the start as before. An aggressive, fast moving Axis will find his units depleted of light tanks in late August, but will receive reinforcements in time for a Fall offensive.



Overall playtesting feedback from several games shows that the most 'historical' outcomes usually happen when the Axis player is slightly more experienced than the Soviet one, or if he has played EF before. That makes sense no?


Suggested readings: 'Kiev 1941' by David Stahel

and its counterpoint 'Hitler's Panzers East' by R.H.S Stolfi.

I personally find Stolfi's book fun, but mostly based on speculation rather than on historical records. This update reflects Stahel view of the Summer campaign.

[Telumar]

ORIGINAL: governato

This new and hopefully truly final version

Famous words by so many scenario designers [:D]

All else fine, so you've countered what they call Lvov exploit over at the WitE forums . I'm still playing 3.0, on turn 4 now. Do you think it's worth switching and starting new with 3.2 ?

[Oberst_Klink]

ORIGINAL: Telumar

ORIGINAL: governato

This new and hopefully truly final version

Famous words by so many scenario designers [:D]

All else fine, so you've countered what they call Lvov exploit over at the WitE forums . I'm still playing 3.0, on turn 4 now. Do you think it's worth switching and starting new with 3.2 ?

Aren't thee focusing on Kharkov '43, my master?

Klink, Oberst

[governato]

ORIGINAL: Telumar

ORIGINAL: governato

This new and hopefully truly final version

Famous words by so many scenario designers [:D]


All else fine, so you've countered what they call Lvov exploit over at the WitE forums . I'm still playing 3.0, on turn 4 now. Do you think it's worth switching and starting new with 3.2 ?

Argh the dreaded Lvov pocket. Well something similar. It'd happen only when the Kiev M.D reorganizes on turn 1, so only every few games, but not historical at all. Too many units lost in the first two-three turns usually upset the game unless the Red Army just runs East.


I like 3.2 better as the logistics are more realistic in late Summer 41, but it should only matter if you had a case of the 'Kiev freeze' and you feel the game got un-balanced. So unless you are still playing the very few turns do not bother switching.

You should play sealclubber! He is really good. That'd be an epic game.

[Telumar]

ORIGINAL: Oberst_Klink

Aren't thee focusing on Kharkov '43, my master?

Klink, Oberst

A good Padawan shall never question his master's ways.[:D]

ORIGINAL: governato

Argh the dreaded Lvov pocket. Well something similar. It'd happen only when the Kiev M.D reorganizes on turn 1, so only every few games, but not historical at all. Too many units lost in the first two-three turns usually upset the game unless the Red Army just runs East.


I like 3.2 better as the logistics are more realistic in late Summer 41, but it should only matter if you had a case of the 'Kiev freeze' and you feel the game got un-balanced. So unless you are still playing the very few turns do not bother switching.

You should play sealclubber! He is really good. That'd be an epic game.

My opponent has been lucky, there was no Kiev MD reorg on turn 1. Kiev MD is the one sector immediately behind the border where he actually puts up resistance and even counterattacks. Despite inspired resistance Kiev has fallen, but at the price of very exposed flanks towards the south which he exploited by cutting off my spearheads. Still the Wehrmacht got the upper hand, but it's not an overrun like the Soviet West Front.

[governato]

if anybody is interested in playing the scenario with the new unofficial patch (AA+increased RFC chances, see thread) send me a PM and I will be happy to send a link.

[PRUSSIAN TOM]

This is a great scenario. I have gotten to where I can, as the Germans, beat the PO hands down. No great task, I did it by brute force. Played over and over and over until I saw what I needed to do to win.[:'(] It is very instructive. Now I'm going to try the Russian side (vs Field Marshall von Elmer). [:'(] Same gig, then get my head handed to me PBEM. Great way to improve your game.[:D]

[governato]

There a two small known bugs in v3.2:

- A rail link is missing in Tula blocking rail movement South to North through the hex. rail movement North to South is fine. (Tx to Telumar for spotting this)

- Mud penalties in Spring 1944 end one turn too early for the Red Army: turn 148 vs 149 for the Axis. For fairness the Red army should refrain from attacking during turn 149.

That's all...both bugs have been fixed in v3.3!

[governato]

I have posted a new version of EF 41-45 in the original opening post, as a few PBEM games continued well into Summer of 1944, providing invaluable feedback (thanks Mike, Stefan, Ed and Carlos!) Changes mostly affect the second half of the game and try to emphasize the strain on logistics felt by the Red Army once West of the Dnepr - Smolensk - Riga line, that were not sufficiently modeled in the game. These improvement effectively mirror the changes in v3.2 that tried to better describe the strain on logistic felt by the Wehrmacht in the late Summer/Fall of 1941.



Changes in v3.3 - November 2013.



- increased tank attrition losses for the Red Army in 43-44
- The Brandenburg Regiment now can reconstitute
- small increase in German Heavy Rifle and Support squads arriving in '44-'45 (Rifle squads mostly arrive as reinforcements in low proficiency units)
- 1% supply penalty if the Red Army activates the extra 'Kursk Front' option, to better simulate the additional strain on logistics
- AAA lethality increased by 5%
- changes to Red Army Summer 44 offensive TO: shock reduced to 102%, but added +5% supply bonus for 3 turns. This is to encourage the Red Army to take an operational pause and maximize the supply benefit representing the stockpiling of Fuel and ammunition depots.
- the Moscow - Leningrad 'highway' has been downgraded to road.
- Loss of Budapest will trigger a small Air Shock Penalty for the Luftwaffe
- Axis supply slightly improved in 44+, Red Army supply slightly decreased.
- Axis mud turns penalties decreased in 1944+ to simulate better road network in Romania and Bielorussia.
- Some Red Army units will withdraw off map after liberating Budapest and Bucharest, to simulate campaigns in Yugoslavia and Austria against already off map OKH units.
- the terrain West of Lvov made more difficult after new information from Google maps and a discussion on the WITE forum. This change will slow down AGS a bit during the first turn.

VPs have been rebalanced to better reflect the late stages of the war. This is a substantial change that I think will positively influence the way people play past turn 100.

- Losses VP penalty increased. This will hopefully force both sides, but especially the Red Army, to have some operational pauses in 43-44, in order to increase supply and decrease infantry losses.
- Some VPs are awarded to the Axis player during the late stages of the war. Now the Red Army needs to capture Berlin earlier than historical in order to gain an 'overwhelming victory'.

These two changes should present an interesting and realistic challenge to the Red Army player: push hard irregardless of losses in order to conquer Berlin and East Europe already in 1944, but then risk to suffer so many losses that the post war recovery will be endangered due to lack of manpower (W.Dunn Jr. books were useful here, especially "Stalin's Keys to Victory: The Rebirth of the Red Army"). Note that taking Berlin still triggers a 'Sudden Death' for the Axis, and an automatic Red Army victory.

[PRUSSIAN TOM]

Thanks, big guy; you East Front scenario is teriffic! You manage to get the entire war into a playable format without it becoming a monster. [&o][&o] Don't get me wrong, I like monsters, too. [:-] But a scenarios where the Germans and Russians can duke it out from 41-45 (on corps scale) are in short supply.

There are some out, but yours has the right "feel," something that is not really easy to pin down, but includes playability, realism, play balance, and excitement generated while playing.

I'm sure there is Germans word for it...something like, "derawesomekreiiggamenundfarfenugen." [&:]

(Apologies to all German nationals; my command of your language is nil, but it offers the opportunity to express complex concepts in one word. No intent to offend or stereotype; I wish we could do that in English (e.g. realpolitik try to explain that in one or two words in (English) to a college level history class)).
[8|]
In English, the best I can do is say, "Great scenario; it's a blast to play. Thanks for creating it, and keeping it updated."

[Telumar]

ORIGINAL: PRUSSIAN TOM
There are some out, but yours has the right "feel," something that is not really easy to pin down, but includes playability, realism, play balance, and excitement generated while playing.

I'm sure there is Germans word for it...something like, "derawesomekreiiggamenundfarfenugen." [&:]

[:D]
What about "eierlegende Wollmilchsau"..

And yes, really, this scenario has indeed the right feel and all that it needs to qualify for a 'classic', i can only recommend it! Wakes memories of Gary Grigsby's old masterpiece "War in Russia".

[governato]

ORIGINAL: PRUSSIAN TOM

Thanks, big guy; you East Front scenario is teriffic! You manage to get the entire war into a playable format without it becoming a monster. [&o][&o] Don't get me wrong, I like monsters, too. [:-] But a scenarios where the Germans and Russians can duke it out from 41-45 (on corps scale) are in short supply.

There are some out, but yours has the right "feel," something that is not really easy to pin down, but includes playability, realism, play balance, and excitement generated while playing.

I'm sure there is Germans word for it...something like, "derawesomekreiiggamenundfarfenugen." [&:]

(Apologies to all German nationals; my command of your language is nil, but it offers the opportunity to express complex concepts in one word. No intent to offend or stereotype; I wish we could do that in English (e.g. realpolitik try to explain that in one or two words in (English) to a college level history class)).
[8|]
In English, the best I can do is say, "Great scenario; it's a blast to play. Thanks for creating it, and keeping it updated."

Thanks Tom! I am glad you like it. EF becomes a bit of a monster eventually , but only if you play past turn 100 or so .

Plese feel free (this applies to other fellow gamers!) to send me an end of turn or two from your games if you get a chance. It's feedback from players, both experts and novice that really helps improving the game. PBEM games going past the blizzard are especially useful.

[Telumar]

ORIGINAL: governato


- changes to Red Army Summer 44 offensive TO: shock reduced to 102%, but added +5% supply bonus for 3 turns. This is to encourage the Red Army to take an operational pause and maximize the supply benefit representing the stockpiling of Fuel and ammunition depots.

+1

As I'm not an advocate of lavish shock levels to force historical results i did something similar in Anzio 2km. No shock, but increased force supply level (accumulated supplies released for offensive) that drops back over time to normal.

In a Typhoon style situation this could even be followed by a drop of supply levels for several turns to simulate overextension, exhaustion (of men and material) and depletion of supplies. Ideally this would fall together with the onset of blizzard weather (pestilence, lowered supply radius, small negative shock) and coincide with a Soviet counteroffensive as a recipe for desaster. I once had this idea for FitE to make the German player think twice about a November offensive in Russia. Nevermind, drifting OT.

[clark_x_zhang]

Hi Governato,
Can you by any chance explain what's the relationship between the rail repair percentage shown in "unit report" and the chance of success in rail repair?

Thanks for your help,
Clark

[Oberst_Klink]

ORIGINAL: clark_x_zhang

Hi Governato,
Can you by any chance explain what's the relationship between the rail repair percentage shown in "unit report" and the chance of success in rail repair?

Thanks for your help,
Clark

The answer lies here:

12.5 Railroad Repair (Advanced Rules)
Units with a Rail Repair Capability can repair broken
railroads. The attempt will consume the unit’s entire movement
allowance. The chance of success is equal to the unit’s rail repair
capability. Units with a Rail Repair Capability will automatically
attempt to repair damaged Railroads in their location at the end
of their Turn, if they have not been given orders to do anything
else. Automatic Railroad Repair: In most Scenarios, both forces have
an Automatic Railroad Repair Capability. The default value is 1
location per Turn, which is repaired when the game performs
Automatic Bookkeeping. This is in addition to the Railroad Repair
Capability of any units on the map. The Automatic Rail Repair
function is reasonably intelligent; it attempts to recreate destroyed
supply nets from supply sources, and will tend to occur
near Supply Points and deployed Railroad Repair units.

Klink, Oberst

[governato]

I updated the scenario to version 3.4 in the main post of the thread.

This version includes several changes that improve on the realism of operations at the end of the 1941 Barbarossa campaign (slightly favoring the Red Army) and the nature of Axis replacements during the late stages of the game (favoring the Axis). This version also provides an incentive for the Axis player to continue Barbarossa 'till late Fall 41, with the goal of capturing Moscow before Winter.

Overall the scenario is now balanced and realistic over the whole 200+ turns, meaning that a strong Axis player and a smart, but less experienced Red Army opponent, should expect a fun and realistic game. The next version of the scenario will be posted after the TOAW v3.5 patch will be made available.

As usual, players of all level are encouraged to send me comments and saved turns!



CHANGES IN VERSION 3.4

1) MAJOR: Added a Red Army 'Moscow T24' in Moscow. If the Axis destroys this unit by capturing Moscow, there is a global 30% chance for a Red Army 'sudden death'. The unit automatically withdraws on turn 24. Design note: it is doubtful if the Soviet government would have collapsed after the loss of Moscow (as Hitler and OKH believed at the time). But it is generally agreed by historians that the chances would have been higher earlier in the war. Most importantly, this event gives the Axis player a strong incentive to push on until late in the season and discourages players from digging in due to historical insight. This change should lead to more historical campaigns and a more dramatic 'blizzard'. Note: after turn 24 the Sudden Death chance for capturing Moscow remains 10% as in previous versions.

2) MAJOR: Production of Axis Mounted and Motorcycle squads slowed down significantly after Spring 43 (Turn 100). These squads get replaced with an equivalent number of AT+Heavy Infantry squads that arrive as replacements. This change reflects the historical TOEs of many German units in the second part of the war, as the Werhmacht shifted to a defensive posture, and adds significant fire power to about 3000 squads, at the expense of units' recon capabilites.

3) MAJOR: Added 3000 Axis construction squads in 43+. These additional squads (representing Hiwis, or foreign POW troops) will help Axis units to entrench faster in the late stages of the war. Historically more than one million Russian POW were (usually forcefully) enlisted in the Werhmacht. Similar to Red Army reinforcement units, one Hiwis unit will arrive in Vitbesk (SW Ukraine) in Summer 43 and needs to be manually disbanded by the Axis player. This requires the Whermacht to hold South Ukraine to represent access to local manpower.

4) Map: more difficult terrain in the Leningrad area. Changes to rail lines in the Murmansk area. Increased supply rate from Baku.

5) Red Army shock penalty in Fall 41 and Spring 42 decreased to 50% from 40%. (100% means no penalty). This change makes it easier to
defend during mud turns and reflects the difficulty of mounting offensive operations during the rain season. Axis has a similar bonus
in 44/45, introduced in version 3.3.

6) Negative weather Air shocks in Fall 41, affecting both sides.

7) Axis decrease ZOC cost stays at 90% until end of game to reflect the tactical prowess of the Werhmacht at the tactical level.

8) AA lethality increased +5%

9) Red Army Air Shock set to 95% in 1943 90% in 1944, and to 85% in 1945. This is done to offset the unrealistic high proficiency of Red
Army air units late in the game.

10) Red army 'Attrition Losses' unit arrives earlier, at Turn 13, with a higher priority for replacements. This will increase Red Army tank
losses in Summer/Fall 1941.

11) Added 76mm AA slots to Red Army Garrison units. Removed AA trucks slots from Red Army Garrisons. (Stahel's book 'Typhoon' mentions
that Moscow had formidable AAA defences)

12) Increased by +10% readiness/supply for 1st Shock Army, Western 10th, Bryansk 60th, 61st armies. This will make them a bit stronger
for the Winter offensive.

13) Slots for some AA trucks added to TOE of Red Army cadres and Support units (supply, RR).

14) Small changes to a few Red Army air units TOEs, to increase their chances of reconstituting.

15) Some naval units removed: Kriegsmarine unit removed. Baltic Fleet turned into static AA+artillery unit in Leningrad (they only provided
gamey recon capabilities). Volga river flottilla removed.

16) Increase proficiency of Kiev M.D Formation/Infantry +5% This will make progress of AGS a bit harder in the earlier stages of Barbarossa.

17) Totenkopf unit size changed to division (-)

18) Axis Air Transport capabilities end in January 1945.

19) Proficiency of some Axis Garrisons increased +5%

20) More Soviet Mounted Rifle Squads arrive early, but less produced overall.

[shimerian]

Governato,
A simple question on the OOB at the start of the scenario.

Please pardon me if you've answered this before. I've read through your posts and if you mentioned it before, I missed it, in which case I feel foolish.

But with your operational scale being primarily corps and army units, why do you include several separate panzer division units along with their corps parent units? An example in AGN would be the separate unit "1st Panzer Division" adjacent to the "41st Panzer Corps." Several sources list the 1st Panzer Division as part of the 41st Panzer Corps.

There are a few other examples of separate panzer divisions in your OOB.
Thanks for your efforts. I look forward to your reply.